by Jim Morekis
There is a local regional airport as well, the Hilton Head Island Airport (HXD, 120 Beach City Rd., 843/689-5400, www.bcgov.net). While attractive and convenient, keep in mind that it only hosts propeller-driven commuter planes because of the runway length and concerns about noise.
Hilton Head is about 30 minutes from I-95. If you’re entering the area by car, the best route is exit 8 off I-95 onto U.S. 278, which takes you by Bluffton and right into Hilton Head. Near Bluffton, U.S. 278 is called Fording Island Road, and on Hilton Head proper it becomes the William Hilton Parkway business route.
Hilton Head islanders have long referred to their island as the “shoe” and speak of driving to the toe or going to the heel. If you take a look at a map, you’ll see why: Hilton Head bears an uncanny resemblance to a running shoe pointed toward the southwest, with the aptly named Broad Creek forming a near facsimile of the Nike “swoosh” symbol.
Running the length and circumference of the shoe is the main drag, U.S. 278 Business (William Hilton Parkway), which crosses onto Hilton Head right at the “tongue” of the shoe, a relatively undeveloped area. The Cross Island Parkway toll route (U.S. 278), beginning up toward the ankle as you first get on the island, is a quicker route straight to the toe near Sea Pines.
While it is technically the business spur, when locals say “278” they’re talking about the William Hilton Parkway. It takes you along the entire sole of the shoe, including the beaches, and on down to the toe, where you’ll find a confusing, crazy British-style roundabout called Sea Pines Circle. It’s also the site of the Harbour Town Marina and the island’s oldest planned development, Sea Pines Plantation.
While making your way around the island, always keep in mind that the bulk of it consists of private developments, and local law enforcement frowns on people who aimlessly wander among the condos and villas.
Other than taxi services, there is no public transportation to speak of in Hilton Head, unless you want to count the free shuttle around Sea Pines Plantation. Taxi services include Yellow Cab (843/686-6666), Island Taxi (843/683-6363), and Ferguson Transportation (843/842-8088).
Bluffton and Daufuskie Island
Just outside Hilton Head are two of the Lowcountry’s true gems, Bluffton and Daufuskie Island. While Bluffton’s outskirts have been taken over by the same gated community and upscale strip-mall sprawl spreading throughout the coast, at its core is a delightfully charming little community on the quiet May River, now called Old Bluffton, where you’d swear you just entered a time warp.
Daufuskie Island still maintains much of its age-old isolated, timeless personality, and the island—still accessible only by boat—is still one of the spiritual centers of the Gullah culture and lifestyle.
S OLD BLUFFTON
Similar to Beaufort, but even quieter and smaller, historic Bluffton is an idyllic village on the banks of the serene and well-preserved May River. Bluffton was the original hotbed of secession, with Charleston diarist Mary Chesnut famously referring to the town as “the center spot of the fire eaters.” While its outskirts (so-called “Greater Bluffton”) are now a haven for planned communities hoping to mimic some aspect of Bluffton’s historic patina, the town center itself remains an authentic look at old South Carolina. Retro cuts both ways, however, and Bluffton has been a notorious speed trap for generations. Always obey the speed limit. During their Civil War occupation, Union troops repaid the favor of those original Bluffton secessionists, which is why only nine homes in Bluffton are of antebellum vintage; the rest were torched in a search for Confederate guerrillas.
The center of tourist activity focuses on the Old Bluffton Historic District, several blocks of 1800s-vintage buildings clustered between the parallel Boundary and Calhoun Streets (old-timers sometimes call this “the original square mile”). Many of the buildings are private residences, but most have been converted into art studios and antiques stores.
Heyward House Historic Center
The Heyward House Historic Center (70 Boundary St., 843/757-6293, www.heywardhouse.org, Mon.-Fri. 10am-5pm, Sat. 10am-4pm, tours $5 adults, $2 students) is not only open to tours but also serves as Bluffton’s visitors center. Built in 1840 as a summer home for the owner of Moreland Plantation, John Cole, the house was later owned by George Cuthbert Heyward, grandson of Declaration of Independence signer Thomas Heyward. (Remarkably, it stayed in the family until the 1990s.) Of note are the intact slave quarters on the grounds.
The Heyward House also sponsors walking tours of the historic district (843/757-6293, $15, by appointment only). Download your own walking tour map at www.heywardhouse.org.
Church of the Cross
Don’t fail to go all the way to the end of Calhoun Street, as it dead-ends on a high bluff on the May River at the Bluffton Public Dock. Overlooking this peaceful marsh-front vista is the photogenic Church of the Cross (110 Calhoun St., 843/757-2661, www.thechurchofthecross.net, free tours Mon.-Sat. 10am-2pm). The current sanctuary was built in 1854 and is one of only two local churches not burned in the Civil War. The parish itself began in 1767, with the first services on this spot held in the late 1830s. While the church looks as if it were made of cypress, it’s actually constructed of heart pine.
Church of the Cross in Bluffton
Bluffton Oyster Company
You might want to get a gander at the state’s last remaining working oyster house, the Bluffton Oyster Company (63 Wharf St., 843/757-4010, www.blufftonoyster.com, Mon.-Sat. 9am-5:30pm), and possibly purchase some of their maritime bounty. Larry and Tina Toomer continue to oversee the oyster harvesting-and-shucking family enterprise, which has roots going back to the early 1900s.
the Bluffton Oyster Company
SHOPPING
Bluffton’s eccentric little art studios, most clustered in a two-block stretch on Calhoun Street, are by far its main shopping draw. Named for the Lowcountry phenomenon you find in the marsh at low tide among the fiddler crabs, Bluffton’s Pluff Mudd Art (27 Calhoun St., 843/757-5551, Mon.-Sat. 10am-5:30pm) is a cooperative of 16 great young painters and photographers from throughout the area. The Guild of Bluffton Artists (20 Calhoun St., 843/757-5590, Mon.-Sat. 10am-4:30pm) features works from many local artists, as does the outstanding Society of Bluffton Artists (48 Boundary St., 843/757-6586, Mon.-Sat. 10am-5pm, Sun. 11:30am-3pm). For cool, custom handcrafted pottery, try Preston Pottery and Gallery (10 Church St., 843/757-3084, Tues.-Sat. 10am-5pm). Another great Bluffton place is the hard-to-define Eggs’n’tricities (71 Calhoun St., 843/757-3446, Mon.-Sat. 10am-5pm). The name pretty much says it all for this fun and eclectic vintage, junk, jewelry, and folk art store.
If you want to score some fresh local seafood for your own culinary adventure, the no-brainer choice is the Bluffton Oyster Company (63 Wharf St., 843/757-4010, Mon.-Sat. 9am-5:30pm), the state’s only active oyster facility. They also have shrimp, crab, clams, and fish, nearly all of it from the nearly pristine May River on whose banks the facility sits.
For a much more commercially intense experience, head just outside of town on U.S. 278 on the way to Hilton Head to find the dual Tanger Outlet Centers (1414 Fording Island Rd., 843/837-4339, Mon.-Sat. 10am-9pm, Sun. 11am-6pm), an outlet-shopper’s paradise with virtually every major brand represented.
SPORTS AND RECREATION
A key kayaking outfitter in Bluffton is Native Guide Kayak Tours (8 2nd St., 843/757-5411, www.nativeguidetours.com), which features tours of the May and New Rivers led by native Ben Turner. Another good outfit is Swamp Girls Kayak Tours (843/784-2249, www.swampgirls.com), the labor of love of Sue Chapman and Linda Etchells.
To put in your own kayak or canoe on the scenic, well-preserved May River, go to the Alljoy Landing at the eastern terminus of Alljoy Road along the river. Or try the dock at the end of Calhoun Street near the Church of the Cross. There’s also a rough put-in area at the Bluffton Oyster Company (63 Wharf St.), which has a public park adjacent to it. For fishing, public landings include the dock on Calhoun Street, Alljoy Landing, and Bluffton
Oyster Company.
The closest public golf courses to Bluffton are the Arnold Palmer-designed Crescent Pointe Golf Club (1 Crescent Pointe Dr., 888/292-7778, www.crescentpointegolf.com, $90) and the nine-hole Old Carolina Golf Club (89 Old Carolina Rd., 888/785-7274, www.oldcarolinagolf.com, $26), certainly one of the best golf deals in the region.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Under $150
A quality bargain stay right between Bluffton and Hilton Head is the Holiday Inn Express Bluffton (35 Bluffton Rd., 843/757-2002, www.ichotelsgroup.com, $120), on U.S. 278 as you make the run onto Hilton Head proper. It’s not close to the beach or to Old Town Bluffton, so you’ll definitely be using your car, but its central location will appeal to those who want to keep their options open.
Over $300
For an ultra-upscale spa and golf resort environment near Bluffton, the clear pick is the Inn at Palmetto Bluff (476 Mt. Pelia Rd., 843/706-6500, www.palmettobluffresort.com, $650-900) just across the May River. This Auberge property was picked recently as the number-two U.S. resort by Condé Nast Traveler magazine. Lodging is dispersed among a series of cottages and “village home” rentals. There are three top-flight dining options on the grounds: the fine-dining River House Restaurant (843/706-6542, breakfast daily 7am-11am, lunch or “porch” menu daily 11am-10pm, dinner daily 6pm-10pm, $30-40); the May River Grill (Tues.-Sat. 11am-4pm, $9-13) at the golf clubhouse; and the casual Buffalo’s (843/706-6630, Sun.-Tues. 11:30am-5pm, Wed.-Sat. 11:30am-9pm, $10-15).
FOOD
Breakfast and Brunch
No discussion of Bluffton cuisine is complete without the famous Squat ’n’ Gobble (1231 May River Rd., 843/757-4242, daily 24 hours), a local phenomenon not to be confused with a similarly named chain of eateries in California. Long a site of gossiping and politicking as well as, um, squatting and gobbling, this humble diner on May River Road is an indelible part of the local consciousness. They specialize in the usual “American” menu of eggs, bacon, hamburgers, hot dogs, and fries.
French
Most dining in Bluffton is pretty casual, but you’ll get the white tablecloth treatment at Claude & Uli’s Signature Bistro (1533 Fording Island Rd., 843/837-3336, lunch Mon.-Fri. 11:30am-2:30pm, dinner Mon.-Sat. from 5pm, $18-25) just outside of town in Moss Village. Chef Claude does a great veal cordon bleu as well as a number of fine seafood entrées, such as an almond-crusted tilapia and an excellent seafood pasta. Don’t miss their specialty soufflé for dessert; order it with dinner, as it takes almost half an hour to bake.
Mexican
My favorite restaurant in Bluffton by far is S Mi Tierra (101 Mellichamp Center, 843/757-7200, lunch daily 11am-4pm, dinner Mon.-Fri. 4pm-9pm, Sat.-Sun. 4pm-10pm, $3-15). They have very high-quality Tex-Mex-style food in a fun atmosphere at great prices. Another highly regarded Mexican place in Bluffton is Amigo’s Café Y Cantina (133 Towne Dr., 843/815-8226, Mon.-Sat. 11am-9pm, $8).
TRANSPORTATION
To make the 40-minute drive to Bluffton from Beaufort, take Highway 170 south to U.S. 278 East. From Bluffton, Hilton Head is 15 minutes drive west along U.S. 278.
DAUFUSKIE ISLAND
Sitting between Savannah and Hilton Head Island and accessible only by water, Daufuskie Island—pronounced “da-FUSK-ee”—has about 500 full-time residents, most of whom ride around on golf carts or bikes (there’s only one paved road, Haig Point Road, and cars are a rare sight), and all of whom are very laid-back. Once the home of rice and indigo plantations and rich oyster beds—the latter destroyed by pollution and overharvesting—the two upscale residential resort communities on the island, begun in the 1980s, give a clue as to where the future might lie, although the recent global economic downturn, perhaps thankfully, slowed development to a standstill.
The area of prime interest to visitors is the unincorporated western portion, or Historic District, the old stomping grounds of Pat Conroy during his stint as a teacher of resident African American children. His old one-room schoolhouse of The Water is Wide fame, the Mary Field School, is still here, as is the adjacent 140-year-old Union Baptist Church, but Daufuskie students now have a surprisingly modern new facility (middle school students are still ferried to mainland schools every day). Farther north on Haig Point Road is the new Billie Burn Museum, housed in the old Mt. Carmel Church and named after the island’s resident historian. On the southern end you’ll find the Bloody Point Lighthouse, named for the vicious battle fought nearby during the Yamasee War of 1815 (the light was actually moved inland in the early 1900s). Other areas of interest throughout the island include Native American sites, tabby ruins, the old Baptist Church, and a couple of cemeteries.
Download a very well done, free self-guided tour of Daufuskie’s historic sites at www.hiltonheadisland.org; look for the “Robert Kennedy Historic Trail Guide” (not a nod to the former attorney general and U.S. senator, but a longtime island resident and historian).
The Melrose Beach Golf Club (55 Avenue of the Oaks, 888/851-4971, www.melroseonthebeach.com) is back in operation, an iteration of the long-troubled Melrose golf resort that recently went through an extended bankruptcy. While not everything is back up and running, you can play golf on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course; call the club to schedule a tee time. Lodging is not available at Melrose as of this writing.
Who Are the Gullah?
A language, a culture, and a people with a shared history, Gullah is more than that—it’s also a state of mind. Simply put, the Gullah are African Americans of the Sea Islands of South Carolina and Georgia. (In Georgia, the term Geechee, from the nearby Ogeechee River, is more or less interchangeable.) Protected from outside influence by the isolation of this coastal region after the Civil War, Gullah culture is the closest living cousin to the West African traditions of those imported to this country as slaves.
While you might hear that Gullah is a corruption of “Angola,” some linguists think it simply means “people” in a West African language. In any case, the Gullah speak what is known as a creole language, meaning one derived from several sources. Gullah combines elements of Elizabethan English, Jamaican patois, and several West African dialects; for example “goober” (peanut) comes from the Congo n’guba. Another creole element is a word with multiple uses; for example, Gullah’s shum could mean “see them,” “see him,” “see her,” or “see it” in either past or present tense, depending on context. Several white writers in the 1900s published collections of Gullah folk tales, but it wasn’t until later linguistic research was done that the Gullah tongue was recognized as something more than just broken English. Lorenzo Dow Turner’s groundbreaking Africanisms in the Gullah Dialect, published in 1949, traced elements of the language to Sierra Leone in West Africa and more than 300 Gullah words directly to Africa.
Gullah is typically spoken very rapidly, which of course only adds to its impenetrability to the outsider. Gullah also relies on colorful turns of phrase. “E tru mout” (“He true mouth”) means the speaker is referring to someone who doesn’t lie. “Ie een crack muh teet” (“I didn’t even crack my teeth”) means “I kept quiet.” A forgetful Gullah speaker might say, “Mah head leab me” (“My head left me”).
Gullah music, as practiced by the world-famous Hallelujah Singers of St. Helena Island, also uses many distinctly African techniques, such as call-and-response (the folk hymn “Michael Row the Boat Ashore” is a good example). The most famous Americans with Gullah roots are boxer Joe Frazier (Beaufort), hip-hop star Jazzy Jay (Beaufort), NFL great Jim Brown (St. Simons Island, Georgia), and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas (Pin Point, Georgia, near Savannah).
Upscale development continues to claim more and more traditional Gullah areas, generally by pricing the Gullah out through rapidly increasing property values. Today, the major pockets of living Gullah culture in South Carolina are in Beaufort, St. Helena Island, Daufuskie Island, Edisto Island, and a northern section of Hilton Head Island.
The old ways are not as prevalent as they were, but several key institutio
ns are keeping alive the spirit of Gullah: the Penn Center (16 Martin Luther King Dr., St. Helena, 843/838-2474, www.penncenter.com, Mon.-Sat. 11am-4pm, $4 adults, $2 seniors and children) on St. Helena Island near Beaufort; the Avery Research Center (66 George St., Charleston, 843/953-7609, www.cofc.edu/avery, Mon.-Fri. 10am-5pm, Sat. noon-5pm) at the College of Charleston; and Geechee Kunda (622 Ways Temple Rd., Riceboro, Georgia, 912/884-4440, www.geecheekunda.com) near Midway off U.S. 17.
For overnight stays, you can rent a humble but cozy cabin at Freeport Marina (843/785-8242, $100-150, golf cart $60 extra per day), near the ferry dock and overlooking the water. There are vacation rental options island-wide as well; go to www.daufuskieislandrentals.com for info on a wide variety of offerings. Sorry, no camping available!
There are no grocery stores as commonly understood on Daufuskie, only a couple of “general store” type places. So if you’ve booked a vacation rental, most grocery items will need to be brought in with you.