If you’re used to frigid northern winters, biking to a Christmas tree lighting might feel a bit strange at first. Then you catch the white lights in the live oaks and the smell of salty air, and it starts to feel exactly right. Welcome to the holiday season in paradise.
The holidays look a little different here than they do back home. Thanksgiving starts with a beach 5K, and New Year’s Eve ends with a golf ball drop at the lighthouse. Thinking about bringing your coach south this season? Here are the Hilton Head holiday traditions that return every year, from Thanksgiving weekend through New Year’s Day.
What the Weather Is Like on Hilton Head in December
Leave the heavy winter coat at home and break out your favorite fall sweater or hoodie. According to the island’s visitor bureau, average highs are about 69°F in November, 61°F in December and 59°F in January. Lows usually fall in the 40s.
That’s comfortable weather for golf, biking and long walks on the beach. In the evening, it’s cool enough that a fire pit or hot tub feels well earned. The ocean is chilly, though, so unless you’re joining the New Year’s Day plunge, you’ll likely stick to the sand. Pack layers, including a light jacket for evenings outside.
Hilton Head Holiday Traditions Start on Thanksgiving Weekend
On Hilton Head, Thanksgiving morning starts in running shoes. The Island Rec Center’s annual Turkey Trot 5K brings out runners in their best turkey attire and collects pantry items for The Deep Well Project. Prefer a run on the sand? Palmetto Dunes hosts the Thanksgiving Turtle Trot, a beach 5K whose proceeds benefit Palmetto Dunes Cares.
The next evening, Harbour Town lights up for the season. The Sea Pines Resort holds its official tree lighting on the Friday after Thanksgiving, followed in recent years by Gregg Russell’s Thanksgiving concert under the Liberty Oak. Russell has been entertaining families beneath that same tree since 1976.
After the lighting, Harbour Town Lights stay on every night through New Year’s Day. While you’re there, consider supporting The Deep Well Project by leaving canned goods or a new, unwrapped toy in the well by the Liberty Oak stage.
Where to See Christmas Lights on Hilton Head
The Town of Hilton Head Island tree – Each year in early December, the Town lights its official 30-foot Christmas tree at Lowcountry Celebration Park near Coligny Beach. Admission is free, and the evening usually brings local bands, hot cocoa and a laser light show.
Dove Street Festival of Lights – Nearby, the neighbors on Dove Street, off North Forest Beach Drive, go all out with lights and decorations as a gift to the community. It’s a neighborhood tradition that dates back to 1990, and while it’s free to see, visitors can donate online to local charities.
Fire Rescue Station 3 – Firefighters at Station 3 on William Hilton Parkway have decorated for nearly two decades. Their display draws thousands of cars each season, and the station collects nonperishable food and new, unwrapped toys for The Deep Well Project.
Shelter Cove Towne Centre – Each year, lights fill the center and a 28-foot tree goes up in Shelter Cove Park. It’s an easy place to enjoy the lights and finish a little holiday shopping at the same time.
Concerts, Parades and a Count of a Different Kind
Holiday Pops – The Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra and its chorus perform Holiday Pops each season, an island holiday tradition. The program changes every year, so check the symphony’s site for details.
Paws and Claus Parade – Traveling with a dog? Each year after Christmas, Santa leads a parade of dogs in their holiday best through Harbour Town. Afterward, there are dog games around the Liberty Oak stage, and all breeds and sizes are welcome.
The Christmas Bird Count – Every year from December 14 to January 5, volunteers across the country count birds for the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Here on the island, Hilton Head Audubon organizes a local count across a 15-mile circle, and new volunteers are welcome.
Ringing In the New Year on Hilton Head
On New Year’s Eve, a giant golf ball drops from the top of the Harbour Town Lighthouse. It’s Hilton Head’s answer to Times Square. In recent years, Sea Pines has held two drops, one in the early evening for families and one at midnight.
The next morning, hundreds of people, many in costume, charge into the Atlantic at Coligny Beach for Hilton Head’s annual Polar Plunge. The community-run event began more than a decade ago and is free to join. In recent years, donations have supported the Charli’s Critters Naturalist Education Fund at the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. Prefer to stay dry? Bring a coffee and cheer comfortably from the sand.
Spend the Holidays at Hilton Head Island Motorcoach Resort
After a night of lights and music, we’re here to welcome you back to a site of your own. Our hot tub is open throughout the winter, and our clubhouse is a great place to gather for more holiday fun. Plus, your pup can run off some energy at our dog park, complete with a wash station. With a thriving Class A and C motorcoach community celebrating the season, every visit feels like a homecoming. You won’t even need a tow vehicle to reach the island’s festivities.
Whichever Hilton Head holiday traditions make your list, book your holiday stay and make our resort your home base this season. When the decorations come down, our top 10 winter activities around Hilton Head Island are sure to keep you busy until spring.