When William Hilton, the English sea captain, landed in the Lowcountry in 1663, he discovered the Spanish (1521) and the French Huguenots (1560s) preceded him. By the time Hilton arrived, the French had moved inland. The English king was making land grants of this fertile land; thus, the first plantation system was born on Hilton Head Island, S.C. After the Civil War forever changed the South, Hilton Head remained largely isolated for almost 100 years.

In the 1940s, lumbermen discovered the island’s sea pines, and the appropriately named Sea Pines Resort became the first resort on the island. With the advent of air-conditioning and a new bridge to the mainland, developers created a master plan for the first modern resort community.

Today, Hilton Head is home to 39,000 residents and 2.5 million annual visitors who live and play in an eco-friendly paradise with no neon lights or major commercial signage. More than 20 golf courses replaced cotton fields; residents stroll 12 miles of pristine beach and dine in 250 restaurants. (Two local favorites are the seafood and sunsets at Skull Creek Boathouse and the prime steaks at HH Prime Restaurant at the Omni.) Today, most accommodations are on one of nine “plantations,” which function as homeowners’ associations.

Golf, of course, remains a huge draw, and Hilton Head hosts the RBC Heritage tournament, South Carolina’s only PGA Tour event. The island boasts first-class courses designed by the biggest names in golf, from Arnold Palmer and Pete Dye to Robert Trent Jones. Golf Digest readers named the island as one of the world’s great golf resorts, yet only about half of all visitors play golf.

These days, residents and visitors alike find a lot more to do: biking, hiking nature trails, swimming and beachcombing, fishing and horseback riding; and there’s a renewed emphasis on eco-tourism, such as the new ZipLine Hilton Head. If you’re here on business, 22 properties offer the latest in facilities for meetings and conventions. The island boasts 3,000 hotel rooms plus 6,000 villas, 1,000 timeshare units and numerous bed-and-breakfast inns.

In just the last two years, Hilton Head experienced almost $200 million in new developments and updates. The Omni Hilton Head is completing more than $17 million in renovations, including its 323 guestrooms and 20 oceanfront suites. Its 25,000 square feet of meeting space includes the 7,000-square-foot, open-air Shorehouse.

The largest full-service beachfront resort, spa and conference facility on the island, the Hilton Head Marriott Resort & Spa just completed a $12 million renovation of its 513 guestrooms and meeting space.

At the Sonesta Resort, a recent $30 million renovation added a new Arum Spa. With more than 22,000 square feet of meeting space, the Sonesta offers 340 guestrooms, including nine spacious suites. A plus is the hotel’s location, close to Coligny Plaza with its more than 60 restaurants, shops and attractions.

The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa invested $30 million in a complete facelift, including the 416 guestrooms and suites and the addition of the first Heavenly Spa by Westin in the United States. The WestinWORKOUT facility has been upgraded; and three golf courses, tennis courts and the Westin Kids Club are available for guests’ use.

The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, on the May River in Bluffton, is expanding with investments in excess of $100 million, including a 150-room hotel, a spa and fitness center, meeting space and new dining options.

Hole 11 at the Palmetto Dunes Robert Trent Jones Course © Palmetto Dunes

Just completing a $5 million reinvention, Beach House updated more than 200 guestrooms, its popular Tiki Hut Bar and 6,000 square feet of meeting space. The property is within walking distance of shopping and dining at Coligny Plaza.

Meanwhile, the island’s first resort community continues to fine-tune and expand its amenities and facilities at several properties. Sea Pines’ 60-room, 4-diamond Inn at Harbour Town offers intimacy and luxury, including personal butler service. Golfers can choose from three courses including Harbour Town Golf Links, home to the RBC Heritage. A new 19,000-square-foot clubhouse will open this spring for the tournament and will include new dining, locker and banquet facilities. The resort also features Harbour Town Yacht Basin and five miles of Atlantic beach, as well as 19,000 square feet of upgraded meeting space and a new luxury pool.

An all-new beach club is now open at The Sea Pines Beach Club, upgrading the beach experience to include enhanced food and beverage options, meeting rooms and a rooftop bar, all connected by outdoor decks. The elegant Sea Pines Plantation Golf Club boasts a 23,000-square-foot clubhouse, including the 2,000-square-foot Magnolia Room and an additional 4,500 square feet outdoors on an elevated porch overlooking the links.

How has all this investment changed Hilton Head Island? According to Kelly Smith, a spokesperson for the local chamber of commerce, a lot — and not so much.

“In the past two or three years, the island has seen massive upgrades and investments to our hotels, clubs and shopping centers, but the island remains true to its character. No streetlights, no neon signs, no brightly colored buildings. Everything blends with nature,” she said. “The town of Hilton Head Island has spent millions of dollars buying land that can never be developed, to create a natural buffer.”

Smith believes the island “vibe” will be preserved. “Ours was the first eco-planned resort in the U.S., and we plan to remain that way,” she said. So far, the results seem to be just that.

SCENIC DRIVES

Just a few minutes’ drive over the bridge, Bluffton is a flashback to a slower pace of Carolina coastal life. Grab a sweet tea, find a comfy chair under an ancient oak and watch the world go by. You can shop the farmers’ market, buy seafood right off the fishing boats on the May River and browse the art galleries and quaint shops. Bluffton hosts several seasonal food and art festivals.

One of the most popular cities in the Southeast, historic Savannah is just a one-hour drive south from Hilton Head Island on Interstate 95. Explore its historic squares, seafood eateries and architecture; enjoy a Lowcountry lunch; browse a gallery; and take in the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum. You’ll still be back in Hilton Head for cocktail hour.

Daufuskie Island, “the paradise beyond,” is accessible only by boat and still much the same way Hilton Head must have been in the 1950s. A favorite of artists, golfers, fishermen and outdoor types who feel Hilton Head is too developed, this island speaks to a pace of life from decades past. Lower your blood pressure, and then return to Hilton Head for some nighttime action — or a long nap.