For Seafood Lovers, This South Carolina Island Delivers Paradise

The infamous Sea Islands of America cluster along the Atlantic coastline from Georgia through South Carolina, each cradling a history and culture unique to itself. From cultural distinctions to Gullah food traditions, storytelling folk art, and sweetgrass basket weavers, these barrier islands couldn't be more distinctly defined. But they do have one enduring commonality: A wealth of seafood that defines the way locals and visitors eat. 

That's especially true of the high-profile Hilton Head Island. It's more commercially developed than the smaller islands, with high-rise condominiums and name-brand resorts — but when it comes to seafood, Hilton Head isn't messing around: It's local, personal, and pervasive, whether served in fancy seafood restaurants, beachfront shacks, and dockside dinner venues, or bartered at local fish markets. Even when gussied up for high-end travelers, the seafood still follows an inherent Lowcountry trajectory based on local catches, fishing traditions, tides, and seasons. 

Seafood lovers find plates of paradise on this 42-square-mile island, from Lowcountry dishes to fresh oysters, blue-crab legs, she-crab soup, clams, red rice, Gullah stews, gumbos, and sea bass and redfish. Then there's the well-loved Lowcountry boils in all their regional incarnations and monikers, including the oddly-named Frogmore stew, which isn't a stew at all by most definitions. It's instead a glorious pile of boiled crustaceans, typically shrimp, crawfish, and/or crab, plus smoked sausage, cobbed corn, round new potatoes, and Old Bay seasoning. This one definitely sits on our Tasting Table list of the most iconic dishes in every state — and perches proudly on plenty Hilton Head menus.

During a month-long exploration of South Carolina and Georgia Sea Islands, I eventually turned my wheels toward Hilton Head, not expecting the luxurious ambiance compared to other rustic, folksy, marshy, island gems such as St. Helena, Daufuskie, and the feral-horse haven of Cumberland Island. It was an adjustment, but the seafood alone was worth embracing a more genteel adventure. From classic waterfront restaurants to seafood markets and regional festivals, it's a microcosm of Lowcountry flavors and experiences.

Restaurants abound on Hilton Head, but some favorites stand out, such as the historic Hudson's Seafood House on the Docks, which puts you front-and-center for spectacular waterfront dining and boat-to-plate seafood delivered fresh daily. For fresh oysters, there's nowhere like The Quarterdeck, tucked in the shadow of the island's iconic Harbour Town Lighthouse. A rooftop oyster bar keeps you shucking and sucking all night, while the main menu features a parade of elegantly-prepared specialty fare such as sweet-corn blue-crab chowder, South Carolina grouper Rockefeller, and Daufuskie deviled crab cakes, plus the more adventurous Cajun fried gator bites and Josper roasted octopus. 

FISH Casual Coastal Seafood places diners in open-air spaces, with outdoor seating, live music, and all-you-can-eat crab legs. Catch 22 digs deep on Southern cooking with cornmeal-dusted Carolina trout and Daufuskie hush puppies, while Skull Creek Boathouse features an in-house sushi bar and the lively outdoor Buoy Bar. If you'd rather dine in, it's easy to pick up fresh ocean-offerings from seafood markets such as Benny Hudson, South End, and Barnacle Bill's. 

Seafood on Hilton Head Island isn't just about what momentarily sits on the plate. The deep connection to water-centric cultural cuisine spreads wide arms to include things like seafood festivals and fishing excursions for catches both big and small. With island fishing charters, you'll get out on the water, and with any luck, catch your own dinner. They cater to all experience levels, with Hilton Head Fishing Charters running inshore, nearshore, and offshore trips into Lowcountry waters, trolling for everything from redfish to tarpon, speckled sea trout, Spanish mackerel, black and red drum, and more. The longtime local captain at Off The Hook Fishing Charter specializes in family-friendly excursions, including fly-fishing and light tackle, plus inshore trips and options from two to eight hours. Plenty more excursions are available from online booking platforms such as Fishing Booker. 

With precise planning, by season and local schedules, you can dive straight into Hilton Head seafood culture at lively outdoor festivals. The Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival brings a bright spot to late winter, as local chefs, tastings, demos, and live music create a week-long culinary celebration highlighting the best in Lowcountry fare. In the fall, the Hilton Head Oyster Festival stars oysters in all their mollusk-y glory, sharing it with compatible dishes such as shrimp-and-grits and Lowcountry boils, plus live entertainment and family-friendly activities. The annual Shrimp Festival in Harbour Town rolls out the sandy red carpet with all-you-can-eat shrimp, craft beer, and local island music.