Looking for a way to spend a few hours while visiting Hilton Head Island South Carolina? What about if you could see marshland, a butterfly habitat, a camellia garden, a 1930’s farm house and much more? What if it was free? Read on to find out about the incredible Coastal Discovery Museum and all that is included on the property and how you can enjoy it if you decide to stop by.

General Information

Here are a few general things to know:

• The museum is open Monday-Saturday 9am-4:30pm and Sunday 11am-3pm.

• Gates lock 30 minutes after closing and cars will be locked in until the next morning if they remain after closing.

• Admission is free.

• The museum is a Smithsonian affiliate.

• They offer a self-guided tour. Just grab a map from inside and scan the QR codes as you go along to listen to the audio tour.

• They offer school tours, wedding and rental locations, and corporate events.

• They have exhibits around the property and inside the buildings.

• They offer a variety of guided walks, talks, cruises, and excursions throughout the year.

• They offer guest speakers, hands on programs, and digital resources.

• They also host festivals and events throughout the year.

• There were places for you to sit and rest and enjoy a picnic. Just please be respectful of your surroundings. They sold water in the gift shop but not food or snacks so you will need to bring those with you.

• Dogs are allowed on the property as long as they are leashed and well behaved and you clean up after them.

• It is stroller and wheelchair accessible.

• Most of your time will be spent outside so dress accordingly and bring things that make sense (sun protection, bug spray, rain gear, etc).

• You are allowed to bring food to have a picnic-highly recommend. I also highly recommend sunscreen, hats, bug spray, and water during your visit!

To fully understand all that the museum has to offer and to check out their schedule, click the link below to be taken to their official website.

Our Guided Tour

On a Thursday afternoon in September 2024, my family and I were visiting HHI and decided we wanted to try something different. After our morning walk on the beach, we decided to book a guided tour of the Coastal Discovery Museum.

We booked our tour two days in advance on an app that I like to use called Viator, but you can also book a tour just by walking into the main building of the museum, or from the museum website. The tour we took is the Explore Honey Horn Tour and it is offered on Thursdays and Saturdays at 11am. There were 11 people on our tour plus our guide (who was incredible). The tour lasted almost two full hours and far exceeded our expectations. It was a great mix of history, learning about local plants and animals, checking out the entire property, and taking some beautiful photos along the way.

History /The Discovery House

As we all gathered around and made introductions, our guide started to share the history of the property. We learned that it started out as an Indigo growing farm. Records show the plantation was purchased by a French man around 1750. After the revolutionary war the French family left, and another family bought it whose family had property next door. The home that we were standing in front of was built in 1859. 

We then moved through the Discovery house and out the back door into the courtyard. Below are some photos of the inside of the house. There are several art exhibits, a gift shop, restrooms, and a museum of sorts inside the house.

Back Porch of Discovery House

This was one of the most peaceful places on the property. There were benches for you to enjoy, and we loved admiring the 350-year-old oak tree.

Osprey Outlook Boardwalk-Marsh

Just down from the Discovery house was a path to the marsh. Our guide chatted about Spartina Grass, Periwinkle Snails (that don’t like salt), Fiddler Crabs, Pluff Mud (which is like quicksand), and so much more.

Hall Of Fame

After the marsh, we continued along the path and passed by a lovely memorial known as the “Hall of Fame”. Some of the Islands most important figures are highlighted here for all to remember.

The Karen Wertheimer Butterfly Habitat

After the Hall of Fame, we wandered over the old shuffleboard area (photo below) and into the Butterfly Habitat. There were several different kinds of species inside along with some specific plants that attract and help butterflies thrive. Our guide also told us about the blue bottle tree that was just outside the habitat. It is believed that evil spirits get trapped inside the bottles and can’t get out. When the sun comes out, the heat kills the spirits that are trapped inside. We saw several throughout the property.

Carnivorous Plants Bog Garden

After enjoying the butterflies, we wandered over to the carnivorous plant garden. Our guide picked out one of the plants that was near death and cut it down the middle so that we could see all the bugs that it had “eaten”. The one he chose even had a snail inside with a shell (photos below). He also told us about the two different kinds of palm trees that were spread all throughout the property and how one had smooth bark along its trunk and the other had spikes along its trunk. The Civil War soldiers used to use the spikes to dry out their boots. He shared fun facts like this all throughout the tour!

As we moved to the next location, we passed by the Discovery Lab, the Birds Eye View Theater, and the Armstrong Hack House.

Heritage Garden/Dragonfly Pond

We took a stroll through the Heritage Garden and our guide actually showed us some Indigo (which is what used to be farmed on the land). After the Civil War, England would not buy Indigo from the states, so the plantation had to switch over to cotton (which was also in the garden). They actually grew Sea Island Cotton which was four times more valuable than regular cotton. It is softer and more luxurious. We also stopped by the Dragonfly Pond. Our guide shared that there is sometimes a tiny alligator hiding in the pond (I only saw a frog-photo below). There were Venus fly traps and lilies to admire and of course we saw some dragonflies.

Fiddler Crab Cove Boardwalk

My absolute favorite place on the whole plantation was the Fiddler Crab Cove Boardwalk. Just past the dragonfly pond you see a small sign leading you to the boardwalk. Once you hit the wooden planks and turn the corner, you see a beautiful marsh and a photo perfect tree arching right over the boardwalk. There is also some built-in seating at the end of the boardwalk for you to relax and enjoy the peace of the marshland.

The Camella Garden, Shed, Pavilion, Horse Barn, and Grape Arbor

After the boardwalk we took a quick bathroom break at the Farmhouse while the guide told us about the Resurrection Fern that was covering the incredible winding Oak Tree in front of the farmhouse. Next, we checked out the remnants of a NASA test vehicle in the shed, then ventured over to the dormant Camella Garden. There were hundreds of Camella bushes, and some were up to 40 years old. They bloom in the winter so unfortunately; we did not get to see them in all their glory, but we did get to see an owl house (like a bird house). Our last stop was the horse barn and the horse in the adjacent field (we were instructed not to pet it as it bites). As we walked back to the Discovery Center, we passed by 100-year-old muscadine grape vines.

Even without a guide you are able to walk around the entire property and everywhere we visited for free. You could easily spend from an hour to a half a day here depending on how much time you took exploring and how many exhibits you stopped to see. There was so much history and beauty throughout the property that if you are looking for something to do besides the beach, I would highly recommend stopping by!