Splash Into Fun With These Exciting Water Activities & Sports On Hilton Head
Hilton Head Island is awash with fun and exciting water activities that the whole family will love! From calming water activities like paddle boarding to thrilling action sports like jet skiing and parasailing, there’s something for everyone to enjoy out on the water around Hilton Head Island.
Read on to learn more about our most popular water activities, and head to our Things to Do page for more activities on land.
Kayaking
Paddle into good times with a kayak session or two around Hilton Head Island! Reserve a VayK Gear rental kayak and take to the water at any of the many lovely local recreation areas across the island. Some of the popular Hilton Head kayaking spots to explore on your own include Calibogue Sound, Broad Creek, and Jarvis Creek. Also, if you’re staying at a vacation rental in Palmetto Dunes, you can kayak the beginner-friendly Palmetto Dunes Lagoon Channels.
Alternatively, you can join a guided kayaking tour at outfitters like Kayak Hilton Head and Saltmarsh Paddle Tours. If you’ve never kayaked before or just want to get the most out of your water excursion, then taking a guided tour is a great option for you and your group. Additionally, you can customize your experience by booking specialty tours like dolphin tours or fireworks tours in the summer.
Stand Up Paddleboarding
Like kayaking, this is a great family-friendly activity that makes exploring the waters around Hilton Head Island a blast! Once you find your balance on the board and start paddling around, it’s near-impossible to wipe a smile off your face as you glide across the water. Between the tranquil moments of your group paddling their boards, occasional splash fights will add some extra excitement to the day.
You can go stand up paddleboarding at the same places mentioned for kayaking, but be sure the weather and waters are calm for the smoothest ride. Paddleboards are also available for rent through the VayK Gear program that’s included when booking a Relax Rentals vacation home. Paddleboard tours and rentals are also available through Sandmarsh Paddle Tours if you’d like to go down the guided excurison option. No matter how you get out on your stand up paddleboard, we all but guarantee you’ll have a great time doing it here at Hilton Head.
Jet Skiing
Add a little extra oomph and thrills to your day on the water by renting a jet ski at Hilton Head. Pick up a jet ski (aka waverunner) rental at outfitters such as H2O Sports or Low Country Watersports, and head out to cruise and/or race across the waters surrounding Hilton Head. You can even take a jet ski tour that offers a great mix of low and high-speed opportunities out on the water.
When you pick up your rental or head out on your tour, the outfitter you select will provide the locations for wake-free zones where you can really open up the throttle. They can also tell you the best places to look out for wildlife or check out the incredible waterfront real estate across Hilton Head.