One of the finest resort destinations in the world, Palmetto Dunes/Shelter Cove is located at the heart of Hilton Head Island. Its 2000 acres, nestled on 3 miles of Atlantic Ocean beachfront, provide the perfect venue for 3 world class golf courses, an award winning tennis center and an 11 mile lagoon that invites guests in kayaks and canoes to share a pristine, natural environment with 40 species of birds and fish. Ever since it was envisioned as an ecologically friendly beach and harbour resort destination, Palmetto Dunes/ Shelter Cove has been winning accolades for the scope, beauty and quality of its activities and amenities. Readers of Conde Nast Traveler have named Palmetto Dunes/ shelter Cove one of the top 50 mainland resorts in the U.S. Vacationers never run out of things to do at this beautiful, 2000 acre locale. Whether you enjoy teeing off on three championship golf courses, exploring 50 miles of pave island pathways by bike, paddling along an 11 mile lagoon network, enjoying a surfing lesson, or beachcombing along 3 miles of pristine beaches, we offer more vacation activities than any other beach resort in the southeast. At your fingertips we offer world class tennis, surfing, fishing, shopping, dining fun for the kids, championship golf, nature, wildlife, breath taking views and on and on. Travel and Leisure Family rate us as the #1 Family Resort in the United State and Canada. Maybe it’s your first glimpse into this lush paradise—a world filled with palm trees and beach chairs, spacious expanses of immaculately manicured golf courses and tennis courts, a marina which plays host to boutiques, waterfront restaurants and the occasional pelican or dolphin. Throw in a dash of southern charm from the locals and a year-round balmy climate and you’ll know why “paradise” is the perfect descriptive.

In a way, Palmetto Dunes has two “front yards.” There is Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort with its three miles of beach and the drama of the Atlantic Ocean. The other “front yard” is the wide expanse of Broad Creek and the waters that wash through the harbour. In the summer, five nights a week, hundreds of families gather to enjoy entertainer Shannon Tanner’s family-friendly show.

On Tuesday evenings, however, at sundown, thousands of people gather at Shelter Cove Harbour, at the community park, and in boats on the water to enjoy a fireworks display that is truly a celebration of not just Palmetto Dunes, but of the island itself. Whether an island visitor or resident, it seems like a spontaneous festival of life.

Every conceivable water sport can be enjoyed in the 15.5 acre marina of Shelter Cove, from deep sea fishing and inshore fishing charters to sport crabbing, sail and power boat rentals, sightseeing and nature excursions and dinner cruises. You also have waterfront shopping and dining, a wide array of specialty shops, quaint bistros, fine dining establishments , family-related and seasonal activities including Harbour Fest and a towering12 foot bronze statue of Neptune. This larger than life sundial serves as an iconic symbol of Shelter Cove Harbour at Palmetto Dunes and is hailed as the world's largest sundial. While on the harbor take advantage of specialized instruction for surf casting, fly fishing, kayaking, surfing, sport crabbing , and more.