In 1956, just five short years after the introduction of electricity to Hilton Head Island, Charles Fraser purchased land on the southwestern tip of the island to develop the community now known as Sea Pines Plantation. The first of Hilton Head’s plantation communities, Sea Pines covers more than 5,000 acres of a thriving natural setting reminiscent of Eden and offers more than five miles of beautiful publicly accessible beaches.
Real Estate Information – Houses, Condos, Lots
In 1958, the first deed to a Sea Pines Plantation lot was signed, and in four years, beachfront prices rose nearly 50%. When examining the current real estate market for new lots, houses, villas, and condominiums, it’s easy to see why prices have continued to rise so dramatically. From quaint little cottages to sprawling mansions, the Sea Pines Plantation community contains everything you could want when looking to invest in a home. Numerous one to five bedroom homes are available, from $450,000 to over $8,000,000.
Starting at just $300,000, a small fee considering the location, either renting or buying is reasonable. Potential buyers can choose from one to four-bedroom villas and condos for sale with as many view options as full-size homes, and options for potential renters include the vacation rentals that surround Harbor Town Village. Prices hover around $2 million, making Sea Pines Plantation villas and condos very affordable year-round or vacation homes.
Oceanfront lots can cost upwards of $6 million, but a patio lot can cost as little as $295k. Home sites with golf course or lagoon views often sell for more than $1 million. There are currently four beachfront lots with different price tags, but the number of lots for sale is always subject to change.
Sea Pines installed Hilton Head Island’s first security gates in 1967 and to this day remains secure with two 24-hour security entry facilities on site. Security personnel also patrol the streets of the plantation and can (and do) issue tickets to fine violators for breaking plantation rules. Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department deputies provide added protection.
Sea Pines Resort Features
Harbor Town village and marina were modeled after small French and Italian harbors and developed for privacy and ambiance. This Mediterranean-influenced hub offers independently owned and operated clothing/jewelry boutiques, artisan shops, restaurants, live music entertainment and all available water sports. Harbor Town has a park and treehouse for children, as well as a nature center. The Gregg Russell Playground, named for the Harbor Town entertainer for 25 years in a row, is located right next to Liberty Oak. Sea Pines’ quaint town center also offers a free trolley that runs daily, with varying hours of operation throughout the year between Harbor Town, South Beach Village, and Turtle Lane Beach Club.
Consider owning a dockominium at the yacht club – it’s like a condo on the water, but your land is your boat. The many amenities available at Yacht Basin include unique shops, restaurants, and a grocery store, all in the same complex. Concerts and other entertainment are frequently held at the nearby golf course where Harbor Town Golf Links sponsors tournaments including Verizon Heritage each year.
The second marina at Sea Pines Resort is modeled after New England fishing villages and is located on the southern tip of Hilton Head Island. Nature tours, dolphin tours, kayaking and parasailing are just a few of the activities available near The Salty Dog Café headquarters. For lodging, the colorful South Beach Inn is located nearby on the southern tip of the island and hosts weekly and nightly rates.
Marine Pines Activities
Sea Pines contains the island’s first golf course, the George Cobb-designed Ocean Course, was built in 1959. Restructured by Mike McCumber in September 1995, the highlight of the Ocean Course is its 15th hole with a panoramic view of the ocean. .
George Cobb also designed the 1967 Sea Marsh Course. Remodeled by Clyde Johnson in 1990, the Sea Marsh Course, like the Ocean Course, is known not only for its age and elegance, but also for becoming a certified co-op sanctuary of Audubon. Watch out for the 13th hole; stretches for 163 yards.
Harbor Town Golf Links, developed in 1970 by Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus, is and has been the home of the PGA’s Verizon Heritage Classic since 1969, when Arnold Palmer first won it. Among the many features of this famous course is its photogenic 18th hole, with the Harbor Town Lighthouse in the background. Known for its design excellence and playability, the par 71 Harbor Town Golf Links has been ranked among the best golf courses in the country by various magazines since 1971.
The Sea Pines Racquet Club, led by world-renowned coach and US Open World Invitational and Stan Smith Invitational champion, among others. The club has 23 clay courts and offers private and semi-private classes.
When Charles Fraser began developing Sea Pines in the early 1950s, he focused on keeping the island’s abundance of natural beauty as intact as possible. To this day, the Sea Pines Forest Reserve covers approximately 605 acres, home to diverse flora and fauna, including more than 200 species of creatures, as well as lagoons and marshes. Here you’ll find a wildflower meadow, a thousand-foot-long boardwalk, the Low Ropes Team Building Course, and miles of biking and walking trails. Fishing is even allowed, albeit with the correct permit.
Are you a fan of history? Sea Pines Plantation Forest Preserve has its share of historical landmarks. The 4,000-year-old Indian Shell Ring, for example, is believed to have been built around 1450 BC. C. A circle of shells and bones piled several feet high, it is one of twenty rings of shells still in existence. Those responsible for assembling it are also believed to have invented pottery here in North America.
The Stoney-Baynard ruins, once an 18th-century plantation house, are now open for tours. The property is covered with oyster shells and its architecture includes porthole-shaped windows.
Lawton Stables is home to more than 50 American Saddlebred horses, a breed bred by crossing the Narragansett Pacer, Thoroughbred and Morgan bloodlines to develop beautiful, well-tempered animals that are now often used for shows. Lawton Stables offers, at affordable prices, not only horse riding lessons in English for residents and visitors, but also pony rides for children and guided tours through the fantastic Sea Pines Natural Forest Reserve.
Bordering the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Calibogue Sound to the west, this picturesque and sprawling community is ideal for vacationers and residents alike. Villas, condos, houses and lots available in Sea Pines to build that dream home abound in this huge complex just waiting for the perfect family to enjoy the many amenities on offer.