Enjoy a Romantic Getaway on Beautiful Hilton Head Island

As romantic getaways go, Hilton Head Island has all the requisite amenities-miles of white, sandy beaches, breathtaking sunsets and cozy nightspots for dinner and drinks.

But this beachside resort offers much more than just pretty scenery and elegant dining. On Hilton Head Island, you and your significant other can enjoy a wide array of couple-friendly activities from stand-up paddle boarding in a quiet salt marsh to dancing under the moonlight.

With more than two dozen hotels and inns and 6,000 rental villas and homes, you won't have any trouble finding just the right accommodations for a restful, rejuvenating holiday with the one you love.

At The Inn & Club at Harbour Town, you can spoil your sweetie with the kind of luxury you'd find at the world's finest hotels, including personal butler service. The intimate ambiance of the Forbes Four-Star boutique hotel, with its lavish pool and covered Fountain Terrace, will set the mood for romance and relaxation.

Or stay at one of the island's spa resorts and indulge in a specialty treatment designed to soothe away your stress. The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort's Heavenly Spa offers a couples package that includes a 50-minute massage followed by an invigorating salt or sugar scrub and a sensual soak in a warm, therapeutic bath.

Of course, a romantic getaway on the coast has to include a long walk along the shore. Hilton Head Island has 12 miles of wide, well-maintained beaches with long stretches far away from the crowds. One of the prettiest and most isolated sections of beach can be accessed from Fish Haul Creek Park.

While the beach might be what brings most couples to the island, there are so many other fun activities to enjoy together. Several outfitters offer guided kayak trips through the island's estuaries where you'll have the opportunity to see a variety of shorebirds, dolphins and even the occasional river otter.

For a variation on the classic water sport, try stand-up paddle boarding. You can rent a large, stable board for beginners at Shelter Cove Harbour and set off on your own in the protected waters of Broad Creek.

Prefer to kick back and let someone else do all the work? Take a cruise on one of the sailboats offering trips in Calibogue Sound. Among the available fleet is the Stars & Stripes, the 65-foot yacht Dennis Connor raced in 1987 to win the America's Cup Challenge, the most prestigious sailing event in the world.

On shore, the recreational offerings are just as plentiful. You could rent bikes and explore the back roads of the island on paved trails, take a canopy tour in the treetops overlooking Broad Creek or go horseback riding through the woods in Sea Pines Forest Preserve.

In the evening, you'll have your choice of virtually every kind of cuisine imaginable in romantic settings with four-star service. If it's Italian you crave, make a reservation at Michael Anthony's, renowned for its house-made pasta and farm to table fare.

The Jazz Corner is another couples' favorite with its gourmet American cuisine and retro speakeasy feel. The big draw here is the entertainment. Acclaimed one of the top "100 Great Jazz Rooms" in the world by DownBeat Magazine, it offers live music seven nights a week. Make your reservations early for this one.

In the mood to dance? Hilton Head Island's offerings include several popular nightclubs, including The Rooftop Bar at the Poseidon with its open-air deck.