A friend’s mom had in her library a little book about, “How to Make Family Gatherings Fun,” or something like that, and the key, it said, was to have something on the agenda that will appeal to each of the interests and avocations of your party, plus a thing or two that appeals to them all together. The same principle works for parties of friends and loved ones, too.

In the waning weeks of high summer, as families begin to contemplate the return to a school year, it is especially valuable to know a place where you can find something extraordinary that everyone will enjoy.

The Shops at Sea Pines Center is a kind of one-stop answer. Young and old, indoor and outdoor, fine food and fun food, necessities and notions, things to wear, things to give, things to amuse, and things to cherish for generations. They are all arrayed around a sunny oasis we call the plaza – the center of the Center.

The Way to Share

Whether you’re entertaining at your year-round home, your vacation home, or even the getaway vacation rental you scored on Hilton Head Island, the pleasures and attractions of America’s favorite island are something most people want to share. The Shops at Sea Pines Center plays a part in these stories of what to do. In fact, it’s a kind of crossroads for finding out what’s going on and collecting ideas for enjoying your guests’ stay.

As special as this place is, it was meant to be convenient, too. The Sea Pines founders gave the Shops at Sea Pines Center the favored spot – halfway between Harbour Town Yacht Basin and the Sea Pines Beach Club. You can tell it was meant to be convenient, too, because they put a post office here and a gas station – and a liquor store.

What the Insiders Know

Once you’ve got the lay of the land yourself, then letting your family, loved ones, and friends in on the keys to enjoying Hilton Head Island seems to grow the fun in another way, too. Inside information turns out to be especially appealing on Hilton Head. So many residents began as visitors, and so many visitors (at least 40% in a given year) are making a return visit, because they enjoyed it so much here.

So, “Did you hear about the Forest Preserve?” or, “There’s a farmers’ market here on Tuesdays,” or, “They’ve got Italian gelatos here,” or, “Where’s the best pizza?” – a basic life-skill for many families – are natural topics of conversation. The answers are like gifts because they come with memories of good times of your own.

A sense of humor, sense of style, sense of wearing life a little lighter – all these are in the essence of the inside information you can share with friends, with loved ones, with guests, here among The Shops at Sea Pines Center.