Description: The Red Trolley is a good way to sit back and familiarize yourself with area attractions and their locations while enjoying a tour of Hilton Head Island. This tour introduced us to areas we would totally have missed, areas that we went back to and explored more in depth on our own time.
This tour is given in an open air trolley, but on this sunny and windy December afternoon the thick, clear, vinyl sheets were pulled down and tied to keep out the cool winds. During the spring and fall months, this tour would be a blast.
A two and a half hour tour gives a scenic orientation of the island, making stops at a Gullah cemetery where the driver/guide provides historical information that dates back to the Civil War. Another drive-by stop gives you a glimpse into the lives of slaves who toiled and died in the dangerous indigo fields. The tour also travels to scenic Harbour Town in the Sea Pines Plantation where you have a short time (40 minutes) to explore the shops, marina, or climb to the top of the lighthouse. We opted to pay the $2 fee and climb the 130-plus steps to the top of the lighthouse for a fantastic but windy view. The guide points out items of interest along the way and gives tidbits of information about living on the island, as well as provides answers to any questions that may be asked.
The Gray Line Red Trolley Hilton Head Island Tour leaves from two different locations, each having different schedules:
1) From the Coastal Discovery Museum (on William Hilton Parkway at mile marker 1), the trolley departs Monday through Friday at 1:30pm, returning at approximately 4pm. Arrangements can be made by calling the Coastal Discovery Museum at (843)689-6767. Reservations are required for this departing venue.
2) The other Hilton Head Island Trolley Tour leaves from Coligny Plaza (Piggly Wiggly parking lot) on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9am, returning at 11:30am. Reservations are not required for the morning tour.
Phone Gray Line locally at (843)681-8212 or (800)845-5582. A $2-off per person coupon is in the “101 Things To Do” book, which can be picked up at the Visitors Center/Coastal Discovery Museum. Every $2 coupon helps with the $25 per person fee.
Note: If leaving from the Coastal Discovery Museum, you have to check in upstairs with the trolley driver starting at 1pm. We made our reservations by calling Gray Line’s main number and were told that if paying by credit card, the credit card information has to be given to Gray Line when the reservation is made, but if paying cash just present your discount coupon and cash to the driver when you check-in.
Gray Line also offers scenic trolley tours from Hilton Head to Beaufort, Savannah, and Charleston.
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