Jarvis Creek Park

Jarvis Creek Park is where Hilton Head locals go for a walk, a picnic and a playground, and it is a pleasant, free stop for visitors staying on the north end. The Town of Hilton Head Island park sits off Jarvis Creek Road near the island's main north-end shopping area, and it is built around a lake. A walking path loops around the water through trees and open meadow, and the lake is home to fish, turtles and the occasional American alligator, so keep children and dogs close to the path and never feed the wildlife. A dock reaches out over the water for fishing and for simply watching the turtles surface. The rest of the park is set up for families: a playground, an open-air picnic pavilion with grills beside it, wide grassy areas for picnics, running and ball games, fitness stations along the path for anyone squeezing in a workout, and public art. Parking is free. The park takes its name from Jarvis Creek, a tidal creek on the island's north side whose marshes are reserved for non-motorized boats; the Coastal Discovery Museum runs guided kayak trips on the creek, which are a quieter alternative to busier Broad Creek. Jarvis Creek Park is not a dramatic destination, and it will not replace the beach or the forest preserves, but it is an easy, shaded, free way to fill an hour, especially with small children, or to give a restless family a break from the car on the way on or off the island. It is about ten minutes from Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park and the north-end beaches, so it pairs naturally with a north-end day.

How to use it: for families with young children, the playground and pavilion make the park an ideal lunch stop; bring a picnic or grab food from the nearby shopping area and use the grills under the pavilion. For walkers, the loop around the lake is flat and easy, and it is pleasant in the early morning or late afternoon, when birds are active and the light is soft. Anglers can fish from the dock; check South Carolina's fishing license rules first. In warm months bring insect repellent and water, as the park can be hot at midday.

Safety and etiquette: alligators are part of life in Lowcountry freshwater, and they live in this lake. They are usually shy, but keep a generous distance, do not let children or pets near the water's edge, and never feed them, which is illegal and makes them dangerous. Dogs should be leashed. The pavilion can be reserved by groups through the island's recreation center, so on weekends you may find a birthday party in residence.

Build a north-end day around it. Start with a walk at Jarvis Creek Park, drive ten minutes to Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park and Fish Haul Beach on Port Royal Sound, and book a guided Jarvis Creek kayak trip through the Coastal Discovery Museum if you want to see the marsh from the water. On the way off the island, the trails of Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge between the bridges offer a wilder nature walk.