The Sandbox and Lowcountry Celebration Park, side by side off Pope Avenue, are the answer to the question every parent on Hilton Head eventually asks: what do we do with the kids when they have had enough sun, or when it rains? The Sandbox Interactive Children's Museum, at 80 Nassau Street, is a bright, hands-on museum designed for children roughly 1 to 12. Its exhibits are built for play: a mini grocery store, a veterinary clinic and a cafe for role-play; the Flight Deck, with a flight simulator and pilot dress-up for ages about 4 to 10; Shrimp Tales, a two-story shrimp-boat play structure that nods to the island's fishing heritage; kinetic sand tables and a LEGO wall; a reading nook inside a converted VW van; the Imagination Station craft area; a Light Room with scarves and a gentle wind tunnel; a puppet theater in a castle; and an outdoor patio with a music wall and a pool-noodle forest. The museum is typically open Tuesday to Saturday, about 10am to 5pm, and charges a modest admission; reservations are recommended at busy times and walk-ins are accepted. Next door, the Town of Hilton Head Island's Lowcountry Celebration Park covers about ten acres and is free. Its Adventure Playground is named for The Adventure, the ship in which Captain William Hilton sailed into these waters in 1663 and gave the island its name, and it reimagines the vessel for play, with soft ground covering, a wading pool and a sand area for finding hidden treasure. An open pavilion and lawn host community events and festivals, and restrooms are on site. The playground is open sunrise to sunset, and parking is off Nassau Street.
The location is the clincher. The park and museum sit just off Pope Avenue near the Coligny Beach parking area, so families staying in the Coligny and Forest Beach area can walk or bike over, and the combination slots easily into a beach day: museum in the morning before the sun is high, lunch at Coligny Plaza, beach in the afternoon, playground before dinner. On a rainy or very hot day, the museum gives toddlers and young children a couple of hours of indoor play, and the park next door is ready the moment the sky clears.
Tips for the museum: check the current hours and admission on the museum's site before you go, since schedules can shift with the seasons and special events, and reserve ahead on rainy days and holiday weeks, when every family on the island has the same idea. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Bring socks for the play areas, and plan on one to two hours. The museum hosts camps and special programs, which can affect public hours on some days.
Tips for the park: the wading pool and sand area are the stars for small children, so pack a towel and a change of clothes, and sunscreen, as shade is limited in places. The restrooms close at 10pm. The pavilion and lawn host local festivals and community events through the year, so you may find live music or a market on a weekend. Older children who have outgrown the playground will be happier on a bike along the island pathways, which pass nearby, or at the Coastal Discovery Museum's outdoor programs.
What to expect
The experience
A hands-on children's museum with role-play, building, sensory and climbing exhibits, beside a free ten-acre town park with a ship-themed playground, wading pool, sand area, pavilion and lawn.
Best time
Museum mornings, Tuesday to Saturday; the playground any day from sunrise to sunset, best before the midday heat.
How long
One to two hours in the museum, plus playground time.
Tips
Check current museum hours and admission, reserve on rainy days, bring socks and a change of clothes, and walk or bike from Coligny.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Families with toddlers and young children, especially on rainy or very hot days.
- Families
- Made for them: hands-on play indoors and a free ship playground outside.
- Couples
- Not aimed at couples without children.
- Pair with
- Coligny Beach Park and lunch at Coligny Plaza.
- Time needed
- Two to three hours.
Good questions
What ages is the Sandbox for?+
Roughly ages 1 to 12, with some exhibits, such as the Flight Deck, aimed at about 4 to 10.
When is the museum open?+
Typically Tuesday to Saturday, about 10am to 5pm. Check the museum's site for current hours and admission before you go.
Is Lowcountry Celebration Park free?+
Yes. The town park, its Adventure Playground, wading pool and sand area are free, open sunrise to sunset.
Where is it?+
Just off Pope Avenue near Coligny Beach: the museum is at 80 Nassau Street and the park at 94 Pope Avenue, with parking off Nassau Street.
Why is the playground a ship?+
It is named for The Adventure, the ship in which Captain William Hilton sailed into these waters in 1663 and gave the island its name.
