Sunset over Hilton Head Island

You might know Hilton Head, South Carolina for its rolling golf greens and pristine beaches  but there’s more to this balmy paradise.  Hilton Head is also home to the centuries-old Gullah culture and the land was owned by Gullah people until 40 years ago.  The Gullah trace their roots to Sierra Leone, West Africa and have managed to preserve  their language, food and culture due to the Barrier Island’s isolation. To learn the fascinating history of  Hilton Head, grab a trip on the Gullah Heritage Trail Tours. Led by  Gullah historian and Hilton Head native Emory Campbell, the two-hour tour involves a 100-mile bus tour through  scenic  salt marsh waterways.

The tour features a stroll through Driessen Beach Park/ Burkes Beach, named for the Gullah families that once owned the property, a glimpse of the one-room schoolhouse built for Gullah children in 1937 and  sprawling  Gullah family compounds and cemeteries built on the waterfront. A special tour highlight is the rice-based Gullah cuisine served up at Dye’s Gullah Fixin’s.  Sample Gullah delicacies like low country boil, fried catfish, collard greens, hoppin’ john (a peas and rice dish) and sweet onion pie, all prepared with special Gullah spices.  The owner and chef, Dye Scott-Rhodan,  prepares every dish from scratch using family recipes passed down since the 1800s.  At the end of your Gullah culture excursions, relax at the Westin Hilton Head  Resort & Spa, which boasts stunning beachfront views.

Photo by Rosalind Cummings-Yeates