Visiting Hilton Head’s Coastal Discovery Museum with Kids
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The Coastal Discovery Museum on Hilton Head Island has been on my must-do list for a couple of trips now. I am excited to announce that we were able to visit twice in 2024 and I can officially highly recommend checking out the Coastal Discovery Museum with kids. There is something for the whole family visiting this fun-filled learning experience.
I am not the only one who recommends the Coastal Discovery Museum. Trip Advisor ranks it #1 of 18 Sites and Landmarks in Hilton Head, so be sure to check out their page for additional photos and reviews.
Visiting Coastal Discovery Museum
The museum is located on the 68-acre Honey Horn property. The GPS address is 70 Honey Horn Drive, out by Jarvis Creek. The Museum is close to the entrance of Hilton Head Island coming from the mainland on Route 278. The Coastal Discovery Museum is free for visitors and offers lots of parking. We traveled from the Coligny Beach area and the ride was about 15 minutes.
Discovery House
The inside of the museum is located in Discovery House, a historical home dating back to 1869. There are both permanent and temporary exhibits in the house. There is a small Museum Gift Shop for souvenirs inside Discovery House.
While there were quite a few artifacts and historical items that the kids walked right by, they loved the Kids Zone featuring Myrtle the Turtle and a large collection of local seashells. There was also an incredible temporary high school art exhibit, which truly captivated their interest. We quickly walked through the rest of Discovery House and outside to check out the Honey Horn trail. I am glad we did not visit on a rainy day, as the indoor exhibits cannot compare with the museum’s trails outdoor beauty, and exhibits, especially with kids.
Scavenger Hunt for Kids
If you are visiting the Coastal Discovery Museum with Kids, grab a scavenger hunt guide at the front desk before you head outside to the Honey Horn trail. As a special bonus, if you return your pencil at the end, they will let your kids pick out a prize. Both of my kids chose Coastal Discovery Museum bracelets that they were proud to show off.
Honey Horn Trail
The Honey Horn nature trail is an easy and beautiful walk along the Coastal Discovery Museum grounds. You’ll venture along boardwalks over the salt marshes, through massive, moss-draped live oaks, and beautiful gardens. You even see horses towards the end of the trail. There are exhibits and educational exhibits along the trail along with a butterfly enclosure. While there were guided group tours, we elected for a stroll at the kids’ pace, which was perfect for us.
There is also a Discovery Lab on the property, offering live animal displays. The Lab was closed to the public when we went, as during the school year it is used for field trips, which they were expecting. There is a Discovery Lab Event Calendar listing public events and offerings.
Coastal Discovery Museum Highlights for the Kids
Baby J’s favorite part of the trail was the carnivorous garden display. Featuring Venus fly traps and 2 other carnivorous plants local to the Lowcountry. He enjoyed seeing plants we have only read about in books.
Little A’s favorite parts of the Coastal Discovery Museum, were the outdoor butterfly habitat and the high school student art exhibit. We visited in April, which is not a high time for the butterflies, but there were still quite a few to see in various stages of their life cycle. The high school art exhibit is not a permanent feature, but it was incredible. The exhibit featured local high school students’ art in all different mediums. Both kids were in awe of how talented the featured students were. You can check out the current exhibits on the Coastal Discovery Museum website.
Events at Coastal Discovery Museum
The Museum hosts Art Markets, Farmers Markets, Native Plant Sales, and Community Events on site. Be sure to check out their Events Page to see what’s going on during your family’s Hilton Head Island vacation.
Visiting Hilton Head Island with Kids?
Check out my other Hilton Head Island family travel posts below. Or go straight to my all-inclusive list of 30+ Family-Friendly Things to Do in Hilton Head with Kids. Happy Travels!
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