The town of Hilton Head comprises almost all of Hilton Head Island’s 54-square-miles, and which has permanent population is about 35,000.

Shaped like a sports shoe, the toe points southwest toward the Savannah River. The island’s 12 miles of beach lie to the southeast.

Clean, neat and well maintained, Hilton Head is dominated by expensive and exclusive neighborhoods, golf courses, forests, marshlands, the Intracoastal Waterway, tidal Broad Creek and elegant pleasure boat marinas. The New York Times says it “exudes both natural beauty and upscale-suburban affluence,” but quotes a long time resident as saying, "This is not a snooty place."

The large residential developments are usually called plantations, and dominate the island. About 40 percent of the island’s homes and 70 percent of its condominiums are second homes, whose owners’ primary residences are in Georgia or other parts of South Carolina.

Upscale golf and resort attire of khakis and polo shirts for men and bold print dresses and bright pastel shorts of Lilly Pulitzer ilk are the uniforms often seen emerging from upscale vehicles.

Collectively, these traits characterize a lifestyle that is casual and refined, and a demographic where the median age is 46 allowing for a pleasant blend of age groups.

The island's gentile politeness gives way to a higher volume level at Forest Beach outside of the gated plantations, and where teens and those just over legal age gather on the beach or in nearby bars and restaurants.

Dining is often a major daily event with dozens of choices and price ranges from which to choose. Some of the bet seafood is served at simple “local” establishments snuggled unassumingly on sandy back street.

While the island has 24 golf courses [including 20 open t the public], tennis takes a strong second in popularity followed by boating, fishing and kayaking.

Seemingly, almost everyone bicycles, using the abundant and well-maintained paths, which simultaneously accommodate foot traffic.

Other activities include visiting the more-than-four-dozen art galleries, a museum, a performance center, a symphony orchestra, an international piano competition, as well as day trips to Charleston, Savannah and tours of real colonial American "Plantations" of the Carolina Low Country.