Review of Hilton Head National RV Resort in Bluffton SC from a Snowbird
- Susan O'Hanlon
- Apr 13
- 6 min read
We are normally state/national park people, and we landed at Hilton Head National RV Resort by accident when we upsized our unit beyond the capacity of our previously reserved site at nearby Hunting Island State Park. We were very impressed with the park’s facilities, layout and amenities, and can see the appeal of resort-style RV living for some people. After three months on the road, it was nice to pamper ourselves at this posh resort; however, we prefer more space around us, more grounds to explore, and being immersed in nature, so I don’t think resort-style RV living is something we’d enjoy as a steady diet. Budget wise, we really blew the bank on this one; but South Carolina state parks are rather expensive, so we would have exceeded our nightly camping budget of $40 either way.
Note that this park accepts only newer RV’s (fifth wheels, travel trailers and motor homes only). When making your reservation, you will be required to enter the year and model of your RV. After making your reservation, you’ll receive an email with instructions about where to enter the park for check-in. Retain this information, as your GPS may try to take you into a secondary gated entrance that you can’t use until you’ve checked in and received your gate card.
We pulled into the resort and were welcomed by a Hilton Head Host / Employee, then directed to check in at the office. Staff in the office were very friendly, and after settling our bill, we were escorted to our site. Hilton Head Hosts / Employees work for 6 months and earn a free site, an hourly wage, and a few other perks. Our Host explained the power and hook-ups, told us about the park’s many amenities, and made us feel more than welcome.
Our site (#121) was not incredibly spacious, but certainly adequate (we’ve had smaller sites at some state parks, to be honest). The large concrete pad was a nice change from the gravel and sand we’re accustomed to, and I appreciated not having to vacuum the trailer daily! All sites have a picnic table, fire ring with cooking grate, electric (with extra outlets), water (pre-regulated at 45 PSI), sewer hook-up, and cable TV. There is unsecured WiFi throughout the park. We noted campsites in the “general admission” section of the park that we favorited for privacy and location - they include #’s 309, 320, 321, 338, 33, 32, 8, 1, 124, 129, 134, 209, and 224 - 229. But, really, there’s not a terrible site in the entire park.
During our one-week stay, we met several campers who were really friendly; overall we found that most campers were pleasant enough, but not the sort who will engage in real conversations or become future camping buddies as are those we regularly encounter in state and national parks. There was one dog in a nearby site that was never on leash and rarely under voice control, and another in a nearby camper who barked incessantly when left alone all day for several days; since we didn’t complain, we can’t say whether or not these transgressions would have been addressed if we spoke up.
Amenities at this campground are off the charts! Let’s start with the pool / clubhouse complex. Here you’ll find a heated pool with a lazy river component (floats provided). The pool is surrounded by lounge chairs, tables with chairs and umbrellas, and comfortably furnished cabanas with televisions (the latter of which are rented for $95-$115 per day, depending on the day of the week). There’s also a poolside Tiki Bar serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and food from the adjacent in-house restaurant. We treated ourselves and our guests to some appetizers, and all but the nachos were delicious. Frozen beverages by the pool is something we rarely enjoy on our RV adventures, and we could get used to it! We also loved the lazy river! I imagine that during peak season the pool complex becomes very crowded; in early April, it was busy but not overly crowded. Remember to take your gate card with you; you’ll need it at the restaurant, in the store, and at the tiki bar, where charges are automatically billed to your site daily.
The main clubhouse / pool complex pictured above is one of two in the campground. There’s a separate, gated premium section of the campground (Water’s Edge), designated 21 and over and accessible only by those registered for that area. The main clubhouse is home to the pool as well as the on-site restaurant, a well-appointed indoor fitness gym, a retail store (where you can rent golf carts or cabanas), pickelball and basketball courts, a playground, a variety of lawn games, and a large community fire pit.
Everything throughout the resort is thoughtfully designed and immaculately maintained. You’ll need your gate card to access indoor facilities like the retail store and fitness gym, as well as a lovely little lounge area. For golfers, there is a golf cart path that leads to the Hilton Head National Golf Course Clubhouse directly from the campground.
The pool’s bathhouse - like the separate bathhouse facility described later - is second to none. Picture porcelain tiles floor to ceiling with fully private shower and bathroom facilities coupled with a dedicated space to freshen up after spending time in the pool with tall, lighted mirrors and a make-up counter, all immaculately maintained. You can access the pool bathhouse without your gate card.
Centrally located in the campground is the main bath house facility, also immaculate and beautifully appointed.
Gate cards (received at entry) are required for entry to this facility, which also houses the well-appointed laundry room, dog bathing facilities, and an incredible dog park complete with agility apparatus for your pups. You’ll find a smaller group campfire pit here as well.
The park offers thoughtfully appointed little lounge areas, both indoor (at the clubhouse) and outdoor (at the bathhouse).
Something I did not expect at a resort style campground was a beautiful walking path surrounding the campground that included paved walkways and gravel trails through tall trees. Sites are nearby, so it doesn’t have the feel of a hiking trail, but it is beautifully maintained and serene in its own way.
OUR SUMMARY & RATING
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 5 Stars!
Even though we’re probably not resort-style campers, we have to give Hilton Head National RV Resort five stars (a rare thing in our book, for sure!). It’s not a place we would go to for that immersive, in nature experience, so we didn’t deduct points for the traffic noise and (frequent) sirens, although we feel like we should mention them here so readers are aware that you’re very close to a densely populated and highly commercialized area. Our neighbor enjoyed the fact that she was able to walk from the campground to two different shopping outlet centers, and to get a mani/pedi. We’ve never experienced bathrooms at a state park that can come anywhere close to those offered at Hilton Head National RV Resort, and after three months of travel they were a welcome change! We really loved the heated pool and lazy river, the poolside Tiki Bar and all the fabulous amenities at Hilton Head National RV Resort. The wooded walking trails were an unexpected bonus for us and for the pups! If our dogs were ones that could play nicely with others, they would have loved the busy dog park. And had we planned our time here better, we would have loved to give them a bath in the well appointed dog wash! Everything in the park is thoughtfully designed and immaculately maintained, leading to a 5-star experience. The only constructive feedback we can offer is that we found it annoying that access to the laundry, main showers / bathrooms, dog wash and indoor gym required a gate card; I’m not sure why it’s necessary to have secure entrances to these areas given that the park itself is gated. Perhaps it has to do with the two sections of the park, or tracking usage for sanitization. We’d probably stay at Hilton Head National RV Resort again if we’re in the area during fair weather when we could make use of the pool complex while hosting members of our family who live in the area; for the price, especially compared to the relatively high cost of South Carolina state parks, it’s a special treat for us and one that we thoroughly enjoyed!
Rig: 2018 Vista 31BHE Class A Motorhome, No Additional Vehicle
Site: 121 (W/E/S) - Utilities Placement & Location: Good / Power: Clean / Water Pre-Regulated, Cable TV and Wifi (unsecured)
Check-in: 1PM / Check-out: 11PM
Our T-Mobile Hotspot was sufficient for internet connectivity and streaming without using our WeBoost antenna system; Cell Service on Verizon was 4 bars.
Nightly Rate (April, 2025): Approx. $130/night (includes taxes and fees)
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