One of the biggest trends in vacationing right now is touring haunted sites. Hilton Head is no stranger to spirits and is easily a top visit for both history buffs and ghost hunters. With its vast history of Civil War incidents, Underground Railroad stops, and even Gullah folklore, there are plenty of ways to get your spook on when you are here for a visit. Check out these attractions:
Hilton Head Haunted History Tales
Taking place in the Zion Chapel of Ease Cemetery, you will find tours several times a week from 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. throughout the summer. As you tour the oldest burial site in Hilton Head, you will hear about real events from over the past 500 years. Feel free to bring the kids, as this tour is focused more on the history than the actual haunts. Though, there’s no telling if you will actually see any of the previous residents roaming about the cemetery. Tickets can be purchased at the Heritage Library or online.
Bluffton Jack’s Haunted History Tour
If you are in the mood for more spooks, get on some comfortable walking shoes and come along on the walking ghost tour of Bluffton. Hosted by the Historic Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival, older children are welcome to join the evening tour (6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.) in mid-October. Brush up on your Bluffton ghost stories ahead of time by meeting at the Storybook Shoppe and hour beforehand to get acquainted with the ghosts you will be hunting. But be sure to reserve your spot ahead of time, as slots fill quickly!
The Blue Lady of Palmetto Dunes
Perhaps you have been in the area of the Learnington Lighthouse by Palmetto Dunes, and you’ve noticed something strange. It could be you have made a sighting of the famous blue lady of Palmetto Dunes. While not an actual ghost tour, you may want to brush up on the story if you happen to be staying in Palmetto Dunes. According to legend, Caroline Fripp and her father minded the lighthouse through the 1890s until a hurricane drove a wayward ship close to the shore. Mr. Tripp, tried earnestly to keep the light shining to save the ship, but suffered a heart attack in the process. He pleaded with Caroline to keep the light burning throughout the rest of the storm. As she did, her father succumbed to the heart attack. As she paced back and forth between the lighthouse and her home where her father died, Caroline is said to have died from shock.
On stormy nights, in the area of the light house, which is now the Arthur Hills Golf Course, many people have said to have seen an apparition in a blue dress calling for her father. Caroline was wearing a blue dress when her father died. Pay no mind when you are visiting. Caroline is harmless. She’s only looking for her father.
These are only a few stories that can be found on your Hilton Head adventure. You can explore even more before your visit to see how you’d like to investigate the haunts of Hilton Head.