Hilton Head Weather in February
Slightly warmer than January, slightly more open. Still the deal of the year.
February is January with a sweater traded for a long-sleeve tee. Average high climbs to 61°F, the daylight stretches another 35 minutes, and the island starts visibly waking up. Course conditioning improves week over week as overseeding sets and dew-set greens firm up.
The data, at a glance.
- Avg high
- 61°F
- Avg low
- 43°F
- Ocean temp
- 55°F
- Rainy days
- 8
- Rainfall
- 2.9”
- Humidity
- 60-70%
- Sunset
- 6:00 p.m. (mid-month)
- Daylight
- 10 hours 50 min
- Crowd level
- Very low (Valentine’s week lifts)
- Rate vs July
- 44%
What February feels like on Hilton Head
Mornings still start cool (43°F average low), afternoons feel genuinely mild, and the sun-to-cloud ratio is better than January. Wind off the water can be sharp on overcast days. Locals call this “porch weather” — the days you sit outside with coffee and a book without quite needing a heater.
Yes for couples, snowbirds, and golfers willing to layer up at the 7 a.m. tee time. The Valentine’s week (Feb 12-16) sees a real bump in couples’ traffic; book by January if that is your target window. Off-Valentine’s, February is January cheap with February light.
Comparing February against the rest of the calendar? See the full best time to visit Hilton Head guide for the year-round breakdown.
Best for
- Snowbirds extending into a second month
- Valentine’s couples weekends
- Whale-watching charters from Savannah
- Off-season golf with course conditioning improving
Watch out for
- Water still 55°F (no swimming)
- Valentine’s week books out 2-3 weeks ahead
- Pollen counts begin rising late month
What’s open in February
Same as January — all 12+ golf courses, all major restaurants (3-4 still close one night/week), bike rentals, kayak tours, Coastal Discovery Museum, gyms, groceries. Whale-watching charters out of Savannah become available late month as the right-whale migration passes offshore.
What to pack for Hilton Head in February
Layers. Long-sleeve tees, a quarter-zip, a windbreaker, jeans. Add one dressier outfit for Valentine’s dinner if applicable. A swimsuit is still mostly optional.
Best things to do on Hilton Head in February
- Valentine's dinner at Michael Anthony's, Red Fish, or May River Grill
- Whale-watching charter out of Savannah (late February)
- Course conditioning peaks for off-season golf
- Long bike rides on quiet paths
- Sea Pines Forest Preserve hike
- Indoor projects: cooking, reading, working from a villa porch
When to book for February
Book Valentine's week 2-3 weeks ahead at S-tier restaurants and 4-6 weeks ahead for villas. Outside Valentine's, two-week lead time on villas is fine. Resort rooms are still walk-in-able.
Looking for the gear-by-category breakdown? Start with the 10-mistake packing list — what first-timers get wrong, and what to bring instead.
Beach essentials we tell every guest to bring
Sunscreen, a hat that actually stays on, a chair that survives the sand. The basics that turn a good beach day into a great one.
This page contains affiliate links — we may earn a commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you.
Sun Bum SPF 50 Spray
$15–20
The reef-safe spray we keep in the truck. SPF 50, smells like vacation, applies fast enough for restless kids.
Reef-safe — required at South Carolina beaches
Blue Lizard Sensitive SPF 30+
$15–25
Mineral-based, for travelers with kid-sensitive skin or the sunscreen-allergic. The cap turns blue in UV — useful reminder.
Goodr Polarized Sunglasses
$25–30
$25 polarized shades that don't slide off when you sweat. Bring two pairs — you'll lose one to the surf.
Wallaroo or Coolibar wide-brim hat
$30–60
Packable, UPF 50+, stays on in 15 mph wind. Better than a baseball cap for an all-day beach session.
Tommy Bahama 5-Position Backpack Chair
$60–80
The chair we see on every Coligny Beach setup. Reclines flat, has a cooler pouch in the back, carries on like a backpack.
BeachBub or AmmSun anchored umbrella
$70–120
A sand-anchored umbrella that doesn't pinwheel down the beach at 11am. The base does the real work.
Tesalate or Sand Cloud beach towel
$25–50
Turkish-style, sand-shedding, dries fast. Folds smaller than a hotel towel and works on the car seat for the drive home.
Book it yourself
This page contains affiliate links — we may earn a commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you.
Hilton Head February questions we hear most.
- Is Hilton Head warm enough to visit in February?
- Warm enough for golf, biking, beach walks, and dinners on a covered porch. Not warm enough for ocean swimming or all-day pool sessions. Daytime average is 61°F with frequent 70°F afternoons; nights drop to the low 40s.
- Is Valentine’s Day busy on Hilton Head?
- Yes, but quietly so. Resort hotels and villas see a bump in couples’ bookings, and S-tier restaurants book out 2-3 weeks ahead for the Friday-Sunday closest to February 14. Outside that window, February is one of the quietest months on the island.
- Can you golf on Hilton Head in February?
- Yes. All 12+ courses are open, green fees run 30-40% below summer, and conditioning steadily improves through the month. Mornings can be cold (40s) so a 9 or 10 a.m. tee time is more comfortable than a sunrise round.
- Are restaurants busy in February?
- Apart from Valentine's weekend, no. Most S-tier restaurants take walk-ins or same-day reservations. The bar seats at Michael Anthony's and Red Fish, which are nearly impossible in summer, are usually open in February.
For the full year-round picture, see the Hilton Head weather guide and best time to visit.
