Criminal Defense Lawyer in Bluffton, SC

From baking cookies and watching holiday movies to gathering with loved ones, the holiday season brings countless traditions.

But a fan favorite — and often beloved family tradition — is decorating and seeing festive lights.

Here are some fan-favorite locations across Beaufort County to visit Christmas lights and displays this holiday season.

But, if we missed a spot, let us know by filling out this Google Form, and we’ll get it added to the list. Folks may also email their favorite Christmas light display suggestions to amiller@islandpacket.com.

Hilton Head

Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina

With over 125,000 lights, Shelter Cove has all the holiday decorations for a Lowcountry-themed holiday. Folks can stroll the entire boardwalk to enjoy Christmas decor until Jan. 4, 2026. This display is located at 1 Shelter Cove Lane.

Fire Rescue Station #3

Hilton Head Fire Station #3 officially plugged in its holiday lights on Nov. 30. Located at 534 William Hilton Parkway, the fire station has been lighting up the island for years.

Dove Street Display

This annual display is located right off North Forest Beach, near the Coligny Circle. It’s beloved for its over-the-top decorations and easy drive-by experience. The lights are usually up until the end of December.

Harbour Town

Stroll through one of the most iconic spots on the island with the signature lighthouse, shops and dining locations all while enjoying an array of holiday lights, decorations and a Christmas tree. Located at 149 Lighthouse Road and available through Jan. 1, 2026.

Hilton Head Tree Lighting

Beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 5, folks will be able to watch the 30-foot Christmas tree come to life at Lowcountry Celebration Park, 94 Pope Avenue.

Beaufort, Port Royal & Lady’s Island

Cadd Family Holiday Light Display

Starting at 5:30 p.m. every night through Dec. 27, the Cadd family has been spreading holiday cheer across Lady’s Island. Located at 66 Springfield Road, this display features a walking area, music or just an easy drive-by experience.

Port Royal Tree Lighting

Watch the sky come to life at 1214 Paris Avenue on Dec. 3 with the annual Port Royal tree lighting beginning at 6 p.m.

Beaufort’s Night on the Town

With a handful of holiday activities, music and food, this event also marks the official tree lighting to kick off the holiday season. Begins at 6 p.m. on Dec. 5 at 1301 Bay Street.

Bluffton

Bluffton Christmas Tree Lighting

Starting at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 5, folks can watch Bluffton’s Christmas tree come to life at Martin Family Park, located at 68 Boundary Street. Santa’s Workshop and a movie showing will follow.

What started as a routine Saturday round of golf at Crescent Pointe quickly turned into a wildlife rescue story the community won’t soon forget.

Two golfers, teeing off on Hole 9 on Nov. 22, spotted something no one expected to see beached along the shoreline: a manatee.

These gentle, elusive giants are no strangers to the shallow waterways of Beaufort County — but finding one stranded on a golf course is another story.

The golfers immediately called the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, setting off a coordinated response that soon included Crescent Pointe staff, local residents and the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.

“I’ve never seen one other than at an aquarium, so this was a first for me and for the course,” said Crescent Pointe’s Director of Marketing, Dylan DeBellis, who helped lead on-site efforts.

Teeing off the rescue

As soon as the call came in, General Manager Ron Schiavone worked closely with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office to secure the area and redirect golfers, so the distressed manatee could be given space.

From there, the sheriff’s office maintained direct communication with SCDNR while they consulted with Florida partners to determine the safest plan.

“It was a bit high stress — we weren’t sure if it was going to make it,” DeBellis said.

Under SCDNR’s guidance, Cpl. Dean Entrup with BCSO began relaying step-by-step instructions to keep the manatee stable: gently misting its skin, keeping it covered with damp towels and making sure it stayed warm enough — never too much water, and never too cold.

DeBellis and a Crescent Pointe community member sprang into action, shuttling back and forth and hauling buckets of water to hydrate the animal until a better solution could be created.

Brian Roller, Crescent Pointe’s director of agronomy, rushed out and tapped into a sprinkler head, rigging a hose, so the manatee could be safely and consistently misted.

Community members Tommy O’Donnell and Ryleigh Durham also stepped in to assist, carefully following SCDNR’s instructions and ensuring the manatee wasn’t disturbed more than necessary.

Thanks to hours of patient teamwork, the manatee remained stable long enough for the tide to return. As the water rose, the massive but gentle animal was finally able to move on its own and glide back into deeper water.

“All he needed was the tide to come in and help take him back out,” DeBellis said.

Authorities later searched nearby inlets and confirmed the manatee could no longer be located — indicating it successfully returned to open water.

Manatees in South Carolina

The rescue comes during the tail end of South Carolina’s manatee season.

These large marine mammals typically travel north from Florida in warmer months and can be spotted in Beaufort County between April and November, especially in sheltered areas like inlets and marinas.

By late fall and early winter, they begin their migration south, where the water stays above their survival threshold of 68 degrees. Seeing one in late November or December in South Carolina can be a sign of trouble, according to Kelly Lambert, SCDNR’s manatee response coordinator.

If you spot a manatee in South Carolina waters in late fall or early winter, contact the SCDNR hotline at 1-800-922-5431.

Bluffton’s New Riverside Village now has a fresh new dining option as Nom Nom Poke Shop officially opened its doors this week in the Compass Commons development.

The restaurant is the second location for the Savannah-based Japanese poke shop, known for its made-to-order bowls at its Bull Street flagship store.

Nom Nom Poke Shop in Bluffton is located at 267 Parkside Commons, Suite 102. Located right off the roundabout from S.C. 170, New Riverside Road and S.C. 46, Compass Commons has space for a handful of locally rooted businesses.

The shop is currently open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., with expanded lunch hours set to begin next week.

Once the full schedule kicks in, guests can visit from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The shop will be closed on Sundays.

Nom Nom’s menu features a lineup of signature bowls, including the spicy tuna crunch, sesame salmon, crispy shrimp and teriyaki chicken. Prices start at $14.50.

Diners can also choose from starters and appetizer options like ahi tuna nachos and sunfire pressed sushi.

For those looking to customize, build-your-own bowls begin at $11.95.

The Bluffton shop offers dine-in and takeout, with online ordering available, and Uber Eats delivery expected soon. Diners can also place orders by phone at 843-815-0805.

To view the full menu or place an online order, click here.

What else is coming to Compass Commons?

Nom Nom Poke Shop joins a wave of openings at Compass Commons, one of New Riverside’s most anticipated mixed-use developments.

In February 2020, the Bluffton Town Council approved the initial master plan for the development, and last fall, the majority of storefronts were secured by tenants.

Other businesses, including Pet Wants and STMT Boutique, have already welcomed customers, while other promised locations like Burke’s Pharmacy and Frosty Frog continue preparing for their debuts.

Several of these incoming businesses – such as Frosty Frog, Local Pie, Café Al Dente and Burke’s Pharmacy – are longtime Lowcountry favorites expanding their footprint into this new hub.

To learn more about Nom Nom Poke Shop, visit their website, Facebook or Instagram.

Cranes, concrete and construction crews have become a familiar sight along Buckwalter Parkway, where Bluffton’s landscape — and its services — are changing fast.

From new hospitals, businesses and a towering new water tank, five major projects are now underway in the heart of Bluffton, expanding the town’s health care offerings and its infrastructure.

Here’s what we know about each of these projects and how they’ll reshape this area within the next year.

High Tide Pediatric Dentistry in Washington Square

A new pediatric dental practice is coming to Washington Square, with a shell space already under construction at 5 Mott St.

High Tide Pediatric Dentistry, owned and operated by Dr. Melissa Connell, will serve Bluffton’s youngest residents. Connell had a practice in the Chicago area, but sold it in 2024 to relocate south.

High Tide is currently operating at a temporary location at 10 Plantation Park Drive, Suite 100, but according to Connell, this new Washington Square location is set to be operational by the spring or summer of 2026.

A second phase of this project is also in the works and will be completed in 2028, Connell said. It includes a second building and garden space that will be used for events and administrative work.

High Tide Pediatric Dentistry will have space for nine chairs, Connell said, and a website for the practice is coming soon.

In the lot next door, a two-story daycare facility is in early planning stages, but the development proposal has not received final approval from the Town of Bluffton.

Novant Health Washington Square Medical Park on Parkside Drive

Right across the street, construction is underway for Novant Health’s new medical hub. The project includes two major components:

The site will include improved traffic flow and a new signal at Buckwalter Parkway and Parkside Drive to enhance safety, according to Novant Health.

This project is separate, but expected to be complementary to the $320 million, 50-bed hospital less than half a mile away that will be located along Lake Point Drive, past the light at Buckwalter Place Boulevard.

The facility is slated to open summer 2026.

Beaufort Memorial Hospital Bluffton Campus

Just across Bluffton Parkway, Beaufort Memorial Hospital has quickly broken ground on a new 28-bed community hospital at the corner of Innovation Drive and Buckwalter Parkway.

This full-service facility will feature an emergency department, surgery center, cardiac catheterization lab, inpatient acute nursing unit and comprehensive imaging services.

The new Bluffton hospital is anticipated to be completed by late 2026 and will be located at 10 Innovation Drive.

MUSC Health Bluffton Medical Pavilion

Adding to the healthcare scope, the Medical University of South Carolina Health is expanding its presence in Bluffton with a new three-story, 54,000 square-foot medical office building set to open in spring 2026.

The Bluffton Medical Pavilion will consolidate existing MUSC services in the area and introduce six new specialties to the community, including a cancer clinic offering oncology and infusion treatments. Additional services will include:

This new facility will be located at 700 Buckwalter Towne Boulevard.

Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority water tower

Rising more than 100 feet tall, the new Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority water tower will soon become a prominent landmark off Bluffton Parkway, across from the future Beaufort Memorial Hospital campus.

The $28 million structure can hold 1.5 million gallons of water and is designed to support 11,500 customer connections in the Bluffton area.

This project, first unveiled in 2021, addresses the region’s rapid population growth and increasing water demand fueled by developments in Sun City, Hampton Lakes, Lawton Station, Hilton Head Lakes, and Margaritaville – along with these ongoing medical facilities.