Why you should experience Highway 278 in South Carolina.
Highway 278 is the South Carolina Lowcountry's defining coastal corridor where tidal estuaries, island communities, regional commerce, and decades of transformative growth connect the mainland with one of America's most celebrated barrier islands.
Running from Interstate 95 through Bluffton before crossing Mackay Creek onto Hilton Head, this heavily traveled route reveals an ever-changing landscape of expansive salt marshes, maritime forests, winding tidal rivers, protected wildlife habitat, historic communities, and energetic commercial districts that collectively define southern Beaufort County. Every mile reflects another layer of the Lowcountry, from quiet estuarine ecosystems and Gullah heritage to modern coastal neighborhoods that have flourished alongside one of the Southeast's fastest-growing regions. Rather than functioning solely as a highway, U.S. Route 278 serves as the principal thread binding together Bluffton, Hilton Head, and the remarkable coastal landscapes that distinguish this corner of South Carolina.
What you should know about Highway 278.
Highway 278 is best known for serving as the primary transportation corridor linking Interstate 95 with Bluffton, Hilton Head, and the southern Beaufort County coastline, carrying the overwhelming majority of regional traffic while supporting one of South Carolina's fastest-growing economic and tourism corridors. Designated as U.S. Route 278, the highway extends more than 1,000 miles between Hilton Head and Cleveland, Ohio, although its Lowcountry segment has become nationally recognized for its role in transforming Hilton Head from an isolated sea island into one of the country's foremost coastal destinations following completion of the original James F. Byrnes Bridge in 1956. Beginning in the second half of the twentieth century, successive widening projects, bridge replacements completed in 1984 and 2002, intersection improvements, and long-range transportation initiatives expanded the corridor to accommodate explosive residential growth, nationally recognized golf communities, commercial investment, and millions of annual visitors. Today the route provides direct access to Sea Pines, Palmetto Dunes, Shelter Cove, Coligny, Bluffton, Tanger Outlets Hilton Head, Hilton Head Airport, Coastal Carolina Hospital, and dozens of residential communities while remaining the only direct highway connection between Hilton Head and the mainland.
Beyond its transportation significance, Highway 278 traverses one of the Atlantic Coast's most productive estuarine environments. The corridor crosses or borders the May River, Mackay Creek, Broad Creek, Skull Creek, New River watershed, and extensive salt marshes that support shrimp, oysters, blue crabs, bottlenose dolphins, red drum, migratory shorebirds, bald eagles, and countless other coastal species. Historic communities established by Indigenous peoples, colonial settlers, Gullah families, and twentieth-century conservation pioneers continue shaping the surrounding landscape, while careful transportation planning increasingly balances infrastructure expansion with wetland protection, scenic preservation, stormwater management, and wildlife conservation. The result is a roadway that functions not only as southern Beaufort County's economic backbone but also as one of the South Carolina coast's most revealing introductions to the ecological and cultural richness of the Lowcountry.
How to fold Highway 278 into your trip.
Highway 278 works as the gateway connecting Bluffton's historic waterfront with Hilton Head's coastal landscapes.
Begin at Old Town Bluffton, where preserved cottages, galleries, and the May River establish the Lowcountry's enduring character before following Highway 278 toward the coast. Continue to Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge, whose trails, tidal wetlands, and abundant birdlife reveal the ecological landscapes surrounding the corridor before crossing Mackay Creek onto Hilton Head. Conclude at Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina, where waterfront promenades, deep-water marina views, and Broad Creek provide a memorable finale celebrating the maritime environment that Highway 278 has connected to the mainland for generations. The progression moves naturally from historic riverfront community to protected coastal habitat before concluding beside one of Hilton Head's defining waterfront destinations, revealing why Highway 278 remains the essential corridor through the South Carolina Lowcountry.
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