PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. Hilton Head Island is famous for its 12-mile stretch of beautiful sand beaches. The barrier island, located just off the coast of South Carolina’s Low Country, is an upscale vacation spot where the well-heeled go to rest and re cuperate. Few people realize that little more than a stone’s throw away from the trendy shops and fabulous golf courses of this resort is another, smaller island. The views of water and beaches are every bit as beautiful as on Hilton Head, but there is precious little rest or recuperating done here.