Who We Are

Mike Overton started a small windsurfing company on the beaches of Hilton Head Island while on summer break from the University of Vermont. He would soon move the start-up school to South Beach, on the southern end of the island. It would become the largest windsurfing school on the East Coast, and hosted some of the best attended windsurfing events available.

As the island and Mike’s vision grew, Windsurfing Hilton Head became Outside Hilton Head and then simply Outside. During those early years, Outside concentrated on creating and providing interpretive kayak tours to island residents and visitors. The flagship store, located in the Plaza at Shelter Cove, was opened in 1986 and offered an expanded selection of the finest outdoor wear and gear available.

Outside acquired Page Island, a 40-acre chain of hammock islands on the back side of Daufuskie. At this new location, a series of team and leadership development courses were built and Outside began offering boating based programs to get guests to and from Page Island.

Outside outgrew its original facilities and established operations at Shelter Cove Marina and Palmetto Bluff, growing into the most comprehensive outdoor outfitter in the region. Offerings expanded into numerous unique kayak tours, extensive boating programs, fishing trips, children and teen camps, history tours, scavenger hunts, and much more.

Ever the optimist, Outside leveraged the downturn in the economy to refocus and add a new line of business to their repertoire – Destinations DMC. As a full-service destination management company, Destinations DMC creates exclusive experiences and offerings for groups, including transportation, activities, team building programs, events, decor, staffing, and auxiliary services. With the evolution and growth in Savannah, GA, Outside began offering both leisure boating experiences and destination management services. In 2019, Outside celebrated its 40th Anniversary!

With perseverance and creativity, Outside pushed through and grew with the ever-changing world in 2020. We introduced The Ohana, a 47-foot vessel, to our fleet which is the perfect place to host private groups or parties. Outside also expanded our efforts in Savannah, Georgia and opened a new retail location in the growing Plant Riverside District. As we continue to introduce new and exciting offerings in all three locations, there are more ways than ever before to Get Outside with us!