Hilton Beach has been a popular tourist destination since the early 1900s. Several families from Michigan, Ohio, California, Ontario, Washington, Massachusetts and Florida have been spending their summers in and around Hilton Beach since the 1910s. The MS Norgoma, a package freighter and passenger ferry, called on Hilton Beach on Wednesdays until 1963. Today, the village attracts visitors primarily from Sault Ste. Marie and southern Ontario, as well as Michigan. The village's location on Lake Huron makes it a very popular boating destination. The Hilton Beach Marina has over 180 slips (approximately one for every resident in the town) and is very popular in the summer. The excellent sailing in the St. Joseph Channel is the main attraction for many seasonal residents and tourists. The marina operates from May through to October. The Hilton Beach Tourist Park, a tent and trailer park, was built in the 1950s. The Park welcomes back dozens of seasonal residents every summer and is a community unto itself during peak season.