Hilton Head Island – a Bicyclist’s Paradise

When you ask someone “What is the first thing that comes to your mind about Hilton Head Island?” you might hear the beach, golf, or tennis/pickleball.  If you ask someone in my family, they will say “Riding a bike on the beach!”  With a wide, flat 12-mile long beach and over 60 miles of paths, Hilton Head Island isn’t just a golfer’s paradise, it is a bicyclist’s paradise.

Did you know that the American League of Bicyclists rates Hilton Head Island as a Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Community?  Not only are we the only Gold level community in South Carolina (the six other rated South Carolina Communities are all Bronze level), we are the only community in the Southeast with a Gold rating!  It is no wonder that we see people riding their bikes all over the Island.

Best Places to Ride a Bike

 If you ask my husband, and many others you might meet on the Island, he will say the beach is the best place to ride your bike – especially if you get out early (he goes out before sunrise) to beat the heat and the crowds. Where else have you been that the beach is firm enough and wide enough to ride your bike? Sure, other beaches have boardwalks or other trails along their beaches, but I don’t know of any in the US where you can ride on the beach, right next to the water.  If you do, please let me know – I will definitely need to take my husband there on vacation!

In addition to the beach, we have some great inland trails, including right here in Palmetto Dunes. I love riding my bike around our pathway system, seeing the beautiful houses, the lagoon, and even the golf courses.  You can’t go wrong with any route you choose and it is pretty impossible to get lost.  You can combine your ride with a stop at Dunes House (seasonal) for an oceanfront lunch or snack and drink, Big Jim’s for burgers and pizza, or a stop in the General Store for some ice cream and a drink.

While you are riding around Palmetto Dunes, don’t forget to take the tunnel under 278 (William Hilton Parkway) for a nice ride around Shelter Cove.  Check out the trail past the Community Park to see some great sculptures along the waterfront.  Of course, there are plenty of great dining locations as well as shopping opportunities.

Other areas with great trails include the Sea Pines Forest Reserve and Sea Pines Resort (must have a Sea Pines pass to ride in this area), Jarvis Creek Park off William Hilton Parkway, Fish Haul Creek Park off Beach City Road, and Old House Creek Pier (great bird watching) on Sterling Point Drive.

What if I Didn’t Bring a Bike

If you didn’t bring your own bike, you are in luck – renting a bike on Island is easy!  You can arrange bike rentals before you arrive on Island, or you can do it after you arrive.  The Island has about 30 bike rental companies, and we have the best one in Palmetto Dunes – Hilton Head Outfitters!  They offer multiple sizes of rental bikes for kids and adults and have kiddie cart trailers for the little ones, cargo carts for your beach gear, and dog carts for the furry members of your family They also offer free delivery and pick-up for 3+ day rentals when you rent online but you can pick up a bike at their shop after you arrive. They offer E-bikes, but they are not available for delivery.

 Bicycle Etiquette

As with many activities, there are some rules of the road for riding a bike on Hilton Head Island.  We want you to have fun but we also want you to be safe.  And, here in Palmetto Dunes a couple of our rules might be different from those you have at home.

The Town has rules that must be followed anywhere on the Island:

• Obey all traffic signals and pathway markings. Cyclists must obey all SC traffic rules.
• If there is a pathway along a roadway, please consider using it and ride at a reasonable speed!
• If you are riding in the road, ride with traffic – it is the law!
• Travel in a single file and keep to the right when passing oncoming pathway users.
• Always wear a helmet
• Yield to pedestrians.
• If riding at night, bikes must have a red rear reflector and a headlight.

For more information, please visit the Hilton Head Island Public Safety website.

In Palmetto Dunes, in addition to the Town rules, please abide by our rules:

• Ride on the pathways unless there is not one. If you must ride in the road, ride with traffic.
• Stop at all Stop Signs along the pathways (and the road if you are in the road).
• Here is the big one – MOTOR VEHICLES HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY! DO NOT expect them to stop for you. This rule also applies to pedestrians.

Biking Activities Back Home

So, you had a great time riding a bike on Hilton Head Island and you want to do more when you get home or get involved to make bicycling safe and fun in your community.  Here are some ideas to consider:

Check out how to make your community more bike friendly and find bike friendly communities near you by visiting the League of American Bicyclists. They have lots of great information and ideas on the website on how to become a bike friendly community or to improve the score of a bike friendly community.

Visit local bicycle shops and see what they might have to offer – safety classes for kids and adults, contacts for local cycling groups for group rides, help with making your bike a better fit for you, etc.

Use your favorite online search engine to find local cycling groups and activities, trails, and other resources.

If you have kids, talk to other parents at their school about arranging cycling safety classes and cycling related activities.  Talk to scouting groups about activities and badges kids can do and, if you have older scouts, see what projects they can do on a community level to make cycling more fun and safer.