Memorial Day is right around the corner and with it, the unofficial start to summer! When most people think of summer, they think of the beach and wouldn’t you know it, we have one right here on Hilton Head! And at the risk of sounding biased, it’s one of the cleanest and most beautiful stretches of sand and sun one could ever find here in South Carolina. We take pride in our beaches so you can enjoy them to the fullest.

Given the fact that everyone in the country will be heading to the beach this Memorial Day weekend, we’ve put together a few tips to make sure your plans go off without a hitch and that your family has a blast!

Know the Tides

When planning your beach excursion, one thing you may not have considered is taking an exhilarating bike ride along the beach with the whole family. Unfortunately, you can’t always do this because it’s only feasible when it’s at low tide and the hard packed sand is exposed. There are two high tide times and two low tide times during a 24 hour period here on Hilton Head and they vary dramatically (between 5 and 11 feet), so it’s a good idea to know this information before you plan your beach activities.

See the Plantations

Just imagine seeing the dreamy Spanish moss hanging from the drooping limbs that line a long driveway up to a massive mansion that immediately takes you back to the days of sweet tea, hoop skirts, and hearing a southern belle drawl out a “Well, I declare!” The immaculately restored plantations of days gone by are a great way to experience what true southern high society living was really like. We recommend taking a day trip to one of the many historic southern plantations that call Hilton Head Island their home.

Beach Safety

This may be the most important thing we can impart to you with these tips: beach safety. There are the usual safety tips of remembering sunscreen, floatation devices for the youngsters, and staying in sight of the lifeguards along the beach. However, if you’re not familiar with beach life, you might not know the dangers associated with sandbars and rip currents. It may seem like a fun idea to stand on a hump in the sand out in the water, but once the tide changes you may find your head barely above the water.

While you may be able to keep an approximate schedule of the tides, it’s virtually impossible to do the same with rip currents. They can come in fast and sweep you out to see even faster, so make sure you know what signs to look for to stay safe.

You don’t have much time left to rent bikes and beds for your stay and plan your event itinerary for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, so our last bit of advice is to start now!

#staycomfy