If you’re an avid cyclist or just love to find new ways to be active, then we’ve got good news for you: Hilton Head Island is one of the most bike-friendly communities in the country! In fact, it’s one of just 34 communities in the U.S. to achieve the Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) award from the League of American Bicyclists.
Whether you live here or are planning a vacation, here’s everything you need to know about bicycling on Hilton Head Island.
Bike rentals:
If you’re unable to bring your own bike on vacation — or want to figure out which kind of bicycle is best for you before you buy — there are a ton of bike rentals options on the island. You can view a round-up of bike rental companies here.
With so many options for bike rentals, it really is a great way to figure out what kind of bicycle(s) is best for you/your family. You can rent beach cruisers, tandem bikes, electric or hybrid bikes, geared bicycles, different sizes of bikes for all ages, bikes with kiddie carts … Basically any bike you can imagine, one of the rental companies on the island should have it available!
Many of the companies also offer a huge variety of rental time options — from a day to a week to a full month!
Bike paths & trails:
A great way to see all that Hilton Head Island has to offer is to hit the bike paths! There are more than 60 miles of multi-use trails on the island, making it a cycling paradise. One thing to note about these trails, however, is that certain electric bikes are prohibited. And if you’re riding at night, you must have a red rear reflector and a headlight.
These bike trails can be used as an outing in themselves, or you can turn your bicycle into your main mode of transportation for the day! Ride to restaurants, mini golf, the beach, etc. Most businesses on the island have dedicated bicycle parking — just remember to bring a bike lock.
Beyond the multi-use bike paths on Hilton Head, there are a ton of other fun bike trails! Here are 8 of the top bike trails on the island.
And, of course, if you rent or own a beach cruiser, the entire shoreline of the island is great for biking! You can also find bike repair stations at a few of the island’s beach parks.
Bikes on the trolley:
If you plan on using the Breeze Trolley during the summer months, did you know you can ride your bike to & from the trolley stops? There are bike racks near most of the stops, and each trolley is equipped with bike racks to carry up to 2 bicycles at a time. The Breeze Trolley is a great way to get around the island and to/from special events — it’s 100% free to ride & has stops all over the island. It typically operates from April to Labor Day.
