On our latest installment on summer fun activities, Maggie Washo, Jevon Daly, and I took on the challenge of visiting 10 beachfront bars on Hilton Head Island in a single afternoon. We opted to do this beach bar crawl by bike, leading to six sandy miles.
Since I am more of a sipper than a chugger, my husband tagged along to be my official designated drinker. What ensued was about 20 cocktails over eight hours. Reminder: Not all heroes wear capes.
We planned this day drinking excursion for early May with great hopes of mild weather and minimal crowds. Because we are so lucky, we were wrong on both counts – and we failed to check the tide charts. Thankfully, we all survived, but learn from our mistake: Low tide is your best friend for this heroic effort.
Bicycles were rented from Sea Pines Resort Bike Shop, which made for a quick ride to the Sea Pines Beach Club.
This story (a.k.a. hot mess) left us all happily exhausted, but just know that hitting 10 beach bars in eight hours with a group of folks on bikes is a rather unrealistic goal. But, because we offer first class reporting at CH2, we took one for the team and are proud to share our beach bar bike crawl day with you.
Sea Pines Beach Club, Beach Marker 38
Surprisingly, we were the first customers in line at 11:30 on a Monday morning at the Sea Pines Beach Club bar. Bartender Liz convinced us to try out the Cucumber Ocean margarita and Cucumber Cooler mojito, both drinks that she created and that are not on the regular menu.
They were bright in color and flavor and a great way to kick off a pre-lunch bar crawl. After sipping them down quickly, we grabbed our bikes and headed off with lots of enthusiasm for our day ahead.
Washo and Peck unanimously agree the Pain Killer at Loggerhead Landing was one of the best drinks of the day.
Loggerhead Landing, Beach Marker 52A
Since it was just after low tide, the ride to Loggerhead Landing was super easy with hard packed sand and plenty of real estate to navigate around sunbathers. Located at the Alder Lane beach access at Marriott’s Grande Ocean, Loggerhead Landing opens at noon and we arrived just after that.
The bartenders recommended the Pain Killer, as it’s one of their most ordered drinks. It was concocted with Pusser’s rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, orange juice, and a dash of nutmeg – so basically a late breakfast smoothie. To be honest, it was fan-damn-tastic and easily my favorite drink of the day. WARNING! It goes down very easily.
“The Pain Killer reminds me of the Goombay Smash that I enjoyed at Harbour Island over a decade ago,” Washo said. That one quote went on to follow us the rest of the day.
Mike Hays, a popular Tiki Hut barkeep, smiles for the camera.
Tiki Hut at the Beach House Resort, Beach Marker 59
The ride through South Forest Beach to the Tiki Hut was also smooth sailing. Arguably one of the most visited beach bars at Hilton Head, this spot was already in full swing by 12:30 p.m. There, we encountered our first live music of the day with Korbar and Daubert on stage.
Tiki Hut patrons enjoy the live music along with the frosty beverages.
Our crew ordered a Miami Vice (Blue Chair Bay white rum, pina colada, and strawberry puree), a Spicy Margarita with Los Sundays Jalapeno Tequila, and a Guinness beer, because, why not? We met some folks visiting the island and were reminded that whether you’re a local or a tourist, visiting the Tiki Hut is a great spot to feel like you’re on vacation.
Ryan and Beck create frozen drinks and happy customers at Pool Bar Jim’s.
Pool Bar Jim’s, Beach Marker 60A
This iconic beach bar is located behind the Sea Crest Oceanfront Resort and crafts their own fruity syrups from scratch. Pool Bar Jim’s has been open in this location since 2016 and spent the prior 22 years at the Marriott Grande Ocean Resort. Even though Jim passed in 2024, his relaxed vibe and delicious drinks continue to live on each day.
We sampled the Lava Flow, their bestseller, which features banana, pina colada and strawberry puree. We also took down a Mudslide with whipped cream. Each of their frozen drinks comes with an additional smaller cup as a “side car,” which made sharing cocktails for our group of four very easy.
Maggie Washo, Brooke Peck, Daniel Peck and Jevon Daly sample the drinks at Pool Bar Jim’s, an iconic Hilton Head establishment located on the beach near Coligny.
After enjoying our drinks, it was time for the first outfit changes of the day. We headed to the gift shop. Peck and Daly definitely needed their own Pool Bar Jim’s embroidered Hawaiian shirts, which are not only made in Hawaii, but also have perfectly aligned pockets.
The cheerful team at the Buoy Bar, located at the Omni Resort in Palmetto Dunes.
Buoy Bar at OMNI Hilton Head Beachfront Resort, Beach Marker 78
Holy quads and glutes, the bike ride got much more challenging for this ride. The tide was now much higher and all of the hard, compact sand was now under water, leaving us with only freshly renourished sand. Needless to say, it was a challenge and we hadn’t even made it to half the bars yet.
Chargrilled Mahi-Mahi Street Tacos from the Buoy Bar.
We all gritted our teeth and pushed on to our next stop, the Buoy Bar at the Omni. It was nearly 2 p.m. and we hadn’t eaten lunch yet so we stayed motivated. When we arrived, we ordered drinks and food and Washo decided it was time to see if she could buy a bathing suit or something cooler to wear other than her sleeveless lobster sweater. Turns out this happened to be the first of the 90 degree days of the season.
Thankfully, the wonderful staff and delicious food at the Omni helped reset us. We dined on a giant platter of tuna nachos, mahi-mahi street tacos, and crispy dry rubbed wings. Decades ago, Washo had worked here and shared some of those fun memories with everyone.
Fun photo opps on this tour include a few giant Adirondack chairs, like this at one Ocean Blu in the Hilton Beachfront Resort.
Ocean Blu at the Hilton Beachfront Resort, Beach Marker 82
The journey to the Hilton was arduous and involved lots of walking with our bikes – except for Daly, who pedaled the whole time because he was the real bike MVP of the day. My hubby could have probably hung with him too but he opted to be a gentleman as my emotional support bike buddy.
Daniel Peck sips on a tequila pina colada at Ocean Blu.
The Hilton is the easiest building to spot on the beach because it’s the tallest. Ocean Blu serves as the Hilton’s pool bar and is right next to the sand.
There, we met Mary Ann, who remembered Daly from his Silicone Sister days. She made us our first pina colada of the day, with coconut tequila, which added an extra punch to the colada. We were thrilled to learn that she makes a mean Goombay Smash, too. After Washo mentioned it earlier in the day, we were excited to try one. It was crafted with coconut Myers rum, banana rum, orange juice, and pineapple juice. Let me assure you, it put a smile on our faces.
Zach Stevens, Maggie Washo, Jevon Daly and Charlie Simpson at the Dunes House.
The Dunes House, Beach Marker 83
Unless you are a guest of Palmetto Dunes, the beach is the only way to access this bar. They are known for their fish tacos, friendly waitstaff, and nightly tunes by some of the island’s most popular performers. On Mondays and Thursdays, you can catch the Zach Stevens Band – and that’s exactly what we did. Per the recommendation of our server, we tried the fish tacos, peel and eat shrimp, and the Frozen Dirty Mermaid. This deck offers a great view of the ocean and a squadron of pelicans that fly overhead multiple times while you enjoy your frosty beverages and dinner choices.
The Cat 5 packs a punch at Coco’s on the Beach
Coco’s On the Beach, Beach Marker 94A
Getting to our next stop, Coco’s on the Beach, was another grind and we were all dreaming about low tide again. Personally, I think Coco’s is one of the best-kept secrets on Hilton Head because it is limited to folks coming from the beach or through the Hilton Head Resort. I love all the colorful tables, chairs, its sand volleyball pit, and huge roof giving lots of shade to sun-soaked customers.
At the bar, we were thrilled to run into some of the cast from Hairspray, who were enjoying a day off together at the beach. Our great bartender, Garrett, suggested we try out the Category 5 cocktail with “only” five types of rum in it. Fine, twist our arm. In the words of Luke Combs, “You hit me like a hurricane.”
Sea Salts Beverage Company at Marriott’s Surf Watch Ocean Dunes, Beach Marker 100
Because of the folly between Singleton Beach and Burke’s Beach, we had to hop off the beach for a bit and hit the roads to navigate to our next stop, Sea Salts. Our crew was happy for pavement and a shady break.
A picture-perfect Painkiller at Sea Salts Beverage Company.
As we bellied up to the bar, I realized it was time for not only a drink, but another snack as well. Being a Lowcountry seafood lover, I usually stick to blue crabs or stone crab claws but for some reason the snow crab legs were calling my name from the happy hour menu. Thankfully, I answered and they were some of the best snow crab legs I have ever had.
One of our stunning C2 models, Gioia, took great care of our crew from behind the bar and pointed us in the right direction for drink selections. We ordered a frozen Painkiller to help with the bike sorrows and the Mango Mojito also was calling our names. Both drinks were delicious and, coupled with a breezy view, live music from Dean St. Hillaire made for an excellent stop on our journey.
A sign at Jamaica Joe’z makes for another funny photo opportunity on the second to last stop of the trip.
Jamaica Joe’z at Hilton Head Beach and Tennis Resort, Beach Marker 104
It was time to get back on loose sand to pound out our final miles. By this point, I had a bad blister from my sandals so I was pedaling barefoot and we were barely keeping it together – physically, emotionally, and mentally.
Jamaica Joe’z welcomed us at 6:15 p.m. with no line and only 15 minutes until closing time. It was time for another Mudslide and some shade under their covered patio. As soon as we sat down, it started raining. Thankfully, it didn’t last long and it was time to head to the finish line.
View 32 at the Westin overlooks the pool and has stunning ocean views from the top deck.
View 32 at the Westin Hotel, Beach Marker 111
The final mile was bittersweet. Our fun day was coming to an end but we were all worn slap out from the adventure. Duke welcomed us to View 32 with a big smile and glasses of cold water.
We ordered a TigerPaw, Spicy Margarita, and hummus platter, because you know, everything in moderation. The TigerPaw was served frozen with peach Smirnoff vodka, peach, and strawberry puree perfect for a tropical twist.
It was a great way to wrap up a fun day together, making new memories, and exploring the beach bars that make Hilton Head a great place to live and visit. If you plan on trying this beach bar biking adventure, we recommend checking the tides in advance and being in fairly good physical condition… it’s quite the workout!