---
title: Planning A Day Trip to Hilton Head Island
description: Here you have plan of fun day trip to Hilton Head Island, highlighting beaches, great eats, biking, shopping, and local activities to make the most of your visit.
---

[News & Stories | The Old Town Bluffton Inn Blog ](https://www.blufftoninnsc.com/blog)

# [Planning A Day Trip to Hilton Head Island](https://www.blufftoninnsc.com/blog/planning-a-day-trip-to-hilton-head-island)

 Written by [Author 1](https://www.blufftoninnsc.com/blog/author/author-1) | Jan 16, 2026 10:45:26 PM

## *Beach*

## *Coligny Beach Park*

[Coligny Beach Park](https://www.hiltonhead.com/coligny-beach-park/) is the easiest way to explore [Hilton Head Island](https://www.hiltonheadisland.org/)’s ocean beach. And there’s more to do than swim or tan: rent a chair and relax under a sun umbrella, or ride a cruiser bicycle along the miles of beach! Then grab a drink at the [Tiki Hut](https://www.tikihuthhi.com/), which provides refreshing cocktails and live music to beachgoers at a newly renovated outdoor bar.

## *Lunch*

## Stu’s Surfside Subs

Stop for a bite to eat at this fun, laid-back sandwich shop, which boasts homemade sub rolls. [Stu’s](https://hiltonheadguestservices.com/vendors/stus-surfside-subs/) has both indoor and outdoor seating—but you can also take your sub to go, and have a picnic on the beach!

## The Salty Dog Cafe

Even those from outside the [Lowcountry ](https://www.blufftoninnsc.com/heart-of-the-lowcountry)have seen “[Salty Dog](https://saltydog.com/)” shirts in the wild—these tees have even been spotted in other countries! Not only a classic merch stop, but this famous waterfront restaurant serves up seafood, tacos, burgers, and more. Explore[ Jake’s Pizza](https://saltydog.com/dine/pizza.html) and[ Salty Dog Ice Cream](https://saltydog.com/dine/icecream.html) right next door!

## *Dinner*

## Charlie’s L’etoile Verte

This French bistro offers a daily handwritten menu—that’s right, it changes every day! Their focus is local seafood, so the menu revolves around what is fresh and seasonally available. Want to pair a red with your steak? [Charlie](https://www.charliesgreenstar.com/)’s carefully curated wine selection has won numerous awards.

## Red Fish

Another favorite for fresh seafood, [Red Fish](https://www.redfishofhiltonhead.com/)’s menu puts a global twist on classic dishes. Their menu items include “Firecracker Calamari,” Chilean sea bass over udon noodles, and guava barbeque sauce. If you want to try Lowcountry seafood and have a cosmopolitan palette, this is the place for you!

## *Biking*

[Cross Island Bike Rentals ](https://www.crossislandbr.com/)is known for its attention to bike maintenance and customer service. Just down the road from Coligny Plaza, they have bikes for every outing: choose from electric bikes, geared bikes, or beach cruisers!  
One of the lesser-known trails is the [Historic Pathways Map](https://www.crossislandbr.com/bike-trails-hhi.html)! This route is scenic and rewarding!

## *Shopping*

## Coligny Plaza

[Coligny Plaza](https://colignyplaza.com/) is Hilton Head Island’s outdoor mall. Aside from a variety of fantastic restaurants, this shopping center has a lot to choose from. Browse surf shops, novelty gift stores, and more! You can even get tickets to see a play or musical— [Seaglass Stage Company](https://www.sgstage.org/) recently opened inside [Coligny Theatre](http://colignytheatre.com), a small venue showing local productions!

## *Plan Your Stay*

Hilton Head makes for a perfect day out, and Old Town Bluffton makes for the perfect place to come back to. While you're planning your time in the Lowcountry, [May River excursions](https://www.blufftoninnsc.com/excursions) are worth adding to the mix, with kayaking, fishing, and wildlife tours that show you a side of this coast most visitors never see. Take a look at [our rooms](https://www.blufftoninnsc.com/rooms) and find the perfect spot to rest after a full day on the island. [Book your stay](https://secure.thinkreservations.com/blufftoninn/reservations) at Old Town Bluffton Inn and give yourself the perfect base for it all.

[View full post](https://www.blufftoninnsc.com/blog/planning-a-day-trip-to-hilton-head-island)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Author 1"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2026-06-22T20:01:42.451Z",
  "datePublished" : "2026-01-16T22:45:26Z",
  "headline" : "Planning A Day Trip to Hilton Head Island",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 743,
    "url" : "https://50775969.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/50775969/moreland-bike-shop-30-e1649086590935-66180b522478f-978x743.webp",
    "width" : 978
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://www.blufftoninnsc.com/blog/planning-a-day-trip-to-hilton-head-island",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60,
      "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
      "width" : 60
    },
    "name" : "Blog"
  }
}
```