‘We’re banking on this:’ Hilton Head tourist attractions reopen Memorial Day weekend
You won’t be driving the two-player option on the racing games at Adventure Cove Mini Golf and Arcade on Hilton Head Island or standing next to strangers on a beachcombing mission with Outside Hilton Head.
All those germ-sharing opportunities are off the table as tourist attractions such as mini-golf courses, watercraft rental or photo experiences are allowed to reopen after coronavirus-related closures.
As Memorial Day weekend - the unofficial start to tourism season - arrives, businesses that cater to tourists are finding themselves preparing for a whole new world.
Patrick Coughlin, owner of the cruise experience Pirates of Hilton Head Island, said his company has invested in a dolphin-watching cruise boat that can fit up to 100 people.
But he knows he’ll be unable to board more than 30 for a long time.
“We’re banking on this,” he said of the group’s massive investment, which is scheduled to arrive Tuesday. “Smaller boats don’t give people the chance to separate.”
He ran his first pirate-themed cruise last Thursday after several long weeks off.
It was a decidedly different experience.
His staff didn’t paint children’s faces or give them tiny pirate vests to wear.
A child who takes this cruise can still learn to talk like a pirate, but will also be reminded to keep a safe distance between themselves and their new shipmates.
As reservations begin to flood short-term rentals for the summer and travelers’ home states begin to lift restrictions as South Carolina has done, tourist attractions are looking to safely recoup some of the dollars lost during the spring tourism season.
At Adventure Cove, general manager Josh Wonser said he hopes families will take advantage of the newly opened attractions and spread out on the beaches.
“We’re hoping to see an increase” in customers, he said. “It hurt being a family-owned business.”
Wonser said Adventure Cove is sanitizing golf clubs and balls between each use. The course has also posted signs reminding visitors to social distance.
He said Adventure Cove and Pirate’s Island Adventure Golf coordinated to close and open at the same time. Legendary Golf, the island’s third mini-golf course, has also reopened.
Meanwhile, watercraft rental companies are also hoping for a rising tide of business.
While most on the island have only recently reopened, Mike Overton of Outside Hilton Head said his business operated through the coronavirus, thanks to an decision from S.C. Governor Henry McMaster’s office allowing it to stay open.
“People are gravitating toward the outdoors,” he said. “Connecting people to the outdoors and slowing down has been a real solace (during the coronavirus).”
Overton said business has been good on the weekends when his staff was renting almost exclusively to locals.
“Our May weekends have been good, almost better than May last year,” he said.
Overton said Friday he expects things to pick up over weekend.
Outside Hilton Head has stopped all group excursions except for private tours, which are open only to families.
Staff is also sanitizing rental equipment such as kayaks and paddleboards. When working in Shelter Cove Marina, staff members are required to wear masks.
With new rules in place and a different future ahead, the overwhelming spirit from businesses on the island is one of excitement.
But some owners of businesses catering to tourists are still cautious about the upcoming summer.
“We’ve made a ton of changes, but we’re still not sure how this is going to impact business,” Coughlin of Pirates of Hilton Head Island said.
This story was originally published May 22, 2020 at 6:19 PM.
