How busy will Hilton Head be for Labor Day weekend? Here’s what to expect
While it may be the unofficial end to summer during a pandemic in which people are discouraged from traveling, the Saturday of Labor Day weekend on Hilton Head Island still won’t be the time to hit the grocery store.
The island is one of the top destinations for holiday weekend travel, according to Airbnb, and major island hotels are sold out as visitors take vacations closer to home. All traditional signs of a busy tourism week on the island point to “yes.”
The coronavirus pandemic is affecting the start of the school year, fall holidays and festivals on the island, but as usual, Labor Day weekend represents the last injection of summer tourism into the Hilton Head Island economy. Throughout the summer, travel has waxed and waned as local businesses adjust to changing COVID-19 restrictions and try to make up for weeks of lost business in the spring.
Labor Day weekend will also represent a new test of how safe the public thinks the island is. Following the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing in June, one player labeled the island a “zoo” for failing to promote social distancing and not having a mask requirement.
The comments, among other forces, made local leaders change course. The town adopted a mask requirement for commercial spaces that is in effect until mid-October.
Here’s what to expect this Labor Day weekend:
Will Labor Day on Hilton Head be busy?
Here are the top trending Airbnb destinations for Labor Day weekend travel:
- Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Big Bear Lake, California
- Lake Havasu City, Arizona
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Scranton, Pennsylvania
- Wilmington, North Carolina
- Palm Springs, California
- Orange Beach, Alabama
- Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
- Fredericksburg, Texas
Airbnb and VRBO short-term rentals, which allow visitors to reserve an entire home, have generally fared better than hotels during the pandemic. On Hilton Head, those rentals have consistently reported higher occupancy rates than hotels, according to weekly updates by the Hilton Head Island - Bluffton Chamber of Commerce.
But the island’s hotels are expecting a busy weekend, too.
The Marriott Hilton Head Resort & Spa, which is located mid-island and has over 500 rooms, is sold out for Saturday arrivals. The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa, with over 400 rooms, and the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort, with just over 300 rooms, are also sold out for Saturday arrivals.
What about traffic?
This year, traffic to the island has been anything but normal.
After most island restaurants closed and tourism screeched to a halt in April, the traffic on the bridges to the island slowed to a comparative trickle before rebounding in May.
Traffic to the island has not been its usual automatic gridlock every Saturday afternoon, although traffic patterns are on their way to returning to normal.
Here’s a look at how many cars have crossed the bridges this year in comparison to years past:
Should I cancel my vacation to Hilton Head Island?
While whether to travel is a deeply personal decision, here is some information that can help you and your family make a decision:
- All Hilton Head Island beaches and beach access points are open.
- Island restaurants are open for indoor and outdoor dining.
- All customers and employees in all commercial spaces are required to wear masks, including in restaurants, bars, retail stores, hotel lobbies, gyms and grocery stores.
- The mask ordinance does not require masks at public parks, including beaches.
Look for a comprehensive analysis of the island’s summer tourism in this weekend’s edition of The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette.
