Beaches in Bluffton, SC
Bluffton has no ocean beach. What it has is a river: a low-tide sandbar, a small sandy shore at Alljoy, and public boat landings on the May River, with Hilton Head’s ocean beaches about 15 miles away.
Bluffton SC Beaches: What There Is
Bluffton sits on a tidal river and a stretch of marsh, not on the Atlantic, so the town has no ocean beach and no surf. If you searched for a Bluffton beach, the places below are what people mean: a few small sandy spots on the May River, and the beaches of Hilton Head Island a short drive away. Swimming at any of them is your own call, because none has a lifeguard.
The May River’s Sand and Shore
A small sandy stretch of shore beside the public dock and boat ramp at the end of Alljoy Road, on the lower May River.
A bar of soft sand in the river off Old Town that shows on the falling tide. Reached only by boat or kayak.
Alljoy Beach is the closest thing in town to a beach day: a small strip of sand by the dock at Alljoy Road, good for a picnic and a look at the river. The other is the sandbar, which the May River guide covers in full: it appears at low tide, and you reach it by boat or kayak. For the rest of the town’s green space and shoreline, see the Bluffton parks and nature page.
Brighton Beach Boat Landing
A public boat landing at 265 State Road S-7-13, with a dock, a boat ramp and a sliver of shoreline on the lower river.
Brighton Beach, sometimes written Brighton Beach, Bluffton, SC, is the name of a boat landing rather than a beach. The Brighton Beach Boat Landing is a public dock and ramp a few steps from Alljoy, where boaters and paddlers launch onto the lower May River. It has a little shoreline, but it is a place to put a boat in the water, not a place to spread a towel.
Beaches Near Bluffton, South Carolina
Hilton Head’s best-known public ocean beach, with parking, restrooms and showers, about 15 miles and 25 minutes from Old Town in light traffic.
For sand, surf and lifeguards, cross the bridges to Hilton Head. Coligny Beach Park is about 15 miles from Old Town Bluffton, a drive of around 25 minutes when traffic is light and longer on summer weekends. Our Hilton Head beaches guide covers every public beach on the island, and the Bluffton weather page helps you pick the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Bluffton, SC have a beach?
Not an ocean beach. Bluffton is on the May River, which has a small sandy shore at Alljoy and a sandbar at low tide. Hilton Head’s ocean beaches are about 15 miles away.
What is the nearest beach to Bluffton, SC?
Coligny Beach Park on Hilton Head Island, about 15 miles from Old Town, or roughly 25 minutes in light traffic.
Is Brighton Beach in Bluffton a swimming beach?
No. Brighton Beach is the Brighton Beach Boat Landing, a public boat ramp and dock on the May River with a bit of shoreline.
How do you get to the May River sandbar?
By boat or kayak, at low tide. There is no road or dock to it.
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