Play the Night Away on Hilton Head Island

With the setting sun, Hilton Head Island comes alive with nighttime entertainment to suit your every mood. Relax to soft jazz or shake it up on the dance floor. Catch a Broadway-style show at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina or watch your favorite team play in the festive atmosphere of a sports bar.

You'll find just as many evening options as daytime activities in this lively resort island. On any given night, the entertainment lineup can include concerts, comedy acts, live theater and dancing. Or maybe you're just looking for a place to have a quiet dinner and drinks.

Hilton Head Island has all that and so much more.

The Rooftop Bar at the Poseidon has the sophisticated feel of a big city club with windowed garage doors that open to a deck overlooking Broad Creek. Each night offers different entertainment, from line dancing to live bands.

Prefer a more intimate setting? Step into The Jazz Corner in the Village at Wexford. This elegant cabaret showcases easy listening, live music from the vintage years of jazz in the kind of venue you'd expect to find in New York City.

Another favorite Hilton Head nightspot is Kind of Blue, a restaurant and nightclub with a soulful vibe. Whether you prefer to sit at the bar and enjoy the musical entertainment or shake it up on the dance floor, you'll love the cozy feel of this hip establishment. Along with the Southern cuisine, be sure to try one of the oversized martinis. 

Or try a South Carolina beach favorite -- shag dancing. The Hilton Head Island Carolina Shag Club offers lessons and a social dance every Friday night. Check the club's website for information on the week's venue.

The island also features several beachside bars, among them Coco's on the Beach and the famed Tiki Hut. Both offer live music, a tantalizing selection of frozen drinks and a kick-back, come-as-you-are atmosphere.

During your stay, be sure to check out what's on tap at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. Each season brings new Broadway-style productions to the stage of the 350-seat Elizabeth Wallace Theater, along with great performances by nationally renowned comedians, musicians, singers and dance companies.

May River Theatre in Bluffton and Main Street Youth Theatre also present plays and musicals year round.

For laughs, spend an evening at Comedy Magic Caberet, featuring live comedy nightly, a close-up magic show, family entertainment during the summer season, and national touring acts.

In the mood for a movie? You've got several choices: the locally owned Park Plaza Cinema with a beer and wine bar and café serving American and Mexican bites; Coligny Theatre, specializing in art-house and foreign films; and Northridge Cinema 10, featuring luxury reclining seating.

And don't forget. The perfect ending to your day might be a simple walk on the beach under a starry sky. It's always open!