Hilton Head Island welcomes about 2.5 million visitors every year. Beach days make up the majority of vacation time spent on the island, and visitors often put a lot of time and effort into researching everything else that they want to do (dinner reservations, watersports, bike rentals, etc.) but sometimes overlook a key detail in the otherwise low-key part of the vacation plan: How are you getting to the beach?
If you are driving to Hilton Head Island, you’re probably thinking of just driving to the beach! Or, maybe you want to take one of Wheelz of Hilton Head’s street-legal golf carts for a spin. Either way, here’s what you need to know: beach parking is undergoing a bit of a transformation, but fortunately for the spring and summer seasons, all you might notice are electronic parking systems rather than the coin-operated meters.
Paid beach parking has changed since previous seasons: all visitors are required to pay for parking at all beaches from March 1st through September 7th besides Coligny Beach park. Keep in mind, the beaches that have smaller parking lots tend to be the ones that require payment to park. Do fewer cars mean fewer people on the beach? We’ll let you decide.
Pay to Park Beach Parking
- Monday-Friday: $3 per hour, per vehicle.
- Saturday & Sunday: $5 per hour, per vehicle.
- Individuals with registered handicap placards and/or license plates may park for free at all beach parks in spaces reserved for handicapped individuals, per South Carolina state law.
Alder Lane
2 Woodward Ave
22 Paid Parking Spaces
1 ADA Accessible Spaces
Burkes Beach
35 Castnet Dr
246 Paid Parking Spaces
12 ADA Accessible Spaces
Burkes Beach Overflow
2 Castnet Dr
136 Paid Parking Spaces
4 ADA Accessible Space
Driessen Beach Park
64 Bradley Beach Rd
27 Reserved for Resident Parking Permits
168 Paid Parking Spaces
7 ADA Accessible Spaces
3 Bus/RV Spaces
Fish Haul Beach
124 Mitchelville Rd
93 Paid Parking Spaces
4 ADA Accessible Spaces
Fish Haul Beach Overflow at Barker Field
160 Mitchelville Rd
70 Free Parking Spaces
2 ADA Accessible Spaces
Folly Field Beach
55 Starfish Dr
51 Paid Parking Spaces
3 ADA Accessible Spaces
Islanders Beach
94 Folly Field Rd
127 Reserved for Resident Parking Permits
25 Paid Parking Spaces
6 Bus/RV Spaces
Biking to the Beach
Another popular mode of transportation that’ll let you skip the traffic and parking lots, is biking to the beach! There are plenty of bike racks at the entrances of the island’s public beaches, and if they’re full, you can always lock your group’s bikes together nearby. Or, you can bring the bikes with you onto the beach for a nice ride on the hard-packed sand! We recommend doing this at low tide to ensure you have lots of space. If you stop to sit in your beach chairs for a while, we recommend covering your bike seat and handlebars while they’re lying in the sun so they’re not hot when you jump back on to ride again. Also, try to keep them up in the dry sand, grouped together, and organized, so they don’t become a tripping hazard for other beachgoers!
Need bikes during your stay on Hilton Head Island? Check out Wheelz’s inventory of adult, children, and specialty bikes along with other helpful attachements. Staying at a Palmera Resort? Use your resort’s code during checkout for a 10% discount.
Catch the Breeze Trolley
Biking or even walking to the beach are great ideas unless you have either a long distance to go or you’re traveling with small children. Another option for getting to the beach is taking a ride on the Breeze Trolley. From April 11th to September 7th, this complimentary trolley will run every day and traveling throughout the island will be a breeze (pun intended) now that you’ll be able to hop on and off at 25 trolley stops. That means, you’ll not only be able to access a few island beaches, but you’ll be able to explore more of the island and do some shopping or have lunch or dinner!
Staying at Island Links?
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the Island Links Shuttle will take you to Islanders Beach and back to the resort. Check the shuttle’s schedule at the resort’s clubhouse when you check in! Another thing to keep in mind, is that the Breeze Trolley does stop at Island Links Resort as well.
