Hilton Head Beaches

Hilton Head Beaches

Hilton Head Island has beautiful beaches. They are clean and well maintained. The water is warm and the surf is usually not rough. There are natural grasses and many birds. It is a relaxing beach.

Hilton Head Island's hard sand beaches are perfect for bicycling.

Hilton Head Island’s hard sand beaches are perfect for bicycling.

Hilton Head Island’s hard sand beaches are perfect for bicycling.

All of the beaches are public up to the high tide water mark. But, you can’t get to most of them without crossing private property, often gated. Here is a list of public beaches and public access to beaches.

Coligny Beach, Hilton Head Beach with Life Guard

Coligny Beach on Hilton Head has a Life Guard

Public Access Beaches with Lifeguards

  • Alder Lane Beach Access, South Forest Beach Drive
    Metered Parking Spaces
    Wheelchair accessible
    Restrooms and showers
  • Coligny Beach, Pope Avenue off Coligny Circle
    Free Parking Lot
    Wheelchair accessible
    Lots of shops and cafes, Wi-Fi, showers, gazebos, benches and swings, binocular machine, restrooms, play-in splash water fountain
  • Driessen Beach Park, Bradley Beach Road
    Large Metered Parking Lot
    Wheelchair accessible
    Boardwalk, playground, restrooms, showers, pavilion, picnic tables, grill
  • Folly Field Beach, Just off Folly Field Road, where Starfish Drive and Sand Dollar Road meet
    Small Metered Parking Lots
    Wheelchair accessible
    Boardwalk, restrooms, showers, wooden boardwalk bridge, water fountain, soda machine
  • Islanders Beach, Folly Field Road
    Metered Parking
    Wheelchair accessible
    Boardwalk, playground, picnic pavilions, grills, restrooms and showers

These all have lifeguards during season.

Public Access Beaches without Lifeguards

  • Burkes Beach, Burkes Beach Road
    Metered Parking Spaces
    Paved trails, showers, basketball courts, tennis courts, dog park
  • Fish Haul Creek Beach, near the end of Beach City Road
    Observation deck, covered pavilion, benches, picnic tables, binocular machine
  • Mitchelville Beach, Mitchelville Road off Beach City Road
    Wheelchair accessible
    Restrooms and showers

Pets

  • Pets are allowed on the beach before 10:00 AM and after 5:00 PM from the day after Labor Day until the day before Memorial Day.
  • If you have a very well behaved dog, “under positive voice control,” your dog may be off leash from October 1 through the end of March.
  • You must clean up after your pet.

This information may change.

Sunrise over Hilton Head Beach

Sunrise over Hilton Head Beach

Labor Day Weekend on Coligny Beach I had never seen so many people on this beach!

Labor Day Weekend on Coligny Beach
I had never seen so many people on this beach!

Usually the beaches are quite uncrowded, but we made the mistake of going over Labor Day one year! Wow!

Labor Day Weekend on Coligny Beach

Labor Day Weekend on Coligny Beach

Save

Save