Hilton Head beaches are famous all around the country and even the world. While South Carolina has numerous amazing beach destinations, Hilton Head Island stands out as one of the best for both its quantity and quality of beaches.
With so many great beaches, there’s something for everyone here. I’ve spent a lot of time on the different beaches around Hilton Head and can help you figure out which beaches you want to visit on your trip to Hilton Head Island.
First, pick an area to stay in on Hilton Head Island. Then, let’s talk about which beaches to visit!
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9 Best Beaches In Hilton Head Island
Coligny Beach Park
📍 Google Maps | Coligny Beach Park Website | 🅿️ Parking: Free Parking found off Pope Ave. | 🛎️ Where to Stay Nearby: Beach House Resort Hilton Head
Coligny Beach is the crown jewel of Hilton Head beaches. It’s the most popular with vacation-goers. There are seasonal lifeguards at Coligny, free wheelchair reservations (of special sand-friendly wheelchairs), beach matting and a short walk to the sand, WiFi, beach volleyball, and a boardwalk area with changing rooms, restrooms, and pavilions.
Due to all these amenities and the fun, bustling atmosphere, Coligny Beach is a great choice for families. With the Coligny Plaza shopping center just across the street, there’s no shortage of great eateries, including ice cream and custard. There’s a splash pad-like water feature at the entrance to the park that kids love to play in.
Coligny is also a great choice if any members of your party may be worried about the walk down to the beach. Coligny’s walk is shorter and easier than most of the other beaches on the island. However, Coligny is usually the busiest beach on Hilton Head Island during the summer and other tourist-heavy times. There are also frequent reports of jellyfish stings at this beach.
Burkes Beach
📍 Google Maps | Burke’s Beach Website | 🅿️ Parking: Free Parking found at Chaplin Community Park (35 Fish Net Dr.) | 🛎️ Where to Stay Nearby: Marriott’s SurfWatch Resort
Burkes Beach can be thought of as a knock-off version of Coligny: a quieter, less-crowded version with similar white-sand vistas but fewer crowds and fewer amenities. There are still seasonal lifeguards and outdoor showers, but you won’t find the same swings and pavilions as in Coligny or the convenient access to a shopping center.
The closest parking to Burkes Beach is very limited and also metered, but free parking is available at Chaplin Community Park. The walk to the beach can be difficult for kids or visitors with mobility issues. Due to the lack of nearby restaurants, you should pack a picnic lunch for Burkes Beach, and be sure to use the restrooms at Chaplin Park when you park.
All in all, Burkes Beach will be a great choice for folks looking for a quieter getaway than Coligny Beach and who don’t mind putting in some planning. It’s also a great beach for dog owners, but make sure you check the seasonal rules governing dogs on Hilton Head beaches.
Alder Lane Beach
📍 Google Maps | Alder Lane Beach Website | 🅿️ Parking: Short walk, metered parking (takes quarters only) | 🛎️ Where to Stay Nearby: Marriott’s Grande Ocean
Alder Lane Beach Access is a great choice for cyclists since there is a bike path that leads right up to the boardwalk. When I was at the beach, there was a cyclist even riding her bike right on the packed sand at the back of the beach.
The parking for Alder Lane beach access is all metered and only takes quarters, so you’ll need to come prepared. The beach has seasonal lifeguards and a shower.
To get to the beach, you’ll need to walk down a bike path (on South Forest Beach Drive) to a boardwalk, then traipse through some matting to get to the actual sand. In total, this could be difficult for anyone with mobility challenges.
While Alder Lane is a little isolated, there are a few options for eating and drinking, like the beach bar associated with the nearby Marriott hotel, Loggerhead Landing. There are bathrooms and changing areas not far from the sand, as well as water fountains and showers.
Some visitors may avoid Alder Lane Beach Access due to the lack of free parking, but it would be a great spot to plan your hotel (or condo rental) around as a loophole.
Fish Haul Beach
📍 Google Maps | Fish Haul Beach Park Website | 🅿️ Parking: Very short walk, free parking | 🛎️ Where to Stay Nearby: Bijou De La Beach
Fish Haul Beach Park is a Hilton Head beach that is short on amenities and high on natural beauty. Located in a historic Gullah neighborhood down some roads off-the-beaten-track, Fish Haul faces Port Royal Sound (rather than the Atlantic Ocean like Coligny and Burkes) and therefore has a markedly quieter marine ambiance.
Instead of crashing waves, you’ll find endless expanses of tidal pools and oyster beds to explore if you time your visit for low tide, when you can walk significantly far out into the exposed tidal flat. Fish Haul Beach at low tide is a naturalist’s dream, whether you are interested in bird watching, catching crabs, or finding seashells.
Fish Haul Beach could disappoint someone looking for the traditional white sand beach/sunbathing/swimming experience. But for an individual or family interested in science, nature, or a great adventure–you can’t beat this beach at low tide.
Mitchelville Beach/Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park
📍 Google Maps | Mitchelville Freedom Park Website | 🅿️ Parking: Very short walk, free parking | 🛎️ Where to Stay Nearby: Bijou De La Beach
Very close to Fish Haul Beach is an incredible park called Mitchelville Freedom Park, which also has its own beach access to Mitchelville Beach. The beach features sprawling, fascinating exposed tidal flats at low tide.
Historic Mitchelville was a freedman’s camp during the Civil War. I hadn’t realized camps like this existed, and I learned a lot of history exploring the Mitchelville Freedom Park.
One of the highlights of the park is a Toni Morrison “Bench by the Road,” one of 32 memorial benches at sites around the world. The concept of the benches is based on the quote: “There is no place you or I can go, to think about or not think about, to summon the presences of, or recollect the absences of slaves . . .”
Based on all of this fascinating history, a trip to Mitchelville Freedom Park and a visit to its beach access is a perfect activity for anyone looking to get more out of their beach trip than just leisure. It’s an opportunity for learning and reflection, and it shouldn’t be missed by any history buff, activist, or family with older kids who may be ready to reflect on the Civil War era.
Driessen Beach Park / Bradley Beach
📍 Google Maps | Driessen Beach Park Website | 🅿️ Parking: Long walk, metered | 🛎️ Where to Stay Nearby: Marriott’s SurfWatch
Driessen Beach Park has incredible amenities that rival Coligny without the crowds, making it a favorite amongst locals on Hilton Head Island. The beach is huge, so it rarely feels crowded. There are bathrooms, lifeguards during the summer, pavilions, bike racks, showers, and even a kid’s playground. All these amenities make it a very family-friendly beach.
The walk out to the sand is rather long and meandering–most of it on a beautiful boardwalk that is an activity in itself. Parking is metered but ample and a little cheaper than other metered locations (50 cents an hour versus $1/hour at Alder Lane, for instance).
Driessen Beach Park will appeal to locals and tourists alike since there are resorts within a few miles of the beach. Families in particular will benefit from the kid-friendly amenities.
Folly Field Beach Park
📍 Google Maps | Folly Field Beach Park Website | 🅿️ Parking: Metered | 🛎️ Where to Stay Nearby: Marriott’s SurfWatch
Folly Field Beach Park is a low-key family-friendly beach with restrooms, showers, lifeguards during the summer, and beach rentals. Parking can be tight and challenging, and it is metered ($1/hour, and there is a way to pay with a credit card, unlike Alder Lane). During the busier times of year, you’ll have better luck with parking if you arrive earlier in the day (before 11 am).
If parking is not available at Folly Field Beach Park, Driessen Beach is just 5 minutes away. However, Folly Field Beach features a shorter and easier walk to get to the beach itself, along with handicapped beach access.
The beach is great for walking because a lot of the sand is tightly packed. This beach can get crowded but you may also sometimes nearly have it to yourself (in the off-season).
Islanders Beach Park
📍 Google Maps | Islanders Beach Park Website | 🅿️ Parking: Long walk, limited metered parking | 🛎️ Where to Stay Nearby: The Westin Hilton Head
Islanders Beach Park is a hidden gem on Hilton Head Island, likely because most of the parking requires a resident permit. However, there are a few metered spaces that require quarters. An alternative option is to take the IslandLinks shuttle (seasonal) and walk to the beach entrance.
To get to the beach, you’ll have a relatively long walk along a boardwalk through the marshland. Amenities include a children’s playground, outdoor showers, a picnic pavilion, free wheelchair reservations, and a lifeguard seasonally.
Islanders Beach Park is a great choice if your family would like access to a playground, free wheelchair reservations on a less busy beach than Coligny, or access to one of the shaded pavilions.
Shipyard Beach Access
📍 Google Maps | Shipyard Website | 🅿️ Parking: Private access only from the Shipyard Beach Club – shuttle provided | 🛎️ Where to Stay Nearby: Sonesta Resort
The Shipyard Beach Club is an example of a private beach on Hilton Head within a gated community (Shipyard plantation). However, if you rent a property within the Shipyard Plantation, you will have access to the beach.
The Beach Club offers rentals, lockers, a sun deck, and private beach access. Opting for a beach like Shipyard may be a good option for couples or honeymooners who want to ensure private beach access, or those who know they will also want to enjoy the golf courses within the gated community.
FAQs About Beaches in Hilton Head
Does Hilton Head have good beaches?
Hilton Head Island has some of the best beaches in the country, and thousands of visitors enjoy them annually. Beaches on Hilton Head Island feature white sand and rolling Atlantic waves, and most beaches have amenities like beach toy borrowing bins, wheelchair rentals, and seasonal lifeguards.
What is the most popular beach in Hilton Head?
The most popular beach in Hilton Head is Coligny Beach, which is close to multiple resorts, lots of restaurants, and the entire Coligny Shopping Plaza just across the street. The beach has a splash pad for kids to play in and shaded pavilions with bench swings.
Are there any risks to swimming in Hilton Head beaches?
Like any beach, there are some natural dangers when swimming in Hilton Head beaches. These include the dangers of large waves, rip currents, and jellyfish.
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There are so many beaches on Hilton Head Island: some with soft white sand and waves and some with expansive tide pools to excite your inner naturalist. From Coligny Beach Park to the lesser-known Islanders Beach, you’re sure to find the perfect beach for you or your family.
Next up, check out my guide to the best things to do in Hilton Head.
