South Carolina · Lowcountry · Stay area
Mid-island Hilton Head: three miles of Atlantic beach, an 11-mile lagoon, vacation rentals, and Shelter Cove across the way.
Atlantic beach, lagoon, and Shelter Cove next door.
Where you get the pass depends on why you’re here. The resort is private. Golf and the tennis and pickleball center take public play. The beach is public, under the Town, and Beaufort County Sheriff patrols the sand. PD resort access policies · about-us
Villa / house · PD-managed rental
Booked through Palmetto Dunes: car pass comes with check-in at the Welcome Center (4 Queen’s Folly), or in a contactless packet mailed ahead. One car pass is in the resort fee; extras can carry a surcharge — order the count in advance. Display on the dashboard. Required to enter the gates. Park in designated spaces only (no roadway or lawn parking; tow). Beach path depends on the complex — ask the rental.
Listed amenity visit
Main entrance straight to the stop. PD’s no-pass list: Alexander’s Restaurant & Wine Bar, Palmetto Dunes General Store, Hilton Beachfront Resort, Pass Office, Welcome Center, Tennis & Pickleball Center, Robert Trent Jones Golf Course and Pro Shop, Big Jim’s BBQ, Burgers & Pizza, Hilton Head Outfitters.
Hotel · Omni · Fazio · Arthur Hills · Leamington
Hotels are different from villa rentals. Omni Resort reservation (including an overnight stay): pick up the pass at the South Gate. Fazio or Arthur Hills tee time: South Gate. Leamington / Hilton Head Lighthouse visitors: South Gate. Proceed down Queen’s Folly toward your destination — you’ll meet the South Gate on the way. Hilton Beachfront uses Queen’s Folly with no pass — see the amenity card above.
Other rental overnight · most day visitors
Owner short-term rentals and non–PD-managed villa overnight: pick up at the Pass Office (16 Queen’s Folly) when your host arranged it that way. Day visitors who need a pass and aren’t listed under South Gate or the no-pass amenities: same Pass Office. Hours vary seasonally; display on the dashboard. Main entrance: Queen’s Folly Road. For a beach day by car, use a Town lot — public sand is separate from the no-pass amenity list.
Dunes House restaurant
Vehicle parking in the Dunes House lot is for guests staying in Palmetto Dunes and property owners. Walk-up from the beach is open for lunch, drinks, or live music via the beach access point. Dunes House
Paid rides
PD: Uber adds $2 via the Uber app at the Pass Office. Lyft, taxis, and other paid transport: $15 entry fee.
Public, under Town rules, with Beaufort County Sheriff on patrol — resort access policies. Island dog hours and rules: Dogs on Hilton Head sand · Town animals page animals.cfm.
Public beach lots outside the gate use Town addresses and the Town parking page. Peak paid window island-wide: March 1–September 7, 7 am–5 pm (phone-app pay; $3/hr Mon–Fri, $5/hr Sat–Sun), except Coligny (free).
Mid-island
64 Bradley Beach Road, SC 29928. Boardwalk, playground, picnic pavilion, showers, beach wheelchair, seasonal lifeguards, beach rentals. Parking: 27 resident-permit, 168 paid, 7 ADA, 3 bus/RV. Paid in peak window.
Walk-in · park at Chaplin
60 Burkes Beach Road, SC 29928. Walk-in access; Town: visitors park at Chaplin Community Park. Parks index: seasonal lifeguards, showers, beach rentals.
Peak fees at Chaplin/Burkes: 7 am–5 pm beginning May 18 through September 7, after youth sports. Free parking for youth sports stays.
Quieter crowd than Coligny
55 Starfish Drive, SC 29926 — off Folly Field Road. 51 paid, 3 ADA. Showers, beach wheelchair, seasonal lifeguards. Quieter crowd than Coligny.
Closed through May 31, 2027
92 Folly Field Road, SC 29928. Closed Sep 8, 2026–May 31, 2027. Use Folly Field or Driessen until the Town reopens (expected June 1, 2027). When open: 127 resident-reserved vs 25 paid.
Beach access inside the resort depends on the complex. Villamare has a boardwalk with an outdoor shower (Villamare). Captain’s Walk has a boardwalk to the beach (Captain’s Walk). Ask your rental which path you use.
The pool is the community pool at the complex you are staying in. No lifeguards — resort access policies.
PD-managed rentals: check-in begins 4 p.m.; not guaranteed at 4. Checkout 10 a.m. Early arrivals may use resort amenities including golf, tennis, pickleball, beach, biking, kayaking — guest check-in.
Courtesy transport seasonally inside PD, Leamington, Shelter Cove; 2026 season begins February 1, 8 a.m.–9 p.m. (10 p.m. concert/fireworks nights); call (843) 689-4222.
PD notes a free trolley Shelter Cove Towne Centre to Coligny Plaza, seasonal. Town 2026 Breeze dates: April 11–Labor Day (September 7) — that season has ended.
Two short day shapes for Palmetto Dunes. Arrange each stop with the operator.
Already staying inside PD
Arrange: complex beach path with your rental; lagoon craft if you need one; court time with the Tennis & Pickleball Center.
Day visitor
Arrange: tee time, court time, or Outfitters rental with the operator; Pass Office pass only if your stop is outside the no-pass list (Omni / Fazio / Arthur Hills / Leamington use South Gate).
The courses on the property are Robert Trent Jones (7 Trent Jones Lane), Arthur Hills (2 Leamington Lane), and George Fazio (7 Carnoustie Road). All three are open to the public. A tee time is required. A Fazio or Arthur Hills tee time uses the South Gate. Non-golfers stay off the courses — palmettodunes.com/golf · access policies. Tee times: 866-380-1778.
The Tennis & Pickleball Center is open to the public. An amenity visit, including tennis and pickleball, uses the Queen’s Folly Road entrance without a pass. Tennis and pickleball.