Best Beaches Near Royal Dunes Resort
The best beaches near Royal Dunes Resort are just minutes from your door, even with the nearest park access, Islanders Beach Park closed for improvements through May 2027. The good news is you can still walk to the beach from Royal Dunes Resort, just on an alternate path. Our team updates this guide at every phase of the construction, so what you read here reflects conditions on the ground right now.
Start with the closure update below, then browse the beach accesses and day trips our staff recommends!
Islanders Beach Park is closed through May 31, 2027
How long did this walk take: Gate to gate was 3,000 steps, just under ½ mile completed in 15 minutes
The Project
Islanders has long been the closest access for Royal Dunes guests, so we want you to have a clear picture before you arrive.
In this video, our general manager Andre walks through what the closure means for your stay, and below you will find where our team recommends guest looking for beach time during their vacation check out.
We update this section as construction moves through each phase, so what you read here is current.
What it means for Royal Dunes guests
The Town of Hilton Head Island closed Islanders Beach Park on Sept. 8, 2026 to begin the second phase of a $5.1 million improvement project. When the park reopens on June 1, 2027, guests will find a rebuilt paver parking lot with more spaces, safer pathways and crossings, upgraded lighting and a new accessible, beach themed playground. Until then the parking lot, restrooms and playground are closed while crews work.
You can still walk to the beach
The simplest option never went away. A temporary mulch path runs along the north side of the park and connects the raised crosswalk on Folly Field Road to the sand, so guests who like to walk straight out can keep doing exactly that.
Local Hilton Head Beaches
If you’d like to use this as an opportunity to explore some of the other beautiful beaches both local and a short drive away, we’ve compiled some of our favorite alternative beach day recommendations below!
A note that applies to every park below. Town beach parks are open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Visitor parking runs $3 an hour on weekdays and $5 an hour on weekends, paid through the Town of Hilton Head Island’s parking system. Rates and enforcement are set by the Town and were current when we published this update, so give that page a quick look before you head out in case anything has changed. Guests who use a wheelchair can reserve a beach wheelchair through the Town for any of these parks.
View all the Best Beaches Near Royal Dunes in our interactive Google Map
Folly Field Beach Park
the closest drive or stroll
Folly Field Beach Park sits 0.4 miles from the resort, an easy eight to 10 minute walk. If you are carrying chairs and coolers, use the dedicated turnaround circle at the boardwalk entrance to drop off your crew and gear, then park in one of 51 paid spaces. Parking payment is handled by the Town of Hilton Head Island, access the parking payment page here.
More details. Hours, amenities and photos on the official Folly Field Beach Park page.
Find it. 55 Starfish Drive, off Folly Field Road. Open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Parking. 51 paid spaces, three of them accessible. $3 an hour on weekdays and $5 on weekends, through the Town of Hilton Head. Rates current as of this update, so confirm with the Town before you go.
Accessibility. A boardwalk with beach matting carries wheelchairs and strollers to the sand, and beach wheelchairs are available. Lifeguards post here in season.
Driessen Beach Park
for a full beach day
Driessen Beach Park on Bradley Beach Road is 1.1 miles away, about a four minute drive. Drop off at the roundabout next to the pavilion, then settle into the large lot, where 168 paid visitor spaces share the park with resident permit parking. The long boardwalk over the dunes to the ocean is a favorite walk in its own right.
More details. Hours, amenities and photos on the official Driessen Beach Park page.
Find it. 64 Bradley Beach Road, off William Hilton Parkway. Open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Parking. 168 paid spaces, seven of them accessible, plus three bus and RV spaces. $3 an hour on weekdays and $5 on weekends, paid through the Town of Hilton Head. Rates current as of this update, so confirm with the Town before you go.
Accessibility. Beach wheelchairs are available, and the playground and covered picnic pavilion make this the easiest pick for a full family day. Lifeguards post here in season.
Burke’s Beach
for a quieter stretch of sand
Burke’s Beach is 1.4 miles from the resort, a five minute drive or a pleasant seven minute bike ride. Space at the road end is for unloading only, so drop your gear, then park next door at Chaplin Community Park on Castnet Drive, where the Town maintains 246 paid spaces plus an overflow lot off Singleton Beach Road. Outdoor showers and beach matting wait at the access, and lifeguards post here in season.
Find it. 60 Burkes Beach Road, with parking next door at Chaplin Community Park, 35 Castnet Drive. Open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Parking. 246 paid spaces at Chaplin, 12 of them accessible, plus a 136 space overflow lot off Singleton Beach Road. $3 an hour on weekdays and $5 on weekends, paid through the Town. Rates current as of this update, so confirm with the Town before you go.
Accessibility. Beach matting helps wheelchairs and strollers reach the sand, and outdoor showers wait at the access. Lifeguards post here in season.
More details. Hours, amenities and photos on the official Burkes Beach Access page.
Fish Haul Beach Park
for a quiet morning on the sound
Fish Haul Beach Park sits on the island’s north end next door to Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park, and it faces Port Royal Sound rather than the open ocean. That means calm, shallow water and long stretches of hard packed sand at low tide, which makes it the beach our team suggests for slow mornings of shelling and bird watching rather than a swim. Lifeguards are not stationed here, so save the swimming for the guarded parks and bring your camera instead.
Find it. 124 Mitchelville Road, off Beach City Road on the north end. Open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Parking. 93 paid spaces, four of them accessible, plus 70 free overflow spaces at the Barker Field lot at 160 Mitchelville Road. $3 an hour on weekdays and $5 on weekends, paid by phone through the Town. Rates current as of this update, so confirm with the Town before you go.
Accessibility. Beach wheelchairs are available, and the flat, firm sand at low tide is the easiest walking surface of any beach on this list.
More details. Hours, amenities and photos on the official Fish Haul Beach Park page.
Coligny Beach Park
to really make a day of it
If you would rather pair your beach day with lunch and a little shopping, Coligny Beach Park on the south end is a 15 to 20 minute drive. You will find free parking across Pope Avenue, restrooms, changing rooms and outdoor showers at the access, and more than 60 shops and restaurants at Coligny Plaza steps from the sand. The Tiki Hut pours cold drinks with live music right on the oceanfront, and Lowcountry Celebration Park next door gives the kids a remarkable playground when they have had enough sun.
Find it. 1 Coligny Circle, at the end of Pope Avenue. Open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Parking. Free, and the only Town beach park where it is, with eight accessible spaces at the park and 220 more free spaces at the USCB campus lot served by a seasonal shuttle.
Accessibility. Beach wheelchairs are available, with changing rooms, restrooms and outdoor showers steps from the sand. Lifeguards post here in season.
More details. Hours, amenities and photos on the official Coligny Beach Park page.
Two beaches worth the drive
If you’re in an exploring mood these two are a couple trips our team recommends most.
Hunting Island State Park
an hour up the coast
South Carolina’s most visited state park sits about 50 miles from the resort, roughly an hour’s drive, and rewards the trip with five miles of undeveloped shoreline that feels wholly different from the island’s resort beaches. The reason photographers make the drive is Boneyard Beach, where erosion has left whole oaks and palms bleaching in the surf. The 1875 lighthouse is the only one in South Carolina open to the public, though it is currently closed for repairs, so check the park’s site before you plan your visit around a climb. Eight miles of trails, a marsh boardwalk and a nature center fill out the rest of the day.
- Find it. About 50 miles from the resort near Beaufort, roughly an hour by car.
- Cost. $8 for adults and $5 for seniors at last check. Fees are set by South Carolina State Parks, so confirm before you go.
- Accessibility. The park offers a free track chair for visitors with mobility needs. Reserve it ahead through the park.
- More details. Hours, fees and lighthouse status on the official Hunting Island State Park page.
Pinckney Island Wildlife Refuge
wild and 10 minutes away
Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge spreads 4,053 acres of salt marsh, forest and freshwater ponds across the water just west of Hilton Head, about 10 miles from the resort, and admission is free. More than 250 bird species have been recorded here, and alligators sun themselves near the ponds, so keep a respectful distance and stay on the marked trails. The gentle introduction is the 1.2 mile round trip walk to Ibis Pond, where wading birds crowd the rookery in season. The committed outing is White Point Beach at the island’s far end, a secluded crescent of sand you will likely have entirely to yourself. That one is a 7.8 mile round trip, so most visitors cover it by bike and every one of them packs water.
- Find it. Off US 278 just before the bridges to Hilton Head, about 10 miles from the resort. Day use only, sunrise to sunset.
- Cost. Free!
- Know before you go. There are no restrooms, drinking water, shelter or shade on the refuge, so carry what you need. Early morning and late afternoon bring the most wildlife and the kindest temperatures.
- More details. Trail map and refuge rules on the official Pinckney Island refuge page.
Is Islanders Beach Park closed?
Yes. The Town of Hilton Head Island closed Islanders Beach Park from Sept. 8, 2026 through May 31, 2027 for construction, with a planned reopening on June 1, 2027. The parking lot, restrooms and playground are closed during the project.
Can Royal Dunes guests still walk to the beach during the closure?
Yes. A temporary mulch path along the north side of the park connects the Folly Field Road crosswalk to the beach throughout construction.
Where should I park for the beach near Royal Dunes during the closure?
Folly Field Beach Park, 0.4 miles away, has 51 paid spaces and Driessen Beach Park, 1.1 miles away, has 168. Both charge $3 an hour on weekdays and $5 an hour on weekends, paid by phone through the Town of Hilton Head Island. Coligny Beach Park on the south end offers free parking.
Which beach access near Royal Dunes is wheelchair accessible during the closure?
All three nearby parks offer accessible features. Folly Field and Driessen have beach matting, accessible parking spaces and beach wheelchairs, Burke’s Beach has beach matting at the access, and the Town of Hilton Head Island loans beach wheelchairs by reservation.