Burkes Beach, Hilton Head Island, SC
Burkes Beach Photos
A matted path through the pines to the beachCredit: Town of Hilton Head Island / Flickr
Today at Burkes Beach Access
Plan your beach day →6 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily; 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. after daylight saving time ends
246 paid spaces
$3/hr weekdays, $5/hr weekends, paid season only, by app
2 Castnet Drive, off Singleton Beach Road: 136 paid spaces (4 ADA)
Where to parkBeach facts from the Town of Hilton Head Island. Hours, tide, dog rule and parking status update with the time you view this page. Tide times are NOAA predictions.
What’s at Burkes Beach Access
At Chaplin Community Park next door
Seasonal, April through September
At Chaplin Community Park
No
No, paid March 1 through Labor Day
Coco's on the BeachOn the sand at 663 William Hilton Parkway, about 0.6 mile away
Where to park at Burkes Beach Access
- Spaces
- 246 paid, 12 ADA
- Cost
- $3/hour weekdays, $5/hour weekends. Enforced 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily, mid-May through Labor Day, and free outside those dates and hours. Pay with the Town’s parking app; cash isn’t accepted. Residents with a beach parking permit park free.
- Overflow
- 2 Castnet Drive, off Singleton Beach Road: 136 paid spaces (4 ADA)
- Public access
- Yes, open to all visitors, no permit needed
- Hours
- 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily; 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. after daylight saving time ends
Burkes Beach is a small, mid-island access point off William Hilton Parkway, near Port Royal Plantation. Parking is at Chaplin Community Park, 35 Castnet Drive, with 246 paid spaces, and a second lot at 2 Castnet Drive with 136 more. The park’s restrooms, playground and picnic space are at Chaplin rather than at the beach access itself.
About Burkes Beach
Burkes Beach sits at 60 Burkes Beach Road, roughly midway up the island between Port Royal Sound and Port Royal Plantation. It’s one of the seven town-designated beach access points, alongside Coligny, Driessen, Folly Field, Islanders, Fish Haul, and Alder Lane — but with none of a full beach park’s buildings or crowds, just a boardwalk down to the sand. The beach itself is open water year-round, good for swimming, and wide enough for a quiet walk even on a busy weekend elsewhere on the island.
Parking at Burkes Beach
Burkes Beach Access parking is at Chaplin Community Park, 35 Castnet Drive: 246 paid spaces, 12 of them ADA. A second lot at 2 Castnet Drive, off Singleton Beach Road, adds 136 paid spaces (4 ADA). Payment is by the Town’s parking app, $3 an hour on weekdays and $5 an hour on weekends, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Because free youth-sports parking continues at Chaplin during the spring season, the Town starts enforcing fees there in mid-May (May 18 in 2026) and runs through Labor Day. Residents with a beach parking permit park free. Restrooms are at Chaplin; Burkes Beach itself only has outdoor showers.
Amenities at Burkes Beach
Outdoor showers and beach matting over the boardwalk are right at the access. Seasonal lifeguards are on duty in summer, and a seasonal beach-rental stand (chairs, umbrellas) sets up nearby. Restrooms, a playground, and picnic space are at Chaplin Community Park down the road rather than at the beach access itself.
Nearby
For a beach with a full parking lot, restrooms, and more going on, Coligny Beach Park is the island’s busiest public beach. For the full list of Hilton Head’s public beaches, start at the Hilton Head beaches guide.
Watch: Burkes Beach, Hilton Head: Parking, Facilities and Tips
Burkes Beach is a small, mid-island beach access at 60 Burkes Beach Road on Hilton Head Island, off William Hilton Parkway near Port Royal Plantation: no beach-park buildings or crowds, just a boardwalk down to the sand. It’s open to everyone with no permit, good for swimming and wide enough for a quiet walk. Parking is at Chaplin Community Park, 35 Castnet Drive (246 paid spaces), plus 136 more at 2 Castnet Drive: $3 an hour on weekdays and $5 on weekends by the Town’s parking app, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., from mid-May through Labor Day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated
Is there parking at Burkes Beach?
Yes — 246 paid spaces (12 ADA) at Chaplin Community Park, 35 Castnet Drive, plus 136 more (4 ADA) at 2 Castnet Drive off Singleton Beach Road. Parking is $3 an hour on weekdays and $5 on weekends, paid by the Town’s app, and enforced 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. from mid-May (May 18 in 2026) through Labor Day. Residents with a beach parking permit park free.
Where is Burkes Beach on Hilton Head Island?
At 60 Burkes Beach Road, off William Hilton Parkway near Port Royal Plantation, roughly mid-island.
What amenities does Burkes Beach have?
Outdoor showers, beach matting over the boardwalk, and seasonal lifeguards and beach rentals. Restrooms, a playground, and picnic space are next door at Chaplin Community Park rather than at the beach access itself.
Is Burkes Beach crowded?
It’s a small, boardwalk-only access without a full beach park’s buildings, so it’s less built up than Coligny. The Town doesn’t publish crowd counts, but the two Castnet Drive lots hold 382 paid spaces between them, more than Driessen’s 168.
What time does Burkes Beach close?
The Town’s beach parks are open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. once daylight saving time ends. The sand itself isn’t gated, but sleeping on the beach between midnight and 6 a.m. isn’t allowed and belongings left overnight can be confiscated.
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