Palmetto Dunes Resort in Hilton Head, SC
A gated oceanfront community mid-island with three golf courses, a tennis and pickleball center, three miles of beach and an 11-mile lagoon.
Where to Stay in Palmetto Dunes
Palmetto Dunes rentals on Hilton Head: oceanfront, golf and lagoon villas, condos and homes, with pet rules, minimum stays, gate passes and how to book.
Palmetto Dunes house rentals on Hilton Head: oceanfront, golf-course, lagoon and marina-view homes, mostly three bedrooms and up, plus pet and pass rules.
Two hotels sit inside Palmetto Dunes: the Omni and the Hilton Beachfront Resort & Spa, once the Hilton Head Marriott. Addresses, gate passes, alternatives.
Villamare villas in Palmetto Dunes, Hilton Head: two- and three-bedroom oceanfront villas with a private boardwalk, two pools and an indoor pool.
Hampton Place at Palmetto Dunes: two five-story oceanfront buildings with a private boardwalk, oceanfront pool, lap pool and hot tub, by the south gate.
The Village at Palmetto Dunes: studios to three-bedroom villas and townhomes with a pool, near the lagoon, golf and tennis, about 200 yards from the beach.
Most visitors stay inside the gate. The villas run from oceanfront buildings such as Villamare and Hampton Place to villas along the fairways and the lagoon, there are whole houses to rent, and two oceanfront hotels, the Omni and the Hilton, sit on the beach.
If you are buying rather than renting, the Palmetto Dunes real estate page covers the resort, and our Hilton Head real estate guide covers the rest of the island.
Palmetto Dunes Real Estate and Owners
Search Palmetto Dunes homes for sale: villas, condos and houses, plus what owners need to know about gate decals, the PDPOA and renting the place out.
Leamington is a gated neighborhood at the south end of Palmetto Dunes, with golf-cart beach access, a lighthouse and villas that allow short-term rentals.
Who manages rentals in Palmetto Dunes? The resort's own program, other managers, the rules every owner follows and what to ask before you sign.
Golf, Tennis and Pickleball in Palmetto Dunes
Palmetto Dunes golf: the Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront, George Fazio and Arthur Hills courses compared, with tee times, 9-hole rounds and gate access.
The Palmetto Dunes Tennis & Pickleball Center: 17 clay courts, 24 pickleball courts, booking windows, cancellation rules, lessons and gate access.
Palmetto Dunes pickleball: 24 courts, 8 lit until 10 p.m., how to reserve, paddle rental, clinics and round robins. Open to the public, no gate pass.
Golf is the biggest draw. The resort has the Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront Course, the George Fazio Course and the Arthur Hills Course, and each has its own page in our golf section: Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront, George Fazio and Arthur Hills. The Toptracer range and Palmetto Dunes Golf Academy are here too.
The resort also has a Tennis & Pickleball Center, with 17 clay tennis courts and 24 pickleball courts.
Where to Eat in Palmetto Dunes
Palmetto Dunes restaurants on Hilton Head: a beach bar, clubhouse grills, a lagoon-view dinner room and a general store, with hours and phone numbers.
The Dunes House beach bar in Palmetto Dunes, Hilton Head: fish tacos, wraps and frozen drinks with live music. Menu, hours and how to get in.
The Palmetto Dunes General Store on Hilton Head: weekday breakfast and lunch, fried chicken, cinnamon rolls, groceries and beach gear. No pass needed.
Arthur Hills Grill in the Palmetto Dunes clubhouse: breakfast from 7 a.m., burgers, sandwiches and cocktails until 5 p.m. Menu, hours and phone.
George Fazio Grill in the Palmetto Dunes clubhouse: breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m., burgers, wraps and cocktails until 5 p.m. Menu, hours and phone.
Food is scattered through the community, from a beachfront deck at The Dunes House to Big Jim’s BBQ and XO Sports & Spirits.
Palmetto Dunes Amenities and Things to Do
Palmetto Dunes beach access, parking, gate passes, dog rules and step-free ramps for the resort's three miles of public Atlantic beach.
Hilton Head Outfitters at 80 Queens Folly Road: Palmetto Dunes bike rentals, kayaks, paddleboards and beach gear, with free delivery on 3-day bike rentals.
The Hilton Head Rear Range Lighthouse, also called the Leamington Lighthouse, stands in Palmetto Dunes. How to visit and its 1880s history.
Watch the Palmetto Dunes webcam live from the Dunes House beach bar, plus live cams on the golf courses, pickleball courts and 11-mile lagoon.
The lagoons are open to paddlers, and the resort’s paths connect the villas, the courses and the beach. Bikes, kayaks and beach gear rent from Hilton Head Outfitters.
The Dunes House also has a live view of the beach on our Palmetto Dunes webcams page, along with the golf, lagoon and pickleball cameras. The island’s other cameras are on our Hilton Head webcams page.
About Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort
- Size: More than 2,000 acres
- Beach: Three miles of Atlantic oceanfront
- Golf: Three championship courses
- Lagoon: 11-mile system for kayaks and canoes
- Access: Gated, with a pass for most visitors
Palmetto Dunes is a gated resort community on the ocean side of Hilton Head Island, roughly at the middle of the island. It covers more than 2,000 acres between William Hilton Parkway and the Atlantic, with three miles of beachfront on one side and an 11-mile lagoon system winding through the villas and fairways on the other. Most people call it Palmetto Dunes, and the resort’s own name for itself is Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort.
It is a place people stay and a place people visit for a day. Guests rent villas and homes inside the gate (see Palmetto Dunes rentals), book a room at the oceanfront hotels, play one of the three courses, or come for tennis, pickleball, bikes and a meal.
Palmetto Dunes Gates, Guest Passes and the Dunes Buggy
Palmetto Dunes is gated, and the rule of thumb is that you need a pass unless you are heading to one of the places the resort has opened to everyone. Guests in a resort-managed rental get their car passes at check-in. Everyone else picks one up at the pass office at 16 Queens Folly Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928. The Palmetto Dunes Property Owners Association (PDPOA) runs it, and it is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. inside and every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the drive-thru.
Some destinations do not need a pass: Alexander’s Restaurant, the General Store, the Welcome Center, the Tennis Center, the Robert Trent Jones course, Big Jim’s, Hilton Head Outfitters and the Hilton beachfront hotel. Guests of the Omni and golfers heading for the Fazio or Arthur Hills courses get their passes at the South Gate. Visitors to the Leamington Lighthouse use the Ocean Lane Gate.
Inside the gates the speed limit is 25 mph, and personal golf carts are not allowed. The Dunes Buggy is the resort’s courtesy shuttle. It runs seasonally, and in 2026 its hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Call (843) 689-4222 for a pickup. The beach itself is public and the Town of Hilton Head Island’s rules apply on the sand: no alcohol, glass or fires.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Palmetto Dunes a gated community?
Yes. Guests in a resort-managed rental get car passes at check-in, and other visitors pick one up at the pass office at 16 Queens Folly Road. A few destinations, such as the General Store, the Tennis Center and Big Jim’s, can be reached without a pass.
How big is Palmetto Dunes?
More than 2,000 acres, with three miles of Atlantic beachfront, three golf courses and an 11-mile lagoon system.
What golf courses are in Palmetto Dunes?
The Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront Course, the George Fazio Course and the Arthur Hills Course.
Can you golf-cart around Palmetto Dunes?
Not in your own. Personal golf carts are prohibited inside the resort, the speed limit is 25 mph, and the Dunes Buggy offers courtesy rides seasonally.
Is the beach at Palmetto Dunes public?
The beach itself is public and falls under the Town of Hilton Head Island’s rules, but getting to it through the gates takes a pass unless you are going to one of the places the resort has opened to everyone, such as the General Store or the Tennis Center. The Dunes House is not on that list.
Where do you get a Palmetto Dunes guest pass?
At the pass office at 16 Queens Folly Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday inside and 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily at the drive-thru. Omni guests and Fazio or Arthur Hills golfers get theirs at the South Gate.
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