After 3 months, Hilton Head changes weekend parking rates. No more $20 cap, now hourly at $5
A quick weekend jog on Hilton Head beaches won’t cost visitors nearly as much this summer, but a long day at the beach could break the bank.
The $20 weekend flat fee for parking at Hilton Head beaches will been eliminated effective June 24. Visitors will now pay $5 per hour on weekends and $3 per hour on weekdays.
The town council voted to eliminate the daily caps on parking fees at their Tuesday meeting.
This summer will be the first summer that visitors will need to pay to park at Hilton Head beaches. The new paid parking fees went into effect March 1, but has remained a hot topic for residents, visitors, and council members.
A proposal on the table Tuesday evening would have made parking fees at all beaches $5 per hour, on both weekends and weekdays, including at Coligny Beach.
Ward 6 council member Melinda Tunner argued that the town has “more work to do” before deciding to charge at Coligny, and the businesses would need more time to prepare for the change.
“I think we need to demonstrate that to the public, that we can handle that,” Tunner said.
What’s changing?
Instead of paying a flat $20 fee to park on weekends, visitors will now pay $5 per hour, with no daily fee cap.
That means stopping by for a quick stroll on the weekend could only cost you $5, but stay all day and you could pay up to $50.
Parking on weekdays will still be $3 per hour. However, the $15 daily fee cap will be eliminated, meaning visitors could pay up to $30 to park all day.
Parking is enforced from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
No parking passes for Beaufort County residents
Hilton Head’s parking system will continue to offer no special treatment to residents of Beaufort County.
A proposal that would have created a $100 parking pass for Beaufort County residents was unanimously rejected by the town council at their Tuesday meeting.
Mayor Alan Perry originally introduced the idea at an April meeting. However, some residents and council members pushed back against the idea.
Hilton Head residents can park for free at all public beach parks if they apply for a resident beach parking pass online. Residents can register up to two vehicles.
Where to get free parking on Hilton Head Island
Currently, you can park for free on Hilton Head Island:
- Outside of enforcement hours: Parking is free after 5 p.m. and before 7 a.m. each day. The beach parks are open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
- At certain beaches: Parking at town-owned lots at Coligny Beach is currently free, including at two new parking lots opened recently on the sites of the old Aunt Chiladas and the old Wild Cafe on Pope Avenue.
