Bradley Beach and Singleton Beach
Two residential stretches between Folly Field and Burkes, with almost no commerce and almost nobody on the sand. The quiet middle of the north end.
Where they are
Bradley Beach and Singleton Beach are adjacent residential neighbourhoods on Hilton Head's north-central coast, sitting between Folly Field and Burkes Beach.
Bradley Beach Road runs off William Hilton Parkway toward the ocean and ends at Driessen Beach Park, which is the public access for this stretch. Singleton Beach sits immediately south of it. In conversation people use the two names loosely and nobody minds.
Neither is a resort, a plantation or a gated community in the Sea Pines sense. They are streets of houses near a beach, which on this island is unusual enough to be the whole appeal.
Bradley Beach Road
Off William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Ends at Driessen Beach Park
Getting to the sand
How beach access works here
There is no public access point named Bradley Beach or Singleton Beach. The access for this stretch is Driessen Beach Park at the end of Bradley Beach Road.
Every beach on Hilton Head is public from the ocean to the high-water mark. What is not public is most of the land behind it, and here that land is houses. So in practice you reach this sand through Driessen, or you walk along the beach from Folly Field or Burkes, both of which are close.
Driessen has the largest lot of the three north-end accesses, plus a long boardwalk, picnic shelters and a playground. It is the one to aim for if the Folly Field lot is full, and it is the most family-equipped access on this end of the island.
| Access for this stretch | Driessen Beach Park, end of Bradley Beach Road |
|---|---|
| Parking | Paid. Every public access on the island charges except Coligny |
| Facilities at Driessen | Long boardwalk, picnic shelters, playground |
| Nearest alternatives | Folly Field to the north, Burkes to the south |
| Character | Residential, low density, very quiet |
What it is like
Quiet, in a way that surprises people who only know Coligny. There is essentially no commercial frontage on either stretch. No shops, no bars, no plaza. What you get instead is a beach with room on it and streets you can walk at night.
The sand is the same as the rest of the island: fine, firm at low tide, and wide enough that the umbrella line and the waterline sit a long way apart. Firm enough to ride a bike along, which is one of the genuine pleasures of this island and easiest to do on the emptier north-end stretches.
The trade
You will cook, or you will travel to eat. The nearest cluster is 40 Folly Field Road, which holds CocoNutz, Gator'z and the oceanfront Jamaica Joe'z, and beyond that Barnacle Bill's food truck park up the parkway. That is close to the complete list within easy reach.
If your idea of a holiday involves browsing shops after dinner, this is the wrong end of the island and Coligny will suit you better. If it involves a beach with nobody on it, this is exactly right.
In context
Where this sits on the north end
Four public beach accesses sit within a short golf cart ride of each other on this part of the island, running roughly north to south.
| Access | Off | Facilities | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Islanders Beach Park | Folly Field Road | Facilities, shade | Light |
| Folly Field Beach Park | Folly Field Road | Boardwalk, seasonal lifeguards and matting | Light to moderate |
| Driessen Beach Park | Bradley Beach Road | Playground, picnic shelters, long boardwalk | Moderate |
| Burkes Beach | Burkes Beach Road | Almost none | Lightest |
That density of access is the practical argument for staying on this end. You are not committed to one beach for the week, and you are not competing for a parking space at any of them if you walk or take a cart. Full comparison of all seven island accesses on the beaches page.
Straight answers
Common questions
Where is Bradley Beach?
North-central Hilton Head, immediately south of Folly Field. Bradley Beach Road runs off William Hilton Parkway and ends at Driessen Beach Park.
Is there public access at Bradley Beach?
Not under that name. Driessen Beach Park at the end of the road is the access for this stretch.
How is Singleton Beach different?
It sits just south of Bradley Beach on the same coast. In practice the two names get used interchangeably and the character is the same.
Are there restaurants?
Not in the neighbourhoods themselves. 40 Folly Field Road is the nearest cluster.
Is it a good area to stay?
If you want quiet and a beach, yes, and it is good value. If you want to walk to dinner and shops, no.
Can you walk from here to Folly Field?
Along the beach at low tide, easily. By road it is further than it looks, so a bike or golf cart is better.
Staying on this stretch
122 Sandcastle Court
Six bedrooms, sleeps 22, heated private pool and an elevator, in the gated Sandcastles by the Sea community a few streets north of here.
Three blocks to the Folly Field boardwalk, and a short cart ride to Driessen and Burkes. If you are looking at this end of the island for a family or a group, it is worth a look.
Keep reading