Burkes Beach is empty for a reason, and the reason is good news
The same Atlantic sand as everywhere else on Hilton Head, with almost nobody on it. Here is why, and what you give up.
Where it is
Burkes Beach Access sits at the end of Burkes Beach Road, on the north-central stretch of Hilton Head Island between Folly Field and the mid-island resorts.
Burkes Beach Road runs off William Hilton Parkway and dead-ends at the beach. There is no signage campaign, no plaza and nothing to draw you down it unless you already know it is there. Most visitors drive past the turn every day of their trip.
That is the whole story of this beach. It is quiet because it is inconvenient in exactly two ways: the lot is small and there is nothing at it.
Burkes Beach Access
End of Burkes Beach Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Parking
A small paid lot, and it still fills
The Town of Hilton Head Island charges parking fees at every public beach access except Coligny. Burkes is paid, and it has one of the smallest lots on the island.
This produces an odd result. Burkes is the least busy beach on Hilton Head and one of the harder ones to park at, because the constraint is the lot rather than the sand. Ten cars leaving makes the difference.
The practical version: get there early, or do not drive at all. If you are staying anywhere off Folly Field Road, Burkes is a bike ride or a golf cart trip, and the entire problem evaporates.
| Location | End of Burkes Beach Road, off William Hilton Parkway |
|---|---|
| Parking | Paid, small lot |
| Access | Boardwalk over the dunes |
| Lifeguards | Not a guarded access |
| Facilities | Minimal. Assume none. |
| Food and drink | Nothing at the access |
| Crowds | The lightest of the main public accesses |
What the beach is like
The same as the rest of the island, which is the point. Hilton Head's sand is fine and compacts hard at low tide, firm enough to ride a bike on and firm enough that a beach cart rolls instead of digging in. At low tide the beach here opens out wide.
Behind it are real dunes held together with sea oats, and the boardwalk carries you over them rather than through them.
What you will notice is the absence of things. No umbrella line stretching in both directions, no music, no queue for the boardwalk. On a weekday outside high summer you may have a long stretch of it to yourself.
Bring everything
This is the one practical warning. There is no shop, no snack bar and no shower. Water, shade, food and a bag for your rubbish. If you forget sunscreen you are driving back out to William Hilton Parkway to buy it.
Nearby
Burkes, Folly Field or Driessen?
All three sit within a couple of miles of each other on the same stretch of coast, and they are genuinely different days out.
| Access | Lot | Facilities | Crowds | Pick it if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burkes Beach | Small | Almost none | Lightest | You want the emptiest sand and will bring everything |
| Folly Field | 51 + 3 ADA | Boardwalk, seasonal lifeguards, seasonal matting | Light to moderate | You have small children or need the accessibility matting |
| Driessen Beach Park | Larger | Playground, picnic shelters, long boardwalk | Moderate | You want somewhere to eat lunch and let kids off the sand |
Driessen is the pragmatic answer when a lot is full, because it holds the most cars of the three. Folly Field is the best all-rounder on the north end. Burkes is the one you go to when you have already had the busy beach day and want the opposite.
Full comparison of all seven public accesses on the Hilton Head beaches page.
Staying near here
Four public accesses, one golf cart
Burkes, Folly Field, Islanders and Driessen all sit within a short ride of Folly Field Road on the island's north end.
That is unusual, and it is the practical case for staying up here rather than mid-island or in Sea Pines. You are not choosing one beach for the week, and you are not competing for a parking space at any of them, because you are not driving.
We own one house on this end, three blocks from the Folly Field boardwalk. If you are weighing up which part of the island to book, the where to stay page compares all of them, including the areas we are not in.
Straight answers
Common questions
Where exactly is Burkes Beach?
At the end of Burkes Beach Road, which runs off William Hilton Parkway on the north-central part of the island and dead-ends at the access.
Do you have to pay to park?
Yes. Every public beach access on Hilton Head charges for parking except Coligny Beach Park.
Are there bathrooms?
Assume not. Facilities here are minimal. If that matters, use Driessen Beach Park or Folly Field instead.
Is it good for swimming?
The water is the same as everywhere else on the island, but this is not a guarded access. If you want lifeguards in season, Folly Field and Coligny have them.
Can you walk to Burkes from Folly Field?
Along the beach, yes, and it is a pleasant walk at low tide. By road it is further than it looks, so a bike or golf cart is the better option.
Is it worth it?
If an empty beach is the thing you want from a holiday, this is the best one on the island. If you want a shower, a snack and something to do when you have had enough sun, go elsewhere.
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