• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

Hilton Head Island public beaches to close for 60 days

mcsteve

TUG Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2014
Messages
303
Reaction score
275
Points
174
Location
Ontario, Canada
Resorts Owned
HGVC Elara - Las Vegas
Southwind, Egret Point & Waterside by Spinnaker - HHI
Vacation Village @ Weston

Laurie

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
3,055
Reaction score
789
Points
498
Location
NC
Actually at this point, only public accesses and parking lots are closed. Beaches are open to all who are beachfront or can use a private access. Initially there was confusion about this. Only the governor can close the beaches themselves, and to date hasn't done so as far as I know. HHI town has stipulated that no more than groups of 3, other than family groups, may gather in a public place, and asks that out-of-town / out-of-state guests quarantine themselves for 14 days (whatever that means).

We own a vacation rental condo there so I'm trying to keep up daily; most upcoming guests are cancelling anyway.
 

bankr63

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2009
Messages
553
Reaction score
100
Points
253
Location
Ottawa, ON, Canada
Resorts Owned
Vistana Resort Orlando (2BR, Deeded Wk10) , Silver Lake Resort Orlando (3BRLO)
The action might be enough to solve the anticipated issue. We just returned from HHI last Saturday, and with occupancy so low, the beaches were pretty deserted anyway. Certainly no issue practicing social distancing. But, as reported in the Island Packet, the concern was that beach seekers will go to whatever location they can. With all of the other beaches closing up and down the coast the mayor worried that HHI would be inundated as possibly the only beach still open in the state.

I would be interested to see how they actually did this. The beach access there is pretty porous; I can see them barricading major access points like Coligny and easy to close the parking lot, but many of the streets that lead down to the beach have a cut through at the end of them.
 

PGtime

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2005
Messages
208
Reaction score
39
Points
388
Location
HHI, South Carolina
Resorts Owned
Waterside by Spinnaker,
Cottages at Shipyard
We now live in Shipyard on HH full time. As mentioned above, all of the readily accessible public parking areas are closed and there are police patrolling aggressively. It was mentioned by the mayor (and I'm paraphrasing): "do not just think you can park wherever you want to get to the beach; we will tow your car". That being said, my wife and I went on Shipyard beach yesterday (as it has private access) and everyone kept to twosomes and threesomes, primarily couples and families. A few had the trademark orange towels from Sonesta Resort but most seemed like locals. A couple of beach patrols came by but none bothered any of us. Maybe because we were all behaving?

Paul
 

Laurie

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
3,055
Reaction score
789
Points
498
Location
NC
A couple of beach patrols came by but none bothered any of us. Maybe because we were all behaving?
Yes, and because the beaches are not closed at this point, and can't be until/unless the governor decrees it, so they can't bother you unless for a justified reason.

Please keep us posted on ongoing situation and any new developments, thanks so much!
 

PGtime

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2005
Messages
208
Reaction score
39
Points
388
Location
HHI, South Carolina
Resorts Owned
Waterside by Spinnaker,
Cottages at Shipyard
Agreed. And the justified reason could be if we were too close together.
 

wed100105

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2007
Messages
665
Reaction score
104
Points
404
Location
Hanna City, Illinois
We have a reservation for June 6-13 at Royal Dunes. If we don’t use it, we basically lose it. Praying that everything works out...
 

mcsteve

TUG Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2014
Messages
303
Reaction score
275
Points
174
Location
Ontario, Canada
Resorts Owned
HGVC Elara - Las Vegas
Southwind, Egret Point & Waterside by Spinnaker - HHI
Vacation Village @ Weston
We have a reservation for June 6-13 at Royal Dunes. If we don’t use it, we basically lose it. Praying that everything works out...
I’ve got the same week at Egret Point. I’ll pray with you :giggle:
 

gnipgnop

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2005
Messages
1,838
Reaction score
161
Points
424
Location
Pennsylvania
I'll be praying too. We have Waterside May 23 - 30.
 

bankr63

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2009
Messages
553
Reaction score
100
Points
253
Location
Ottawa, ON, Canada
Resorts Owned
Vistana Resort Orlando (2BR, Deeded Wk10) , Silver Lake Resort Orlando (3BRLO)
I read today that the SC governor is expect to follow suit with a couple of other states and lift the full-time closure of the beaches. There still may be heavy restrictions on HOW you use the beach, but it could very well be open. Perhaps your prayers will be answered.
 

Lisa8192

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
267
Reaction score
37
Points
388
Location
NE Ohio
But I also read the local mayors have the final say.. and HH beaches aren’t open.. still really hoping for end of May. We will be the best behaved visitors ever! I just want the beach and pool open. That’s it. All I need.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Laurie

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
3,055
Reaction score
789
Points
498
Location
NC
But I also read the local mayors have the final say.. and HH beaches aren’t open.. still really hoping for end of May.
Public accesses to HHI beaches aren't open yet, the town is still keeping them closed for now even though the gov opened other public accesses he had closed elsewhere in the state ... but the HHI beaches themselves aren't closed if your resort has a private access, which many do.

Pools may be another matter, probably up to each resort.
 

elaine

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2005
Messages
5,174
Reaction score
2,093
Points
648
Location
DC
Resorts Owned
HGVC Eagles Nest, DVC-AKV, HHI
what about beaches inside plantations like Palmetto Dunes, etc.?
 

JIMinNC

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
4,879
Reaction score
4,429
Points
599
Location
Marvin, NC (Charlotte) & Hilton Head Island, SC
Resorts Owned
Marriott:
Maui Ocean Club
Waiohai Beach Club
Barony Beach Club
Abound ClubPoints
HGVC:
HGVC at Sea World
what about beaches inside plantations like Palmetto Dunes, etc.?

I know Palmetto Dunes has closed the parking lots at the two main beach access points within the development (Dunes House and Disney Beach Club), but the walkways over the dunes are still open, so people who can walk to the beach or presumably ride a bike there can still access the beach. Properties with private access can keep their paths/ramps open as well. The town ordinance asked all planned developments to close their parking lots just like the town closed the public lots, but foot access within the private developments remains. The intent seems to be not to close beach access completely but to limit the access to discourage overcrowding. From looking at the Dunes House web cam, it appears most people are distancing themselves on the beach. There are occasionally a few groups that look like they might exceed the governor's 3-person limit, but that limit doesn't apply to family members who reside under the same roof, so hopefully the larger groups are families. Here's a link to the web cams:

Palmetto Dunes Web Cams
 

pedro47

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
22,072
Reaction score
8,535
Points
948
Location
East Coast
Suggestion only. Please turned off and do not watch all the news television stations, cable radio and cable networks news stations.
Please watch only uplifting movies, games shows and listen to some soft music. No Rap music.
But I also read the local mayors have the final say.. and HH beaches aren’t open.. still really hoping for end of May. We will be the best behaved visitors ever! I just want the beach and pool open. That’s it. All I need.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
IMHO, if the public beach is not open. The resort have an excellent garden area surrounded by the pool . This area will be very relaxing. You maybe able to walk next door to the Westin Hotel. Just enjoy your stay on the HHI.
 

HudsHut

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
3,978
Reaction score
1,229
Points
548
What is the status of Hilton Head beaches at this point? 60 days from Saturday, March 21 is Wednesday, May 20. I was wondering if there have been any changes.
Is there a site to monitor any closures?
 

JIMinNC

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
4,879
Reaction score
4,429
Points
599
Location
Marvin, NC (Charlotte) & Hilton Head Island, SC
Resorts Owned
Marriott:
Maui Ocean Club
Waiohai Beach Club
Barony Beach Club
Abound ClubPoints
HGVC:
HGVC at Sea World
What is the status of Hilton Head beaches at this point? 60 days from Saturday, March 21 is Wednesday, May 20. I was wondering if there have been any changes.
Is there a site to monitor any closures?

Private beach access is open and actually never closed. Homes, condos, and resorts with private beach access points have always had access.

Two public beach parking lots - Islanders Beach Park and the Coligny Beach parking lot are now open only to island residents/property owners with a town parking sticker. That limited access started on May 1. The town council is meeting Tuesday afternoon May 12 to discuss how the partial beach opening is going and whether to make any future changes.

Search for the Town of Hilton Head Facebook page for updates.
 

Lisa8192

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
267
Reaction score
37
Points
388
Location
NE Ohio
Any word on pools opening?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

JIMinNC

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
4,879
Reaction score
4,429
Points
599
Location
Marvin, NC (Charlotte) & Hilton Head Island, SC
Resorts Owned
Marriott:
Maui Ocean Club
Waiohai Beach Club
Barony Beach Club
Abound ClubPoints
HGVC:
HGVC at Sea World
Any word on pools opening?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think the closing of pools was included in the statewide order in SC that closed salons, gyms, exercise facilities, public pools, etc. So far that order is still in place in SC. I think the governor said more announcements are forthcoming next week, but not sure if this will be lifted then or not.
 
Top