Car Rental - Hilton Head Island

 

Rent a car in Hilton Head Island to explore South Carolina’s Lowcountry coastline. This barrier island packs a lot into its 69 square miles: white sand beaches, leading golf courses and pristine nature preserves.

We have a car rental pick-up location at Hilton Head Airport, only minutes from the island’s center and less than a half-hour drive  from Harbour Town and South Beach on the opposite edge.

In a rental car, it’s easy to reach Coligny Beach Park or drive across state lines to Savannah, Georgia, an hour south-west from Hilton Head.

The Atlantic coast is also fertile ground for road trips – you can reach charming Charleston in about two hours or Jacksonville in two and a half.

We have a range of great Hilton Head car rentals including SUVs, sports cars and simple hatchbacks. Reserve a Hilton Head Island car rental online to kickstart your adventure or simply kick back amid the lush wetlands.

Hilton Head Island Locations

Google
Map data ©2026 Google
Map data ©2026 Google

A Quick Guide to Hilton Head Island

Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park

Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park

226 Beach City Road, SC, 29926

The Hilton Head resort’s founder, Charles Fraser, strove to create the nation’s first eco-planned vacation complex.

Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park is one of the best examples of this vision – there’s a wetlands observation deck plus walking trails. It’s also a hub for African American heritage exhibits, since formerly enslaved people created a self-governed town here in 1862.

Coligny Beach Park

Coligny Beach Park

1N Forest Beach, SC, 29928

Coligny Beach Park is more than just a beach, it’s a luscious park with walking and biking paths surrounded by greenery. Rent an umbrella to relax on the sands, then head to Coligny Plaza for a freshly-made smoothie in the sunshine.

Harbour Town Golf Links

Harbour Town Golf Links

11 Lighthouse Lane, Hilton Head Island, SC, 29928

Beside Harbour Town’s iconic lighthouse, you’ll find the sweeping lawns of its public golf course.

This place hosts the RBC Heritage and PGA Tour, but golfing hobbyists also flock here for some of the world’s finest par threes.

Marriott’s Barony Beach Club

5 Grasslawn Avenue, SC, 29928

This plush Marriott resort is ideal for family vacations, with multi-room villas overlooking an outdoor pool. The accommodation comes with a balcony, living room, dining area and kitchen. Plus, there’s a full-service spa on-site.

Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort

4 Queens Folly Road, SC, 29928

Retire to luxury after a day of touring around in your Hilton Head car rental. Voted the tenth best Southern resort by Conde Nast readers in 2020, this mega-escape has a private beach, a triad of golf courses and stores where you can purchase tennis gear or souvenirs.

The Beach Villas are among the closest to the ocean – each comes with its own private deck, cozy sofas and swimming pool access.

The Inn & Club at Harbour Town

7 Lighthouse Lane, SC, 29928

Old-style charm meets luxury at this five-star Harbour Town hotel. There’s a grand piano in the lobby and a library with its own fireplace, plus a boutique pool framed by sun loungers. 

Reservations come with a butler service, while rooms are kitted out with fine Italian linens.

Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks

1 Hudson Road, SC, 29926

You’ll come to Hudson’s Seafood House for the fresh catches, which are sourced via fishermen from Charleston to Florida and filleted in-house. However, you’ll stay for the exceptional views of Port Royal Sound.

Try Lowcountry broiled oysters for lunch or the specialty seafood pasta for dinner.

Sage Room

75 Pope Avenue, Hilton Head Island, SC, 29928

For fine dining while touring around in your rental car on Hilton Head Island, try Sage Room. This eatery’s internationally influenced American fare is presented with elegance.

Dine on beef spring roll appetizers, indulge in lobster carbonara or share a Southern Key lime pie.

A Lowcountry Backyard Restaurant

32 Palmetto Bay Road Suite 4A, SC, 29928

Offering a back-to-basics experience serving local cuisine ‘the way it used to be’, this outdoor diner provides heaps of atmosphere alongside a Gullah-inspired menu.

Try the backyard sampler to share staples such as potato chip meatloaf, while the shrimp and grits is the justly celebrated house specialty.

Driving In and Around Hilton Head Island

  • Coligny Beach Parking (29928) is close to Coligny Beach Park and Shipyard Golf Club. It has washroom facilities complete with showers.
  • 135 Lighthouse Road Parking (29928) is a parking lot in Harbour Town, next to Liberty Oak and the Harbour Town Yacht Club.
  • Cross Island Boat Landing (29928) has parking spaces near to the Palmetto Bay Marina, Wexford Plantation and H H Baseball Association.

 

  • US Route 278 (US 278), also known as the Cross Island Parkway, connects the island’s center to its southern side, near Wexford Plantation. This road also curves north-west near the Coastal Discovery Museum, leading to Hilton Head National Golf Club and I-95 on the mainland.
  • William Hilton Parkway heads from the airport to the island’s center. It also stretches along the south coast toward the island’s golf clubs and beaches.
  • Marshland Road starts near Coligny Beach Toll Bridge on the US 278 and meanders west through the island’s central nature spots.

 

How to Get From Hilton Head Island Airport to Savannah

It takes about one hour to drive the 47 miles in your car rental from Hilton Head Airport to Savannah.

  1. Leave the car rental parking lot at Hilton Head Airport to join Beach City Road west.
  2. Turn right on to William Hilton Parkway and continue to the mainland.
  3. When this road ends, turn left to join I-95.
  4. Cross into Georgia, then use Exit 109 to head right on GA-21 past Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport.
  5. Look out for Exit 7, then use Bay Street to reach downtown Savannah.

 

How to Get From Hilton Head to Charleston

The port city of Charleston is little more than a two-hour drive from Hilton Head in your car rental. Just use US 278 to exit the island, then follow SC-170, US 21 and US 17 north-east.

 

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