Forest Beach, Hilton Head Island

Hilton Head Island · South End Atlantic Beachfront

Forest Beach

Forest Beach is Hilton Head Island's open, Atlantic-front neighborhood — one of the few non-gated beachfront communities on the island's south end, with direct ocean access and a location near Coligny Beach Park, Coligny Plaza, and the amenity footprint of Sea Pines.

At a glance

Forest Beach at a glance

Forest Beach is Hilton Head Island's open, Atlantic-front neighborhood — one of the few non-gated beachfront communities on the island's south end, with direct ocean access and a location near Coligny Beach Park, Coligny Plaza, and the amenity footprint of Sea Pines.

Location
Forest Beach, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Median sale price
$2,112,500 median (single-family homes, July 2026)
Short-term rentals
Permitted — with a Town of Hilton Head permit + business license
Character
Un-gated beachside living at the heart of the island

The Community

Living in Forest Beach

Spanning North Forest Beach and South Forest Beach on Hilton Head Island's south end, Forest Beach occupies a distinctive position in the island's residential landscape: it is a non-gated, open, Atlantic beachfront neighborhood in a market otherwise defined by gated resort communities. Unlike most of the island's residential inventory — which sits behind the gates of resort plantations carrying community service association fees and access protocols — Forest Beach offers direct Atlantic coastline access alongside the dining, shopping, and live entertainment of Coligny Plaza, without a gate code or plantation fee layer.

The neighborhood sits just outside the Sea Pines gate, placing it near the golf courses, Harbour Town waterfront, and trail network that define one of the island's premier resort destinations — while remaining free of Sea Pines' community governance structure and gate fees. This geographic position gives Forest Beach owners access to a wide range of south-end amenities that few non-gated neighborhoods on the island can match.

Coligny Beach Park — the island's most popular public beach, with boardwalks, showers, and the iconic Coligny Circle — is near the north end of the Forest Beach neighborhood. Coligny Plaza, the south end's hub for retail, restaurants, and seasonal live entertainment, is close by. The south-end bike-path network threads through the neighborhood and connects owners to the broader island trail system.

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The Lifestyle

Life in Forest Beach is organized around the Atlantic. Oceanfront and ocean-oriented homes throughout the neighborhood put the beach at the center of the ownership experience, and the open, non-gated character means access to the shoreline, Coligny Beach Park, and Coligny Plaza is direct and uncomplicated — no gate code required. For those who also want access to golf, the Harbour Town waterfront, and an extensive trail network, the position near Sea Pines provides a connection to one of the island's deepest resort footprints.

Forest Beach is defined not by a gatehouse or a community association, but by the Atlantic itself and the south-end amenity network that surrounds it. That combination — open beachfront living, Coligny Beach Park, Coligny Plaza, and the reach of Sea Pines — gives the neighborhood a lifestyle breadth that is difficult to replicate elsewhere on the island.

The Real Estate

Forest Beach's inventory spans oceanfront single-family homes, near-beach cottages, and condominium properties across North Forest Beach and South Forest Beach. The neighborhood represents a meaningful share of Hilton Head's directly ocean-accessible, non-gated residential supply — a category that is structurally limited on an island where most beachfront inventory sits within gated resort plantations. Buyers are drawn by a range of ownership intentions: second-home and vacation-rental use, where the location near Coligny and the beach supports consistent rental demand; primary residence ownership for those who want open, ungated beachfront living; and income-oriented investment where location drives occupancy. Oceanfront and near-beach positions in Forest Beach carry pricing that reflects both the scarcity of this supply and its durability as a rental-income asset.

Rental Income

Short-term rentals in Forest Beach

Short-term rentals are allowed in Forest Beach. The neighborhood is non-gated, so there is no community CSA or plantation permission layer to clear — STR is governed directly by the Town of Hilton Head Island's ordinance. To operate legally, an owner must obtain a Town STR permit, a Town business license, and comply with applicable local and state tax requirements. The Town permit is priced at approximately $150 per bedroom per year, so a four-bedroom home runs roughly $600 annually in permit fees alone.

Buyer Questions

Forest Beach — answered

Can you short-term rent a home you buy in Forest Beach on Hilton Head Island?
Yes — Forest Beach allows short-term rentals. Because the neighborhood is non-gated, there is no community-level CSA or plantation permission layer to navigate. STR is governed by the Town of Hilton Head Island's ordinance, which requires a Town STR permit, a business license, and compliance with applicable occupancy and sales tax requirements. Forest Beach is one of the island's strongest vacation-rental markets, with consistent demand driven by its beachfront location near Coligny.
What does it cost and require to run a short-term rental in Forest Beach?
The Town of Hilton Head Island charges approximately $150 per bedroom per year for the STR permit — a four-bedroom home runs roughly $600 annually in permit fees. In addition to the permit, owners need a Town business license and must satisfy applicable local and state tax obligations. Forest Beach has no community gate fee, CSA approval process, or plantation-level STR layer on top of the Town requirements.
Is Forest Beach a good location for a beachfront second home on Hilton Head?
Forest Beach is one of Hilton Head Island's few non-gated, directly Atlantic-front neighborhoods — a combination that is structurally scarce in a market dominated by gated resort plantations. Its location near Coligny Beach Park and Coligny Plaza supports consistent vacation-rental demand, and many second-home owners use the property personally and rent it the remainder of the year to offset carrying costs. Beachfront and near-beach supply in Forest Beach is finite, and the neighborhood's open character is a durable differentiator.
Is Forest Beach gated, and how does it compare to Sea Pines?
Forest Beach is not gated — it is an open, non-gated neighborhood and one of the few directly beachfront communities on Hilton Head outside a gated plantation. Sea Pines is a gated resort community with its own community service association, gate fees, and governance structure. Forest Beach sits just outside the Sea Pines gate, giving owners proximity to Sea Pines' golf, Harbour Town waterfront, and trail network while remaining free of Sea Pines' plantation fees and community layer.
What types of homes are available in Forest Beach, and what is the price character?
Forest Beach offers oceanfront single-family homes, near-beach cottages, and condominium properties across North Forest Beach and South Forest Beach. As one of the island's few non-gated, directly ocean-accessible neighborhoods, supply here is limited. Pricing reflects both the scarcity of this inventory and the strength of the location for vacation-rental income — oceanfront positions carry a premium consistent with their rarity in a finite coastal market.
How close are Forest Beach homes to Coligny Beach Park and Coligny Plaza?
Forest Beach is situated on Hilton Head's south end in the same neighborhood zone as Coligny Beach Park and Coligny Plaza. Coligny Beach Park — the island's most popular public beach, with boardwalks, showers, and the Coligny Circle — is near the north end of the Forest Beach neighborhood. Coligny Plaza's dining, retail, and seasonal entertainment are close by. Both landmarks are central to the south-end lifestyle the neighborhood occupies.
Does Forest Beach have an HOA or community fees?
Forest Beach is a non-gated, open neighborhood and does not carry the community service association fees typical of Hilton Head's gated resort plantations. Owners are subject to Town of Hilton Head Island ordinances — and, if operating a short-term rental, the Town's STR permit and business license requirements. There is no plantation gate fee or community-level POA in Forest Beach.
What makes Forest Beach distinct among Hilton Head Island's beachfront communities?
Forest Beach's defining characteristic is its combination of direct Atlantic beachfront access and an open, non-gated ownership structure — a pairing that is rare on Hilton Head Island, where most beachfront inventory sits within gated resort plantations. Its position near Coligny Beach Park, Coligny Plaza, and the edge of Sea Pines connects owners to the full depth of the island's south-end amenity network. For the second-home and rental-income buyer, that combination of oceanfront scarcity, open access, and location-driven rental demand is what sets Forest Beach apart in the island's coastal market.

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The Market · July 2026

What are homes selling for in Forest Beach?

Here is what homes in Forest Beach are actually selling for, from the latest published Hilton Head Area Association of REALTORS® market report.

$2,112,500median sale price · single-family homes101 days on market · 96.0% of list price · 16 sold
$504,000median sale price · villas & condos95 days on market · 97.0% of list price · 93 sold

Source: Hilton Head Area Association of REALTORS® — published July 2026 market report.

For Sale Now

Homes for sale in Forest Beach

1 Gannet Street4 Beds · 4 Baths · 3,144 Sq Ft · Corner Lot$1,695,000110 Shell Midden Lane7 Beds · 8 Baths (7 Full / 1 Half) · 4,639 Sq Ft ·$2,748,888

The Team’s Record Here

COAST’s record in Forest Beach

28closed transactions in Forest Beach2023–present
June 2026most recent closingbrokerage records

Verified from COAST brokered by eXp Realty closed-transaction records, 2023–present — counted per side represented, matching eXp production reporting. Talk to the team about Forest Beach below.

Selling

Selling a home in Forest Beach?

Who to list with, what the COAST eXp network has closed here recently, and what your home could sell for — the full listing-agent case for Forest Beach sellers.

The Forest Beach listing-agent case What could your home sell for?

Deep Guides

Deep guides to Forest Beach

Short-Term Rentals in Forest BeachSecond Homes in Forest Beach

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