Shipyard Real Estate — Hilton Head Island

Shipyard

Shipyard Plantation brings together direct Atlantic beachfront, championship golf, and a mature Lowcountry landscape within a single gated address on the south end of Hilton Head Island — a resort-residential community where ocean access and on-property amenities are built into the address, not an afterthought.

Shipyard at a glance

Location

Shipyard, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Median sale price

$947,500 median (single-family homes, May 2026)

Short-term rentals

Permitted — with a Town of Hilton Head permit + business license

Character

Gated oceanfront plantation where live oaks, Atlantic beach, and three golf courses define the south island

The Community

Living in Shipyard

Framed by live oak canopies and natural lagoons, Shipyard Plantation occupies a prime position on Hilton Head Island's south end, where the island's quieter coastal character meets direct Atlantic Ocean frontage. The gated community's Lowcountry landscape — mossy oaks arching over lagoon-side fairways and winding interior roads — establishes a sense of place that is distinctly unhurried and grounded in the natural environment.

Shipyard's resort-residential character positions it within easy reach of Coligny Beach Plaza and the broader south-island corridor, placing Hilton Head Island's dining, boutique retail, and recreational draw minutes from the community's gate. The plantation functions as a self-contained retreat: golf, tennis, and beach access are all within its boundaries, while the island's wider offerings remain conveniently at hand.

What defines Shipyard is the convergence of its physical setting and its amenity structure. The live oaks and lagoons are not decorative — they run through the golf courses, border the interior roads, and give the community its visual character. That landscape, combined with gated access and direct oceanfront, has sustained Shipyard's standing as one of Hilton Head's established south-end plantations across decades.

Talk to a COAST agent about Shipyard

Questions about buying or selling in Shipyard? A COAST agent who knows the community will respond personally — no obligation.

Short-term rentals in Shipyard

Short-term rentals are permitted within Shipyard Plantation. Owners operating vacation rentals must obtain a short-term rental permit and a business license from the Town of Hilton Head Island, in addition to meeting any applicable community-level requirements. Local accommodations and hospitality taxes apply on top of those permit obligations.

Shipyard — answered

Can you run a short-term rental in Shipyard on Hilton Head Island?

Yes, short-term rentals are permitted in Shipyard Plantation. Owners are required to obtain a short-term rental permit and business license from the Town of Hilton Head Island before operating, and local accommodations and hospitality taxes apply. Shipyard's combination of beach club access, three nine-hole golf courses, and a gated resort setting positions it well within the island's vacation rental market.

Is Shipyard a good community for a second home on Hilton Head Island?

Shipyard Plantation is among the island's established resort-residential communities, with on-property golf, a beach club, and a gated Lowcountry setting that supports both personal use and rental income during time away. Its location near Coligny Beach Plaza places the south end's dining and retail minutes from the gate, reducing the friction of island living for part-time residents.

Is Shipyard Plantation good for full-time living on Hilton Head?

Yes. Shipyard's on-property amenity concentration — three nine-hole golf courses, a beach club with direct Atlantic frontage, and the Van der Meer Tennis Center — supports full-time residency without requiring residents to leave the community for primary recreational activities. The gated, landscaped environment and lagoon-threaded setting contribute meaningfully to day-to-day quality of life.

What golf courses are inside Shipyard Plantation on Hilton Head Island?

Shipyard Golf Club operates three nine-hole layouts within the plantation: the Brigantine, Clipper, and Galleon courses. Each winds through the community's natural terrain of live oaks and lagoons, and the layouts can be combined into various 18-hole configurations. The courses are integral to the community rather than an adjacent facility — fairways and lagoons define much of Shipyard's interior landscape.

Does Shipyard on Hilton Head have beach access and a beach club?

Yes. Shipyard Plantation includes a beach club with direct Atlantic Ocean frontage, giving on-property access to the beach as part of the community's amenity structure. Oceanfront access is one of Shipyard's defining characteristics as a south-end Hilton Head Island plantation.

What does it cost to operate a vacation rental in Shipyard — permits and taxes?

The Town of Hilton Head Island requires all short-term rental operators to hold a Town short-term rental permit and a business license; applicable local accommodations and hospitality taxes are assessed on gross rental revenue. For current permit fees and tax rates, consult the Town of Hilton Head Island directly, as these figures are set by municipal ordinance and subject to periodic revision.

Is Shipyard a gated community?

Yes, Shipyard Plantation is a gated community. Entry is managed at the gate, consistent with the controlled, resort-style environment the plantation has maintained since its development on the south end of Hilton Head Island.

Where is Shipyard located, and how do you get there?

Shipyard Plantation sits on the south end of Hilton Head Island, near Coligny Beach Plaza and the south-island dining and retail corridor. The broader island — including the Cross Island Parkway and the island's main commercial areas — is a convenient drive from the community's gate. Hilton Head Island Gateway Airport and Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport both serve the area.

What are homes selling for in Shipyard?

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

$947,500median sale price · single-family homes53 days on market · 97.3% of list price · 4 sold

$630,000median sale price · villas & condos122 days on market · 95.9% of list price · 23 sold

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