Sullivan's Island, SC Travel Guide: Parking and Events

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Sullivan's Island is in Charleston County, in South Carolina's Lowcountry, with about 1,948 residents (2024 Census estimate). Sullivan's Island is a barrier island about two and a half miles long, mostly residential, with historic sites and beaches.

Population1,948Census estimate, July 2024
CountyCharleston CountyLowcountry region
Our Guides Nearby25parks, attractions, venues within 25 mi
Things to Do10 pickshours, costs, kids, dogs

Plan It in Three Lines

Things to Do
10 picks with hours, costs and kid, dog and rain notes.
Open the list
Where to Park
Public right-of-way (beach parking): No paid parking found on pages read
All parking below
What's On
Dated events in and around Sullivan's Island, checked on organizer pages.
Events page

Things to Do in Sullivan's Island Area Events

About Sullivan's Island

Sullivan's Island is a barrier island about two and a half miles long, mostly residential, with historic sites and beaches. source
The town says the island was settled in the late 17th century by Captain Florence O'Sullivan, who was stationed there as a lookout, and was the site of the Battle of Sullivan's Island in the Revolutionary War. source
The visitor bureau lists Sullivan's Island at 9 miles from downtown Charleston and 19 miles from the airport, with 20 public access points. source
Hurricane Hugo made landfall as a Category 4 storm on September 23, 1989; the Ben Sawyer Bridge was a famous symbol of its damage. source

Areas Visitors Use

Middle Street The island's main commercial strip for casual bites and beach-related shopping; Town Hall is at 2056 Middle Street. source
Fort Moultrie National Park Service fort at the east/Charleston Harbor end with Revolutionary-era fortifications and ocean views. source
Breach Inlet / Thomson Park Beachfront site between Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms; swimming is not allowed because of strong currents and undertow. source
Beach stations Beach paths are numbered as Stations; handicap path access is at Station 26, Station 21 and Station 18 1/2. source
Station 28 1/2 pond The town says the pond at Station 28 1/2 is not considered safe for recreational use due to high bacteria levels. source

Getting There and Around

The Ben Sawyer Bridge is the main access, reached from Mount Pleasant via Highway 703 (Coleman/Ben Sawyer Boulevard); the second access is the Breach Inlet crossing on Jasper Boulevard from Isle of Palms. source
From downtown: US-52 Spur/East Bay St, merge onto US-17 North/Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge toward Mt. Pleasant, then take the SC-703/Coleman Boulevard ramp to Sullivan's Island. source
Charleston International Airport (CHS) is 19 miles away per the visitor bureau. source
The transportation page covers bridges, bike routes and walking; it has no bus information. The town has separate golf cart and low-speed vehicle rules. source

Parking in Sullivan's Island

Where	Rate	When	Notes	Source
Public right-of-way (beach parking)	No paid parking found on pages read	year-round	Public parking for the beach is allowed in the public right of way. Obey no-parking signs and keep all four tires off the pavement. Parking or blocking beach paths with a vehicle or golf cart is prohibited at any time.	source
Behind Town Hall (2056 Middle Street)	n/a	non-business hours	Public parking behind Town Hall during non-business hours.	source
Fort Moultrie (NPS)	Parking and restrooms open daily 9:00 am to 4:30 pm; fee info on the fees row of the things list	year-round	Check in at the visitor center before exploring the fort.	source
General (visitor bureau)	n/a	year-round	Park only in designated right-of-way areas with all tires off the pavement; do not block the street or beach paths.	source

Beaches in Sullivan's Island

Beach	Access and parking	Dogs	Lifeguards	Source
Sullivan's Island beach	20 public access points (visitor bureau). Handicap path access at Station 26, Station 21 and Station 18 1/2; beach wheelchairs available with advance reservation. Park only in designated right-of-way areas with all tires off the pavement; do not block beach paths. Alcohol prohibited on streets, boardwalks and beaches. Swimming not allowed at Thomson Park / Breach Inlet.	May 1 to Sept 30 (summer): 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. dogs may be off leash and must respond to voice command (ordinance text: leash in hand, no longer than 10 feet); 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. dogs are not permitted on the beach; 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. dogs permitted and must be leashed. Winter (Oct 1 to Apr 30): 5 a.m. to noon off leash, noon to 5 a.m. on leash. At all times dogs need a current Town dog permit and badge (visitors too), owners must clean up waste, and dogs must not chase shorebirds or disturb turtle nests. (not confirmed on the official page)	None on duty at any time; swimmers enter the ocean at their own risk (visitor bureau).	source
Visitor bureau beach rules summary	Every dog must have a license from Town Hall, including visitors; loose dogs not allowed in the dunes or near turtle nesting areas.	See above	None	source

Comparing beaches? See which South Carolina beach to pick.

Dogs

Every dog needs a current Town dog permit and badge, including visitors' dogs; owners must clean up waste. source

When to Go

Dog beach hours change on May 1 and October 1. source
Town events listed for 2026: Carolina Day on June 28 (anniversary of the Battle of Sullivan's Island) and a July 4 fireworks display over Stith Park. source
Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30 (NOAA summary). (not confirmed on the official page) source

Food

The visitor bureau lists seafood-focused spots on Middle Street, such as The Longboard and Sullivan's Fish Camp (dayboat seafood). source

Coming Up in and Near Sullivan's Island

Through Nov 21Charleston Farmers Market (Marion Square, Saturdays)On nowCharleston · about 9 mi
Oct 30Halloween Night Climb (Palmetto Peaks Climbing, James Island County Park)Charleston · about 9 mi
Oct 31Charleston Southern football vs. Western Illinois (Homecoming)Charleston · about 9 mi
Nov 7Airing of the Quilts at MagnoliaCharleston · about 9 mi
Nov 7Charleston Southern football vs. UT Martin (Moncks Corner Appreciation Day)Charleston · about 9 mi
Nov 7Shake Your Trail Feathers (trail run and walk)Mount Pleasant · about 3 mi

30 more on the full events calendar.

Events within 15 miles, measured in a straight line to the centre of the event's town. Dates come from our checked events list; confirm with the organizer.

Near Sullivan's Island

Around Sullivan's Island within 25 miles

1Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical ParkNational Historical Parkabout 3 mi
2Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museummaritime museumabout 4 mi
3May Forest State ParkState Parkabout 5 mi
4Charles Pinckney National Historic SiteNational Historic Siteabout 5 mi
5Boone Hall Plantationplantation and gardensabout 5 mi
6International African American Museumhistory museumabout 6 mi
7South Carolina Aquariumaquariumabout 6 mi
8Gibbes Museum of Artart museumabout 6 mi
9Charleston Gaillard Centerperforming arts centerabout 6 mi
10The Charleston Museumhistory museumabout 6 mi

Straight-line distances between map points, not driving miles. Dots sit in their true compass direction; distance is stretched near the middle so close neighbors stay readable.

Nearby Towns With Their Own Guide

FAQ

Can dogs go on the beach in summer?

Only 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. (off leash, under voice command) and 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. (leashed) from May 1 to Sept 30; not between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. A Town dog permit is required. source

Is there paid parking?

None found on the pages read; the town allows beach parking in the public right-of-way with all four tires off the pavement and no blocking of beach paths. source

Are there lifeguards?

No lifeguards are on duty at any time, per the visitor bureau. source

What does Fort Moultrie cost?

A Standard Pass is $10 per adult age 16 and up; children under 16 do not need one; card payments only. source

Can I swim at Breach Inlet?

No; the town says swimming is not allowed at Thomson Park because of strong currents and undertow. source

How many people live in Sullivan's Island?

About 1,948, the U.S. Census Bureau’s estimate for July 1, 2024 (Census table).

What We Could Not Confirm

Not confirmed: we looked for these on official pages and did not find them. Check with the town or operator before you rely on them.

Town incorporation year: not stated on pages read.
Official Beach Rules & Regulations page and any Town parking-fee/paid-parking policy: linked but not read; An unofficial summary of mention no paid parking (not confirmed on the official page).
Winter dog hours (Oct 1-Apr 30): summary of the town's dog beach hours PDF (PDF could not be read directly); summer hours confirmed on the town's May 2026 message page. (not confirmed on the official page)
Charleston Light hours or visiting rules: not found.
Dogs at Fort Moultrie: NPS pages read do not say.
Sullivan's Island has no visitor center on pages read.

Sources

Read on October 26, 2026. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.

Cite this page: It's South Carolina, “Sullivan’s Island, SC Travel Guide”, itssouthcarolina.com/destinations/lowcountry/sullivans-island/ (updated 2026-10-26). By the It's South Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.

Sullivan’s Island, SC Travel Guide

Things to Do

Where to Park

What's On