Cool water, cool breezes, the smell of salt in the air and the sand at your feet. What better way to escape the Southern heat than at the beach? Isle of Palms is one of the most popular beaches in the Charleston area for tourists and locals alike. In order to protect the natural beauty of the island and keep beachgoers safe, here are the rules put in place for the beach by the City of Isle of Palms:

- No motorized vehicles on beach
- Personal property left unattended on the beach after sunset may be removed and disposed of
- Holes dug in the sand should be filled back in for safety
- Jet Skis and motorboats may not operated in designated swimming areas
- For your safety, no glass bottles are allowed on the beach
- No overnight sleeping on beach
- Please protect our dunes, use the paths
- Fireworks are prohibited
- Dogs must be on a leash and owners must clean up after their pets*
- Alcoholic beverages are prohibited
- Golf carts are not allowed on the beach.

*For dog owners, rules regarding when dogs can be off leash vary depending on the time of year.

From April 1st through September 14th, dogs are allowed off leash from 5:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m., and from September 15th through March 31st, dogs can be off the leash from 4:00 p.m. until 10:00 a.m.

According to the City of Isle of Palms, “Dog owners must have leash in hand, have their dog under voice command and must clean up excrement. At all other times [from those listed above], dogs must be on leash and under complete control, even in the water. Please follow these rules to make sure that your pet is safe and that you are ticket-free.”

Residents of the Isle of Palms must have a dog permit, which is good for one year from the date of issuance and at the time this article was written costs $5.00. Please visit the City of Isle of Palms website for more information.

For rules regarding golf carts and low-speed vehicles, click here.

As for parking, there are two lots located on Pavilion Drive close to Front Beach, and parking tickets for these lots are available for purchase at the automated parking kiosks. There is also a paid parking lot at the County Park on 14th Avenue and metered parking on Ocean Boulevard near Front Beach between 10th and 14th Avenues.

For street parking, the City of Isle of Palms lays out the following guidelines:
- Visitors can park their vehicles on any road right-of-way within the Beach Parking District unless it has been designated with a sign as "no parking"
- Be mindful that all four wheels must be off the road and that no beach access paths can be blocked.
- No permit is required to park along the public rights-of-way of Palm Boulevard between 21st and 40th Avenue.
- Vehicles parked on Palm Boulevard between 21st and 40th Avenue must be at least 4 feet off the pavement.
- Double parking on the passenger side of any vehicle that is parallel parked is prohibited.
- Please do not block driveways or mailboxes, and be respectful of landscaping.
- Drivers are required to park in the same direction as moving traffic when parked on the public right-of-way. These parking sensors from Car Bibles website are perfect helpers to back up safely no matter what you drive.
- The City prohibits any truck or trailer with an overall length of twenty feet or greater to be parked along the public rights-of-way for more than 1 hour or as long as it is reasonably necessary to load or unload passengers or materials. There is an exception along the public right-of-way of 41st Avenue between Waterway Boulevard and the terminus of 41st Avenue for vehicles with attached boat trailers displaying a valid Resident Parking Permit.

Handicap parking is available in the County Park, the small lot on Pavilion Drive, 9th Ave, 21st Ave, and 42nd Ave. There is no fee for handicap parking in the small Municipal parking lot behind the Public Safety Building if the appropriate license plate or placard is displayed. And, according to the City of Isle of Palms website, “Disabled veterans and recipients of the Purple Heart are also exempt from the pay parking requirements when their vehicles bear a disabled veteran's or Purple Heart license plate issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.”