A ferry-access island, a coastal neighborhood or a beach-town stay? Compare four selected US destinations where a golf cart can be part of your vacation.
Compare the destinationsOfficial information and published rental terms. Research checked October 17–18, 2026; selected sources rechecked October 19. Sources and scope.
Compare the four destinations
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| What matters | Bald Head Island | Hilton Head Island | North Myrtle Beach | Port Aransas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vacation setting | Passenger-ferry island, beaches and maritime forest. | Coastal neighborhoods with distinct cart and low-speed vehicle (LSV) options. | Beach-town stay, including Cherry Grove. | Gulf Coast town and beach outings. |
| How a cart fits your stay | Island transport; many rental homes include a cart. | Choose the accommodation and vehicle class together. | Daytime outings on qualifying local roads. | Plan around the connection between your property, town and beach. |
| Getting a cart | Home-provided cart or pickup near the ferry landing; day rentals may mean business hours. | Wheelz collection; Sea Turtle LSV delivery to eligible single-family homes. | Vacation Cart Co. delivery to eligible vacation homes. | Separate rental or some properties’ one free rental day. |
| Ages by provider | Island Adventure: drivers 21+. Cary’s terms conflict. Driver details. | Wheelz: cart renter 18+. Eligibility depends on the supplier. Rental details. | Vacation Cart Co.: cart renter 25+, drivers 21+. Driver details. | Life in Paradise: property renter 25+, cart renter 21+; licensed drivers. Other providers. |
| Main planning limitation | Coordinate the ferry, tram and cart handover. | Vehicle class, property permission and operating area; public paths and beach sand excluded. | The City’s daylight and four-mile registration-certificate limits. | No golf carts along Highway 361 south of Avenue G. |
| Guide and map | Read the visitor guideExplore the map | Read the visitor guideExplore the map | Read the visitor guideExplore the map | Read the visitor guideExplore the map |
Our maps show partial OpenStreetMap coverage for orientation, not verified legal routes. Coverage varies by destination; a sparse map is not a vacation rating.
The photographs show destination scenery, not a verified cart itinerary or current access conditions.
Bald Head Island
North Carolina
Arrive by passenger ferry for an island of beaches, maritime forest and Old Baldy lighthouse. Electric carts are part of getting around, and many rental homes include one.
Your arrival and cart
Ask how many carts and passenger seats come with the home, who may drive and how to collect the keys. Book the ferry and accommodation tram transfer together; tram seats are limited.
Cary Cart Company and Island Adventure rent near the ferry landing. Their day rentals cover business hours rather than 24 hours, so the return deadline matters when choosing your ferry.
Driver terms to resolve
Island Adventure requires licensed, approved drivers aged 21 or over. Cary’s island page says rental participants must be 21+ and licensed; its general terms allow licensed drivers aged 16+. Ask Cary which terms apply to your island rental before relying on either age.
Old Baldy, the Conservancy’s nature programs and public beach accesses give you places to plan around. Ask about access and cart parking for your chosen stops; the map does not comprehensively cover beach accesses.
Hilton Head Island
South Carolina
Coligny’s shops and beach outings offer a coastal base to consider: Wheelz advertises ordinary carts for this area. Around Folly Field, Sea Turtle offers a different arrangement—registered LSVs delivered to eligible homes.
Match the rental to your accommodation
Wheelz requires collection from its facility. Its cart renter must be at least 18, licensed and able to provide a copy of their auto insurance policy. Does your accommodation permit overnight cart parking?
Sea Turtle serves single-family homes in Folly Field and Sandcastles by the Sea, excluding condos, apartments, resorts and hotels. Its FAQ also names The Marshes, unlike its main service list and booking selector; delivery there remains unconfirmed. Ask about the exact address, approved drivers, evening delivery and morning collection.
Choose the vehicle and area together
Ordinary carts and registered LSVs have different road rules. For ordinary carts, South Carolina’s default daylight and distance provisions are subject to applicable local ordinances; see the South Carolina planning note. Public bicycle paths and beach sand are not cart routes.
Our map covers selected Coligny and Forest Beach roads with separate cart and LSV layers. It does not establish an island-wide network or access from Folly Field accommodation.
North Myrtle Beach
South Carolina
Cherry Grove’s coastline gives a North Myrtle Beach stay its beach-town setting. A vacation home with cart parking can suit daytime outings, provided its location and your intended stops fit the City’s road rules.
Rental delivery and drivers
Vacation Cart Co. advertises delivery to North Myrtle Beach and Cherry Grove vacation homes. Its cart renter must be 25 or over and its drivers 21 or over—company conditions, not a universal town minimum. Does the property allow a rental cart, and where can it be parked?
Work from the registered address
The City’s ordinance applies a four-mile limit using the address on the cart’s registration certificate; for an address inside a gated community, the distance is measured from a community entrance. Ask the owner or supplier to show you the certificate rather than assuming the rental office or your accommodation is the starting point.
The City permits ordinary carts on qualifying secondary roads posted at 35 mph or less from sunrise to sunset. Lights do not remove the daytime limit. Motorized vehicles are prohibited in public pedestrian beach accesses; plan permitted parking and the remaining walk. Use the guide’s City guidance and restricted-roads map alongside our partial orientation map.
Port Aransas
Texas
A Port Aransas stay brings Gulf Coast beaches and town outings into the same vacation. Rental carts are available, but the Highway 361 restriction makes your accommodation’s location an early decision.
What the stay includes—and who books
Life in Paradise advertises daily delivery rentals and a free one-day cart rental at some properties. Its property renter must be 25 or over; the responsible cart renter must be at least 21, and everyone driving must hold a valid license. Driver eligibility is separate from those booking ages. Confirm that your property qualifies and which day the offer covers.
At Joy, the primary renter and listed driver must be 21 or over; licensed additional drivers can be 18+. Marlins requires every approved driver to be at least 21. Ask the chosen company about insurance, delivery, operating limits and return arrangements.
Plan around Highway 361
Golf carts are prohibited along Highway 361 south of Avenue G. Can your property and intended stops be connected without using it? Beach speed, traveled-roadway, dune and parking controls still apply. Our guide does not establish named legal crossings or provide the City’s current cart map; request current City guidance before committing to those journeys.
Before you book
The cart and drivers
- Is it an ordinary golf cart or a registered LSV?
- Who signs the rental, and which drivers does the agreement approve?
- What license, insurance and child-restraint arrangements are required?
The property and journeys
- Is a cart included, for how many days and with how many seats?
- Where and when are collection, delivery and return?
- Are the intended roads, crossings, parking and private-property access permitted?
South Carolina ordinary carts: in the absence of an applicable local ordinance, the state default is daylight use on qualifying secondary highways posted at 35 mph or less, within four miles of the address on the registration certificate. For a registered address inside a gated community, measure from a community entrance. Local ordinances can specify operating hours, methods and locations; ordinary-cart roads must still be posted at 35 mph or less. Registered LSVs are a separate vehicle class; use the relevant guide’s detailed rules.
Explore more golf-cart towns
Our other guides include resident-focused communities and extensive path networks.
Sources and review dates
The visitor guides link to the official authorities, ferry information and providers behind this comparison: Bald Head Island, Hilton Head Island, North Myrtle Beach and Port Aransas.
Visitor research was checked October 17–18, 2026. Sea Turtle, Life in Paradise, Cary and the South Carolina code/DPS guidance were rechecked October 19; other provider terms retain the earlier review dates. Rental conditions can change before your trip.
Photo credits
- Old Baldy Lighthouse, Bald Head Island — Gareth Rasberry, August 11, 2013; CC BY-SA 3.0.
- Hilton Head Island Lighthouse June 2026 — Locust member, June 21, 2026; CC BY 4.0.
- Cherry Grove Pier — Melikamp, April 29, 2012; CC BY-SA 3.0.
- Port Aransas South Jetty — Spheroidite, July 4, 2013; CC BY-SA 4.0.
All via Wikimedia Commons. Images resized and converted to WebP. Each adapted image is offered under its stated license. No endorsement is implied.