Edisto Island has no hotels. Visitors sleep in rental houses, condos and timeshare villas, or in the cabins and campsites at Edisto Beach State Park, which makes choosing a rental the biggest decision of your trip. The island gives you real choices, though: a raised house facing the Atlantic in the beach town, a home overlooking the marsh off Highway 174, a villa beside the golf course, or a winter month somewhere quiet.
This page sorts Edisto Island vacation rentals by the kind of trip you’re planning, then covers the two halves of the island, how a rental week runs here, and the small local details that make your first day easier.
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Seven Ways to Stay on Edisto Island
Each guide below covers one type of rental, with island-specific advice and a Vrbo search that’s already filtered for you.
Oceanfront Rentals
Raised houses behind the dunes, mostly along Palmetto Boulevard in the beach town, plus a few on remote Edingsville Beach.
Marsh and Creek-Front Rentals
Sunset views over the spartina, quiet roads and easy access to the creeks where islanders kayak, crab and fish.
Pet-Friendly Rentals
Homes that welcome dogs, the leash season on the town beach, and the places dogs can’t go, like Botany Bay.
Rentals with a Pool
For days when the surf is rough or the kids want a deep end: how to find a pool and what to check first.
Condos and Villas
Lock-and-leave villas near Big Bay Creek and inside Wyndham Ocean Ridge, often with shared pools.
Large Homes and Elevators
Room for three generations, and a lift for grandparents, coolers and strollers on an island of tall pilings.
Monthly and Winter Stays
Snowbird months on a quiet island: what a longer stay is like once the summer crowds leave.
Start with the Trip You Want
Two families can book the same week on Edisto and want completely different houses. Before you filter by bedrooms, decide which of these trips is yours.
The Walk-to-the-Beach Family Week
This is the classic Edisto summer: a raised house in the Town of Edisto Beach, bikes parked under the stilts, and a stroll to one of the 37 public beach accesses along Palmetto Boulevard. Oceanfront homes put the sand at the foot of your stairs, while houses a street or two back give up the view and usually cost less. Plan beach days with our tide charts and weather page, and check the public beach access guide for parking and accessible entrances. Start with oceanfront rentals, or with rentals with a pool if your kids are small.
The Quiet Nature Stay
If your ideal morning is coffee on a screened porch while egrets work the marsh, look at the island side along SC-174, a National Scenic Byway lined with farm fields and live oaks. Homes out here face creeks and marsh rather than surf, and the beach is a drive away. In exchange, you’re closer to the quiet parts of the island: Botany Bay, the hiking trails at the state park and the island’s bird-watching spots. See marsh and creek-front rentals.
The Boating and Fishing Base
Anglers tend to look in two places: around Big Bay Creek and Edisto Marina at the south end of the beach town, and at creek-front homes on the island side. Edisto Realty lists boat-dock rentals, and some gated villa complexes don’t allow boats or trailers inside, so ask where your boat will stay before you book. Read our guides to fishing, crabbing and shrimping and boating regulations. Anyone 16 or older needs a South Carolina saltwater license for most fishing, cast-netting and shrimping.
The Multi-Generation Group
Reunions and three-generation weeks need bedrooms with doors, a big kitchen and a way upstairs for anyone who shouldn’t climb three flights. Island homes are built up on pilings, so an elevator matters more on Edisto than in most beach towns. Ask how many vehicles the home allows, too, since some gated communities cap parking at two cars. See large homes and elevators, then use things to do with kids and our restaurant guide to plan group days.
The Snowbird Winter
From late fall into early spring the island empties out, and some managers offer monthly winter rentals. A long stay suits people who want to fish for fall seatrout, walk an empty beach in January and settle into island time. Read monthly and winter rentals before you start calling.
Beach Town or Island Side?
Edisto is one island with two distinct feels, and even two local governments. The Town of Edisto Beach, at the end of SC-174, is in Colleton County. Most of the island you drive through to get there is unincorporated Charleston County: farmland, historic churches, live oaks and long views across the marsh.
In the Town of Edisto Beach
This is where you’ll find the classic beach-house streets. Palmetto Boulevard follows the oceanfront, the Point Street area and the streets near Big Bay Creek add marina and creek views at the south end, and the state park’s beach and campground lie just past the town’s northern edge. From most of town you can bike to the beach, to restaurants and to the Food Lion on Jungle Road. Bay Creek Villas, a gated complex beside Edisto Marina, offers condo-style stays with a seasonal pool and an elevator.
Out Along SC-174
Away from town, the rental picture changes. Jeremy Cay is a gated oceanfront community on Edingsville Beach, where planters kept a summer village until the 1893 hurricane swept away what was left; lots there are large, and golf carts must be electric. Wyndham Ocean Ridge is a gated resort community of villas and privately owned homes beside the Plantation Course at Edisto (more on it below). Other homes sit on tidal creeks and marsh. Wherever you land on the island side, plan to drive to dinner and to the beach.
Rules differ a little between the two areas. Every rental unit in the Town needs a Town business license, and short-term rentals in unincorporated Charleston County need a county zoning permit and business license. You don’t have to check paperwork yourself, but it’s fair to ask an owner if a home is permitted.
How an Edisto Rental Week Runs
- Weeks often start on Saturday. Edisto Realty books advance reservations by the full week, and Edisto Beach Vacation Rentals uses a seven-day minimum with Saturday check-in and checkout. By-owner listings vary, and some switch over on Sunday.
- Check-in times and renter rules vary. Edisto Realty, for example, uses 4:00 p.m. check-in and 10:00 a.m. checkout and rents to family groups or responsible adults over 25. Read your agreement for the exact terms.
- Linens may not be included. Most Edisto Realty houses don’t supply sheets, bath towels or paper products, though pillows and comforters are provided and some condos include linens. Ask before you pack, or arrange a linen rental.
- Taxes are part of the price. Stays of 30 days or less in the Town of Edisto Beach carry 12% in combined state, county and town taxes, so check that a quote includes them.
- Internet can be patchy. Some homes have Wi-Fi, but repairs can be slow out here. If you need to work, bring a hotspot. Cell service is generally adequate and improving.
- Think about trip insurance. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. Edisto Realty sells optional trip interruption insurance that covers mandatory evacuations; it has to be bought before final payment, and without it any refund is up to the owner.
Resort Villas, Cabins and Campsites
With no hotels on Edisto, Wyndham Ocean Ridge is the nearest thing to a resort stay. Club Wyndham villas there are booked through Wyndham, and the resort has offered outdoor pools, tennis courts, a fitness center and a tram to a beachfront cabana. Privately owned homes and villas inside the gates are rented through local agencies, and those rentals don’t automatically include resort amenities; listings say passes are sold at the resort in limited numbers. Facilities can change, so confirm exactly what’s included with the rental’s owner or manager before you book. Inside the gates, rentals are limited to two vehicles and no golf carts. The Plantation Course at Edisto is next door but isn’t owned by Wyndham. Read more in our Wyndham Ocean Ridge and golf guides.
Seven cabins at Edisto Beach State Park overlook Scott Creek and its salt marsh, about a mile and a half from the ocean. They come furnished, with linens, basic kitchenware and screened porches, but pets have to stay out of the cabins and the cabin area. The park’s two campgrounds, one by the ocean and one near the marsh, have 112 sites with water and electric plus tent sites, with a two-night minimum and leashed pets welcome. Reserve either through South Carolina State Parks at 1-866-345-PARK. See our state park and camping guides.
Your First Day on the Island
- Stock the kitchen. The island’s full-size grocery store is the Food Lion at 104 Jungle Road, open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. For local shrimp and produce, watch for the seafood markets and farm stands along SC-174.
- Learn trash day. In the Town, roll carts go to the curb on pickup days, which have run twice a week in the warmer months and Mondays only in late fall and winter. Villa complexes use shared containers. Your rental’s house notes should have the current schedule.
- Mind the lights. From May 1 through October 31, lights visible from the beach must be off at dusk in the Town. Close oceanside curtains and switch off porch lights facing the dunes. Our sea turtle protection rules explain why.
- Plan how you’ll get around. Golf carts need a Town decal, and the Town’s decal form limits them to property owners and renters with leases of six months or more, so weekly visitors can’t register a cart brought from home. Street-legal low-speed vehicles don’t need a decal. Most of town is easy on two wheels; see our bike path guide.
- Know the dog rules. Keep your dog on a leash on the town beach from May 1 through October 31, and leave it home when you visit the Botany Bay beach, where dogs are never allowed.
Local Companies That Manage Edisto Rentals
Vrbo shows homes listed by individual owners and by management companies. If you’d rather book with a local office, these companies were actively managing Edisto rentals in 2026 (listed alphabetically, not ranked): Carolina One Edisto Real Estate & Vacation Rentals on SC-174, Dwell Vacation Rentals (which books through Vacasa), Edisto Beach Vacation Rentals on Palmetto Boulevard, and Edisto Realty on Palmetto Boulevard. Vacasa also lists Edisto homes directly. Linen, pet, age and changeover policies differ from company to company, so read each rental agreement.
Edisto Island Vacation Rentals FAQ
Can I Find a Hotel Anywhere on Edisto Island?
No. South Carolina’s state tourism office notes that the island has no hotels. Your options are rental homes, condos and timeshare villas, or the cabins and campsites at Edisto Beach State Park.
Should I Stay in the Beach Town or on the Island Side?
Stay in the Town of Edisto Beach if you want to walk or bike to the sand and to dinner. Choose the island side if you’d rather have marsh views, quiet nights and a short drive to Botany Bay, and you don’t mind driving to the beach.
Can Weekly Renters Drive a Golf Cart on Edisto?
Not one brought from home, in most cases. Town decals go to property owners and renters with leases of six months or more. Street-legal low-speed vehicles don’t need a Town decal, and Bay Creek Villas and Wyndham Ocean Ridge don’t allow golf carts at all.
How Far Ahead Should I Book a Summer Week?
Peak season runs from June to mid-August, and summer weeks book first. Booking several months ahead gives you the widest choice, especially for oceanfront homes and houses that sleep a crowd.
Do Private Rentals at Wyndham Ocean Ridge Include the Resort Pools?
Not automatically. Wyndham’s own villas include resort access, but privately owned homes rented through agencies may require a separate pass, and listings say passes are limited. Ask the owner or manager before you book.
Once you know your trip style, pick a guide above or browse every available home on the island.
EdistoIsland.com may earn a commission when you book through our Vrbo links, at no extra cost to you.