Did you know that during the summer months nearly 35,000 people visit Isle of Palms each weekend day? With this influx of people flocking to our beaches comes limited places to park, making your walk to the beach longer and your time at the beach shorter. Thanks to a partnership among CARTA, Mount Pleasant Towne Centre, the Town of Mount Pleasant and the City of Isle of Palms, you can park your car for free and be dropped off just steps from the beach, ensuring most of your time is spent with your toes in the sand.
The Beach Reach Shuttle provides free hourly transportation from Towne Centre to the 14th Avenue and Ocean Boulevard beach access path on Saturdays, Sundays and major holidays like the Fourth of July and Labor Day. To track the shuttle and check real-time pickup times, download the Transit app at www.transitapp.com.
SERVICE INFORMATION:
- Seasonal Service – Shuttle will operate until Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 1, 2025).
- Shuttle will operate on weekends only and on the following holidays: Independence Day and Labor Day (service will run on a Sunday schedule on these holidays).
- Shuttle scheduled to run about every hour starting at 9:15 a.m. on Saturday with the last trip from the beach at 5:30 p.m. On Sunday the first trip is around 9:40 a.m. and the last trip from the beach is at 5:55 p.m.
- NOTE – Heavy traffic volumes may impact schedule. Download and use the Transit app to plan your trip and/or track the shuttle for real time arrival info.
Before planning your ride, be sure to read over the list of rules of what you can bring on board, taken directly from the IOP Beach Reach Shuttle website:
- No alcoholic beverages.
- All drinks must be in spillproof containers.
- Limited bags and large items: Riders are allowed to bring up to four regular shopping-sized bags. All items must be able to be loaded onto the bus in a single trip.
- Riders are welcome to bring beach equipment on board the bus; however, no large, bulky items are allowed, including but not limited to: tents, large beach umbrellas, surf boards, etc. Items such as chairs, small umbrellas, boogie or bodyboards and coolers are allowed but must adhere to other rules listed here. • Beach equipment allowed – must be able to be held by riders or stowed safely beneath the seat.
- Shoes/flip-flops, pants/shorts and a shirt are required while riding the bus. Cover-ups are also acceptable.
For more information, visit www.iop.net/iop-beach-shuttle.
By Katie Finch
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