Ocean Lakes covers 310 acres. Walking from your rental to the water park takes 15 minutes if the weather’s cooperating, longer if it isn’t. Driving a golf cart takes three. The math on whether a cart matters at Ocean Lakes works out the same way every time, which is why 33 of our 34 rental homes include a complimentary cart.
I’m Shawn, founder of Dune Life Rentals. Here’s why we don’t charge extra for the cart, what to know about the standard versus the limo version, and the one property in our portfolio that doesn’t come with one.
Why are golf carts such a big deal at Ocean Lakes?
Ocean Lakes is built like a small town. There’s a mile of beachfront, hundreds of houses spread across the property, a full water park, multiple pools, mini golf, arcades, cafés, a Sandy Mart, walking trails, a recreation center, and a dog park, all inside the gates. You’re allowed to drive a car (with a guest pass), but the place is built around carts. The roads are narrow, the speed limit is low, and the rhythm of life inside the gates is set by cart traffic rather than cars. The official Ocean Lakes website lists golf carts among the campground’s core transportation options for a reason.
A golf cart at Ocean Lakes isn’t an upgrade. It’s how you actually get around.
Without one, you’ve got two options. You can walk, which gets brutal once you add kids, beach gear, and South Carolina humidity. Or you can move your car for every trip, which means parking and re-parking at every stop. Either way, by Wednesday you’ll be wishing you’d booked somewhere with the cart included.
What does it cost to rent a golf cart at Ocean Lakes if it’s not included?
If your rental doesn’t come with a cart, you’ll need to rent one from Ocean Lakes Golf Cars or a similar on-site service. Pricing depends on season and cart type, but 2026 weekly rates typically fall in these ranges:
| Cart type | Typical weekly rental |
|---|---|
| Standard 4-passenger cart | $350 to $450 |
| Limo cart (6-passenger) | $500 to $700 |
| 2-cart package for larger families | $700+ |
That’s on top of your house rental. For a family already paying $2,500 to $4,000 for the week, another $400 to $700 in cart rental can be a frustrating surprise, especially if it surfaces after you’ve already booked.
Why I include the cart instead of charging extra for it
When I started Dune Life Rentals, the first house I rented out came with a golf cart attached. I thought about charging extra for it, the way some other rental companies do. I sat with the math for about ten minutes and decided no.
The reasoning is straightforward. The kind of family that books a vacation rental at Ocean Lakes is usually budgeting carefully. They’ve got 2 to 4 kids, they’re driving in from Charlotte or Greensboro or Raleigh or somewhere similar, and they’ve already mentally accounted for the rental, the gas, the groceries, the water park, the boardwalk day, and dinner out a few times. Tacking on $400 for a cart at checkout, or worse, having them figure out they need one after they arrive, felt like the sort of thing that ruins the first hour of a vacation.
So I baked the cart into the listing price and stopped calling it an add-on. The math works out for me anyway. Guests stay longer when they have a cart, book repeats more often when their first trip felt simple, and refer their friends. That’s worth more than $400 to me.
What’s the difference between a standard cart and a limo cart?
There are two main cart types in our listings:
- Complimentary Golf Cart is a standard 4-passenger cart. Fine for couples, small families, and groups of up to four.
- Complimentary Limo Golf Cart is a 6-passenger stretch cart. The right choice if your group is five or more and you don’t want anyone taking a second trip.
A few of our larger 4 and 5-bedroom houses include two carts for the logistics of a big multi-generational group. Those are labeled clearly on the listing.
The cart type isn’t a small detail. If you’ve got a family of five and you book a house with a 4-passenger cart, someone’s always making the second run. Pick the right one for your group size before you book, not after.
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What are the rules for driving a golf cart at Ocean Lakes?
A few things worth knowing before you turn the key:
- Cart drivers must have a valid driver’s license. That’s Ocean Lakes policy. Kids cannot drive carts on the campground, even with adult supervision.
- Carts stay on campground roads. You can’t drive them on Highway 17 or off the property.
- At night, slow down. Campground streets are narrow and shared with pedestrians, kids on bikes, and other carts.
- For electric carts, plug in nightly at your house. For gas carts, a starter tank is included and refills are on you (gas station is just outside the gates).
- Damage from negligence (off-road driving, kids driving without a license, drunk driving) is your responsibility. The full policy comes with your booking confirmation.
What about the one house that doesn’t include a cart?
One of our 34 properties came into the portfolio without a cart attached, and we kept it in the inventory because the house itself is excellent and the price reflects the missing cart. If you book that one, you’ll see clearly on the listing that the cart isn’t included, and we’ll help you arrange a separate rental if you want one. Every other property in our portfolio comes with a cart by default.
Is a golf cart actually necessary at Ocean Lakes?
For most families, yes. Here are the realistic distances inside the campground:
- House to the water park: 0.5 to 1.0 mile depending on which house
- House to the beach: 0.2 to 0.8 mile
- House to Sandy Mart or Meet ‘n’ Eat: 0.3 to 0.7 mile
Now multiply that by four to eight round trips a day with beach chairs, coolers, towels, sunscreen, snacks, and tired kids. With a cart, the campground is your playground. Without one, you’ll spend Wednesday night Googling cart rentals on your phone wondering why you didn’t sort it out earlier.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Dune Life rentals include a golf cart? 33 of our 34 properties include a complimentary cart. The one exception is clearly labeled on the listing page.
What’s the difference between a standard cart and a limo cart? A standard cart seats 4 passengers. A limo cart seats 6. For families of 5 or more, the limo is worth it.
Can my teenager drive the golf cart at Ocean Lakes? Only if they have a valid driver’s license. That’s Ocean Lakes policy, not ours.
Is gas or electricity included for the cart? For electric carts, yes. Just charge it nightly at your house. For gas carts, a starter tank is included and refills during your stay are on you.
Can I rent a second cart if my family is too big for one? Yes. Ocean Lakes Golf Cars and other on-site services rent additional carts. Several of our larger homes already include two carts, so check the listing first.
What happens if I damage the cart? Normal wear is covered. Negligence is not. The full policy comes with your booking confirmation.
Are there times when cart traffic is restricted? Ocean Lakes occasionally limits cart traffic for major events, parades, or holiday gatherings. We’ll let you know if your stay overlaps with one.
Can I drive the cart on the beach? No. Carts aren’t permitted on the beach itself.
What if the cart breaks down during my stay? Text me. I work with the local cart service and we usually have it fixed or replaced same-day.
Last updated: May 15, 2026
About the author: Shawn Huffines runs Dune Life Rentals at Ocean Lakes Family Campground in Myrtle Beach, SC. He’s lost track of how many golf cart batteries he’s replaced. Reach Shawn at 336-382-1415 or shawn@duneliferentals.com.