Top Ten Beach: Kiawah Island

Kiawah Island’s very own Beachwalker Park has achieved the ranking of #10 in Top 10 beaches in the United States. This is a pretty darn good achievement given the stiff competition (Hawaii included).

Every year this ranking system is established by Florida University’s very own Dr. Beach or Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman. Professor Leatherman of Florida International University established his ranking system of beaches upon several categories evaluating the beach and marine life affected by biological, physical, and human factors. His research and rankings are a culmination of studying over 650 beaches throughout America. His study has received mention on the NBC Today Show.
For more information, please visit http://www.drbeach.org

Kiawah 2008

Another March 2008 spent in Kiawah. We decided to rent through Resort Quest and had another wonderful year on the island. We got into our villa the day before Easter after our 16 hour drive and had time to take a quick walk to the beach and get back for dinner. This is the second time in eight years of which we have visited Kiawah during the Easter week and we were able to enjoy some of the really fun activities that are offered to the kids staying on the island. There was an easter egg hunt, rides, jumpies, music, ice cream socials, movies. The place was "hoppin" during the easter weekend and we all had a good time. After the weekend we did a whole lot of bike riding, golfing, and playing on the beach. The water temp was a little chilly so swimming was kept to a minimum. The kids did enjoy getting their feet wet as well as making sand castles.

Our trips into Charleston during the week featured none other than a trip to Sticky Fingers barbecue and another ghost tour. This time we decided to take the dungeon tour which was pretty impressive. I look to post some additional Kiawah 2008 information on this blog very soon.

Traveling with Pets

We are planning another excursion to the lowcountry and will be traveling with a dog this time around. (that's 15 and a half hours in the vehicle). We plan on taking plenty of stops since we have two little kids and the dog. I now realized that taking along the dog also affects where you can stop for overnight stays when en route to your destination. Lo and behold there are chain hotels/motels that are considered "pet friendly". I thought I would share some great websites I stumbled across to share with you travelers that like to bring fido with.

http://www.officialpethotels.com/
http://www.takeyourpet.com/
http://www.dogfriendly.com/

These sites make it easy. You can plug in the city, state, etc and the site will point out which hotels are "pet friendly". They also provide good traveling tips

October on the beach

October is one of the premier months to go to Kiawah. For me personnally that isn't going to happen........doh! Kids are in school now so that makes it unlikely. We are hoping for spring trip at this point. Those that have time to vacation this part of the year........I really urge you to go. The low country starts to cool off to bearable temperatures in October with the humidity coming down to reasonable temperatures for some golf, biking, and walking the beach.

Expected September Weather for Kiawah Island

As you may be aware, the hurricane season is officially here and it affects much of the southeastern U.S. When visiting the low country, please keep in mind any potential storms that may affect your destination. You can click to Weather Channel Hurricane link to get more information prior to departure. You might also want to familiarize yourself with evacuation routes should you be visiting the Carolinas or Georgia in the hurricane season.

When I have travelled to Kiawah in the past autumn seasons, I have had pretty good luck with the weather. September and October bring in much needed cooler temperatures that make family beach vacations really enjoyable. If you can pull off a week vacation in the fall, I strongly encourage a trip to Kiawah.

Accommodations on Kiawah

One reason I consider Kiawah the best family vacation destination can be attributed to the lack of commercialism on the island. That can be good and bad. Some travelers like access to McDonalds, Starbucks, etc. Personally, I can do without those amenities that I am regularly exposed to the other 50 weeks of the year that I work. During my time on the beach or golf course, I prefer to keep such commercialism out of mind and spirit. So where the heck do you stay on Kiawah Island if there are no Holiday Inns, Marriotts, or Hyatts? Well there are two types of accommodations available on the island: 1) Hotels and 2) Villas or homes. Your choice depends on which style of housing you prefer, as well as what your budget allows. There are some quality resorts from which to choose. They are as follows.

ResortQuest
The island offers up many different villas and homes for rent by a company called Resortquest. Resortquest is a property management company that contracts with homeowners to rent out their properties throughout the year. The website (See below)provides detailed information on just about anything you need to know about the units and their location. You can search properties by price, island location, etc. You can even reserve your rental way in advance via the web. We used this company last year and ended up with a unit one block away from our in-laws that own on the island. We picked a unit for a great price and a short, short, walk to the ocean. (You can rent units that are right on the ocean!) Please go to the link for more information.


Kiawah Island Golf Resort
Another rental option is through Kiawah Island Golf Resort. It offers up similiar rental types as mentioned above. However, the golf resort occasionally provides some cost effective golf packages that allow renters to enjoy lower than expected golf rates. I have yet to take advantage of this..shame on me.

The Sanctuary
This hotel is the feature attraction for island accommodations. The Sanctuary is situated on the Atlantic beachfront with truly awesome views everywhere you look. The amenities of this hotel include pool (outdoor and indoor), fitness center, spa, conference facilities, and golf accommodations. The Sanctuary is part of the Kiawah Island Golf Resort. I have yet to stay at this hotel mainly due to my budget constraints.

Vacation Rental by Owner
There are several villas also on the island that are rented directly by the private owners. Many of these owners advertise and rent their units through a website called vrbo.com. This site is actually pretty informative and provides rental information on vacation properties all over the world. This site is great for families that like to bring their dogs on vacation. Many of the rentals offered through vbro have paw print icons that indicate that such units allow pets. I will probably be renting through this site next year with our newly acquired golden retriever.

Kiawah Island Weekend Giveaway Sweepstakes

Southern Living is currently hosting a Readers Choice Awards 2007 sweepstakes. The grand prize is a weekend (two night/three day) stay at choice of either the Sanctuary or a villa (Kiawah Island Golf Resort). The prize winner will receive complimentary golf, tennis, and spa. Need I say more? Please visit the link below. Good luck!


Contest Here

Kiawah Island Travel Buddy

Well we finally did it! In July we brought home our newest addition to the family: a 8 week golden retriever. She is tiny furball with a lot of growing potential (this seems the case given the size of her paws). Her name is Savannah and she is our newest lowcountry traveling companion. Our search for Savannah was predicated upon several weeks of interviewing dog breeders and cleaning up the backyard to prepare for her arrival. Of course she is now involved with digging up the yard! We have had her for a week and half and she has worked her way into our hearts. We look forward to many years of fun with her and lots of time to play on the beach!

Kiawah Island Spring Break 2007

Views of beach, Ashley River, cemetary ghost tour and Kiawah entrance.

Day 1
Saturday 12 p.m. –Leaving Chicago and 40 Degrees.

We set out on our trek with the two little ones. The car was mightily equipped with leapster, portable DVD player and plenty of snacks. We made it as far as an hour into the trip when discovered that the DVD player did not have the ac adapter to plug into the car. We visited three truck stops before we found an adapter that fit our system. We weren't in the car for more than 5 minutes before High School Musical came blaring through the speakers. That was a good thing because the travel bingo was wearing thin with the oldest. Meanwhile our son felt only inclined to pop a pretzel into his mouth and watch along. Eight hours later we stopped in Clinton, Tennessee at Holiday Inn Express. Our room had a refrigerator! Who knew? That silly discovery was good news for keeping our perishables from biting the dust.

Day 2
Sunday – Onward to Kiawah

We woke up early, did the continental breakfast thing and set out on the road. We proceeded through the picturesque mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina before proceeding on through South Carolina. We finally reached our destination about 3 p.m. We were all relieved to get out of our car and unpack. We took a late afternoon stroll along the beach. The kids as usual had a good time looking for shells and beach treasures. The wife and I capped off the evening having a beverage on the patio with the sounds of the surf in the background. Good to be back.

Day 3
Monday - Golfing/Beach

I spent the day golfing at Shadowmoss golf club in West Ashley. The course is about ½ hour from our villa. The course is pretty decent and the rates are outstanding. I shot my best round that day. (I should have stopped there). The rest of the family went to the beach for sunbathing and sandcastles. We spent the evening dining at Sticky Fingers Barbecue. This is always a must visit when in town so we were only too happy to oblige.

Day 4
Tuesday – Shopping/Dining

We did some walking along the beach in the morning and decided to have lunch at Bessingers in Charleston. This is another barbecue joint that knows their business. After lunch we proceeded to downtown Charleston and walked the Market. The Market has all sorts of knick-knacks for the tourists and locals to peruse. This is also a good place to find the sweet grass baskets. I walked away only down $10 after purchasing a fresh water pearl ring for my daughter.

Day 5
Wednesday – Bicycling/Golfing

We spent the morning doing some island touring via bicycle. The kids really seemed to enjoy the ride. We were able to spot herons and alligators along our travels. My golf companion and I spent Wednesday afternoon at Stono Ferry golf club. This course is also off the island and sits along the inter-coastal waterway. There are nice looking fairways on this course. We usually play this one at least once when we come down. I shot terribly but enjoyed getting out anyway.

Day 6 – More Charleston

We came down to Charleston and had lunch at the Noisy Oyster. The food was good. We took the kids over to the Charleston Confectioner and they went crazy. Our daughter stocked up on what appeared to be a pound or so of salt water taffy. The rest of the stroll was spent visiting all sorts of shops along Market Street and some of the adjoining avenues. The highlight of the evening was doing the cemetery ghost tour. Whether you believe in these stories or not is entirely up to you, but the guides do provide some interesting history to the city of Charleston. We really enjoyed the tour and so did the “no see ums" ( I am referring to the gnats.... not the ghosts!)

Day 7 – Golf and Packing

We set out early for a final round of golf and we were done by noon. We all went to Freshfield’s village for some lunch. We found a toy and candy store that had the “create your own” stuffed animal concept. Needless to say, we came home with a stuffed pink flamingo. We concluded the day by getting a pizza and some she-crab soup (local favorite).

Day 8 - Home to Chicago

Can’t wait to go back!

Kiawah Island - "Ideal Family Vacation"

My favorite Coastal Getaway

My family and I have been visiting this beautiful coastal area for over seven years and keep coming back. We have found coastal South Carolina to be a “retreat” to relaxation from our fast paced lifestyles in Chicago. For those that do not know, Kiawah Island is located about a half hour south west of Charleston. Kiawah Island is an inter-coastal paradise that boasts about 10 miles of pristine beaches. The allure is not only the sandy beaches, but the network of jogging/bike trails throughout the island that provide visitors a chance to experience close up views of some amazing wildlife. The one thing you will not find in Kiawah, is the hustle and bustle of commercialism. The island is quiet and peaceful. That being said, there are plenty of things to do for the fitness enthusiasts, couch potatoes, and nature lovers alike. Here are some of the things that one can take advantage of when visiting Kiawah:

1. Walks on the beach. This is what keeps us coming back every year. There are miles of shoreline suitable for sunbathing, jogging, biking, etc.

2. World class golfing. This is so true. The island courses are darn right challenging and can be pricey depending on your budget. Sometimes it pays to book your visit with resorts that may offer seasonal or weekend golf packages. I usually opt to play two or three courses that are just off the island and considerably cheaper. There are several courses in the Charleston area as well.

3. Travel the island by bike. This may be the best way to see the island. The inter coastal/marsh views can be spectacular. This is also a good opportunity to see some of the critters of the island (deer, alligators, bobcats, etc.). The other great feature with these island bikes is they are suitable for riding on the beach.

4. Go kayaking or canoeing on the inter-coastal. As mentioned in #3 above, this is a great way to see the wildlife in their native habitats.
Shell collecting. This activity is a good way to bring home some souvenirs of your visit to the island. This one goes with #1.

5. Fishing & Crabbing. The island offers fishing charters as well as crabbing supplies to try your luck at catching some local seafood.

6. Visit Newton farms. This is a good place to load up on groceries for those meals you want to prepare yourself. In addition there are a variety of stores that cater to all interests (clothing, ice cream shop, etc). There is even a Internet cafe should you feel to send a quick hello e-mail back home.

7. Visit the Sanctuary. This is the premier hotel on the island. I personally haven't stayed here, but the grounds are beautiful with great amenities such as large pool, health spa, and few first class restaurants. Hotel offers wireless internet capability so I usually check my e-mail here in the lobby while sipping a coffee watching the ocean.

8. World class tennis facilities. There are several tennis courts on this island that offer court rental as well as instruction. Good place to practice up on your game.

9. Night Heron Park..........Large recreation area is great place to take kids to burn off energy. Features basketball courts, soccer fields, pool, and many other activities. There is also a neat nature museum that features some of the local critters found on the island.

10. Take a drive into Charleston. It is about a half hour drive from Kiawah. We usually go into Charleston a few times a week to get our barbeque fix at Sticky Fingers as well as satisfy our seafood appetites.

I recommend Kiawah Island as a place to visit for the ideal family vacation spot.