We are Ryan and Monica Hoffmann, proud parents of special needs children. It took a long time to get here, but we have been to 33 US states in the past 4 years and we are just warming up.
South Carolina islands have gathered humans for centuries; from the indigenous peoples of the ancient Americas; to the earliest, wealthy European settlers; to the slave and plantation sea cotton traders; to the golf course magnates of recent past. Beaches, history, fishing, golf, and the appreciation of nature draws visitors from all over the world to South Carolina Islands.
There are six significant islands on coastal SC: Isle of Palms/Sullivan’s Island, Folly Island, Kiawah Island, Edisto island, Hunting Island, and Hilton Head Island (listed north to south). There are other islands in-between, but we’ve chosen these six as the most likely destinations for visitors.
When you visit the South Carolina Lowcountry region, you’re going to end up on an island. These are the best ones to familiarize yourself with, and why you should (or shouldn’t) give them your time. Enjoy!
Folly Island is about 15 minutes from downtown Charleston. The gathering point on the island is the town of Folly Beach, a California-style beach town lined with restaurants and surf shops. If a day of sunbathing and boogie boarding fits your agenda, or perhaps a simple afternoon inspecting the swimsuits of fellow beachgoers, the summery vibe of Folly Island makes this your kind of place.
Once upon a time the Union Army used Folly Island to prepare an attack on Confederates in Charleston, but these days you’re more likely to see a dolphin or tatted-up surfer than anything resembling a soldier. You’re also going to spy an enviable string of beach mansions. To learn about all the things to do in the Charleston area, check out our complete guide to Charleston. It’s legit.
Why you’re visiting: Active beach town. Close to Charleston. Surfing. Co-eds.
Why you would go somewhere else: Crowded at times. Parking.
As with many other South Carolina islands, Edisto Island belonged to indigenous peoples centuries before the plantation owners grew indigo, rice, and cotton on it’s fertile shores. The primary draws to this island are Edisto Beach, the Wyndham Ocean Ridge resort, and Edisto Island State Park. The park has a playground, an education center, and beachfront campsites.
And then there’s Driftwood Beach, one of the absolute best things to do in the Charleston area. Located at Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve, Driftwood Beach is an ancient seaside forest lost to erosion. What is left is the work of Medusa, a village of dead, upright trees in a vast, lonesome landscape of shell-covered shores.
Read more about Driftwood Beach here. It is 100% worth the drive to Edisto Island.
Why you’re visiting: Prehistoric looking driftwood beach.
Why you would go somewhere else: Out of the way location.
Hilton Head Island in South Carolina showcases 12-miles of immaculate beaches and twenty-three championship golf courses. Self-dubbed, “America’s Favorite Island”, HHI sees visitors from all over the world – a true destination island with a salubrious southern climate.
As a resort island that caters to the affluent, HHI boasts numerous high-end resorts, spas, pro-shops, bars and restaurants. For the rest of us, Hilton Head shares its history of Native American life, sea cotton plantations, Civil War lore, and natural wonder. Hilton Head carries an air of casual exclusivity that invites anyone who can afford to be there to mind their manners and play along.
Read more about Hilton Head island here.
Why you’re visiting: Golf. Clean, family vacation. A few points of interest.
Why you would go somewhere else: Homogenous. Could be boring for non-golfers.
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Located off the coast of Beaufort, Hunting Island is not only the most popular State Park in the state of South Carolina, but one of the last undeveloped sea islands in the SC Lowcountry. Don’t arrive here looking for a crab shack serving umbrella drinks by a pier in the marsh.
There are two incredible things that make Hunting Island one of the best South Carolina Islands to visit. 1. A 136′ lighthouse. Although no longer used as a functioning lighthouse, the tower is a fixture at the state park and is open to visitors. A Climb to the top costs $2 and gives tremendous perspective of the surrounding areas. 2. A spectacular driftwood beach. While not as dramatic as the one on Edisto island, Hunting Island’s dead beach forest is equally vast and even more remote. When you arrive at the beach turn right and walk past any and all signs. You’ll find it over a mile down the way.
Why you’re visiting: Secluded, driftwood covered beach. Awesome lighthouse. Close to Beaufort.
Why you would go somewhere else: Out of the way location. Few amenities or attractions.
Sullivan’s Island has a locals-only feel in the best possible way: Lowkey crowd, a little bit of shopping, a couple of restaurants, and a whole lotta sand. This is a wealthy corner of the city where the houses are extra large and the beach feels almost private, (but it’s not — it’s for all of us to enjoy). On the south end of the island is Fort Moultrie of Civil War fame.
Isle of Palms is the other famous beach community in Charleston (along with Folly Island). While it isn’t all that different than Sullivan’s Island — a small inlet is all that separates them (map) — It’s a little closer to civilization and feels more commercial. Some consider this the best Charleston SC beach.
Why you’re visiting: Close to Charleston. Clean, wide beach in a nice community. Fort Moultrie.
Why you would go somewhere else: Not really a good reason. Not much to do?
Kiawah is as close to a golf mecca as the greater Charleston area has to offer. The South Carolina island is home to five championship courses, most notably The Ocean Course designed by Pete and Alice Dye. Unbeknownst to me, the Dye’s are considered the “first family of golf course architecture.”
So if you don’t golf, why do you care about Kiawah Island? I’ll give you three reasons: 1. The river dolphins — yes, river dolphins — perform a fishing technique in which they circle the fish and force them onto the beach then beach themselves and feast (photo below). 2. A legion of pelicans (photo above) collect on the south-eastern most point of the island. 3. There is an amazing restaurant at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort called The Ocean Room.
Why you’re visiting: Golf. Quiet, family getaway. River Dolphins.
Why you would go somewhere else: You don’t golf. An hours drive from Charleston.
South Carolina Islands are a treasure in the American south. From soft-sanded beaches to plantation relics, to tournament golf courses, to salt marsh estuaries, the countless touches of this region can transform a vacation into something that lives in your memory forever.
Even if you only visit one of the South Carolina Islands, you’ve partaken in a tradition that goes back thousands of years. We hope you enjoy your time in the Lowcountry as much as we did.
To learn more about all the things to do, see, eat, and experience in and around Charleston SC, be sure to read our Complete Guide to Charleston.
Thank you for stopping by our website! We are the Hoffmann family, a full-time RV family that has split residence in Seattle, Washington and San Antonio, Texas. We have special needs children that we homeschool, and work travel assignments for the Veteran Affairs Hospital. If you would like to learn more about us, check out our Start Here and Biography pages. In the meantime, God bless and travel happy!
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