Dentro del deleite perpetuo de South Carolina en sus tierras interiores – en Charleston, Columbia y Greenville – la costa del estado destaca especialmente en verano.
Al sur de Myrtle Beach y extendiéndose hasta el límite con el estado de Georgia, donde espera Savannah, encontrarás las Islas Marinas de South Carolina, un tramo de islas cada una con su propia atmósfera singular y sabor veraniego.
Tus elecciones incluyen el refugio familiar y de golf de Hilton Head, el histórico centro de Beaufort y más opciones aisladas para observar aves y disfrutar de la pesca en abundancia. Mientras defines tu itinerario de verano en el estado Palmetto, hay algunos conocimientos logísticos clave para realmente disfrutarlo todo. Aquí tienes la primicia sobre las Islas Marinas de South Carolina.
¿Primera vez en South Carolina? Aquí está todo lo que necesitas saber antes de ir
Paso 1: Elige una base de operaciones
Hilton Head Island
Ambiente: Considera este tu destino insular para mantenerte ocupado pero tranquilo. Hilton Head es famosa por su dicha de arenas blancas, un núcleo de pueblo pequeño y grandes complejos turísticos. También es la mejor opción para unas vacaciones familiares, con muchas actividades peculiares que van desde recorrer en tirolesa sus pantanos hasta una extensa pista de go-karts, todo lo cual puedes encontrar en Adventure Hilton Head y otros lugares de la isla.
Haz: Hilton Head es un destino de golf con casi 30 campos en toda la isla. Sea Pines Resort es una gran elección, con tres campos dentro de sus confines, incluido Harbour Town, que alberga el torneo RBC Heritage del PGA Tour. De lo contrario, relájate en una playa – Coligny Beach está completamente equipada con baños, gazebos y bancos para una experiencia sin complicaciones.
Alojarse: The Sweetgrass Inn en Hilton Head Health pone el bienestar al frente con retiros de salud diarios, talleres de nutrición y, para estancias más largas, una ruta de pérdida de peso, si se desea. Beach House es relajado, con un tiki bar en el lugar y una piscina renovada recientemente.
Comer: Dirígete a Skull Creek Boathouse para disfrutar de una puesta de sol y, dentro de su espacio Dive Bar en el lugar, selecciones de sushi fresco. Nectar Farm Kitchen tiene la comida costera sureña perfeccionada, con panqueques de batata y pollo y waffles en porciones abundantes.
Folly Beach
Ambiente: A 20 minutos en coche al sur de Charleston, aquí es donde los residentes de “la Ciudad Santa” van a relajarse en el verano. La hospitalidad sureña y la amabilidad general de Charleston se filtra en su vecina playera, donde los locales cambian sus corbatas de lazo y vestidos en tonos pastel por trajes de baño y bikinis. Su orilla oceánica está salpicada de tiendas de surf – como McKevlin’s y Ocean Surf Shop – con un lugar conocido como the Washout siendo el lugar adonde los surfistas veteranos acuden para las olas.
Haz: Para los nuevos en el surf, toma una lección con instituciones locales como Isla Surf School o Shaka Surf School, la última de las cuales organiza campamentos de verano para niños y una clase de surf y yoga los sábados para mujeres. Folly Beach tiene un paisaje único de arroyos salados y marismas costeras – puedes aprender todo sobre él y buscar algunos dientes de tiburón en el camino con un recorrido ecológico de Charleston Outdoor Adventures.
Alojarse: Para disfrutar de las vistas, cada habitación en el Tides Folly Beach viene con una vista del Océano Atlántico. Su BLU Beach Bar & Grill en el lugar tiene un bar tiki y vistas únicas del muelle de Folly Beach que se adentra en el océano justo al lado. Regatta Inn es la opción de cama y desayuno de lujo de la isla, con un desayuno diario y un carrito de golf para el traslado a la playa.
Comer: Folly Beach está cargado de bares frente al mar con comidas y bebidas que abarcan todo el espectro, desde lo sencillo hasta lo sofisticado. Lowlife Bar ofrece un brunch diario de 10am a 3pm con un memorable pastel de cangrejo al estilo Maryland, pollo y waffles y una tabla de queso pimiento. A tres cuadras de la playa, Jack of Cup Salons sirve cervezas artesanales y sake con una variedad de platos inspirados en la India y Asia.
Edisto Island
Vibes: Positioned around 50 miles to the southeast of Charleston, this destination is sprinkled with stilt-set beachfront cottages, grand plantation homes, and impressive coastlines. Hilton Head or Folly Beach have a more energetic atmosphere compared to this laid-back scene, which still offers peculiar yet amusing activities. A challenging example not meant for the timid is the Edisto Island Serpentarium, housing various reptiles like snakes, alligators, and turtles.
Do: Arguably top spot for shell gathering in the region is Edisto Beach State Park. Botany Bay, teeming with marshlands, is a bird-watcher’s dream where you can witness shorebirds, wild turkeys, and egrets freely. Here, a sunset cruise is a tranquil experience, with Botany Bay Ecotours being the main tour provider.
Stay: The norm here is vacation rentals. At the island’s southwestern tip, a cluster of accommodations managed by Wyndham provides an array of choices. In the middle of this area, golfing enthusiasts will find the Plantation Course delightful.
Eat: The culinary scene here is mostly endearing and local. McConkey’s Jungle Shack is known for offering wings, hamburgers, inventive rum punches, and a celebrated regional sweet tea. Sea Cow Eatery, a cozy diner, welcomes guests for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, though it closes at 2 pm on Mondays. No matter the meal time, their dynamic selection of homemade pies is worth noting.
Step 2: Book your accommodations
South Carolina’s coastlines boast an abundance of vacation rental possibilities. Typically, either individual owners or managing companies release summer reservation opportunities about a year or six months in advance, although this can differ. Statewide favorites for booking rentals include VRBO, AirBnb, and HomeToGo. Checking the state tourism portal, along with regional chambers of commerce, may also reveal authorized alternatives.
Options are plentiful across South Carolina’s coastal islands for enjoying your stay in a resort, holiday house, or a bed and breakfast, with memories to be crafted solely on-premises. For keeping restless visitors or children busy, Hilton Head is packed with activities. Perhaps the best of all offers is Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort, discreetly located on the island’s northern perimeter, blending a relaxed ambiance with a water slide and proximity to Shelter Cove Harbour shopping.
Traveling the US with kids? Here are our top tips for families
Step 3: Plan your days
Renowned for fishing, Hilton Head offers abundant spot-tailed trout, flounder, grouper, and even sharks. As one of the largest shark breeding sites on the East Coast, yes, you can even try your hand at catching them. To make the experience seamless, chartering a fishing boat with a seasoned captain is highly recommended, with FishingBooker being a reliable and updated resource.
Three city excursions are comfortably incorporated into any South Carolina sea islands journey beyond the islands themselves. Located a mere 45-minute drive from Hilton Head Island, Savannah, Georgia, with its brick-paved public squares and main street lined with boutiques, Broughton Street, is a must-visit. Closest to Folly Beach is Charleston, a charming city with cobblestone roads, a waterfront park with a view of Charleston Harbor, and Fort Sumter for peaceful urban escapes. Between Hilton Head and Edisto, Beaufort, positioned on Port Royal Island, has a historical district making it worthy of a day trip. Its range of museum offerings includes the eccentric (a visit to the Kazoobie Kazoo Factory is advised) to the contemplative, like the Beaufort History Museum showcasing over 500 years of local history with its plantation exhibits.cultural elements, the Spanish American War, and additional topics.
Step 4: Identify the premier dining spots in the Sea Islands of South Carolina
In Hilton Head, the blue crab is king – enjoy some at Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks, with views of Port Royal Sound and occasional live performances. Alternatively, fresh seafood remains a staple along the coast with shrimp and grits, a lowcountry boil, and seafood salad as common menu selections.
The island communities also feature unforgettable family-owned grocery stores featuring curated items native to South Carolina. Bert’s Market on Folly Beach offers it all; visit for pimento cheese, boiled peanuts, and stop by the deli counter. Palmetto Dunes General Store on Hilton Head Island provides fresh fried chicken, soft-serve ice cream, and additional grocery essentials.
Step 5: Arriving there
Two international airports typically act as main starting points for trips to these regions. Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport is within a 45-minute drive to Hilton Head and more secluded excursions at Daufuskie Island. Charleston International Airport is about 30 minutes away from Folly Beach and roughly 2 hours north of Hilton Head. Hilton Head Island Airport also provides limited domestic flights.
For rail travel, Amtrak has a significant station in Charleston, with a smaller facility in Yemassee, South Carolina – a taxi ride from the train station to the islands is a smooth choice from there.
Step 6: What to bring along
Check in advance to determine what your hotel or vacation rental offers in terms of beach accessories – availability may differ greatly. Based on what is provided and how much you prefer to carry, considering bringing a cooler, snorkeling equipment, goggles, water sports gear, and water floats. Otherwise, especially during the summer months, plan on using sunscreen, sunglasses, sun protection apparel, flip-flops, and – in marshy areas – insect repellent, routinely. Fortunately, in the starting points we’ve detailed in (Step 1), gift shops stock all the above-mentioned items, though at a higher cost.