Thursday, May 24, 2012
twitter2
facebook2
Displaying items by tag: kayaking
The Isle of Palms has always been one of my favorite spots in the Charleston area for beachcombing, kayaking, and just hanging out for a day. Its beach was the first I checked out while vacationing here. One spring I stayed at a beach house off of Palm Blvd. It was a memorable time. That was before all the improvements were made around the pier and Ocean Blvd between County Park and 10th St. I still like to stop for a beer on the upper deck of Coconut Joe's around sunset or an ice cream cone at one of its shops after sunning or throwing the football around on the beach. Just up the road on Sullivan's Island is Poe's Tavern, a nostalgic place to eat.
The Isle of Palm is also home to the Wild Dunes, an oceanfront resort nestled on the northern end of the island. Here are some interesting facts for the history buffs before it became a resort. It was a staging point where Lord Cornwallis commanded 2,000 British troops in an attempt to take Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island. The Confederate submarine, H.L. Hunley, rammed and sank the Union warship, USS Housatonic around the island's waterways. The Isle of Palms Beach and Racquet Club was established in 1972, a tennis resort on 1,600 acres. In 1980 came the first of its two golf courses. In early 1990, Wild Dunes Resort became part of Destination Hotels & Resorts. The 1998 opening of the Boardwalk Inn provided guests a hotel stay in AAA Four Diamond style. Early 2008 large-scale beach erosion led to the depletion of the beachfront area of Wild Dunes wiping out the 18th hole of the Links Golf Course. Not to worry, it has since been repaired by pumping approximately 900,000 cubic feet of sand from offshore.

The resort now caters to everyone and every occassion. Couples who are looking for romance, families looking for together time, tennis players and golfers, meetings, weddings and celebrations. Specials and packages are available throughout the year for your convenience and affordability. Wild Dunes offers many accommodation styles, including condo rentals and vacation homes. Choose from six different dining spots from the simple to the elegant. The Grand Pavilion Café & Bar serves sandwiches, snacks, drinks and cocktails with a panoramic view of the ocean. For a suggestion of activities ranked among the best family recreation programs in the country check out Island Adventures.

Article written by Rick Dunbar first published on travel blog Vacation Rick.

Published in Travel

I have rented kayaks on the Isle of Palms and paddled around the intercoastal waters near the Wild Dunes area. It was a great experience and alot of fun. Kayaking the tidal creeks can get tricky with the changing tides. Everything looks different when the waters are high as opposed to low. Very easy to lose your bearings and get sidetracked in the grasses. At one point of our excursion we were quite positive we confronted an alligator in the thick grasses because of its distinct low bellowing growl. We took it to be a warning and boogied out of there.

We cruised past huge villas that lined the sides, each one with its own boat dock and overlooking beautiful pools. Tried some fishing along the way, but didn't have much success. We absorbed the sights and sounds and raced one another to see who was the fastest. We made it back to the marina despite our perils fully satisfied and happy.

Charleston has plenty of coast from the IOP to Folly filled with rivers, salt creeks and backwaters to explore. But the intercoastal waters are not the only place in the Lowcountry you can adventure around with kayaks and canoes. Recently I read an article about three places where you and the whole family can experience the beauty of South Carolina in the Charleston Lowcountry: The Edisto River Trail, Givans Ferry State Park, and Francis Beidler Forest.

Edisto River Trail is a stretch of the longest, free flowing blackwater river in North America. Carolina Heritage Outfitters will help you with all your necessities and equipement for a fun and safe outing. They offer trips of a few hours or a two-day experience of 22 miles to include an overnight stay in one of the treehouses or you can just camp out anywhere along the way.

Givans Ferry State Park was voted one of the "Top 15 paddling spots in America". It is part of the 56 mile long Edisto River Canoe and Kayak Trail and is at the end of a 21 mile downstream paddle from Colleton State Park. It has campgrounds and rustic cabins.

Francis Beidler Forest is located in Four Holes Swamp, SC, 45,000 acres of blackwater and swamp. Four Holes Swamp is a major tributary of the Edisto river. Francis Beidler Forest is 15,000 acres of forest and swamp containing bald cypress and tupelo gum trees and the only two stands of old growth still left in the state. A visitor center is there for your convenience and guided canoe trips are offered.-Vacation Rick Travel

Article by Rick Dunbar first published on travel blog Vacation Rick. Check out all the articles on things to see and do in Charleston and beyond.

Published in Travel

Local Site Sponsors