Treat Yourself to Sea-Island R&R on Your Next Vacation
Kiawah Island is a gem on the Sea Islands of the southeastern U.S. Atlantic coast. This exclusive barrier island is in the South Carolina Lowcountry and it is close to Charleston. And thanks to the 100 Collection and our local partner Akers Ellis Real Estate & Rentals, you’ll have the privilege of experiencing this private gated community for yourself.
Lowering the heart rate, waving everyday stresses goodbye, and putting the emphasis on in-the-moment pleasures come easy on Kiawah. Here are a few ideas for a truly peaceful Kiawah Island getaway!
Soak Up the Barrier-Island Sands
Of course, Kiawah Island’s signature attraction must be its 10 miles of beachfront, and some quality time spent on those Atlantic sands translates to R&R of the highest order. There’s the inviting sprawl of the open-to-the-public Beachwalker County Park in the West Beach section, for example, which comes seasonally lifeguarded and offers a designated swimming area.
And many of the top-quality vacation properties managed by our local 100 Collection Kiawah Island doyen Akers Ellis Real Estate & Rentals put you mere steps away from the strand. Take, for example, 4421 Windswept Villa in East Beach, with sand and surf awaiting beyond the covered deck, and the direct beach-boardwalk access available from decked-out units such as 1120 Duneside Villa (in West Beach) and 100 Surfsong Road (in the Vanderhost area).
Take a Nature Walk in a Kiawah Conservancy Protected Area
Established in 1997 as a non-profit land trust, the Kiawah Conservancy protects nearly 80 properties on and around the barrier island, all told overseeing close to 4,000 acres. Some of these parks, preserves, and easements open to the public and provide some of the most all-around serene outdoor experiences here.
Consider a stroll, for example, through the Maritime Forest Reserve, a stone’s throw from the Kiawah Island Parkway and the Cougar Point Golf Course. Scattered with illuminating interpretive signs, the Reserve’s nature trail winds through a fine example of one of the Southeast’s defining coastal and barrier-island ecosystems: the maritime forest, so-named on account of the heavy influence of the nearby ocean on its structure and composition.
It’s sheer bliss to listen to the sea breeze wend its way through the diverse overstory—live and laurel oaks, loblolly and slash pines, sweetgum, southern magnolia, pignut hickory, etc.—and peer after songbirds in the viney tangles of palmetto, holly, wax-myrtle, and other shrubs.
Other great choices for a pleasant stroll and a bit of Mother Nature therapy courtesy of the Kiawah Conservancy’s efforts include Marsh Island Park with its coastal hammock and marshland, Rhett’s Bluff Nature Area (host to one of the few freshwater wetlands on the island), and the Naturally Kiawah Demonstration Garden within Night Heron Park.
Go For a Paddle
From Kiawah River and other tidal creeks to the nearshore Atlantic waters, opportunities abound for paddling on Kiawah Island. Numerous companies rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards here, and your on-the-water outing can be as strenuous or—per our focus here—as laidback as you’d like. What better way to start your day than with, say, a sunrise session of SUP yoga?
Bike Out to Captain Sam’s Inlet to Watch the Dolphins in Action
Kiawah Island’s roughly 30-mile bike-path system gives guests ample opportunity to soak up the lovely coastal scenery—and the lovely year-round climate—by their own pedal power. And there are many great routes to take, from Night Heron Park and the Kiawah Island Parkway to the beachfront itself.
A really standout destination is Captain Jim’s Inlet, where the tide-roiled connection between the Kiawah River and the Atlantic Ocean separates the west end of Kiawah Island from neighboring Seabrook Island. This is a legitimately world-class spot for dolphin-watching, because here, uniquely, one can observe the globally rare behavior of “strand-feeding”—known only along the Lowcountry shores of the U.S. and a few other corners of the planet—without needing a boat.
Strand-feeding describes when bottlenose dolphins work together to herd small fish, such as mullet, up onto mudflats, banks, or sandbars, then themselves power ashore (temporarily) to snatch them up.
Observable year-round and often a daily occurrence, strand-feeding is best seen in the few hours on either side of low tide. Bike out to Beachwalker County Park and head a mile or so west to get your dolphin-watching front-row seats along Captain Jim’s Inlet.
Indulge in Some Island Spa & Wellness
Take your peaceful getaway on Kiawah Island into heavenly territory with a little spa time. You’ve got a number of options for massages, wraps, and other spa treatments on the island, what with facilities such as The Medical Spa & Salon at Kiawah (1 Beachwalker Drive, Johns Island, SC) and The Spa at The Sanctuary (1 Sanctuary Beach Dr, The Sanctuary Hotel on Kiawah Island) available.
But in many cases you needn’t even leave your Kiawah Island vacation rental to enjoy spa-and-wellness bliss-outs. From the private heated saltwater pool at 64 Surfsong Road to the pool-and-spa combos at properties such as 19 Eugenia Avenue and 27 March Wren Court, the 100 Collection-vetted inventory of Akers Ellis Real Estate & Rentals has you covered in the “me-time” department!
Play a Round of Golf
Kiawah Island’s also celebrated as a golfing destination, so if you’re of the greens-and-fairways persuasion, you’ll be sitting pretty on a getaway here. Multiple public golf courses—including the internationally renowned Ocean Course—fall under the umbrella of Kiawah Island Golf Resort, while a couple of private courses are available via membership at the Kiawah Island Club.
Escape to Kiawah Island for Relaxation & Rejuvenation Through the 100 Collection
The ocean-view villas, beach cottages, and lavish vacation homes available on Kiawah Island through Akers Ellis Real Estate & Rentals, the biggest family-run vacation-rental operation on the island, provide unbeatable home bases for de-stressing and luxuriating in seaside comfort. Explore the entire collection—which bears the 100 Collection seal of approval—today!
