Edisto Island

On rural Edisto (pronounced ed-is-toh) Island, magnificent stands of age-old oaks festooned with Spanish-moss border quiet streams, and side roads; wild turkeys may still be spotted on open grasslands and amid palmetto palms. Twisting tidal creeks populated with egrets and herons wind around golden marsh grass. Edisto is one of the less-costly, more down-home of the Carolina sea islands. Adults sing their hearts out on karaoke nights while their kids sip rocking root beer floats. And now bingo is big, and not just for seniors.

The small "downtown" beachfront is a mix of public beach-access spots, restaurants, and old, shabby-chic beach homes that are a far cry from the palatial villas rented out on the resort islands. The outlying Edisto Beach State Park is a pristine wilderness and camper's delight. The one actual resort was bought by Wyndham, and although houses time-share units, they have a number of rental accommodations.