best island near Charleston
Mar 3rd, 2006, 07:36 AM
#23
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Mireaux7,
I was trying to see your point of view. That effort paid off handsomely.
And of course you can get from HH to Charleston and back in a day. I stated that the rest of us assumed NEAR meant an EASY drive into and out of Charleston. For example: I stay in Isle of Palms, go for a long walk on the beach in the morning, decide to head into Charleston for lunch, then back to IOP for more beach time, then back to Charleston for dinner & drinks, then back to IOP. Try that from HH.
Haweyegirl,
sorry for my participation in the high-jacking of your thread. I agree with the majority here: IOP, Sullivans Island, Folly Beach, Kiawah Island--all would be good choices to combine beach time with one of the best cities in the U.S.
I was trying to see your point of view. That effort paid off handsomely.
And of course you can get from HH to Charleston and back in a day. I stated that the rest of us assumed NEAR meant an EASY drive into and out of Charleston. For example: I stay in Isle of Palms, go for a long walk on the beach in the morning, decide to head into Charleston for lunch, then back to IOP for more beach time, then back to Charleston for dinner & drinks, then back to IOP. Try that from HH.
Haweyegirl,
sorry for my participation in the high-jacking of your thread. I agree with the majority here: IOP, Sullivans Island, Folly Beach, Kiawah Island--all would be good choices to combine beach time with one of the best cities in the U.S.
Mar 3rd, 2006, 08:16 AM
#24
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Author: beach_dweller ([email protected])
Date: 03/03/2006, 11:36 am
Mireaux7,
I was trying to see your point of view. That effort paid off handsomely.
And of course you can get from HH to Charleston and back in a day. I stated that the rest of us assumed NEAR meant an EASY drive into and out of Charleston. For example: I stay in Isle of Palms, go for a long walk on the beach in the morning, decide to head into Charleston for lunch, then back to IOP for more beach time, then back to Charleston for dinner & drinks, then back to IOP. Try that from HH.
Haweyegirl,
sorry for my participation in the high-jacking of your thread. I agree with the majority here: IOP, Sullivans Island, Folly Beach, Kiawah Island--all would be good choices to combine beach time with one of the best cities in the U.S.
Author: Gretchen
Date: 03/02/2006, 09:26 pm
GET OVER IT
Yes..Gawd..please get over it. yawwn.
Date: 03/03/2006, 11:36 am
Mireaux7,
I was trying to see your point of view. That effort paid off handsomely.
And of course you can get from HH to Charleston and back in a day. I stated that the rest of us assumed NEAR meant an EASY drive into and out of Charleston. For example: I stay in Isle of Palms, go for a long walk on the beach in the morning, decide to head into Charleston for lunch, then back to IOP for more beach time, then back to Charleston for dinner & drinks, then back to IOP. Try that from HH.
Haweyegirl,
sorry for my participation in the high-jacking of your thread. I agree with the majority here: IOP, Sullivans Island, Folly Beach, Kiawah Island--all would be good choices to combine beach time with one of the best cities in the U.S.
Author: Gretchen
Date: 03/02/2006, 09:26 pm
GET OVER IT
Yes..Gawd..please get over it. yawwn.
Mar 6th, 2006, 05:42 PM
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Author: Gretchen
Date: 03/06/2006, 04:59 pm
Did you forget you already said that?
Did you forget that you said to forget about this post, or did you forget about forgetting about it? Nevermind, just forget.
Date: 03/06/2006, 04:59 pm
Did you forget you already said that?
Did you forget that you said to forget about this post, or did you forget about forgetting about it? Nevermind, just forget.
Mar 6th, 2006, 06:03 PM
#30
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I, too, would not recommend Hilton Head for this trip if you are considering "best island near Charleston". I do agree with Gretchen's description of no soul. The other islands mentioned are closer and more desirable - IMHO of course.
Mar 18th, 2006, 01:09 PM
#31
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Thanks for the replies (I think). I hope my time in Charleston will not give me the headache this thread has provided. We would like to do most to all of our vacationing in Charleston, so to those of you who assumed (correctly) that we would like to be somewhere within approximately 30-45 minutes of downtown Charleston, thank you for the input. And I'm sorry (believe me) that I was not more explicit in my explanation of "near". I'm just a nice, fairly well-traveled person who lives somewhere cold looking for a great vacation in a part of the country I have never been before. The end.
Mar 20th, 2006, 07:21 AM
#33
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We'll also be looking for someplace warm to escape (unfortunately not until NEXT winter...sigh). So I'd love to hear a little more info about Kiawah, Isle of Palms, etc. - ptcly personal experiences and why a particular island is a particular favorite. (Just for the record, if there is a spot on this continent that I've been and feel rabidly against, it would be HH).
Previous winter getaways for us have been on the Gulf coast (from Padre Island to Gulf Shores to Seagrove FL - a real favorite, that one!). I realize the Atlantic islands likely won't be as warm in mid-Feb to mid-March, but we loved Charleston on our brief foray there and would like to spend a little more time in the area. So please jump in and share details of your favorites?
Previous winter getaways for us have been on the Gulf coast (from Padre Island to Gulf Shores to Seagrove FL - a real favorite, that one!). I realize the Atlantic islands likely won't be as warm in mid-Feb to mid-March, but we loved Charleston on our brief foray there and would like to spend a little more time in the area. So please jump in and share details of your favorites?
May 15th, 2006, 11:34 AM
#34
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I'd recommend Isle of Palms, particularly the Wild Dunes area, for a great spot near Charleston. Kiawah is beautiful and more tranquil, but it is not a quick drive into Charleston. Isle of Palms offers you the island/beach atmosphere with about a 20 minute drive into Charleston. We really enjoyed staying in one of the Oceanfront Boardwalk homes in Wild Dunes. It was right near the Grand pavilion with nightly music and activities, we had the pool out our front door, and the beach was only steps away. We've done a lot of beach vacations as a family and we easily decided to return to this spot a second time this summer. Our kids love the activity and we love having the pool and beach close!
Jul 12th, 2006, 06:26 AM
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I would recommend Kiawah! My parents own a home on the island and are planning to retire there (lucky them). Previous to their purchase on the island we would vacation there just about every other summer. Plenty of outdoors activities (bike-riding, nature tours, marshes to explore, the beach, etc), with a variety of accomodation options. We had stayed in condos, small homes, they have two hotels on the island (one is a luxury hotel, if you feel like spending a lot of money). They are an hour away from Charleston, and Freshfield Farms was just recently built near the entrance to both Kiawah and Seabrook. They have a Whole Foods-y type grocery store, outfitter store, some good restaurants and other shops to browse through.
Jul 12th, 2006, 07:29 AM
#38
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There is only one hotel on Kiawah now. With the opening of The Sanctuary they closed the Kiawah Island Inn. There are lots of condos, villas, cottages and homes available for rent. If pool access is an issue, make sure to inquire about it. Some regimes have a pool while at others the only way to access one is to rent through the resort. Also, if staying on Kiawah, make sure to get a book of all of the activities going on during your stay. They are available at many locations on the island. It's nice to be able to look at the whole week to decide if there's anything that interests you before you miss that activity. Many things are free; the prices are listed for everything else.
Jul 21st, 2006, 11:25 AM
#39
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How about a compromise....We live in Charlotte and go to the C-ston area all the time.
Took my wife for our anniversary and stayed at two meeting street for two nights (she cried when we walked in the room...get the one with the porch and the rounded sitting area over the side entrance), and then out to Kiawah.
Kiawah is awesome if you like beach and secluded trails, natural areas, etc. Driving in to Charleston is ok but it is 35 to 45 minutes and not much fun late at night....Great to go in to Chas ton mid afternoon, shop, then do dinner...
Wild Dunes used to be great but has really built up the past 5 years to the point where there is not much open space left. It is still great, but Kiawah probably has a more special feel, and the new hotel, The Sanctuary, is world class, service and views are both spectacular.
Two Meeting Street is probably the nicest old Inn in Charleston, a city with great inns, right on the Historic Battery, and just blocks from downtown....dinner at High Cotton or Blossom, or Fulton 5, for casual seafood Coast was good, Sunday breakfast at Hominy Grill, etc. Peninsula Grill was great, but a bit formal for my taste. Warm up drinks at Cintra or the top of the Vendue Inn overlooking the historic district...
Took my wife for our anniversary and stayed at two meeting street for two nights (she cried when we walked in the room...get the one with the porch and the rounded sitting area over the side entrance), and then out to Kiawah.
Kiawah is awesome if you like beach and secluded trails, natural areas, etc. Driving in to Charleston is ok but it is 35 to 45 minutes and not much fun late at night....Great to go in to Chas ton mid afternoon, shop, then do dinner...
Wild Dunes used to be great but has really built up the past 5 years to the point where there is not much open space left. It is still great, but Kiawah probably has a more special feel, and the new hotel, The Sanctuary, is world class, service and views are both spectacular.
Two Meeting Street is probably the nicest old Inn in Charleston, a city with great inns, right on the Historic Battery, and just blocks from downtown....dinner at High Cotton or Blossom, or Fulton 5, for casual seafood Coast was good, Sunday breakfast at Hominy Grill, etc. Peninsula Grill was great, but a bit formal for my taste. Warm up drinks at Cintra or the top of the Vendue Inn overlooking the historic district...
