Kiawah Island Golf Resort has hosted the PGA Tournament and is home to five of the finest golf courses in the world. Shoes, shirts and shorts are required, folks. Keeping an honest score is optional.
Kiawah Island Resort offers 22 clay courts and a handful of pickle ball courts. You can rent racquets, arrange for a tennis lesson with one of the Club Pros or challenge any Bronzo at any given moment to a duel. Court reservations must be made in advance.
Bikes are the best way to see the island. You could go for days without getting in a car on Kiawah. Grab a bike and explore the 30 miles of paved biking trails on the island. Keep your eyes peeled for elegant egrets, osprey on the hunt, lounging alligators and the elusive Eastern gray squirrel.
This is where we buy our produce and flowers. The Rosebank Farm has been around for generations and the May Lowcountry produce and flowers are not to be missed. You can also buy the beautiful Gullah Geechee baskets from artisans here.
Freshfields Village is an outdoor shopping center located 10 minutes by car or 30 minutes by bike from the West Beach Village. Here you will find Harris Teeter, the only grocery store in town (but don't miss out on the produce and flowers at Rosebank Farmstand). In terms of restaurants, we love Fuji's for takeout sushi or Hege's for brunch or a big dinner out. Java Java is a great option for a snack and has the best coffee in town. Wine and a snack at FortyEight is worthwhile. Café Eugenia or The COOP have all of your breakfast sandwich needs and if you're craving meatballs or a pizza, La Tela is the move.
Wildlife conservation is at the core of Kiawah's philosophy and the island is teeming with wildlife. Grab a pamphlet from the Nature Center and set out to go birdwatching or spot a dolphin along the shoreline. Keeping a safe distance from creatures is essential for their safety and yours. Never feed the wildlife and for the love of Gloria do not take a selfie with an alligator.
The Kiawah River flows through a narrow channel between Kiawah and Seabrook islands, creating a great spot for wildlife viewing. One of the biggest attractions are bottlenose dolphins that are frequently seen feeding in this area. They are often engaged in strand feeding, a unique feeding strategy in which they literally propel themselves out of the water to catch fish and shrimp that have been pushed onto the bank. This is a very special place for both of us, so we highly recommend it, and it's where we got engaged.
Offering daily and weekly beach chair and umbrella rentals on Kiawah Island. They are the longest-running beach service on the island, accommodating guests of Kiawah for more than 25 years. You can contact their reservation line to schedule your beach chair placement to the nearest beach access to you.
Night Heron Park has over 21 acres of fun with basketball and volleyball courts, soccer fields, a playground, a pool complex, a fitness trail, and a nature center (this is where Elise spent most of her time as a child). The park is located in the heart of Kiawah Island within the East Beach Village.
Don’t miss one of the various tours offered on the island and throughout the area, from guided kayak and standup paddleboarding tours to individual rental options!
The Ryder Cup serves the best burger on the Island. For a big night out, celebrate at The Atlantic Room, The Ocean Room or Jasmine Porch at the Sanctuary. We recommend going to Freshfields Village for more casual or takeout fare.
If you are planning on spending time in Charleston, we recommend staying at The Restoration ($$$), The Dewberry ($$$$) or The Ryder ($$$). Sunday is the Holy Day in the Holy City and there are only a few restaurants open that day (Vern's, Chez Nous). Our favorite spots: 167 Bar, 167 Sushi, Chubby Fish, Edmund's Oast, Leon's for fried chicken, The Ordinary, FIG. Best cocktail and wine bars are: Citrus Club at the Dewberry, Bin 152, Stems and Skins, and Sorelle. Best coffee: Harken and Sorelle Mercado. Our favorite thing to do is to get lost in our neighborhood: South of Broad. Start at the corner of Legare and Broad, head south and get lost. Twilight is the best time. For culture: Mike loves Fort Sumter, Elise loves Aiken Rhett house, Gibbes Museum. Shopping: Ibu Movement! xx