Isle of Palms, South Carolina is so near and dear to our hearts as a family. We first started visiting here as an extended family before Keith and I were even married. We have visited so many times since our first trip and I don't know that I will ever get sick of it. Throughout the years we have both driven and flown here- this summer we flew since we were traveling with both kiddos. It just makes the trip quicker and easier when the kids are involved.
This trip we went with extended my extended family to enjoy a week full of fun in the sun. Isle of Palms is located just outside of Charleston, South Carolina. The kiddos and I flew down alone to start our week and Keith was planning to fly down later and meet us. See my tip and tricks for navigating an airport with kids here. While our plan was to spend the bulk of our time in the sun at the beach, keep reading to see what we did in addition to spending our days in the sun.
Where we stayed:
Over the years we have stayed in several condos in the same complex. This complex is located right on the beach on Ocean Boulevard and has a variety of units from 3-4 bedrooms. They have a private pool just for the condos in the complex which is a nice change of pace from the beach which is just a few steps away. Most of the condos in this building are rentals and rented out for a minimum of a week at a time. They come fully furnished with everything you could need for your perfect vacation. They also have covered parking for two cars per rental and direct access to the beach. You couldn't find a more prime beach front location! Our condo this trip was a first floor with direct pool and beach access. It slept 10 with 3 bathrooms. Find the direct booking link on VRBO here.
The beach is one of of the cleanest and nicest beaches we have ever visited. There is plenty of beach space so even on the busiest beach days it never feels too crowded. There are always opportunities for finding great shells and you can occasionally see wild life. On our trip this year we would wake up each morning and see dolphins swimming in the shallow waters just out front of the condo.
The community:
The Isle of Palms is a very local small town feel island town. There is a grocery store, Harris Teeter, that we frequent on the island for snacks and drinks while at the condo. There is also a few amazingly delicious restaurants on the island that are all worth visiting. The Dinghy is a fun local bar spot with good food, drinks, and live music as well which we can't go a trip to Isle of Palms without. Max and Ollies is another casual fast and easy dining option which has good food. There is a Ben and Jerrys ice cream stand- which what is a beach trip without some ice cream... ammirighttt? Another local stop that we frequent during our trips to the beach is Cafe Paname- the best local bakery and coffee shop.
It would be remiss or me to not include of the best restaurants on the isle though. Acme Low Country Kitchen is rated in the top 25 restaurants in the country on TripAdvisor. They are amazing in the food is upscale cuisine but the environment is casual and relaxed. They serve low country coastal meals which includes amazing shrimp and grits among other traditional southern style dishes. If you find yourself nearby it is worth the wait- every single time!
Other things that we did locally on this trip:
Mini Golf at Charleston Fun Park
The Charleston Aquarium
Dinner at Coastal Crust in Mount Pleasant
Snow cones at Pelicans Snowballs
Given that we have frequented this destination here are a couple other recommendations nearby:
Boone Hall Plantation
Exploring the streets of downtown Charleston
Rainbow Row
The iconic Pineapple Fountain downtown
McLeod Plantation
Hometown BBQ-Sullivans Island
Republic Ice Cream- Sullivans Island
Listen to live music at restaurants on the Isle of Palms
Check out my other post about a weekend trip to the city of Charleston here!
If your're up for more downtown Charleston explorations check out some of these popular tours:
And if you like this post don't forget to subscribe to my blog so that you don't miss any future posts and travel content. I promise I don't spam you with any emails!
Maria Elizabeth
Items on this page may contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission for purchases you make through my links at no additional cost to you.
Comments