We just got back from a one week trip to Seabrook Island. We had a great time.
We stayed at Pelican Watch villas, booked through ResortQuest. Our unit (Gold level) was very nicely kept, clean, and comfortable. I’m very picky and I was quite pleased. ResortQuest was very responsive when we had a problem with our cable. I would like to note that although our unit was very clean, both at check-in and check-out we overheard people complaining about their units being dirty and very “buggy.”
The Pelican Watch villas are nicely located, on the Edisto River, very near the inlet to the ocean. The villas are in a perfect location for watching the sunset behind the island across the river. At high tide, there is literally no beach, and you can not walk to the main (North) beach. At low tide, the beach is wide and flat with hard packed sand. The water is calm, but as I had read previously, it is quite murky. A little above my ankles I couldn’t see my feet. It seemed a bit clearer on the North Beach side. I’m not comparing it to the Carribean or the Gulf, but to other Atlantic beaches I have been to, and it was much murkier.
The island is perfectly manicured and gorgeous. I was very nervous about the whole “gated community” or “country club-ish” feel, but it really wasn’t bad. We rode bikes on the street, but enjoyed biking on the beach much more. I think the main road is too narrow in many places to make biking enjoyable. I’d stick to the side streets and the beach. We rented the bikes from the place right on John’s Island since he is the only person who rents them for one day.
We saw lots of creatures such as deer, crabs, dolphins, fish, and one day there was an enormous alligator in the ocean in front of Pelican Watch. The local people told us this was not very common, to see an alligator in the ocean. He was only there for one day and people pretty much avoided the water for that day. We also found a good number of conch shells and sand dollars (throwing back anything living).
Freshfields is nice for conveniences. It certainly has a Disney-like feel to it. At times we felt like we were on a set for the Truman Show. But, I can’t imagine it not being there and having to go out to Maybank all the time. We shopped for a few things at Newton Fields, a Whole Foods type market with a Starbucks. For coffee, we went to Java Java every day. I’m a bit of a coffee snob, and I really enjoyed their coffee. You can also check your email there. The only thing that was offputting was that I saw the barista make my latte with a shot of coffee out of the thermos instead of a real shot of espresso. I don’t know if this is typical, or if she was being lazy. The only thing we ate at Freshfields was a sundae at Vincents.
For major shopping we went out to Maybank (25 mins from Pelican Watch) to the Piggly Wiggly since it is cheaper for some items than Newton Farms. Still, we were shocked at how much more expensive many groceries are there than in Boston. In the same strip mall as the Piggly Wiggly, you’ll find a CVS-type drugstore, video store, McDonalds, Dollar Store, liquor store, gas stations, and some restaurants (ie, Mexican, Chinese).
For nearby dining, we ate at Up Da Creek at Bohicket Marina. It is a casual restaurant with fresh fish. I had steamed local shrimp and the whole flounder with some typical southern-type sides and it was all very good. We also ate at the Fat Hen on Maybank, which was possibly my favorite meal of the week. It is a lively place with a great menu and drink list. The food was superb. Other restaurants we ate at were in Charleston.
Speaking of Charleston, don’t let anyone fool you into thinking it’s a 30-minute drive. Perhaps starting at the gate of Seabrook and arriving at the outskirts of Charleston, driving very fast and not at night. I’d count on at least 45 minutes, and it is NOT an easy drive at night. We still did it several times, but it was somewhat harrowing. The road is dark, winding, at times very foggy, quite narrow in some places, pretty fast (45-50mph?) and there is no divider for most of it. This was the only thing that we found to be a drag about staying at Seabrook. But, Charleston is the greatest city so it was worth it to trek in there.
Other things near Seabrook that we found to be very worthwhile visits are the tea plantation, the winery, and the Angel Oak. We also stopped in and browsed around Rosebank Farms and Stono Farm Market.
Overall, it is a very lovely place that I would recommend to others.
Seabrook Island Trip Report
What a lovely, detailed report!
I think the water is murky because of the incursion at the Edisto and Kiawah Rivers of pluff mud from the marsh, along with the tricky currents. It makes for wonderful habitat ... but not the most gorgeous water. At least, it is totally ';organic'; and naturally clean.
I cannot imagine who suggested to you that downtown Charleston is a 30-minute drive. Those folks must be the speeders I object to on the Bohicket Road and River Road!
There is a proposal before the Charleston County Council for a new, limited access parkway connecting James Island, near Charleston, to the out-lying areas of Johns Island, like Kiawah and Seabrook. If the new road is approved, it will make travel much safer.
I%26#39;m glad you had a good time. Please come back!
Seabrook Island Trip Report
Regarding the distance to Charleston...
Right from the Seabrook island website: ';Yet, despite its peaceful seclusion, Seabrook Island is conveniently located less than 30 minutes from all the charms of Charleston, the south%26#39;s most romantic city.';
From ResortQuest: ';Seabrook Island is a private, 2,200 acre island and club is located just 30 minutes south of historic Charleston on South Carolina%26#39;s beautiful Atlantic Coast.';
And so on. Most other Seabrook websites say this as well. I knew from tripadvisor that it would be closer to 45 minutes, but if you were just reading the publications, you would be in for a shock. It%26#39;s really a disservice to customers.
And yes, we%26#39;ll be back!
LOL! Since I%26#39;m on Kiawah, I don%26#39;t check the official Seabrook websites. They definitely need to change the message! :)
Great report! I think those driving times are from those who never leave the island (like me;-}) or perhaps it%26#39;s ';island time';.
To us, once you reach Maybank, you%26#39;re in the ';city';. My daughters and I have so many favorite little stops between SI and Charleston, I don%26#39;t know if we%26#39;ve ever made the drive non-stop.
Re: grocery costs--I suggest to my guests who are driving in to make a stop at the Sams (near the airport), Walmart (next to Sams and a new one in West Ashley), Costco, or the new Publix on Hwy 17. If you can get all your big stuff before you head to SI, the prices at Newton Farms are more tolerable.
Wouldn%26#39;t you know!? My husband just sent me a link to story on Piggly Wiggly.
The Big Pig (Piggly Wiggly on Maybank) is now offering online grocery shopping. This could be a huge time saver.
