Mortgage Broker in Seabrook Island, SC

Everyone loves Charleston. It’s like the crown jewel of South Carolina, having been voted for 10 straight years by Travel + Leisure readers as the #1 city to visit in the United States and the only one in America included in the top 25 best cities in the world. That’s quite the recognition in the travel industry! And those who have been to Charleston certainly understand its allure. From beautiful sights to delicious restaurants to historical charm and southern hospitality, what’s not to love? Not to mention, there are always so many fun things to do in Charleston and its surrounding area. We’ve got a fabulous road trip for you to take that will get you a little farther out from downtown when you’re ready to branch out and explore more beyond, specifically, the stunning barrier islands of Charleston.

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We only included the inhabited islands in our trip. Morris Island is a sixth barrier island of Charleston that’s uninhabited.

If you’d like to stay on each of the islands overnight, be sure to check on whether or not any of the places you’re looking at have a minimum number of nights required. That may be the case especially if your trip is during peak travel seasons, in such case, you may have to choose one location as your base to explore from.

Have you been to any of Charleston’s barrier islands? Which is your favorite if you’ve been to more than one, and why?

If you’re looking for other fun things to do in Charleston, check out the nighttime award-winning tour where you can see some of the city’s incredible sites while learning some fascinating things about the history of this popular locale!

There are plenty of good reasons to make the trip to Charleston, South Carolina: Historic homes make for colorful photo ops, the restaurant scene is fresh and inventive, and locally owned stores and boutiques make for unparalleled shopping. Some of the Holy City's greatest assets, though, aren't actually within the city limits. Pack the sunscreen and load the car because the scenic beaches near Charleston are a gem. You won't find ultra-crowded beaches, just a quiet spot to relax and soak up the sunshine. The smooth sand, cool water, and near-perfect weather will make you think you've found pure bliss. Here, find our guide to the sun-drenched beaches that are just a quick drive from the Charleston Peninsula. They're worth the detour.

1. Kiawah Island

While the 23-mile drive from the peninsula out to Kiawah Island takes about 40 minutes on a good day, the pristine stretch of sand at Kiawah's public Beachwalker Park is well worth it. It's quiet, especially for a public park, fronts the ocean, and also offers views of the Kiawah River. Beach chair and umbrella rentals are available seasonally, and dogs are welcome, as long as they're on a leash. Explore Kiawah Island's private beaches by renting a house or villa on the island or booking a stay at the Sanctuary, the island's luxurious oceanfront hotel.

2. Folly Beach

Just 12 miles from downtown, the "Edge of America" is the grooviest of Charleston's nearby beaches. It's a popular hangout for surfers, who frequent "The Washout," a stretch of coast known for having the area's best waves. Center Street, the bohemian beach town's colorful main thoroughfare, is lined with surf and souvenir shops and good eats, like Taco Boy and Rita's Seaside Grille, and is just steps away from Folly's 1,045-foot fishing pier.

3. Isle of Palms

The oceanfront county park on this barrier island has picnic tables, a sand volleyball court, and a playground for the littlest beach bums, making it a great place to take the whole family. Venture a little farther down the beach, beyond the park, to discover a number of fun beachfront bars and eateries, like family-friendly Coconut Joe's Beach Grill and The Windjammer, a classic dive bar and music venue that's as salty as they come. Paddle the intercoastal waterway from Isle of Palms where you may encounter dolphins and get up close to coves and marshes.

4. Seabrook Island

Though the island's nearly 4 miles of unspoiled beaches are private to residents and rental guests only (book your stay here), Seabrook is still worth a stop if you're already making the trip out to Kiawah's Beachwalker Park, which is just a few miles away. An Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary, Seabrook is home to a variety of wildlife, including foxes, bobcats, deer, sea turtles, and bottlenose dolphins. Head to Bohicket Marina for a sunset stroll by the river, then plop down at an outdoor table at the Salty Dog Cafe for water views, East Coast peel-and-eat shrimp, and a cold beer or two.

5. Sullivan's Island

When it comes to old-school cottages, small town charm, and a spotless beach to boot, you won't find a dreamier destination than Sullivan's Island. While neighboring Isle of Palms has a lively resort feel, 3.3-square-mile Sullivan's tends to fly under the radar–and the locals like it that way. Be sure to stop by Poe's Tavern on Middle Street for a killer burger before you head back toward town. Flip-flops and salty hair are always welcome on the front porch.

6. Bulls Island

Accessible only by ferry, this barrier island is 45 minutes away from downtown Charleston and feels far away from the comforts of civilization. A good way to see the birds of this untouched island, and perhaps a playful dolphin if you're lucky, is on a guided paddling tour. Comb the beach for shells, walk Boneyard Beach where a forest is being recalled by the sea, or track foxes, bobcat, and deer.

7. Edisto Island

About 60 miles from Charleston, Edisto Beach's unspoiled coastline makes it worth the drive. Stay beachside for a dreamy vacation, or take a day trip from Charleston. One of four oceanfront state parks in South Carolina, palmetto-lined Edisto Beach State Park provides the picture-perfect backdrop for swimming, hunting for shells and sharks' teeth, fishing, or strolling. After a day on the island's trails, savor some seafood at the Waterfront Restaurant or the tacos at McConkey's Jungle Shack.

8. Morris Island

Hunt for shells and fossils near the candy cane–striped lighthouse on this uninhabited island just minutes from Charleston. Accessible only by boat, visitors can opt for several tour options, including riding out on a 55-foot power catamaran that's for the more adventurous traveler. For photography buffs, view the lighthouse from the shores of Folly Beach.

9. Pawleys Island

It takes a bit longer to reach from Charleston than some of the other beaches, but the slower pace on Pawleys Island is instantly soothing. This barrier island packs a lot into its four-mile stretch. Set off in a canoe or kayak to explore the salt marsh that separates this island from the mainland, or settle in for a day at the beach. There's shelling, fishing, and crabbing to be done. Sign up for surfing lessons—some of the best waves are near Pawleys Island Pier.

10. Capers Island

Similar to Bulls Island, Capers Island has its own forest of forgotten sea-bleached trees covering the shoreline. At low tide, you may see feeding dolphins and water birds like egrets and herons searching for a meal. Discover tide pools as you walk the beach, hike the island to see gators and deer in their natural habitat, or paddle along the shores and see jellyfish and crabs. Reach this undeveloped island by chartered boat, or take a kayak tour to learn about the area's ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions

SEABROOK ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - Seabrook Island neighbors are petitioning their leaders to cap the number of short-term rentals, stating there is overcrowding due to what they called over-tourism, but the mayor said the town has no plans to do so.

Seabrook Island homeowner Ted Flerlage says over 700 of his neighbors want to cap the number of short-term rentals on the island.

“What we’re trying to do is cap, not end the process of short-term rentals, cap at roughly the present numbers, evaluate what happens after that,” Flerlage said, “and then, determine whether or not we should lower the number of short-term rentals.”

As of June 19, there are 484 of these properties on the island, which residents said has led to overcrowding on the island’s streets and amenities.

Mayor John Gregg said for this year, data gathered over the past few months suggest otherwise.

“We’re not going to be looking at imposing limitations on the number of short-term rental units,” Gregg said.

Coastal Getaways owner Nancy Buck said more people are starting to call the island home, and good rentals are full for around 40% of the year.

She says all of her clients are property owners who rent to help offset the costs of the amenities, taxes and insurance.

“We’ve also gone from 35% permanent residents to 60% residents in the last two years,” Buck said. “Twenty-five percent of the properties have turned over since 2019.”

Buck also adds the majority of the amenities are mostly used by members and not rental guests.

However, the homeowners want the town’s government to hear them out.

“I’d like him to reconsider,” Flerlage said. “I’d like him to look at the reality and listen to the people who are property owners here, the residents on the island. You know, 700 people is a big number.”

“Let’s wait and see how this year goes,” Buck said. “They instituted the short-term rental ordinance couple of years ago, or actually, last year, so let’s give it a full year to see how it goes.”

Both Buck and the homeowners said they want to work out their differences over the next several months to come up with a solution that works for everyone.

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.

SEABROOK ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - An ongoing battle over short-term rentals is brewing on Seabrook Island, where homeowners say uncontrolled growth of properties is affecting their quality of life.

Homeowners Ted Flerlage and Paul McLaughlin said although they do not want to end short-term rentals on the island, the effects of recent growth have prompted them to call for a cap on short-term rentals.

“If you come here in July, around July Fourth, as a resident walking out boardwalk one, let’s say, to north beach, there’s no space, and that is a rental issue,” Flerlage, who has lived on the island since March 2020, said. “That is a noise issue. It is a parking issue because every spot on the limited parking area is taken.”

The two homeowners have spearheaded the Preserve Seabrook effort. A letter sent to residents as part of the effort says concerns “center on the uncontrolled growth of short-term rentals, especially on streets where there are many full-time and private residential properties.”

“We aim to retain a reasonable offering of properties that can be rented by guests who love to visit and vacation on our beautiful island, while ensuring Seabrook does not gradually morph into a resort community,” the letter states. “We believe adding a cap on the number of resort properties on Seabrook would protect the unique qualities of our island while allowing revenue generated through rental properties to continue to flow back to the town through state and county accommodation taxes that the renters pay.”

Over 300 residents have signed a petition to cap the number of short-term rentals on the island, according to McLaughlin.

The petition seeks a single question on the Nov. 2, 2021 ballot that asks if voters support:

“Seabrook, when I bought here in 2002 and built our house here in 2009, it was more like ‘Cheers,’” McLaughlin said. “Everybody knew your name. Now, with the influx of 500 rental properties and growing, it’s changed a lot, and the quality of life on the island has changed a lot.”

Seabrook Island Mayor John Gregg said a petition from those calling for a cap has been sent to a committee, which will conduct a factual inquiry and then report to town council with recommendations.

“The object for the ad hoc committee was to identify inquiries of factual matters that could inform council as it considers whether or not it is warranted to do further regulation,” Gregg said.

The mayor added that to operate a short-term rental on the island, homeowners need to have a business license and a permit from the town.

McLaughlin and Flerlage said they welcome the data-driven effort but want more communication from the town and to work with them on a solution.

“Our question to them: What is the tipping point? If 500 isn’t the tipping point, is it 600? Is it 700? Is it 800? So, in the meantime, we need to figure it out,” McLaughlin said. “We need to halt what’s going on. Everybody keeps what they currently have, and we study the problem, and we figure out what the solution would be. We don’t make the problem worse while continuing to study it.”

“These are people who live in South Carolina and vote in South Carolina who live on the island and vote on the island,” Flerlage said. “These are the people who are their direct constituents – the people who vote for the mayor and the town council. It’s more than 300 of those people who signed up, which is nearly as many as who voted for them in the last election on Nov. 2, and in our opinion, there has been no communication and we’ve been getting fairly short-tripped on the issue.”

Copyright 2021 WCSC. All rights reserved.

A mystery came out of the ocean on South Carolina’s Seabrook Island, and authorities haven’t yet identified what some are calling “space junk.”

The Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network was the first to notice, posting a photo on Facebook of a “mysterious object that washed ashore” on Thursday. The island is about 24 miles south of Charleston.

The object is big, taller than a woman standing nearby, and it’s cylindrical.

It also looks like it’s made of concrete, but Marine Mammal network officials say that’s deceiving. Touch it and it feels like “a soft foam,” said the network, adding that it was quickly whisked away by town officials.

The Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network asked for help identifying the object and the Kiawah Conservancy shared the plea on its Facebook page. Dozens of people have responded with guesses ranging from parts of an alien craft to refuse from a “government munition dumping site” in the Atlantic.

“I saw it this morning on my walk,” posted Jennifer Passantino on the Kiawah Conservancy Facebook page. “I assume it was a buoy, but could also be the remains of an alien spaceship.”

The most popular assumption is that the object is part of a NASA rocket, shuttle or “re-entry capsule.”

“Part of the space shuttle Challenger that blew up about thirty years ago. Looks like a rocket nozzle to me,” wrote Jim Elrod on the Mammal Network Facebook page. “Notice the different insulating materials. Take a sample of the insulating material and try to burn it to see if it melts.”

“You may want to contact NASA,” said Barry Dearborn in a Facebook post. “This could be part of the space shuttle Challenger’s External Tank.”

Todd Mason disagreed, noting any part of the shuttle would by now be “covered in marine life.”

“This is either newly introduced to the ocean or was buried deep prior to being dislodged,” Mason said.

In June, the Charlotte Observer reported a similar mystery object -- made of metal -- washed ashore at Corolla. Its use and origin were never reported.

This story was originally published October 5, 2018, 1:44 PM.