Kiawah Island, South Carolina
About 30 miles southwest of Charleston, Kiawah Island is a renowned Lowcountry barrier island famous for golf and family-friendly outdoor recreation. Inspirato offers eight homes and a hotel in the heart of it all. Laurel, Driftwood Dunes, and Osprey offer the best beach access, while nearby AAA Five Diamond Award-winner Sanctuary Hotel offers luxury rooms and five championship golf courses, including the world-famous Ocean Course.
Five-bedroom Verbena is the closest standalone home to The Ocean Course, boasting a private pool and screened-in porch overlooking marshlands. Monarch, Beachcomber, and Azalea are all a quick bike ride away from the beach. Sabal is located within the Vanderhorst Plantation, less than a half-mile to Kiawah Island center.
High-End Escape in Lowcountry
Kiawah Island is best known for its five championship golf courses, including the Ocean Course, one of four courses to have hosted every major PGA event and named America's Toughest Course by Golf Digest in 2012. Along with high-end golf and a destination spa, this private community offers a lush, natural habitat flourishing with wildlife and more than 10 miles of secluded beaches where Loggerhead turtles nest. Wildlife and natural habitat exploration is a popular activity for the entire family. With golf, wildlife exploration, top-ranked tennis, a five-star spa and 20-plus miles of bike trails, there simply isn't time to be idle on Kiawah unless by choice.
Quick Facts
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Suggested Airport
CHS -
Average Temperature
70° F -
Championship Golf Courses
5 -
Miles of Bike Trails
31 -
Driving Time to Charleston
1 hour
Fresh Things To Do
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Always in Bloom
The oldest landscaped gardens in the U.S., Middleton Place reflects 18th-century Europe. Kids will love the farm animals in the stableyards, where workers make a living as potters, blacksmiths and carpenters.
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Cocktail Hour
Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka is made locally on Wadmalaw Island, so the area's must-try cocktail is a Firefly and Lemonade. Venture to the distillery to see how this sweet vodka is made, then sit back and relax with your own cocktail.
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Underwater, Over Water
The South Carolina Aquarium hosts a variety of marine life reflecting the state's regions: Mountain Forest, Piedmont, Coastal Plain and Atlantic Coast. Exhibits let visitors touch and feed stingrays and hold horseshoe crabs and starfish.
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Brunch Time
The cuisine at Jasmine Porch is renowned but Sunday brunch is its signature. In addition to Charleston's versions of brunch standards, you'll find fresh seafood, housemade charcuterie, endless desserts and complimentary champagne.
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Summer Reading
Kiawah boasts 10 miles of private beach, so you'll always have a quiet stretch to yourself. For a comfortable interior space, The Sanctuary is a terrific spot. In the style of an old Southern mansion, its cozy Morning Room overlooks the Atlantic.
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Magnolia's Uptown Down South
Chef Donald Drake and his team use traditional ingredients and cooking techniques to create upscale Southern cuisine. Try the lowcountry bouillabaisse, grilled chicken creole or bourbon glazed porterhouse pork chop.
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Featured Activity
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Kiawah Island lays claim to five championship golf courses, making it one of the premier golf resorts in the country. Your Destination Concierge can arrange tee times at your convenience. Here's a primer for the links enthusiast who doesn't plan on five full rounds.
The Ocean Course by Pete Dye. Framed by panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and nestled between the beach and the tidal marshland, the 18-hole Ocean Course trumpets beauty. Golf Digest named it "America's Toughest Resort Course," and it's also one of only 16 five-star courses in North America.
Jack Nicklaus' Turtle Point. Jack Nicklaus designed this course to flow through forests and along backwater lagoons to finish at three spectacular holes along the ocean. Tight fairways with challenging hazards earned Turtle Point four stars in Golf Digest's "Best Places to Play."
Tom Fazio's Osprey Point. A Tom Fazio masterpiece, this guest favorite sits amid pristine lagoons, marshes and maritime forests offering picturesque views from every hole. Osprey Point earned 4 1/2 stars in Golf Digest's "Best Places to Play" survey.
For more information about vacationing in this destination, contact your Care team.
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Kiawah Island Travel Tips
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Rent a Bike
On a family vacation? We recommend renting bikes for everyone. With more than 30 miles of bike paths, you can find new adventures daily. Cruise together down shady streets and boardwalks and enjoy lunch at Freshfields Village.
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Beachy Keen
Unlike other popular resort destinations, the beaches on Kiawah Island are uncrowded and have nearby parking. While you can rent chairs, we suggest bringing blankets and a picnic, as the island's beaches do not have facilities such as dining or restrooms.
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Plan a Day Trip
Charleston's culinary and arts scenes, along with its rich history, are well worth the 45-minute drive. The city claims five James Beard chefs, eclectic galleries, mansion tours and wildlife experiences like the South Carolina Aquarium.
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Look for Wildlife
Amid the amenities of this resort, you might forget that it offers 10,000 acres of natural woodlands. Nature programs and walking and paddling tours give you a chance to spot alligators, loggerhead turtles, snakes, lizards and bird species.
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Off-Season Festivals
Nearby Charleston offers great culinary and arts festivals in the spring and fall. Consider the BB& T Charleston Wine + Food Festival in March and the Grits Festival in April. In September catch Mozart in the South and the MOJA Arts Festival.
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Weather
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Forecasting Your Kiawah Island Vacation
Kiawah Island boasts an enviable semitropical climate with temperatures that average in the high 80s in the summer and hover around 50 degrees during the winter months. Temperature variations between night and day are usually minimal.
