Shore Thing

By
Appears in the May 2021 issue.

Whether you’re craving a family beach vacation, a golf getaway, or a trip with the anglers in your life, South Carolina’s Kiawah Island checks all the boxes.

A 33-mile drive from Charleston International Airport—or a 15-hour drive from Naperville if you’re feeling like a road trip—will land you on Kiawah. Book a suite at boutique Andell Inn (andellinn.com) or the oceanfront Sanctuary Hotel at Kiawah Island Golf Resort (kiawahresort.com) for the full hotel treatment. There are also myriad short-term rental options, from condos to cottages.

One west suburbanite who has been charmed by Kiawah is Wheaton resident and Naperville business owner Loren Beadle, who built a home on Kiawah 25 years ago and now lives there part of the year. Beadle owns SixtyFour Wine Bar & Kitchen and Trails & Tides on Water Street in downtown Naperville, as well as six businesses on Kiawah Island.

Kiawah’s unique geography is part of what makes it a treasured destination, Beadle says. “It’s a 10-mile-long island that juts straight out into the Atlantic and runs east and west. It’s only two miles wide, so just about anyone on the island can easily get to the beach,” he says. “Take advantage of the low country. Because [the land] is flat … the coast has these tidal marshes and tidal creeks where most of us live and play. That’s why the fishing is so good, the swimming is so good, and the golfing is so good.”

Sporty types can kayak, standup paddleboard, or Jet Ski, while those who prefer a more leisurely pace can take a harbor cruise or stroll the sandy beaches. Nature lovers can take advantage of birding, crabbing, and shelling expeditions.

Kiawah Island Golf Resort has five public golf courses, including the Ocean Course, which will host the 2021 PGA Championship May 17–23 (sold out as of presstime). “It’s a challenging course, one that demands creative strategies from the world’s most elite players,” says Ryan Ogle, championship director. “It’s also a beautiful course, with more holes along the Atlantic Ocean than any other golf course in North America.”

Photo courtesy PGA of America