Weekend Travel Inspiration: Kiawah Island, SC

When you go on vacation, what is your preference --

a relaxing beach vacation? 

Or an "on the go" sightseeing vacation?

  
Years ago, I would have said "beach" in a heartbeat.

But now, I'm more inclined to go where there are things to see.

So when Mr. Goo Shoes and I planned a 2-week beach vacation,

I was afraid I might go a little stir crazy. 

I needn't have worried.   

 

After a lot of deliberation, we decided to spend our vacation 

on Kiawah Island, off the coast of South Carolina...

Low Country.

Although we could have flown there in about two hours,

we decided to make it a road trip, so we could take our dog, Sadie.  

We took our time on the 800-mile ride down,

stopping for a night in Old Town Alexandra, Virginia,

and then, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. 

Usually, I research a place like crazy before going,

but this time, I guess I just assumed it would be 

the beach and nothing but the beach...
with a day trip to Charleston, thrown in. 

I was pleasantly surprised to find that there is a lot more to the Kiawah area than just golf and sand!

Still, the main reason we went was for the beach, 

and it did not disappoint! 

When the tide was out, the beach was insanely wide,

and the sand was hard enough that you could ride a bike on it.

Beach etiquette wasn't an issue here...

you know, when someone parks their chair right on top of yours?

Don't you hate that?

Unlikely to happen here, at least during low tide.

Although there was a lot of rain,

we were lucky that it never disrupted our plans,

and we were able to spend some time on the beach every day. 

My afternoon activities went something like this:

Read book...

Catch up on Words With Friends...

Play a few rounds of 2048...

Have a little snooze.
Aaaah, what a life!

We did manage to tear ourselves 

away from the beach and do a few other things.

In fact, Kiawah is really as much about nature...

as it is about golf balls and beach balls.

One afternoon, we went on an "Alligator Adventure" tour, 

booked through the Kiawah Nature Center. 

And, oh, yes, we did see gators galore!

We were standing within 20 feet of these swamp thangs...

Pretty exciting stuff, if you're from the NY area...

we don't get to see things like this, like y'all do in the south. 

The activity one evening was a Sunset Cruise down the Kiawah River.

We lucked out, as there actually was a sunset!

All of the other nights, it rained.

OK, it wasn't exactly luck.

I was glued to my weather ap plotting the best night to go.

We were on a small motorboat with just eight other people.

Being novices, we brought only our cameras.

The others? 

They brought cocktails and hors d' oeuvres.  

Harrumph. Next time.

The real entertainment was outside the boat, though,

where the dolphins and pelicans put on quite a show for us.

Between Mr. GS and me, we didn't get one decent dolphin shot. 

Pelicans followed dolphins, waiting for them to stir up the fish...

in hopes that one would fly up in their direction.

And they did. 

 Bird-watching was another popular sport.

I could do a post just on the gorgeous birds of the Low Country.

  We went on a tour called "Back Island Birding," and saw some magnificent species.

Between taking pictures and listening to the guide,

I couldn't manage to write down what this gorgeous bird was,

so anyone who can help me out, please do.

A brown heron, maybe?

 We saw blue birds, mockingbirds, turkeys, white egrets, blue herons, 
ospreys, pelicans, blue grosbeaks, green herons, anhingas, 

and the one bird I most wanted a photo of...

the painted bunting (top right corner).
I should have been more specific,

and said I wanted a clear picture, but hey. It's something. 

The famed Angel Oak Tree on John's Island was another destination.

It's enormous canopy, and low-lying limbs were a spectacle to behold. 

I thought it would reach out and grab me, like in the Wizard of Oz.

There were several Plantations to visit,

and we chose the Magnolia Plantation, just outside of Charleston. 

Can't you just see some handsome soldier

riding up on his horse, returning from the war...

to his beautiful southern belle, who is waiting for him on the porch?

Sigh. 

Just like in the movies.

 I asked Mr. Goo Shoes if he wanted to tour the inside of the house.

"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

I'm kidding!

He did NOT say that! 

I just had to use that line :)  

 Actually, I wasn't interested in going inside.

I wanted to walk around the magnificent grounds --

 named one of "America's Most Beautiful Gardens."

Oh, and I wanted to go to the gift shop.

Beggin' your pah-don, but, a girl's got priorities!

 

This is one of the slave cabins.

It was a good distance away from the main house.

 Also on the property is the Audobon Swamp Garden, 

considered to be one of the most important

ecosystems of its kind in the US.

If that isn't enough,

it is also where Swamp Thing was filmed.

We enjoyed walking around...in a eerie kind of way...

checking over my shoulder for swamp monsters,

and seeing lots of different types of beautiful birds.

   
Kiawah turned out to be the perfect vacation destination.

An ideal mix of relaxing on the beach,
and plenty of sights to see.

 And I haven't even told you about Charleston yet...and the food!
Oh, the food!

The Charleston post will have to wait.

After all, 

"Tomorrow is another day."

And this post is way too long already. 

Linking With:
Weekend Travel Inspiration
Mosaic Monday
Our World Tuesday 
Skywatch Friday