Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Sammy Todd Dyess
Riding bikes on Kiawah Island beach
With its wide open beaches and lush landscape, Kiawah Island is the ultimate surfside playground. There are 10 miles of uninterrupted beach giving you ample space to stretch, walk, run, bike, and castle build.
Off the beach, there are world-class golf courses, plus tennis, kayaking, and biking. It’s a quick, trip, too: A nonstop flight to Charleston and a leisurely 20-mile cruise down toward the island’s live oak-lined parkway will put you there by lunchtime. If you like to luxuriate in long, lazy beach days and break things up with a little island exploration, consider Kiawah Island this spring.
Make Kiawah Island Golf Resort your home base—the Sanctuary Hotel, a regal oceanfront hotel and spa, boasts 255 rooms as well as a casual coastal elegance reflected throughout its grand, open spaces. Besides the beachfront access and multiple pools, the resort provides an array of ways to explore the island, from surfing lessons and dolphin encounters to yoga, kids’ camp, a stunning spa, and dining options for every whim.
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The Sanctuary pool
Get checked into one of the hotel’s soothing, ocean-facing rooms and then orient yourself with a long walk on the beach, followed by a dip in one of the Sanctuary’s pools—there’s an adults-only infinity pool and hot tub, as well as a family-friendly resort pool, both of which are surrounded by plenty of shade-producing umbrellas, plus a few cabanas. The Loggerhead Grill hits the spot for a casual dinner on the veranda—go for the blackened mahi mahi tacos and a frozen strawberry daiquiri.
If you’ve brought the kids along, they’ll find their people at Kamp Kiawah, a day camp that sets up shop within Night Heron Park, a sprawling green space with its own pool, playground, and a nature center. While they swim and craft, you can hit the links—Kiawah is home to five courses, including the Ocean Course, which will host the 2021 PGA Championship. There’s also the Tommy Cuthbert Golf Learning Center where you can brush up on your game. Wherever you end up, take a midday mulligan at Cherrywood BBQ & Ale House for a platter of barbecue-topped nachos and one of the many craft beers on hand. Out on the patio, you can watch out for the many alligators that call the neighboring lagoon home.
Later in the day, rent a few bikes and take a ride out toward the beach, which is packed firm making it easy on two wheels, or along more than 30 miles of trails throughout the island. You’ll work up an appetite for dinner at The Atlantic Room, where chef John Ondo oversees a continental menu that’s packed with fresh seafood. There are local oysters on the half shell and deviled eggs topped with lobster and caviar, plus roasted grouper and shrimp and grits. After dinner, head out to the lawn for sunset views over the dunes and sea.
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Grand Lawn of the Sanctuary
Kiawah’s inland side is rimmed by the Kiawah River, which is flush with native birds, crabs, and occasionally dolphin—it’s just right for exploring by kayak during a guided excursion. Join your guide at Mingo Point and head through the channel for the tour, which might include a stop at a private beach for net seining and shell hunting. Afterward, Town Center Market has easy grab-and-go lunches on hand. Fuel up there before embarking on one of the resort’s hands-on cooking experiences, like the two- to three-hour fishing adventure that ends with a wood-fired al fresco dinner at Mingo Point.
Leave yourself at least half a day to indulge at the Sanctuary Spa, a Forbes five-star attraction. With natural and coastal accents, it’s an oasis of calm that starts with a rest inside a tranquil solarium and peaks with treatments like the invigorating Sea Essence Fusion—an exfoliation treatment followed by a massage that utilizes warm polished sea shells.
For one final splurge, reserve a table inside the Ocean Room, the resort’s world-class steakhouse. Yes, there’s butter-soft tenderloin and dry-aged strip steaks but don’t pass on seafood favorites like the seared scallops set atop tortellini filled with fennel and manchego. From the Imperial Kaluga Caviar service to the showstopping desserts (look for the raspberry and pistachio tart), it’s a meal that will permanently secure your love for this South Carolina retreat. –EBM
Florida’s Sports Coast
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Anclote Key
Planning a beach trip might have you suffering from the dreaded condition known as “paralysis by analysis”—when there are simply too many choices on where to go and the fun to be had. We’ve all been there: researching the vacation, polling friends and family and co-workers, looking for input, finding amazing deals that sound too good to be true.
Sometimes it helps to just hit the easy button and find one spot that checks everybody’s box. Just outside Tampa, Florida, there are a number of hidden gems that, when strung together, create Florida’s Sports Coast. Some seven hundred odd miles south of Nashville, on the western coast of the peninsula state, you can lose yourself in a world of activity. From here, you can do everything from scallop-diving to birdwatching, craft brewery crawling to skydiving, ziplining to wakeboarding. Non-stop flights daily from Music City mean you can be ankle-deep in sand, sun, and salt by mid-afternoon. The only hard part might be deciding what to do first.
If you’re a Bucket List subscriber, be prepared to check a whole slew of things off your list. Head to Zephyrhills to jump out of a perfectly good airplane with the folks at SkyDive City. Performing over 5,000 jumps a year, SkyDive City can take you from your first tandem jump to training for solo dives in more than a half-dozen categories, as outlined by the United States Parachute Association. (Yep, that’s a thing!)
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Tree Hoppers
Looking for additional thrill seeking? Take in the lush terrain from new heights on one of TreeHoppers aerial adventure park courses. And if you’re having trouble fitting all that activity in, book a nighttime Cosmis zipline on a Friday or Saturday night and get ready to really feel a thrill.
In the nearby town of Hudson lies The Lift Adventure Park where thrillseekers can choose to wakeboard, kayak, or jump off of sky-high inflatables. After a day here, you are practically guaranteed to sleep like a rock.
For a whole new view of Florida, book a hot air balloon ride with American Balloons out of nearby Land O’ Lakes to indulge in a serene adventure. There is almost no more awe-inspiring view than from the basket of one of these Kubicek balloons.
If you’re a nature lover, Florida has you covered. Anclote Key Preserve State Park, accessible only by boat or paddle, this Tarpon Springs park boasts seven miles of coastline and is home to over 8,000 nesting shore birds, including bald eagles and plovers. An old lighthouse stands guard at the southernmost tip of the island which is paradise for those looking to truly escape the grind of daily life. Pack a picnic or a tent and serenity will be waiting.
A truly unique experience is scalloping. This will be the one activity everyone will remember as their favorite—and why not? Scalloping is like a giant game of aquatic hide-and-seek. Book a day with Captain Mark Dillingham and be prepared for the most fun you can have in shallow water. All that’s needed is a mask and snorkel, fins and a mesh bag to collect your quarry.
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Giraffe Ranch
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Scalloping
Venture to Dade City for a safari that will make you swear you’re on the African savanna as you feed giraffes at Giraffe Ranch. Not a zoo or a theme park, Giraffe Ranch is a working game farm and wildlife preserve where pygmy hippos, Brazilian tapir, and tiny Irish Dexter cattle all have room to roam. Whether you choose to tour via Segway or four-wheel-drive vehicle, this is an experience you won’t soon forget.
Don’t forget to take time to refuel between sporty sessions. Dive into classic Old Florida cuisine with Pasco County favorites like fried gator bites, she-crab bisque, shrimp tacos, and blackened grouper at Kafe Kokopelli.
Believe it or not, Florida has an amazing international food scene. As one-part farmer, one-part chef, Benedetto’s Ristorante Italiano owner Ben Pumo epitomizes the farm (and sea) to table movement. What he can’t grow himself, he sources from local farmers and fishermen. One word of advice: When scallops are in season, order them. Oh, and save room for dessert, preferably something with his local kumquats.
Looking for a tasty adult beverage? Visit Sip, a hidden speakeasy in the heart of downtown New Port Richey. This wine and craft beer bar features craft cocktails in a laid-back atmosphere that begs you to stay a bit longer.
As for accommodations, there are a variety of hotel options along the Sports Coast, but the Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa Bay is a vacation destination all its own. Featuring golf, tennis, volleyball, swimming and a spa, you might be tempted to never leave the property. –CR
Wilmington, North Carolina
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Wrightsville Beach
When Hurricane Florence made landfall on the beaches of Wilmington, North Carolina in 2018, its sluggish rotation proved one of the area’s most devastating storms in history. But, you’d never know it now. The 31 miles of island shoreline just minutes from town consisting of Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beaches offer everything you’d expect minus the sea of people often found in other beach communities. Back in town, The Port City boasts a 230+ block National Register historic district along with a cultural scene to whet most any appetite with the Cape Fear River serving anchor. Whether flip flops and sand, or kicks and bricks, you’ll find your balance in this Southern getaway.
Nearly two dozen craft breweries featured on the Wilmington Ale Trail dot this town just shy of 120,000 residents where local favorite, Fly Trap Brewing, located in the Brooklyn Arts District, pays homage to its native carnivorous pitcher plant only found in this part of the world.
If protecting the region’s wildlife remains top of mind, head out to the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher near the convergence of Cape Fear River with the Atlantic Ocean. Dedicated to the conservation of aquatic life, this award-winning aquarium just received its Sensory Inclusion Certification making the experience a positive one for the sensory sensitive. The nature hunt continues with a day of birding, exploring undeveloped barrier islands, or a fishing expedition aboard the pet-friendly Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours. One of their newest tours walks visitors through the history of the 67-acre Airlie Gardens featuring the Airlie Oak dating back to 154, and more than 75,000 azaleas among the formal gardens. But, when those Atlantic waves call you to land’s edge, certified instructors at Tony Silvagni Surf School can teach you to surf, or perfect your SUP/kayak skills. Beachcombers will also enjoy the VIP chair and umbrella set ups Paradise Island Rentals provide.
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North Carolina Aquarium
If breakfast is your favorite, start your day in town at Cast Iron Kitchen where 75 percent of their fare is sourced from North Carolina. In keeping with the eat local scene, out on Carolina Beach, The Southerly Biscuit and Pie specializes in grab-and-go biscuit sandwiches, pies and cakes while also offering gluten-free options. Its sister restaurant, Surf House Oyster Bar and Surf Camp, is a dinner-only must. Of course, the oysters are divine. But, so are the other sustainably-sourced (nearly 100 percent) offerings from the farms, river, and sea of North Carolina. You’ll find a Wrightsville Beach lunch and dinner classic at South Beach Grill overlooking Banks Channel while sharing an order of those Crab and Seafood Nachos for Two, or perhaps a fresh-caught chalkboard special will do the trick.
Latin American works of art happen at Savorez in downtown Wilmington where the belief that “farm-to-table” doesn’t have to align with Grandma’s home cooking, not that there’s anything wrong with that though. As seen on the PBS series “A Chef’s Life,” Chef Vivian Howard and her husband Ben Knight once chronicled their experiences of opening Benny’s Big Time Pizzeria in Wilmington’s South Front District. Specializing in wood-fired pizzas and pastas, they say it’s all about Italian food that “takes happy to the next level.” And, when it comes to next level fine dining, Wilmington’s four-diamond jewel, Manna ave. 123, is the crown of the town. From innovative craft cocktails and an extensive wine list to the most decadent menu items cleverly named, this special occasion joint might possibly be heaven sent.
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Blockade Runner Beach Resort
Serving the Wrightsville Beach community as not only the premier place to say for more than half of a century, but also a top choice for special occasion dining on the island, Blockade Runner Beach Resort was literally at ground zero when Hurricane Florence hit the coast just steps from the boutique property’s backdoor. Receiving a complete multi-million dollar restoration, you’ll enjoy panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean or tidal marshes in true coastal luxe style at the boutique property. Make sure to also reserve space at their ASA-certified sailing school, or eco-paddle tours.
Feel as though you’ve stepped back in time at downtown Wilmington’s Graystone Inn. Within walking distance of plenty shopping and dining options, this turn-of-the-century mansion was built by Wilmington Railroad heiress, Elizabeth Haywood Bridgers. Chose from the nine well-appointed rooms and suites dressed in sumptuous bedding and stately antiques. Wake to a Southern breakfast of decadence which often includes the Inn’s famous Key Lime Stuffed French Toast. Complimentary wine and hor d'oeuvres are also served each evening before hitting the town. –MC