USA Today: Attractions & Things to Do – Edisto Beach, South Carolina
Edisto Beach, one hour from Charleston, offers a relaxed, Southern pace of life. The beautiful natural setting provides outdoor activities to keep everyone happy from the dedicated fisherman to the eco-tourist. Although the town has plenty to keep you busy, it remains less crowded than other South Carolina beach towns and offers an unspoiled view of the Lowcountry.
Museums
Edisto Island Serpentarium (edistoserpentarium.com) displays snakes, iguanas, alligators and other reptiles in indoor and outdoor habitats. The indoor displays feature smaller animals, such as snakes and baby alligators, while larger animals, including adult alligators and snapping turtles are outside. The serpentarium is open from May to early September. The Edisto Island Museum (edistomuseum.org) offers exhibits that explore the town’s history and examines the lives of some of its former citizens. Among the museum’s displays are exhibits devoted to the experiences of Native Americans, African-Americans and the Civil War period and pirate eras. The museum’s gift shop sells local food, books about the area, jewelry and toys.
Shopping and Dining
Located on a dock, Enterprise Pavilion (edistopavilion.com) has the town’s only waterfront bar, as well as a restaurant and gift shop. The town has around a dozen restaurants, with the emphasis on seafood, and a pizza parlor and a barbecue restaurant. Edisto Beach gift shops and galleries sell local arts and crafts, jewelry, clothing and gifts. Edisto Bookstore sells new and used books, gifts and cards and has wi-fi service.
Sports
The Plantation Course at Edisto (theplantationcourseatedisto.com) offers an 18-hole course, as well as a pro shop that sells gifts as well as golfing equipment. The Plantation Villa is next to the course and provides four-room condominium vacation rentals, as well as dining at the Plantation Grill and Grovers Bar. Fishermen can choose from pier fishing, charter boat services for deep-sea fishing and surf fishing. Guided eco-tours of Botany Bay are available through outfitters and range from kayaking tours to cruises. You can go dolphin watching in the bay or see loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings during the summer. Companies also rent motorboats, kayaks and bicycles if you want to explore on your own.
Edisto Beach State Park
Palmettos line the oceanfront at Edisto Beach State Park (southcarolinaparks.com), which offers hiking and bicycling trails and offers good fishing, especially for flounder, spot tail and whiting. The park has a boat ramp and a campground with 111 RV campsites with electricity and water hookups and five tent campsites. The park also rents seven cabins at Scott Creek, where guests can fish off a private dock.
