Hello, Adventurers! Welcome back to the Coastal Expeditions blog! If this is your first time visiting our blog, we’re happy to have you here. We are all about nature, adventure, and making the most out of the beautiful outdoors of South Carolina. If you enjoy all things hiking, paddling, kayaking, and spending time outdoors, you’ve come to the right place! Here on the blog, we dive deep into different habitats, excursions, conservation efforts, and nature programs. Our site is filled with interactive maps, destination guides, and educational resources. Since the weather is getting warmer, we want to help you get out there and take advantage of all that the Lowcountry has to offer! We offer guided tours of the beautiful Lowcountry by kayak, paddleboard, ferry, boat, and private charter. We also have hands-on workshops taught by highly-trained guides on wilderness skills, birding, identifying native plants, sustainability, and camping. Basically, anything you want to learn about, we teach! If you haven’t already, we encourage you to take a look around our site to learn more about our offerings. Our last article talked about recycling and repurposing at home. This is a great way to help the environment while becoming conscious of the waste we create. Today, we’ll be discussing Isle of Palms, a barrier island with a city of the same name! This spot marks one of our outposts for various guided tours and boasts a variety of tourist attractions and activities, so if you’re interested in learning more, stick around! Let’s get right into it.

Isle of Palms is a unique and slender barrier island, which is a coastal landform that runs parallel to a coastline. (Check out our blog about barrier island ecosystems to learn more!) The island is thought to be 25,000 years old and used to be known as Hunting Island and later as Long Island. It was first visited by the Sewee, an indigenous Native American tribe who visited often to hunt and fish. In fact, the tribe’s name is thought to mean “island people.” However, after the arrival of English settlers, the Sewee left the area completely. It wasn’t until the late 1800s that the island saw visitors again, as the residents of Charleston began to use the island as a vacation spot. 

In 1899, the island was purchased by J.S. Lawrence and was given its current name– Isle of Palms. By 1906, Lawrence built a beach resort, including a 50-room resort hotel, which provided the first public accommodations on the island. Six years later, an amusement park and beach pavilion was built, as well as a trolley line from Mount Pleasant on the mainland of the island via Sullivan’s Island. It wasn’t until 1929 when the Grace Memorial Bridge was constructed that automobile traffic could reach the island– Before then, it was only accessible by ferry. Most of the island was then purchased by J.C. Long, who provided low-cost housing for World War II veterans. From then on, the Isle of Palms experienced an influx of residential development. 

Today, the island is a highly sought-after vacation destination. With six miles of pristine beaches, the Isle of Palms is both a resident and resort community with endless recreational opportunities, both in and out of the water. Among its most well-known resorts is Wild Dunes, which features a variety of hotels and vacation rentals with nationally recognized golf courses. It was developed by the Finch family after purchasing land from J.C. Long in 1972. The resort began as small cottages, condos, a beach house, and tennis courts. Today, the 1,600-acre property boasts vacation home and beach house rentals, as well as condos and cottages, pools, restaurants, and a spa. It also serves as a popular wedding venue– And we can see why! Who wouldn’t want the sparkling waves of the Isle of Palms to serve as their backdrop?

Here at Coastal Expeditions, we offer an outpost just steps from Wild Dunes Resort! This outpost is the starting point for our Isle of Palms guided tours and excursions, including year-round kayak and paddleboard tours. One such tour is our Family Kayak Tour, a two-hour tour departing from our outpost at the marina. Here, you’ll find yourself at the beginning of the longest contiguous stretch of undeveloped coastline on the Eastern seaboard! Wildlife is abundant in this area, so you’re bound to see bottlenose dolphins, sea turtles, pelicans, egrets, blue crabs, oysters, and more! 

Speaking of sea turtles, the Isle of Palms is a great place to catch a glimpse of these magnificent creatures because it offers many spots for them to nest. Loggerhead turtles nest between May and mid-August, where females build nests on the edge of the dunes and deposit their eggs before burying them and heading back to the sea. The Isle of Palms Turtle Team identifies and marks the nests, and then assists the baby sea turtles in getting to the water safely once they hatch. If you’re lucky, you may get to experience the beautiful moment when the baby sea turtles head off of the sand and into the ocean!

For early risers, we offer the Sunrise Kayak Tour, which takes you to a vantage point to catch the first glimpse of the sun rising over the Atlantic Ocean. This tour departs from the Isle of Palms on Tuesdays and Shem Creek on Sundays. You’ll be able to see the salt marsh come alive in real-time– Laughing gulls will soar overhead and dolphins will feed and play in the protected waters. Even if you’re not a morning person, we recommend you try this tour at least once. Nothing beats starting your morning with a one-of-a-kind experience of a beautiful Carolina salt marsh with pink and orange skies above.

We also offer the Full Moon Kayak Tour, which departs from our Isle of Palms Outpost and takes you to Morgan Creek and surrounding tidal creeks. This excursion begins just before sunset and takes you to the best vantage point to witness the sunset and the moon rise! You’ll likely see flocks of native birds go to roost, and the area becomes quiet and calm. Then, you’ll paddle back to the dock beneath the gorgeous moonlight! It’s a truly breathtaking experience that will help you see the Lowcountry in a whole new way. 

In addition to kayak and paddleboarding, the Isle of Palms offers yacht harbors, canoeing, boat and eco-tours, carriage tours, and even horseback riding. Whether you want to experience horseback riding on the white, sandy beaches or take up horse riding lessons, there is something for everyone! And if excursions aren’t really your thing, don’t worry– there are plenty of shopping opportunities on the island. With shopping centers and malls, gift shops, boutiques, surf shops, and more, you’re bound to find something you like! Additionally,  many festivals and events take place on the island and in surrounding areas, such as the Lowcountry Oyster Festival, Lowcountry Cajun Festival, and more. Be sure to check out the list of upcoming events!

After a fun day of exploring the beautiful beaches and spotting wildlife, the Isle of Palms offers an array of dining options. One of the most popular choices is, of course, fresh and local seafood. However, there are many cuisines to choose from, including Asian, Italian, French, BBQ, and fine dining options. And no day trip or vacation is complete without some dessert, so be sure to stop by one of the ice cream shops or bakeries! 

As you can see, the Isle of Palms is just one beautiful part of the Lowcountry. It is a favorite spot for locals and tourists alike. We promise that words and photographs don’t do it justice, though– So get out there and explore! We hope that you found this article informative and helpful. As always, we thank you for reading and we hope to see you back on our blog soon! If you have any questions about our guided tours at the Isle of Palms, reach out to us! At Coastal Expeditions, we are committed to introducing people to the wonders of the ecosystems of the Charleston area by providing guided tours and educational opportunities. If you’re looking to explore all that the Lowcountry has to offer, check out our offerings on our website to find the adventure which suits you best! We also offer kid-friendly tours as well as kids programs, camps, and kayak lessons. Our tours are led by knowledgeable, approachable naturalists and sea captains who are eager to answer your questions! Until next time, readers. Get out there and explore! Adventure awaits!