Edisto Island is an oasis of barrier island fun just south of Charleston, SC. The beach at Edisto goes on for miles and offers vivid sunrises that reveal a treasure trove of seashells and, if you’re lucky, the occasional shark’s tooth. Since it’s a bit off the beaten path and takes about an hour to get to from I95, the area is secluded and uncrowded, especially in the shoulder season of springtime. Edisto is a small strip of land with ocean on one side and marsh on the other. Between the two are several quiet streets with homes, most of which can be rented by vacationers. Despite visiting in March we enjoyed 70 degree temperatures that cooled off when the sun set.
Our boys had fun “storming the beach” where high tide had eroded the previous days beach. There’s a good local seafood shack along the entrance road to the island where you can buy fresh shrimp and crab as well as a farmers market selling local produce. Expectedly, there are a couple beach bars to enjoy and also a golf course if you are so inclined.
The perfect day trip from Edisto is Charleston, SC. We headed out to Ft. Sumter to explore the civil war era fort where the first shot of the Civil War was fired on April 12th, 1861. Ft. Sumter offers a fun Junior Ranger Program for the kids and is an exciting piece of our nation’s history.
Fort Sumter is only accessible by boat, but provides a great view of the city and the island along the way. The boys loved running around the island looking for things in their Junior Ranger books. There’s also a museum both at the dock, where you buy your tickets, and on the island.
After visiting the park, head over to Patriots Point to visit the USS Yorktown and explore one of our nation’s Aircraft carriers that served from WWII through Vietnam. The Yorktown has a fantastic exhibit on naval aviation from the prop driven planes of WWII through the burgeoning jet era of the 50s and 60s. The museum also includes tours of the USS Clamagore Submarine from WWII and the destroyer USS Laffey which allows you to enter the Combat Control Center and participate in a simulated attack.
Finish the day off by strolling through the Charleston City Market to see what the local craftsmen are offering up. Don’t be afraid to barter on pricing.
