Estate Planning Attorney in Kiawah Island, SC

There are some places that stick with you, and for Southern Living editor-in-chief Sid Evans, that place is Pawleys Island, South Carolina. He’s been visiting the tiny sliver of Lowcountry land most summers since he was 5 or 6 and says it’s still one of his favorite places. About 70 miles north of Charleston and 25 miles south of Myrtle Beach, Pawleys has a loyal fan base despite its small stature. The entire barrier island is less than 4 miles long, and in most places, only about one house wide, which means water is everywhere you look. On the west, there’s an intricate network of salt marshes and creeks. On the east, you get gorgeous views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Though hurricane damage has brought some new and updated places to stay, at its heart, Pawleys remains a low-key Lowcountry getaway where the pace of your day depends entirely on your mood. “If you rent a place with a dock on the creek, you can fish, crab, or just hang out and watch the sun set over the marsh,” Evans says.

While Pawley's Island offers plenty to do, if you want to venture off the island, there are several nearby attractions you can visit, including Brookgreen Gardens, Huntington Beach State Park, and Atalaya Castle. Keep reading for the best things to do on Pawleys Island.

What To Do On Pawleys Island

The historic heart of Pawleys all started with the Original Hammock Shop, which was established in 1938. Today, the vibrant shopping village consists of 21 unique local shops, two restaurants, a playground, and several outdoor gathering spaces. You can still get an original Pawleys Island Rope Hammock from the legendary store and see other historic buildings like The Schoolhouse and Waverly Building, two 1800s buildings that now house La Tierra Mineral Gallery and BisQit restaurant, respectively.

; 10880 Ocean Hwy, Pawleys Island, SC 29585

Consult the Waccamaw Golf Trail, a collection of courses that spans Pawleys Island, Litchfield, and the surrounding area, for a recommendation on where to play. The 18-hole course at Caledonia Golf & Fish Club has won multiple awards from golf publications for being a top public course. Another popular spot is the Jack Nicklaus-designed course at Pawleys Plantation.

; 369 Caledonia Drive, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 70 Tanglewood Drive, Pawleys Island, SC 29585

Between Pawleys saltwater coast and its immense freshwater network of marshes, deltas, tidal creeks, and estuaries, there’s so much vibrant nature and wildlife to observe. On an ecotour with Pawleys Island Guide Services, you can expect to spot everything from alligators, turtles, crabs, dolphins, and otters to a huge variety of birds, including roseate spoonbill, osprey, blue heron, and wood storks.

; 577 Brace Drive, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-833-4477

It’s not hard to find the beach on Pawleys, considering the entire island is only about a quarter-mile wide. Before you plant your umbrella in the sand, make a stop at Pawleys Island Supplies for all your beach day essentials. The old-school hardware and general store has everything you might need for a long day of fun in the sun, from floats and boogie boards to sun hats, shades, and snacks.

; 10460 Ocean Highway, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-237-2912

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it’s worth paying a visit to this early 1900s Classical Revival-style church that still hosts Sunday services to this day. If you go, be sure to also spend time in the church cemetery, which was established in the 1820s and is famously the final resting place of local legend Alice Flagg (who’s said to haunt the Grand Strand) and celebrated poet and novelist James Dickey.

On Sundays at All Saints Church, a traditional service is held at 7:45 a.m., a casual service a 9:00 a.m., and a blended service at 10:30 a.m.

; 3560 Kings River Road, Pawleys Island, SC 29585

If you want to attend a Sunday service in one of the most gorgeous settings imaginable, the marsh-side Pawleys Island Chapel is ready to welcome guests from June through August. Even if you don’t come for a sermon, be sure to make the pilgrimage to see this iconic Pawleys Island spot.

; 391 Myrtle Avenue, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-237-2000

Most of Pawleys Island's best attractions are 100% free, and this activity is no different. Evans recommends going to the Point, also known as the Southern tip of the island, at low tide to look for shark teeth. You never know what kind of treasures you might get to take home.

To bring a piece of lowcountry beauty back home with you, visit some of the local galleries on the island. Gray Man Gallery celebrates the culture, landscape, and soul of the Lowcountry and offers custom framing, while Floyd Fine Arts offers fine paintings, sculptures, and ceramics.

; 9841 Ocean Highway, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 11096 Ocean Highway, Pawleys Island, SC 29585

Where To Eat On Pawleys Island

For some of the best food on the island, dine with Chef Adam Kirby at his two restaurants, Rustic Table and Bistro 217. At Rustic Table, the former state chef ambassador serves up his signature style of Southern comfort food with dishes like country-fried steak with Sawmill sausage gravy and sweet tea collards and Cajun seafood gumbo. Save plenty of room for dessert because you’ll have a hard time deciding between favorites like the Pawleys Island Pie (made with chocolate chips and pecans) and the Roasted Banana & Chocolate Bread Pudding. At Bistro 217, Kirby flexes his culinary muscles in a different way with fun fusion dishes like Korean Chili Seared Salmon with udon noodles and gochujang dashi and Horseradish-Encrusted Pork Schnitzel with roasted potatoes, kale, sauteed onions, and chasseur sauce.

; 10683 Ocean Highways, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-314-0164 bistro217.com; 10707 Ocean Highway, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-235-8217

There’s room for all at Frank’s, a Pawleys Island institution that has expanded over the years to include four dining venues and four bars, all on one sprawling property. Make reservations for a table in the main dining room or at Frank’s Outback (back patio). If you’re coming with last-minute plans, walk-ins are welcome in the Courtyard and Way Back Garden. All four dining locations, as well as all four bars, serve the full menu of chophouse steaks, seafood, and Southern favorites. Pro tip: The pimiento cheese is legendary, so you should always start your meal with an order.

; 10434 Ocean Highway, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-237-3030

There’s no lovelier setting for a meal than under the canopy of Lowcountry live oaks in the Chive Blossom Café’s courtyard. Open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday through Saturday, the restaurant is known for blending Southern cuisine with influences from Mediterranean, France, and Asia. Be sure to try chef Tina Renualt’s famous crab soup, then choose whatever sounds best from the ever-changing seasonal menu.

; 85 N Causeway Rd, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-237-1438

The all-day menu at BisQit, located in the Hammock Shops Village, has something for every craving. Of course, there’s a whole list of biscuit sandwiches (try the Lowcountry with root beer-braised pork belly, smoked gouda, slaw, and bearnaise aioli), but there are also burgers, pancakes, tacos, chicken fingers, fried shrimp, and even a lobster roll.

; 10880 Ocean Hwy, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-979-2747

This local bakery is the place to go for a grab-and-go meal that can easily be toted to the beach, or for a decadent dessert to sweeten up your day. Pick your meat, cheese, bread, and toppings for a breakfast or lunch sandwich. Or choose from a selection of breakfast pastries that includes croissants, donuts, scones, muffins, cinnamon rolls, and more. Desserts range from cookies and bars in dozens of flavors to cupcakes.

; 10517 Ocean Highway, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-237-3100

Where To Stay On Pawleys Island

Perched on the dunes of Litchfield Beach, The Litchfield Inn offers everything you need for a comfortable getaway. There are oceanfront rooms, so you can drink in the gorgeous views at all times of day. Private beach access is just steps from your room, so the sandy shores are never far. Start your day with the hearty breakfast buffet at Tide to Table restaurant, and when you need to refuel later, the Tide Beach Bar has a fun coastal-inspired menu that includes refreshing Tiki drinks and grouper tacos.

; 1 Norris Drive, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 855-213-9070

The Sea View Inn has been welcoming guests since 1937 and has been in the capable hands of Sassy and Brian Henry since 2002. Every room on the property has a view of either the ocean or the marsh. Exhibiting true Southern hospitality, the Sea View still serves two meals to guests daily: breakfast starting at 8:30 a.m. and a “dinner” meal served at 1:15 p.m. that might include fried chicken, vegetables, homemade biscuits, and dessert.

; 414 Myrtle Avenue, Pawleys Island, SC 29585; 843-237-4253

KIAWAH ISLAND — A property owner’s association wants to relocate an environmentally sensitive inlet between Kiawah and Seabrook islands, an area two conservation groups say is a “Holy Grail” habitat for local endangered species.

The Seabrook Island Property Owners Association is asking state and federal regulators for permission to relocate Captain Sams Inlet (which forms Captain Sams Spit) to a position it previously occupied.

The work would require the excavation of 10 acres of sand and the filling of 10 acres of water, according to a public notice for the project.

The peninsular spit is attached to the southern end of Kiawah. The plan calls for excavating a channel through Sams Spit, thus forming a new mouth for the Kiawah River. The current inlet then would be closed off with a berm of excavated sand, according to documents submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The operation could result in the excavating and relocation of close to 300,000 cubic yards of sand.

The goal, according to the Property Owners Association, is to stabilize and maintain the inlet within a set area, and mitigate erosion on the northern end of Seabrook, along which the inlet runs.

“This strategy allows Capt. Sams Inlet and its associated bars and shoals to freely migrate along thousands of feet of ocean-facing shoreline while maintaining space for developed uplands as well as particular habitats,” according to a Property Owners Association flyer for the project. “Using this approach, both Kiawah and Seabrook islands have managed relatively healthy beach ecosystems for decades without needing a large-scale dredge-based project.

Captain Sams Spit erodes and accretes mass, and it’s a “highly mobile piece of land,” according to the Coastal Conservation League.

Similar relocation projects have been undertaken in 1983, 1996 and 2015, according to the Army Corps application. Between the 2015 relocation and 2020, the inlet shifted naturally southwest (towards Seabrook) at a speed of about 100 feet per year. Migration has since sped up, and the inlet’s now moving southwest at about 200 feet annually.

The zone of land created by the relocation of the inlet is protected from development and set aside as habitat for local species, according to Army Corps documents for the new project. It’s also kept empty to account for the river mouth’s natural migration.

Some aren’t buying the group’s conservation claims.

In a public comment submitted in opposition to the project, the Conservation League and South Carolina Environmental Law Project wrote that the beaches and dunes on the northern end of Seabrook are in fine shape, and no structures there are at risk of erosion. They also question why it’s necessary to keep the inlet within a defined area.

They allege the project is an attempt to “stockpile sand to, at some point in the future, replenish the southern parts of (Seabrook) island where structures are experiencing more severe erosion.”

“ The sand tip of the spit that would be cut off would migrate and attach onto the north end of Seabrook,” said Amy Armstrong, the Law Project’s executive director. The longshore current that runs along South Carolina’s coast would then carry the sand southward to Seabrook’s eroding southern tip, Armstrong said.

“It’s free sand for Seabrook,” she said. “ It's very expensive to do a renourishment project where you have to go three miles offshore, identify beach-compatible sand, and then pump it on shore.”

Steve Hirsch, the director of engineering for the Property Owners Association, disputed that claim.

“Any temporarily stockpiled sand during construction will remain within the Captain Sams Inlet system and is not intended for use at other parts of Seabrook Island,” he wrote. Although the Property Owners Association’s flyer does list a “continuous supply of beach sand from Kiawah towards Seabrook” as one of the project’s benefits.

Across coastal South Carolina, communities spend millions of dollars a year to keep their shores sandy — both to support the state’s lucrative tourism industry and protect seaside structures from erosion. From 1979 to 2023, the Department of Environmental Services estimates that the state’s coastal communities spent more than $400 million on beach renourishment, The Post and Courier previously reported.

As sea levels rise and warming waters power a new generation of stronger hurricanes, the cost to keep the Palmetto State’s beaches pristine is rising. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts that water levels in the region will rise roughly a foot by 2050, increasing the reach of the state’s highest tides.

In their letter, the two conservation groups wrote that the shores of the inlet are “the holy grail of habitat for important threatened and endangered species.” In its review of the project, the Army Corps identified 18 species that could be found in the project area that are considered either “threatened” or “endangered,” or have been proposed for inclusion on the federal Endangered Species list.

Hirsch wrote that each previous relocation, and the proposed new one, has included “significant pre- and post-construction habitat and endangered species monitoring which has confirmed increased habit availability for endangered species and more publicly accessible beach.”

The project still needs approval from both the state Department of Environmental Services and the Army Corps.

It’s the latest entry in a complex years-long saga over the unassuming, yet controversial, corridor.

In a separate case, the Town of Kiawah Island, Kiawah Island Community Association and Kiawah Conservancy are suing a private developer to regain ownership of parts of Captain Sams Spit and put other areas under conservation easement.

From 2008 to 2022, Kiawah Partners sought permits to build 50 luxury homes on the property, in addition to infrastructure to protect the area from flooding and erosion, The Post and Courier previously reported. Those plans have been blocked by years of legal wrangling in the state’s courts — including five different rulings by the S.C. Supreme Court.

In a joint statement, the Town of Kiawah Island, Kiawah Island Community Association and Kiawah Conservancy declined to comment on the excavation proposal by their southern neighbors, citing the ongoing litigation.

Follow winding, oak-shaded roads 25 miles southwest of downtown Charleston's cobblestone streets and celebrated restaurant scene, and you'll find yourself on Kiawah Island. Carved by the Kiawah River on one side and fronting the Atlantic Ocean on the other, the barrier island is a true escape.

Here, nature reigns supreme. Ten miles of beaches roll out along the Atlantic; cicadas form their own sort of soundtrack; and lights-out is often determined by the sea turtles' nesting season. Even so, there's plenty to do for travelers who like their time in nature punctuated with good food, luxurious creature comforts, and a frozen drink in hand.

Here are the best things to do in Kiawah Island, South Carolina.

Where To Eat

Built around a lush lawn, Freshfields Village has plenty of restaurants and shops to explore, plus a boutique stay, the Andell Inn. Pick up a beach read at Indigo Books; snag treats for your four-legged friends at Dolittle's; and gear up for island adventures at SeaCoast Sports and Outfitters.

Start the morning with coffee and a breakfast sandwich from Java Java; settle in for grilled cheese and a milkshake at retro Vincent's Drug Store & Soda Fountain; or cap off the day with a glass of wine at FortyEight - Wine Bar & Kitchen. Check their calendar for seasonal events, like summertime's "Music on the Green" concert series and farmer's market.

; 165 Village Green Lane, Kiawah Island, SC 29455

Make the short drive to neighboring Seabrook Island for a taste of the area's salty maritime culture. Snag an umbrella-shaded table on the upper deck at Salty Dog Café for fresh catch, a cold beer, and riverfront views of the boats coming and going from the marina.

; 1882 Andell Bluff Blvd, Johns Island, SC 29455; 843-952-7335

If the Palmetto State had to choose a favorite meal, it'd undoubtedly be oysters and barbecue. Experience the time-honored tradition of a proper oyster roast and pig pickin' at Kiawah Island Golf Resort's Mingo Point Oyster Roast and BBQ.

The family-friendly event is held on major holidays and on Monday nights throughout the summer. Chow down on fresh oysters roasted over an open fire, a classic Lowcountry boil, and barbecue meats ranging from smoked chicken to ribs.

Parking is available at Mingo Point, but spaces are limited, particularly during peak summer events. Resort guests are encouraged to use the property's complimentary on-island transportation, which offers door-to-door service to any resort-owned venue.

; 1 Sanctuary Beach Drive, Kiawah Island, SC 29455; 800-654-2924

What To Do

On the west end of the island, you'll find Beachwalker Park, Kiawah's only public access beach. It feels like a hidden gem thanks to its wide, unspoiled expanses of sand. The park offers the best of both worlds, because in addition to the ocean frontage, you can also score views of the Kiawah River here.

One of the best ways to explore the island is to leave the car in park and take a beach cruiser for a spin. You can reserve them through the resort or bring your own. Between 30 miles of paved trails and 10 miles of hard-packed beach, there's no shortage of routes to explore.

Ask for directions to the Marsh View Tower, an observation deck primed for birdwatching and soaking in the marsh and river scenery.

Five state-of-the-art golf courses are open to the public. For avid fans of the sport, the Ocean Course alone makes Kiawah worth the trip. Host to multiple PGA Championships, the 18-hole course is not for the faint of heart.

Raised above the dunes to capitalize on the expansive shore views, golfers on the Ocean Course are also subjected to ocean breezes (which don't make for an easy or predictable trip around the green). Try Cougar Point for marsh views and a slightly less technical experience.

The naturalists here will school you in many of the species that call the island home, from bobcats and white-tailed deer to loggerhead sea turtles and American alligators. Sign up for a guided tour, like "Back Island Birding," "Alligator Adventure," or "Ocean Seining," or ask for their recommendations for the best nature-spotting places in the area.

; 4000 Sea Forest Drive, Kiawah Island, SC 29455; 843-768-6001

Visit the Roy Barth Tennis Center at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort for a game of tennis or pickleball. The resort offers 22 tennis courts (including 10 clay courts), as well as lessons for all ages, from tots to adults. The clubhouse features a modern pro shop as well as the Courtside Café.

kiawahresort.com/tennis; 1 Sanctuary Beach Drive, Kiawah Island, SC 29455; 800-654-2924

Where To Stay

For families who want a little room to spread out (or a kitchen), villa and home rentals are a smart choice. You can reserve through the resort directly or book through a site like VRBO or Airbnb.

For access to all of Kiawah's amenities, from bike rentals to pools, you'll have to stay on the island. For an experience that's luxurious but unpretentious, book a room at The Sanctuary, an oceanfront hotel known for its five-star service and elevated onsite dining.

; 1 Sanctuary Beach Drive, Kiawah Island, SC 29455; 800-654-2924