Seas-ing Days at Wild Dunes

An off-season trip to the South Carolina coast offers a quieter and luxurious escape.
By Laura Wall

Last fall, I was invited with other editorial folks to visit Wild Dunes Resort on the Isle of Palms, a barrier island off the coast of South Carolina. I’d heard of the Wild Dunes Resort before. A little under 4 hours from Raleigh, it’s known for its golf courses and beachside location, so I jumped at the opportunity to check it out in person and see what else it offered.

Day One: Getting Situated

A line of palm trees welcomed my arrival. Signs easily directed me to my hotel, one of many buildings on the large complex. After my car was valeted, I quickly settled into my room at the Sweetgrass Inn. It was modern and spacious with a balcony overlooking the huge, family-friendly pool area with the ocean in the distance.

Our first event was an evening wine tasting called the “Wild Wine Deep Dive” at the Oystercatcher Bar inside the Sweetgrass Inn lobby. We tasted a selection of wines from Far Niente, one of Napa Valley’s oldest wineries. Afterwards, we jumped into an adorable sky-blue “posh cart” — a stylish electric vehicle — which took us to Dune Crest #6, an oceanfront 6-bedroom home, one of over 175 private luxury homes for rent through Wild Dunes or VRBO. We were greeted with North Carolina Core Sound oysters served two ways along with an Italian Gavi di Gavi wine (one of my favorites) and a signature cocktail called Lowcountry Lemonade. I made sure to leave room for dinner, which was an abundant feast with an upscale version of a Lowcountry Boil using local sustainable seafood and featuring regional cuisine like pork belly, cheddar cheese biscuits and hoppin’ john all prepared by their in-house chef. After dinner and our return to the hotel, some folks made s’mores at the firepit, but honestly I was stuffed.

Day Two: Taking It All In

I woke up early and checked out the lobby in the hotel. I was really captivated by both the permanent art and the temporary art exhibition by Charleston-based paper artist Jennifer York. When everyone else arrived, we walked over to the Boardwalk Inn, an older part of the resort which has a private, adults-only pool. We had yummy breakfast outdoors at Coastal Provisions which hit the spot. Then we walked down the boardwalk past Wild Dunes’ version of Charleston’s Rainbow Row to the beach and shaded pavilion. The beach was wide and inviting and I passed a sea turtle nesting sign as I stepped onto the sand. Despite it being autumn, the sun was warm. I sat down on a chair under an umbrella and watched a man play fetch with his dog.

Our next activity was pickleball, so we headed to the impressive tennis center, which has 12 clay tennis courts and five pickleball courts. I’ve been playing pickleball for years, but some in our group had never played before. We had a patient and experienced coach walk us through the motions and had a fun time dinking the ball on a gorgeous day. For lunch, we grabbed a quick bit at Tacos & Tequila, a funky food truck set up at the pool complex. Finally, we had some free time where we could explore shops that line the boardwalk. We passed Turtle Cove, which hosts kids and family activities, Salt clothing boutique and The Gallery at Seagrass, where we spent a good amount of time checking out coastal art by a variety of local creators.

Later that afternoon, we headed to the marina, where we did a little shopping in The Outpost, a super cute souvenir shop that felt more like a general store. We then jumped onto a private eco tour by boat. We were fortunate enough to see a number of dolphins in the marsh, and we took a walk on Capers Island — an undeveloped barrier island known for its “boneyard” beach of weathered skeleton-like trees. That night we returned to the Oystercatcher for an incredible outdoor meal. A few of my favorites dishes were the Torre D Marisco, a sampling of seafood presented in a chilled tower, Duck Bao Buns and Spaghetti Squash and Lobster Fritters. Dessert did not disappoint either — especially the deconstructed Cheerwine Moonpie.

Day Three: Escaping Reality & A Visit to Charleston

I started my morning with a Reiki Circle Session at the Spa at Sweetgrass. (Reiki is a Japanese form of energy healing.) I have to admit, I was a little skeptical, but when my session was finished, I really felt positive change and a sense of calm. Lucky me, my reiki session was followed by time in the deluxe spa. I was able to test out some Therabody Smart Goggles designed to relieve eye strain and headaches through vibration and heat. My next assignment was a relaxing full body massage (pinch me!) followed by some time in the sun by their splash pools. I grabbed a convenient and quick lunch afterwards at Beachside Burgers & Bar near the swimming pool and then joined a garden tour on the top of the hotel. The tour was given by Robert Frederick, director of culinary operations at Wild Dunes, and he showed us their container garden and numerous honey-producing bee hives that help contribute to the restaurants’ food supply.

Late that afternoon, we loaded into a van and departed for the city of Charleston, about a 30-minute drive away. Once there, we had several hours of free time to explore the “Jewel of the South.” I wandered from the Battery area, with its welcoming pineapple fountain and waterfront mansions, past other historic homes, through the College of Charleston and up to King Street, which is known for its cute boutiques. As the sun began to set, I strolled through the historic City Market to the bar Henry’s on the Market, which I knew had a great rooftop view. It was a perfect spot for a pre-dinner cocktail and to watch the sun set. For our final dinner, we were treated by the Charleston CVB at the fabulous Church & Union restaurant. It’s a former church converted into a fine dining restaurant that’s known for both its great food and amazing atmosphere (including the entire text of The Art of War, handwritten on its vaulted ceiling).

DAY 4: Heading Home — But Ready to Return

In the course of three days, I had some wonderful experiences at Wild Dunes but there is still so much more to see and do! I never went to either of its well-known golf courses or saw the large live oak tree on the property that allegedly inspired Edgar Allan Poe to write “The Gold-Bug.” Wild Dunes is a truly unique destination. I would compare it to a cruise ship on land with a variety of activities for families, couples and singles of any age. It’s the perfect place to plan a multi-generational family vacation, business meeting, an easy romantic or friends’ getaway. While you could easily spend all your time at the resort, beautiful and historic Charleston is such an easy drive for those wanting a little bit more. Wild Dunes really has a little bit of everything for everyone. I cannot wait to go back.