My family has been taking us to Isle of Palms for over 20 years. Probably more like 25 years really! And boy has it changed during that time. We’ve seen plenty of businesses come/go/rebrand, houses become huge mansions, the IOP connector built, and more, but some things in IOP stay constant. Isle of Palms is a small island just right outside of Charleston, SC and it’s one of my favorite places in the world. We live in Charlotte, NC, but visit Isle of Palms about 3-4 times per year and it still feels like a breath of fresh air every time we arrive.
I am incredibly partial to staying in Wild Dunes while on Isle of Palms (IOP). That is where my family owns a place, so therefore where we have always stayed when we go to Isle of Palms. Garrett and I have stayed at hotels in downtown Charleston numerous times when we are making a trip to Charleston without my family; however, as far as places to stay in Isle of Palms, your options are pretty limited. Garrett and I have also stayed in Mount Pleasant once (we were porting out of Charleston for a cruise) and stopped by IOP for a short beach day and lunch. If you are looking for a cheaper lodging option and just want to plan to spend your days in IOP– staying in Mount Pleasant is going to be a valid option. One thing to keep in mind though: Isle of Palms is small. Therefore, parking is an absolute nightmare in the summer. Public parking lots are basically non-existent which only leaves you the option to park in people’s yards (which is free, but often fills up early in the day).
There is only a couple of hotels on Isle of Palms, none of which I have ever stayed at; however, probably your nicest option is going to be the Sweetgrass Inn in Wild Dunes. Wild Dunes is a gated resort area on Isle of Palms and they have restaurants, golf courses, homes, rentals, and a hotel within the gates. Personally, if I was wanting to stay on Isle of Palms and didn’t have the luxury of staying at my parent’s place, I would be wanting to stay at a rental home or condo; ideally in Wild Dunes. This is especially true if you are going with friends (then you can split the cost of a rental!) and/or kids. If you stay at a rental outside of Wild Dunes, you will at least not have to worry about fighting for beach parking; however, because Wild Dunes is a gated community, the beaches within it are totally private. You don’t have to worry about fighting for your life with parking, there is plenty of space on the beach, and I personally find the beaches to be a lot cleaner within Wild Dunes.
This place has been around for awhile. My family has been going since it used to be Acme Cantina (it used to be a tex-mex restaurant!). Years ago it rebranded as more local low-country cuisine which is perfect. I really love their pecan crusted fried chicken and their pimento cheese grits. I also really love going here for brunch!
This place is pretty unassuming considering it is in a strip mall next to a Harris Teeter and a laundromat, but it’s actually really good! I love their crab cakes the best.
If you stay in Wild Dunes, we really enjoy getting coffee and a breakfast sandwich or pastry at the Hudson Market. It’s not anything mind blowing, but it is super nice to take a bike ride here in the morning to get a coffee and sit outside the cafe to enjoy it.
Unfortunately, if you are not staying within Wild Dunes, you won’t be able to check this place out because Wild Dunes is gated.
This place can be a bit on the pricier side, but it is very good! Make sure the make a reservation here because this place is very popular.
Did you know that Edgar Allen Poe lived on Sullivan’s Island for a period of time? He spent a couple of years in the Army and was stationed on Sullivan’s island. So you may notice a few things on Sullivan’s that are Edgar Allen Poe themed. Including Poe’s tavern! It’s a good spot for a burger.
A good stop for coffee in the mornings and Frosé (Frozen Rosé) in the afternoon!
This place is always highly recommended and for good reason. The chef here has been nominated several times for the James Beard Award.
If you are looking for BBQ– Home Team BBQ is the place to check out on Sullivan’s island.
This is one of our favorite spots for brunch!
Grits are not for everyone– but they are for me! You can get grit “flights” here as well as at their sister restaurant “Grace and Grits”. Great casual brunch spot.
Obviously, the beach! Like I mentioned previously, parking on IOP for beach access can be kind of a nightmare and during the summer, the beaches are crowded. That is why we really love Wild Dunes, because the beaches are private so there is less crowds, but also we can just walk to the beach.
If you are staying in Wild Dunes, there is a lot to do within the resort. There are tennis courts, pickle ball courts, bikes to rent, pools, the boardwalk area behind the Sweetgrass Inn, etc. In the summer, one of our favorite things to do is go watch the tennis matches. Also one of the big draws for some is the golf courses. I’m not personally a golfer, but every so often, Garrett and I will rent a bucket of balls and practice our swings at the driving range!
We also obviously love downtown Charleston which could be it’s own separate post with recommendations. Downtown Charleston is only about 20-30 minutes from IOP, which makes it convenient to go get a nice dinner in the city once or twice during our stay. Last time we visited, we also went to the aquarium in Charleston which Theo really enjoyed. We’ve also done things like ghost tours, there’s the market, and plenty of amazing shopping on King Street.
On rainy days, overcast days, or when we go in the winter, but don’t want to go all the way to downtown Charleston, we like to go shopping in Mount Pleasant. There are a few tourist shops on IOP, but nothing substantial other than souvenirs. Also in Mount Pleasant, there are things like guided tours for film locations of the show Outer Banks, kayaking tours, parasailing, escape rooms, etc.
It all depends on what you are looking for. We have probably visited IOP at some point during every month of the year. If you are hoping to get in the ocean, probably June-September is the best time. April will likely be in the mid-70s and May will be warm, but the water will probably not quite have warmed up yet.
A word of caution: if you are planning on staying in Mount Pleasant and try to find public parking over a summer holiday– Godspeed. It gets very very crowded at IOP over holidays like 4th of July, Memorial day, Labor day, etc. If you are planning a trip over one of those holiday’s I recommend staying at a hotel with guaranteed parking on IOP, staying in Wild Dunes, or renting a house on IOP within walking distance to the beach.
Because I’m not obsessed with going in the ocean anyway, I love coming to IOP any time of year. The winter months are still nice (even though they can be pretty frigid with the ocean breezes) because virtually no one is on IOP and so its nice to be able to take a walk on the beach and basically have it all to yourself!
My favorite time of year though is probably in the fall! Before it really gets cold, so it is still pretty warm, but kids are back in school, so it tends to not be as busy. If you don’t care about getting in the water, I think its a great time to go! You can still bring a beach chair and read on the beach comfortably (although maybe not in your swimsuit!) and not have to deal with crowds.
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