On the Land

Golf and Tennis

The first golf club in America was formed in Charleston [1], and that area has more than its share of fine courses. As far as quality is concerned, consensus pick for best course in South Carolina is definitely the Pete Dye–designed Ocean Course at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort [2], which is open to guests of the club. Coming in second would almost certainly be Harbour Town on Sea Pines Plantation in Hilton Head. Not coincidentally, both courses host PGA events.

In Georgia, the Ocean Forest Course at the Sea Island Club on Sea Island is a gem—though you must be a guest at the Club to play—as is the affiliated Seaside Course.

For value, go in the off-season, in the colder months, when prices are lowest. Not all courses close, and most are in great shape because of the reduced traffic.

The premier tennis facility in the area is the new Family Circle Cup Tennis Center [3] on Daniel Island near Charleston, home of the eponymous women’s event and some great public courts.

Other key tennis facilities are at the King and Prince on St. Simons and Jekyll Island Tennis Center.

Hiking and Biking

Due to the flat nature of the Lowcountry and Georgia coast, hiking and biking here is not very strenuous. However, the great natural beauty and prevalence of a rich range of plant and animal life make hiking and biking very rewarding experiences.

Probably the best trails can be found at state parks in the region, such as Edisto Island State Park, Hunting Island State Park, and Skidaway Island State Park [4].

Many National Wildlife Refuges in the area also feature excellent trails, such as Pinckney Island NWR, Harris Neck NWR, and Cape Romain NWR [5].

There are a couple of “rails to trails” projects that might appeal, the James Island Trail outside Charleston [1] and the McQueen Island Trail on the way to Tybee Island [6] outside Savannah [7].

Some areas are almost defined by the plethora of bike and pedestrian trails running nearly their entire length and breadth, such as Jekyll Island and Hilton Head Island.

Wide beaches, very conducive to biking on the sand, are one of the great pleasures of this area. Most bikes you rent in the area will have fat enough tires to do the job correctly. The best beach rides are on Sullivan’s Island [8], Hilton Head Island, Jekyll Island, St. Simons Island, Cumberland Island, and Tybee Island [6].