Kiawah & Seabrook Vacation Rentals

Kiawah Vacation Rentals | Kiawah Island Getaways | Seabrook Island

MUCH OF SOUTH CAROLINA and North Carolina have seen a population boom in recent years, with builders putting up housing developments as quickly as possible, then moving on to the next project. Despite its proximity to Charleston, Johns Island, located just across the Stono River, has retained its pastoral charm, a veritable sea of tranquility surrounded by the comparatively hurried pace of the rest of the fast-growing Carolina coast.

“ Despite its proximity to Charleston, Johns Island, located just across the Stono River, has retained its pastoral charm. ... ”

The residential communities that have been established on the second largest island on the East Coast have been built to blend in with the natural environment, adding to the beauty of the island’s magnificent marshes, fertile fields and age-old forests.

Johns Island is probably best known for the Angel Oak, a huge and ancient tree that sprouted around 10 centuries before Columbus sailed for the New World. Thought to be at least 1,400 years old, it is among the oldest living things east of the Mississippi River.

Live oaks usually grow out instead of up, but the Angel Oak has done both. In a wooded area along Bohicket Road, it rises 65 feet high and boasts a canopy that provides 17,000 square feet of shade. Some of its massive limbs are so large and heavy that they rest on the ground and, in some cases, drop underground for a few feet.

The Angel Oak has survived hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and the human race, though it was damaged by Hurricane Hugo in 1989.

Numerous artistic events are held at the Angel Oak, especially during Charleston’s Spoleto Festival in May and June.

The Angel Oak is a tribute to the history of the Carolinas, a witness to all that has taken place along the Southeast coast for a millennium-and-a-half or longer. This living link to the past represents part of the reason potential homeowners are drawn to Johns Island, a pastoral paradise now just minutes from downtown Charleston, thanks to the newly-completed Stono River bridges, which tie the island to the 21st century.

Johns Island is the ideal place for people who want to live a rural lifestyle with the modern world just a short drive away.

IOP & Sullivans Island Vacation Rentals

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THE ISLE OF PALMS HAS attained the near-perfect combination of preservation and development, creating an ideal beach resort for visitors and full-time residents alike, just a short drive from historic downtown Charleston.

Located north of Charleston Harbor, the upscale barrier island exudes a feeling of community that most resort islands simply cannot offer. IOP is known for its cool breezes, mild winters and pleasant summers, the perfect setting for people in search of a year-round, warm-weather home.

Throughout the storied history of the area, the island’s beautiful beaches have served as a peaceful getaway for Charlestonians and other residents of the Carolinas. However, few people lived there full-time until the late 1800s. Even after the automobile became the main mode of transportation for Americans, travel to the island was difficult until the Isle of Palms Connector opened in 1993. Today, the trip along the two-mile-long road that links the island community to bustling Mount Pleasant is no problem.

“ ... the upscale barrier island exudes a feeling of community that most resort islands simply cannot offer. ”

The Isle of Palms Parks and Recreation Department offers numerous activities for residents and tourists, from aerobics and yoga to recreational team sports, and there’s a full-service marina for boaters. On the north end of the island, the spectacular Wild Dunes Resort is home to two world-class championship golf courses. Both The Links and The Harbor Course were designed by renowned architect Tom Fazio.

The island is within minutes of the Charleston area’s many historical attractions, including the downtown district; Fort Sumter, where the Civil War began; and Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island, the scene of one of the first battles of the American Revolution and where author Edgar Allan Poe served during his stint in the Army.

Isle of Palms residents are a short drive from the most complete shopping center in the area. Towne Centre, in Mount Pleasant, was designed to look like a small Southern village and features national department stores and shops as well as locally owned businesses. Also nearby is Shem Creek, home to one of the area’s last fishing boat fleets, unusual art galleries and several outstanding restaurants.