Edisto Beach’s mild temperatures and gentle sea breezes make it easy to spend most of your time outdoors, and any rainy days provide opportunities for checking out the charming small-town shops and fresh seafood eateries. A vacation rental at Edisto Beach, South Carolina is the perfect home base for a family-centered vacation whether your kids prefer days full of adventure or simply relaxing on the shore. With miles of gently developed coastline and plenty of Southern-style hospitality, your whole family is sure to find fun activities to keep them entertained. Vacation Rentals with porches provide a perfect viewing area right outside your temporary home making it easy to put little ones to bed after the show is over. Spend your time enjoying these 12 activities with the kids when you venture from your vacation rental.
1. Take an Eco-Tour
Book an Eco-Tour to give your family a chance to better explore the natural wonders found in the area. Edisto Beach is located near the center of the ACE Basin; the estuary where the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto Rivers meet the Atlantic ocean. Several local companies provide tours via boat and land suitable for a wide variety of ages for close observation of this undeveloped marsh. Look for tours led by biologists to answer any questions your young scientist have. Choose from diverse options that include extras, such as whale and dolphin-watching or a picnic on the beach.
2. Go Fishing
Shore fishing is easiest for the youngest set, but consider signing up with for a fishing charter if your kids are serious about trying for the big ones. Companies, such as Ugly Ducklin Charters, offer half-day charters complete with any necessary licenses as well as bait and tackle that are a great option if you’re new to fishing or traveling lightly. Alternatively, bring along your own kayaks or canoe. A vacation rental with a garage makes it easy to store your boats between outings.
3. Build a Sandcastle
The wide sand beaches of Edisto Beach invite you to spend an afternoon building a fantastical sandcastle while enjoying the ocean breeze. Just remember to fill in any holes and smooth your castle-building area when you are done to protect the threatened loggerhead turtles who also call this shore their home.
4. Go Swimming
The best way to cool down after an afternoon of sand play is with a dip in the sea. With 38 public beach accesses, Edisto Beach has plenty of options for getting wet. Of course, a vacation home right on the beach gives your kids instant access to the waves.
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5. See the Plantation at Botany Bay
Located just a short drive from Edisto Beach, the Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve/Wildlife Management Area includes several historical plantation outbuildings, featuring intricate gothic revival architecture, dating back to the 1840s. Step back in time as you check out the buildings and explore the other remnants of the plantation including the foundation of the original plantation house and a Japanese garden. While you’re at Botany Bay, be sure to check out the area’s diverse wildlife. Taking the designated driving tour through the preserve provides opportunities for wildlife sightings from the comfort of your car.
6. Ride Your Bikes
Your kids will love biking their way over the miles of bike trail winding through Edisto Beach. Biking is a great way to explore the town’s shops or get quickly across town for an ice cream cone. A vacation rental provides plenty of space to store bikes you bring from home, or check out one of the rental places in town for appropriate biking equipment for the whole family.
7. Visit Shell Island
Collecting seashells is an essential part of most beach vacations, and Shell Island, a sandbar island just a short boat ride from the main beach, offers a huge selection in a secluded location. Wilkinson’s Landing offers boat rides out to the island, or you can paddle out your own kayaks for a little more adventure. Keep your eye out for the gleam of sea glass or even a shark’s tooth to bring home as a souvenir.
8. Get Close to Reptiles at Edisto Island Serpentarium
Roam the paths of the Edisto Island Serpentarium to see snakes, alligators, turtles, and lizards in natural-like habitats. Non-venomous varieties are housed behind low walls for observation without glass or wires between you and the animals. Check with the facility to see about attending at feeding time or during seasonal events.
9. Learn to Surf
A few lessons are the perfect way to introduce your kids to the joys of surfing. Sign up through Kick Surf Lessons of Edisto Beach for a series of classes or a private lesson for your whole family. Rental shops in the area offer equipment to meet the needs of surfers, beginning through advanced. If you have experience catching waves, a vacation rental on the beach keeps you close to the action and provides a place to quickly stash your board when you’re ready to do something else.
10. Rent Some Paddle Boards
Paddle boarding is a unique way for families to explore the ecosystems of the many waterways that feed the Edisto Beach estuary. Paddling along slow creeks is easy enough for most kids and gives them a close-up look at the fish, birds, and plants that live in this ecosystem. Edisto Watersports and Tackle offers two-hour paddle board rentals complete with paddles and life jackets to get you started.
11. Dine Al Fresco at the SeaCow Eatery
When the sun starts to set and you’re hungry after a full day of exploring, take your kids over to the SeaCow Eatery for down-home cooking and delicious homemade desserts in their fabulous outdoor eating area. The kid’s menu features a variety of kid-friendly options, many served up on a SeaCow frisbee for a special take-home treat.
12. Hike the Trails at Edisto Beach State Park
Edisto Beach State Park has trails with a variety of levels of difficulty to meet your family’s needs. Try the short, level interpretive trails to give your toddlers a quick introduction to the area’s ecosystems. The Forest Loop Trail introduces the maritime forest where you can learn about the hanging Spanish moss, and local live oak and palmetto. Choose the longer Spanish Mount Trail for a walk into history far past with a visit to the nearby Native American shell mound site. The park also offers swimming beaches, picnic areas, and a biking trail.
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