From the charming beach houses to the Spanish moss that drapes over the streets, it is undeniable that there is a touch of enchantment to the beautiful town of Edisto Island, South Carolina. The island embraces visitors with a sense of tranquility and an extra dose of Southern hospitality. The town’s landscape, history and people have created a rich cultural destination. If Longwood women’s golf team had not received an invitation to play in the Edisto Island Invitational hosted by the College of Charleston, I would never have had the opportunity to visit the town that quickly became my favorite place in the United States of America.
We arrived at the charming villa that we would call home for three nights on Saturday, October 14th at 5pm after a seven-hour drive. The villa was a golfer’s dream and was very much a sight for sore eyes when we discovered that it overlooks the Plantation Golf course and is a thirty second walk to the golf course. We stayed until Tuesday, October 17th, the final day of the golf tournament.
The most famous attraction on the island has to be the beach. The phrase ‘hidden treasure’ immediately comes to mind. The town of Edisto is one of minimal commercial development and therefore, is unique because it does not have the typical over crowdedness and traffic that many other South Carolina beaches are famous for. Therefore, the beach is definitely family friendly and a great option for parents looking to entertain their children with water or land activities. Edisto Beach is well known for its ‘clean’ beach and for having an unusually high number of fossils and seashells to collect. My own teammates found a number of simply beautiful shells that they brought back to Farmville with them including an elusive conch shell.
It’s no secret that Southern food is some of the most comforting home style cuisines in the States. We started our southern food journey at McConkey’s Jungle Shack where I was introduced to a famous appetizer, pimento cheese. It is a convenient and tasty dish made up of shredded cheese, mayonnaise, pimentos, and different seasonings that makes a delicious dip for celery. I followed the appetizer up with a local specialty, fish tacos. The tacos were made of mouth wateringly fresh fish straight from the ocean, fried in an assortment of spices, served with salad, and a ‘secret’ sauce. Overall, I would thoroughly recommend that anyone visiting Edisto Island should give McConkey’s Jungle Shack a try. The restaurant’s funky vibe was extremely refreshing.
It goes without saying that I couldn’t visit the South without trying their famous barbecue. Dinner at the Yacht Club allowed me to do just that, and it was an immense success. We ate some delicious barbecue; my favorite was the potato salad. I tried the infamous southern drink, sweet tea, known as the “house wine of the South”. I have to say that it was a little too ‘sweet’ for me. Our food journey around the South was topped off perfectly with some yummy homemade vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce for dessert.
Edisto Island, like many Southern towns, is known for its friendly residents and welcoming atmosphere. When you visit Edisto Island you can immediately feel the caring and accepting vibe across the whole island. From grabbing a coffee from the local coffee shop, visiting the surf shop and chatting to the locals living on the golf course, you can’t help but fall in love with the place.
The overall atmosphere and aesthetics of the island are breathtaking. As we arrived on the island it immediately reminded me of the popular Netflix show ‘The Outer Banks’. As you drive along it is noticeable that there are no traffic lights, high rises, or chain restaurants. The island is free of hotels and the only available accommodation is vacation rental homes and condos, which adds to its quaint charm. The local residents’ passion for college football is very prevalent as you explore the island. The rivalry between the University of South Carolina and Clemson University fans is evident from the many flags on display in front of homes and golf carts donned in their respective college colors.
As I bid farewell to the magical town of Edisto Island, South Carolina I can only think of wonderful things to say. Its nickname ‘Edislow’ suits the town so perfectly. If you are planning on visiting the island all you would need is a bike or golf cart and you would be set to explore and experience exactly why the island is so captivating. Fall is without a doubt the best time of year to visit. The temperatures are perfect, and the beach almost feels as if it is private. I will without a doubt be visiting the island again in the future and I cannot wait for the adventures and memories that await me.