How to Spend a Day on Edisto Island, South Carolina
Discovered by the Spanish in the 1600s, settled by the English in the 1700s, plundered by pirates and ravaged by hurricanes, Edisto, with the accent on the first syllable, is a true step back in time. A town one hour south of Charleston down a long stretch of unspoiled, scenic landscapes along Highway 174, it's a retreat and refreshing escape from fast, city life. Visitors can spend a day exploring museums, plantation ruins, church cemeteries, look for sharks teeth and fossils on the beach and dine at restaurants that offer Southern fare and fresh seafood.
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Instructions
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Take a drive from Johns Island down the one main highway into Edisto that ends at the Edisto State Park and Beach. Along the way stop at the Kings Farm & Market a few miles past the Intracoastal Waterway bridge for fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables, homemade jams and preserves. Although it's only open from 1-4pm Tuesday through Saturday, stop at the Edisto Island Museum at 8123 Chisolm Plantation Road, right off Highway 174 if possible. It offers many exhibits and artifacts recovered from the wealthy plantation days of the island and history on the production of rice and indigo. Sponsored by the Edisto Preservation Society, it's also a gift shop and bookstore.
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Drive on to the Presbyterian Church and tour the grounds. This is the oldest congregation in continuous existence in South Carolina. Many of the tombstones are for prominent 18th century merchants, plantation owners and politicians. Beautiful monuments and memorials are testaments to the island's history and the people who lived here. One in particular is the a monument to the wreck of the steamboat "Pulaski" on Christmas 1865. There is also a small prayer chapel open to the public. The Serpentarium is an interesting attraction with exhibits of native snakes and alligators, also on Highway 174.
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Continue on toward Edisto State Park and Beach. You'll pass other historic churches and a few historic buildings such as the Old Post Office and the Old Store gift shop, all along Highway 174. The entrance to the state park is on your left. Most times there is no attendant and you'll see instructions on leaving the admission fee in a box nearby. Park the car down the road near the main building by the beach. This is also a camp ground with picnic tables, grills, restrooms and showers. Low tide or right after a storm is the best time to look for fossils and beautiful sea shells, something the park is noted for.
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When you're hungry, there a one or two casual restaurants across the street from the park such as Main's Market. For a very nice place to eat, drive down the main road that parallels the beach; follow it as it makes a circle back toward Highway 174 around a golf course. Try the Plantation Grill inside the clubhouse of the Fairfield Ocean Ridge Golf Course. On the left is Big Bay Creek, lined with homes on pilings, marinas and shrimp boats. If you have time on your way back, take a detour down Highway 968, an oak tree lined narrow road to Steamboat Landing that offered regular steamboat service to Charleston in the 1820s.
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Tips & Warnings
Suggested reading: "Tales of Edisto" by Nells S. Graydon. Visitors to the Presbyterian Church will find the grave sites of many of the people mentioned in the book.
Resources
- Photo Credit Photos by Natasha Lawrence
