Kiawah Island

State: South Carolina. Type: barrier island and resort town in Charleston County, about 25 miles southwest of Charleston. Incorporated as the Town of Kiawah Island on September 13, 1988. 2020 census population: 2,013 full-time residents (seasonal population swells to over 10,000). Home to seven championship golf courses, including the Ocean Course, which hosted the 1991 Ryder Cup and the 2012 and 2021 PGA Championships.

Kiawah Island is a barrier island and incorporated town on South Carolina's Lowcountry coast, roughly 25 miles southwest of downtown Charleston. Named for the Kiawah people, whose chieftain helped English colonists establish nearby Charlestowne Landing in 1670, the island passed through private and plantation-era ownership, including cattle farming and, after the Civil War, cotton production by formerly enslaved workers under the Vanderhorst family. Today Kiawah is best known as an upscale golf and beach resort community, with 30 miles of paved trails linking marshes and oceanfront neighborhoods across roughly 15 square miles of land and water. Its Ocean Course, designed by Pete Dye, is one of the most recognized golf venues in the country. Wildlife, including alligators in the island's lagoons, shares the landscape with residential and resort development, and the island's public beach access point, Beachwalker Park, has been ranked among the best beaches in the country.

Kiawah Island lies in Charleston County, about 25 miles southwest of Charleston, on a barrier island bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and Kiawah River. The town covers 15.14 square miles in total, with 11.17 square miles of land and 3.97 square miles of water.

Kiawah shares South Carolina's Lowcountry humid subtropical climate, with hot, humid summers and mild winters typical of the Charleston-area coast. As a barrier island, it is exposed to Atlantic hurricane season, which runs June through November.

Spring and fall typically bring the most comfortable combination of warm weather, lower humidity and reduced hurricane risk compared to peak summer. Golfers aiming for major-championship-caliber conditions on the Ocean Course, and beachgoers wanting mild water temperatures, often favor these shoulder seasons.

The island takes its name from the Kiawah people, whose head chieftain, or cassique, helped English colonists establish Charlestowne Landing in 1670. Former pirate George Raynor gained possession of the island in 1699 and sold half of it in 1701. Before the Civil War, Kiawah served primarily as cattle farmland, with the Vanderhorst family as major landholders; after the war, the Vanderhorsts employed freed slaves in cotton production. The island's modern era as a resort community developed in the 20th century, and it was formally incorporated as the Town of Kiawah Island on September 13, 1988, adopting a mayor-council form of government.

Golf is central to Kiawah's identity, with seven championship courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Tom Fazio and Pete Dye, including the Ocean Course, site of the 1991 Ryder Cup, the 1997 World Cup of Golf, and the 2012 and 2021 PGA Championships. Beachwalker Park, the island's public beach access point, offers swimming, sunbathing and dressing/restroom facilities. The island's 30 miles of paved trails support biking and walking through marsh and oceanfront terrain, and wildlife-watching, including alligators in the freshwater lagoons, is a popular low-key activity for visitors.

Beachwalker Park, on the island's west end, is the only public beach access and a highlight in its own right, having been ranked among the top ten beaches in the United States by Forbes. The Ocean Course is a landmark for golf fans even if not playing a round. The island's marshes and lagoon systems, viewed from the trail network, showcase Lowcountry coastal ecology.

Kiawah is reached by car from Charleston, about 25 miles away, via connecting roads through the Charleston County mainland and barrier islands. Charleston International Airport is the nearest airport with substantial commercial service; from there, a rental car or rideshare is the practical way to reach the island, since there is no direct public transit.

Beachwalker Park's hours vary seasonally: January-April and September-December, 10 a.m. to sunset; May through Labor Day, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; the park is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Individual golf courses and resort facilities set their own hours separately.

Beachwalker Park charges parking fees that vary by month: $5 in January and February, $10 in March and April, $15 Monday-Friday and $20 on weekends/holidays from May through Labor Day, and $10 in September and October; RV parking is $20 and bus parking is $40, per Charleston County Parks & Recreation. Golf course green fees, including for the Ocean Course, are set and booked separately by the resort and were not confirmed in the sources checked for this report.

A day trip covers a round of golf or a beach visit at Beachwalker Park, but many visitors stay multiple days to combine golf, beach time and the island's trail network, especially given the resort's scale.

Kiawah is home to a large golf resort with villas, cottages and a resort hotel property, alongside numerous private vacation rental homes across the island. Visitors who prefer to stay off-island can find a wider range of hotel brands in downtown Charleston, about 25 miles away.

Dining on Kiawah is concentrated within the resort's own restaurants and clubhouses, ranging from casual to upscale, reflecting its identity as a self-contained resort community. Visitors seeking a broader restaurant scene typically head into Charleston or nearby Johns Island.

Seabrook Island, an adjacent barrier island with its own beach and golf amenities, sits just to the southwest. Johns Island, on the route between Charleston and Kiawah, offers additional dining and farm-stand shopping. Downtown Charleston, about 25 miles away, provides historic architecture, museums and a much larger dining and lodging scene.

Charleston International Airport is the nearest airport with regular commercial service, roughly 25-30 miles away; a rental car or rideshare is the standard way to reach and get around Kiawah, since there is no direct public transit to the island.

Kiawah's lagoons and ponds are home to alligators; keep a safe distance and never feed them, per standard Lowcountry wildlife guidance. At Beachwalker Park, watch for posted swim conditions and rip current advisories, since it is the island's only public beach access and can get crowded in peak season. As with the rest of the coast, hurricane season (June-November) calls for monitoring forecasts. For any emergency, dial 911.

Sunscreen, a hat, and insect repellent are useful given the island's marsh and lagoon environment. Golfers should bring standard course attire and equipment per resort dress codes, and beachgoers should bring cash or a card for Beachwalker Park's parking fees.

Because Beachwalker Park is the island's only public beach access, arriving early in peak season helps secure parking, and fees are highest on summer weekends. Booking golf tee times, especially for the Ocean Course, well in advance is recommended given its status as a championship venue. A rental car is close to essential for getting around the island and to/from Charleston.

Dial 911 for any emergency. The Town of Kiawah Island's Town Hall can be reached at (843) 768-9166, per the town's official contact information.

Town of Kiawah Island - https://www.kiawahisland.gov

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.