Welcome to Kiawah Island! Ranked as the #2 Best U.S. Island by Conde Nast Traveler in 2025, Kiawah is a place like no other. Home to abundant wildlife, pristine beaches, and greenery that goes on for miles, Kiawah Island is home to locals and tourists alike during the busy season, and offers a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of daily life with a private island feel inside a gated community.
Behind the gates of Kiawah, there are numerous activities ranging from golfing and biking to more relaxing ventures such as taking a spa day or soaking up the sun on the miles-long beach. No matter your activity, Kiawah is home to adventures of all kinds, perfect for your next summer getaway.
Golfing
The Ocean Course
Even those unfamiliar with Kiawah Island are probably familiar with The Ocean Course. One of the most popular golfing destinations in the United States, The Ocean Course boasts the most seaside holes in the Northern Hemisphere and is located right at the tip of Kiawah Island. Ranked #4 for Public Golf Courses in the U.S. and ranked #25 amongst the 100 Greatest U.S. Golf Courses, this course is one you can’t miss on Kiawah!
Cougar Point
Need a course with slightly less-intense ocean breezes? Try Cougar Point, another Kiawah Island gem that reopened in 2017 with a fresh design and unique courses that define it against its other Kiawah competitors. With a thoughtful layout, expansive marsh views, and vast vistas, this course is perfect for those trying to catch a Kiawah tee time.
Turtle Point
Featuring three ocean-front holes, approachable greens and strategic lagoons, the stunning Turtle Point Course is a popular playing spot for those visiting the island… and is centrally located to make accessibility from anywhere on the island seamless! This course also features a stunning clubhouse with locker rooms, a pro shop, and indoor and outdoor patio dining at the restaurant on site, Tomasso at Turtle Point.
Biking and Hiking
Beachwalker Park Bike Path
Kiawah is widely acclaimed for its 30 miles of biking trails throughout the island, but with so many options, it’s hard to know where to start! We highly recommend kicking off at Kiawah Beachwalker Park, one of the few public beaches near Kiawah Island. This biking trail features about 10 miles of hard-packed, ocean-front biking with occasional coastal, paved trails, perfect for spotting some of that Kiawah wildlife in action.
Night Heron Park Trail
Night Heron park is the place to be for families, but we’ll get into more details on that with our next set of recommendations! Night Heron Park is known for its sprawling green spaces, sports fields, playgrounds and activity center, but the bike trail that winds through the park is also a great adventure for families! Winding through nearby maritime forests, this trail gives visitors a chance to explore wildlife up close and personal. Even better, this trail is shorter than most, for a fast-paced and relaxed ride!
Marsh Island Park Trail
The Marsh Island Park Trail is perfect for bikers and hikers alike. Only one mile round trip, this stunning trail offers ideal marsh-front views the Lowcountry is known for! The park provides a viewing tower for epic sights from above, boardwalks throughout marshy areas, and is accessible to all visiting the island who are looking for a wildlife adventure.
Night Heron Park
Park Activities
Night Heron Park is a family-friendly, sprawling green space located in the heart of Kiawah Island. Home to numerous activities such as island dining like The Nest and The Perch, The Treehouse Activity and Nature Center, along with plenty of sports fields and playgrounds for the kids! Whether you’re craving a round of basketball, disc golf, or just looking for some Kiawah merchandise to bring home to the family, Night Heron Park has a little bit of everything.
The Treehouse Activity Center
The latest and greatest development on Kiawah Island is The Treehouse Activity Center. Home to bowling, golf simulators, a new dining establishment, arcade and Art Studio, this new activity center features a full day of play for families looking to escape the beach and enjoy some A/C-focused fun!
Night Heron Nature Center
Connect and learn more about Kiawah Island’s wildlife at the Nature Center, attached directly to The Treehouse. Visit the space to learn more about island nature and get up close to local favorites like diamondback terrapins, alligators, snakes or join a guide on a full wildlife tour!
Kayaking and Paddle Boarding
Marsh Kayaking
Kayak around the marshes of Kiawah Island with a kayak rental from the resort or from local vendors such as Carolina Salt + Surf or St. Johns Kayaks. Seeing Kiawah by water is an entirely different experience, and getting the opportunity to see wildlife in its natural habitat amongst the shores of the Lowcountry’s most iconic rivers and creeks is hard to beat!
Sunset Paddles
Wanting to experience the shores of Kiawah in a slightly different way? Paddleboard rentals, tours, and guided excursions are also available around the island. Whether you want to enjoy the shores of the Atlantic or explore the creeks and rivers surrounding Kiawah, these excursion opportunities are endless around the island.
Eco-Tours, Charters, and Boat Rentals
St Johns Kayak and Boat Tours
If you’re craving dolphin-spotting along the shores of Kiawah and Seabrook Island, we highly recommend booking a trip with St Johns Eco-Tours. This local spot is located right off of Betsy Kerrison Highway along the Bohicket Creek. Featuring their own private dock, the team at St Johns has been navigating the waters of the Bohicket Creek for nearly 25 years. With knowledge of where to spot the best wildlife, where to see dolphins, and impeccable timing for sunset cruises, we highly recommend booking them for your next Kiawah adventure (and mention Sweetgrass for $20 off).
Quarterdeck Boat Rentals
Want to get out on the water but don’t want to worry about a charter experience? Book a boat rental through Quarterdeck out of Bohicket Marina. Choose from numerous stunning boat options for you and your family and hit the water for fishing, lounging and swimming away from the hustle and bustle of the shoreline. Mention Sweetgrass for 10% off your next rental!
Captain Jack’s Kiawah Sailing and Dolphin Watching
A private boat charter experience on a sailboat is like no other. If you ask Kiawah visitors, many of them will recommend local legend Captain Jack for your on-the-water experience. Offering sailing tours around the Bohicket Marina and up to Edisto Island, Captain Jack offers local knowledge paired with soaking up the sun, fishing, dolphin spotting and beyond!
Shop at Freshfields Village
Storefronts
It’s always fun to take a day of vacation solely for shopping. Freshfields Village has numerous storefronts featuring some of your favorite brands and local storefronts, a great blend for the ultimate day of shopping. We highly recommend stopping into popular coastal stores like Spartina 449, Lilly Pulitzer, and Vineyard Vines for clothes, while dedicating some time to Indigo Books for beach reads and SeaCoast Sports for all your island adventure gear.
Restaurants
Enjoy a lunch or dinner at some of Freshfield's most delicious local restaurants. Try a Trio Plate at Cafe Eugenia to test out their Pimento Cheese and Curry Chicken Salad. Head to Java Java for the perfect breakfast sandwich (cough, The Wakey Bakey, cough) and a Matcha Latte! Head to Harvest for an acai or poke bowl. And if you’re looking for a fancy date night, try Hege’s, a French restaurant known for its fine dining and divine French Onion Soup.
Experiences
One of the best parts about Freshfields Village is that they’re always hosting local (and free) events nearly every weekend. From Cars and Coffee to BBQ, Bourbon and Bluegrass, from Jazz Nights on Thursdays to Movie Nights on the Green, there’s a little bit of everything event-side, no matter the season!
Pickleball and Padel
Make a Reservation
Vacation doesn’t need to be all about relaxing all the time. It can also be about having fun with your family or learning a new sport like Pickleball or Padel! Whether you’re looking for lessons on either sport, joining a social event or looking to just grab a quick game with friends or family, the Roy Barth Tennis Center is centrally located within Kiawah and takes reservations over the phone! Reserve your experience today.
Head to the Beach
Beach Gear Rentals
And, of course, it’s not a Kiawah vacation without enjoying the beach! Head out to the water via your bike rental, bringing along your beach gear like chairs, umbrellas, shovels, coolers, games, boogie boards and beyond when partnering with a local beach gear supplier like Carolina Salt + Surf. Elevate your beach experience with rentals and enjoy the stunning and warm Atlantic waters along the pristine shoreline of Kiawah Island. Vacation is calling! It’s time you picked up.
Book Your Kiawah Stay Today with Sweetgrass Properties
Kiawah Island is the place to be each summer. With numerous activities to fill your vacation time, miles of pristine beaches, extensive bike trails throughout the island, and hundreds of luxury properties to choose from, what is stopping you from booking your next trip to Kiawah?
Sweetgrass Properties offers an abundance of options for every kind of escape. From cozy waterfront condos with stunning views to modern mansions on luxury golf courses, we’ve got a little bit of everything for every kind of traveler! Check out our Kiawah Island properties for your next vacation and experience the Sweetgrass difference.