AC Repair in Sullivan's Island, SC

There are still a few weeks of summer left so it’s not too late for that beach trip. Or as fall approaches maybe you want to get away without getting in the water. If either one of those is the case then we’ve got the list for you! Country Living recently compiled a list of what they consider the cutest seaside towns in the south. And we are proud to say that of the 30 seaside towns featured in the list 5 are in South Carolina! That’s pretty impressive. And gives you several options for a relaxing vacation on the coast.

Whether you like the historic charm, soaking in nature, or proximity to a larger town there is a destination on this list you’ll adore. There’s a good chance you’ve been to one or two as well. If not there is still time! I have to say though, even as a North Carolina resident, I’ve been to more of the South Carolina towns on this list. However, 5 North Carolina ones are also featured. But there is nothing wrong with adding to the bucket list though it’s getting pretty long these days.

What do you think are the cutest seaside towns in South Carolina? Would you agree with this list?

South Carolina Town Looks "Straight Out Of Europe"

You don’t have to fly to Europe to experience its beauty. It seems like everyone I know has been in Europe these past few months. However, that trip is not in my budget these days! But the good news is you can still get the look and feel of several European cities and regions right here in the United States. And no, I’m not telling you to visit Paris, TX, or Rome, GA. Though I’m sure they are wonderful places to visit. We can do more than just a name! In fact, you don’t have to travel far at all. One South Carolina town is featured on House Beautiful‘s list of towns Straight Out Of Europe.

Even as someone who hasn’t visited Europe it’s obvious even through photos how much more beauty and culture is in the architecture and towns. This is obviously due to the rich history of the cities and countries. The charm is quaint and iconic and even when relocating many immigrants chose to bring the style of their homeland with them. We are very lucky to have towns all across the county with influences from places like England, Spain, Italy, Poland, The Netherlands, France, Greece, Germany, and more.

Even if you’re idea of a vacation leaves you stuck in the country you can still revel in the European style. (And get that perfect Instagram photo). You can even make the quick drive to South Carolina to feel like you’re in Europe. Keep reading to see the 35 towns and cities featured on House Beautiful‘s list.

Ever wonder how South Carolina came to be nicknamed the Palmetto State?

While, yes, the state does have many palmetto trees scattered around the entirety of the state due to its large species population within the borders of South Carolina, this tree also has a historical significance to the state.

The nickname is derived from South Carolina’s state tree, the sabal palmetto.

Also called the cabbage palmetto, sabal palm, inodes palmetto and the Carolina palmetto, the sabal palmetto was designated as the official state tree by Joint Resolution Number 63 all the way back on March 17, 1939.

This palmetto tree was symbolic toward the defeat of the British fleet at Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island during the Battle of Sullivan’s Island. This was due to the fact that the fort was built from palmetto logs, which absorbed the impact of the cannon balls and would not shatter.

Hence, South Carolina earned its nickname: the Palmetto State.

The Battle of Sullivan’s Island was the first decisive American victory over the British Royal Navy during the Revolutionary War and took place on June 28, 1776.

“The ferocity of the British naval bombardment had no great effect on the fort. Sabal palmetto trunks embedded in deep sand proved pliable and sturdy enough, absorbing iron balls like a sponge,” wrote the National Park Service of the battle.

At the time, Charleston residents were unaware if the fort had been victorious against the British or if it had been captured following the Battle of Sullivan’s Island.

The fort’s commander, Colonel William Moultrie, had then sent a boat to inform the residents of the good news. Loud cheers were said to reverberate through the streets.

“The defense had been a major victory for the Americans in Charleston. General Lee wrote, ‘The behavior of the Garrison, both men and officers, with Colonel Moultrie at their head, I confess astonished me.’ Six days later the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia. Afterwards, the South Carolina General Assembly renamed the fort, Fort Moultrie, in honor of the commander of Fort Sullivan,” wrote the American Battlefield Trust.

As for the palmetto trees themselves, sabal palms are native to the southeastern parts of the country.

“The cabbage palmetto is found in the coastal plain region from North Carolina to Florida. The palm inhabits maritime forests, “islands” within salt and brackish marshes, and the edges of ponds. It is also a commonly planted tree in urban areas throughout South Carolina,” states the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

The palmetto tree can grow to a height of 33 feet tall and its leaves can grow to about 3 feet across. They are formed with a spongier, scattered tissue and more malleable cells than most other trees, which allow them to bend with the wind during major storms such as hurricanes and tropical storms.

In addition to their many other attributes, these trees flower during the month of July and can be quite fragrant, attracting many types of pollinators.

As for size, according to Plant Real Florida, the University of Florida conducted several age and growth rates of sabal palms, the preliminary results indicated that, under average conditions in the wild, these plants can require 10 to 15 years of growth or more from seed to the first sign of a trunk at ground level. After this initial growth spurt, the trunks will grow about 6 inches per year. Meaning, a standing sabal palm with 20 feet of trunk is at least 50 years old.

The palmetto tree can be seen as a figure of significance in nearly every aspect of the state’s inception. It has been adopted as the state’s nickname, is included in the state seal, is on the state flag, is in the Pledge to the Flag of South Carolina, and can be seen in everyday life while carrying on day-to-day activities within the state.

This story was originally published September 14, 2022 5:00 AM.

SULLIVAN’S ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) — From the shops to the sand, leaders across the Lowcountry’s beaches said this is the first Labor Day weekend “back to normal” since before the pandemic.

Sullivan’s Island mayor Patrick O’Neil said although the threat of rain resulted in a slightly quieter weekend than anticipated, local leaders are happy to see the Labor Day crowds return.

“We continue, everyday, just to see exponential growth of the foot traffic that’s coming through,” said Kathleen Arnold, fine art consultant at Sandpiper Gallery on Sullivan’s Island. “The traffic is constant, back and forth. People walking to the restaurants, people heading to the beach.”

Arnold said in her experience, the tourism season on Sullivan’s Island typically lasts from May until Labor Day weekend every year. However, after seeing tourist travel ebb and flow “practically year-round” in recent years, she expects the season to last through October or November.

“People want to escape the hustle and bustle of life, so they come here,” Arnold said, attributing the steady growth of tourism to Charleston’s “small-town charm.”

Leaders at Folly Beach agree. Mayor Tim Goodwin said stores there are struggling to keep up with an increase of both foot traffic — and car traffic — from tourists and locals this summer.

“Sunday was a pile of people out here,” Goodwin said. “The first time this year we’ve seen traffic backed up as far as it was.”

Goodwin encouraged anyone heading to the water to use the free Beach Reach app. Created by the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments, the app provides live traffic cameras, maps and beach policies for three of Charleston’s most popular beaches.

The mayor said the biggest challenges facing store owners at Folly Beach are a lack of workers and employee burnout. As a result, some stores are struggling to keep their normal hours.

Click here to learn more about the town of Sullivan’s Island.

ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCSC) - More than a year after a state bill was passed that would ensure access to some free parking and give the state control of public roads in beach towns, the former mayor and a current councilman from the Isle of Palms say it is an “unprecedented attack upon the SC State Constitution and rule of law.”

Isle of Palms Councilmember Blair Hahn and former Isle of Palms Mayor Jimmy Carroll sent an open letter to elected officials in the barrier island towns of the Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island, Folly Beach and Edisto Beach.

In the letter, Hahn and Carroll ask for support to fight back against senate bill S.40, which was signed into law by Gov. Henry McMaster in May 2021.

“We want the right to rule our community,” Carroll said. “We don’t want Columbia to tell us how to run this island.”

The bill requires free public beach parking, but also may include paid parking on state highways. Those highways have to be in communities that are eligible for beach renourishment funds, which use money to add sand back onto beaches.

Parking only can be restricted by the South Carolina Department of Transportation if they find that restrictions are necessary.

“Parking is not free,” Hahn said. “Parking costs emergency services, police services, fire services, it costs for landscaping for trash pickup. It costs money, somebody’s gotta bear that expense.”

It also requires governments to get approval from the South Carolina Department of Transportation before adding or making changes to state highways.

“It is blatantly illegal, it’s unconstitutional on four different grounds and it has to be stopped,” Hahn said.

Hahn says the Isle of Palms City Council has engaged legal counsel to explore their rights. Hahn says if they cannot negotiate a legal statute by amending or rescinding S.40, then they will go to the South Carolina Supreme Court.

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Larry Grooms (R- Berkeley). Grooms was not available for an interview at this time.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation has not yet responded to a request for comment.

Isle of Palms Mayor Phillip Pounds said: “The City continues to work with SCDOT to find solutions that are beneficial to our residents and visitors.”

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved

Sue: One of the highlights of our summer evening walks around Smythe Lake with our dog Iggy is the sunset. This got me thinking about where else we could enjoy nature’s evening light show. While Tom fancies himself a burgeoning curmudgeon, the truth is he is a romantic and a lover of nature. He urges me out the door each evening to catch the fading sun as it kisses the horizon, glows behind the clouds and shimmers light across the Lowcountry waterways.

Tom: I expected this sunset guide to be the easiest compilation yet. To date, Sue and I have been forced to binge on pizza, ice cream and baked goods from half a dozen farmers markets throughout the Lowcountry. How tough could going out to look at sunsets be? Well, it was August and the sun sets after 8 p.m. each night, which is well after Sue’s bedtime and within four hours of mine. It also rained 47 out of 31 days this past August. Our dog Iggy has had more success chasing our cat Belle than we had chasing sunsets for this guide.

Daniel Island spots

The Best Spots: Bellinger Island, Captain’s Island Bridge, Daniel Island Ferry, Smythe Lake

Sue’s Take: Bellinger Island holds a special place in my heart, a frequent favorite trek for adventure when my children were growing up in Codners Ferry Park in the late 1990s and early 2000s. I think this is the best place on the island to see a sunset and to take a walk. The twilight scene is visible from the dock, the pier, and the raised platform.

I saw my first sunset from Captain’s Island Bridge one fall when the sun set directly on the water as a boat cruised up the creek. Idyllic. It’s a perfect way to end a walk around Captain’s Island.

The Daniel Island Ferry’s Harbor Cruise offers non-boat owners a great opportunity to see the sunset from the water. During our last Harbor Cruise we saw Panamax ships docked at the Wando Terminal, sailboat races, dolphins swimming in the ferry’s wake, the majestic Ravenel Bridge, and the Charleston waterfront all as the sun lowered in the sky and gently bid the day adieu.

Tom’s Take: The spots that Sue mentioned are good places to see a sunset, with the Daniel Island Ferry Harbor Cruise being the top of that list. But, the perfect spot to see the sunset for this landlubber is from on top of the Wando River Bridge. The views of Daniel Island, the Wando River and the sun setting over the horizon are spectacular. It is the absolute highlight of a three-hour commute from Long Point Road to the Daniel Island exit due to a stalled car on the Don Holt Bridge.

Mount Pleasant spots

Sue’s Take: I’m a cheap date – pack a picnic and take me to Pitt Street Bridge at dusk and I’m happy! Dogs are welcome. This is one of my favorite spots. Waterfront Park also offers a delightful setting as the sun sets behind the bridge. Only downside, dogs are not allowed on the pier or on the Ravenel Bridge.

Tom’s Take: The Ravenel Bridge and Mount Pleasant Waterfront Park are off my list due to their canine-discrimination policies, so the Pitt Street Bridge is where it’s at. It’s also the best spot for observing neo-hippies, actual 1960s era hippies turned retired asset managers, and Old Village yuppie parents. It reminds me of the nightly Sunset Fest at Mallory Square in Key West, minus the trained cat circus, which Iggy would see as her duty to scatter in seconds. Even a dog knows that training cats is a black art that goes against nature and is not to be tolerated.

Sue’s Take: You can see a wonderful sunset shimmering across the Intracoastal Waterway from Breach Inlet on IOP. Or, better yet, enjoy a drink and a meal from the deck of The Boathouse restaurant. Dolphins are frequent visitors here at sunset as well.

Tom’s Take: The view over the marsh at Breach Inlet rivals the Wando River Bridge sunsets. But, don’t trade the road rage of the Mark Clark “Expressway” for parking rage at The Boathouse. When Sue and I arrive in our luxurious Saturn Vue, I casually flip the keys to the valet and let him worry about the mile walk back from the nearest parking space.

Tom & Sue: We both agree, our descriptions pale in comparison to seeing it yourself. Sunsets are free fun and a balm for the soul! They are different every night of the week and every season of the year. And, with the shorter days of fall in the offing, they can soon be taken in before Sue changes into her night shirt and slippers.