kitchen countertopsIn Isle of Palms, SC

The South Carolina barrier island just 30 minutes from Charleston may just be the area’s best-kept secret.

Swaths of uninterrupted white-sand beach, the smell of salty spray, warm sun on your skin, and the rustle of palm fronds gently blowing in the wind—these are the sights, sounds, and scents of Isle of Palms. The South Carolina barrier island packs a lot of relaxation and big fun into a vacation destination that's just seven miles long and one mile wide. The island's proximity to Charleston (just 18 miles by car), make it a preferred summer hideout for locals. An abundance of vacation rentals and the iconic Wild Dunes resort have been drawing visitors from across the country since the early 1970s.

With the deep blue Atlantic on one side and marshy creeks of the Intracoastal Waterway on the other, Isle of Palms offers the best of the Lowcountry and the beach in one stunning setting that's begging to be added to your vacation calendar.

Six of Isle of Palms' seven total miles are occupied by public beaches, which means you'll have your pick of the litter when looking for a sandy spot where you can post up for the day—or the week. Once you've staked your claim, all the normal beach activities are yours for the choosing, from splashing around in the surprisingly calm seas to building the ultimate sandcastle or playing a game of beach volleyball. For families, the Isle of Palms County Park, located in the middle of the island's coastline, is ideal. The public beach has lifeguards, outdoor showers, chair and umbrella rentals, restrooms, and even a playground for little ones retreat to once they tire of the sun and surf.

Make the most of a visit to Isle of Palms by scheduling a charter to take you offshore. Get your sea legs at the Isle of Palms Marina, where you can easily rent a boat and spend a day exploring the island's bays and waterways. Fishing charters are plentiful and offer both reef fishing and Gulf Stream fishing. For adventure enthusiasts or wildlife lovers, Barrier Island Eco Tours hosts a range of naturalist-guided tours that take visitors through winding salt marshes, tidal creeks, and the Intracoastal Waterway on the way to uninhabited Capers Island. Animals you might see along the way include loggerhead turtles, bottlenose dolphins, and every shape and size of coastal birds.

Breakfast is noteworthy at Sea Biscuit Café. The tiny beachside shack has been dishing out delicious morning meals since 1968. While they offer all the classics, the daily specials are where the magic happens. Past offerings have included chocolate banana challah French toast, lemon lavender pancakes, and tomato pie.

When you need a mid-day refuel for the whole family, Coconut Joe's is the obvious choice. Located on Isle of Palms' main drag, you won't have to venture far to get fresh seafood and impeccable vibes. The open-air covered deck is the ideal spot for munching on the restaurant's namesake shrimp, while rocking sandy toes and sun-bleached hair. When happy hour hits, venture to the rooftop bar for a frozen cocktail or painkiller. Nothing will put you on island time faster.

By the time you're finally ready to come in from the sun and go out to dinner, Isle of Palms will be waiting with plenty of options. The Boathouse and Acme Lowcountry Kitchen are island staples that have stood the test of time thanks to excellent quality food and good old-fashioned Southern hospitality. For a special night out, try Coda del Pesce, a fine dining restaurant that specializes in Italian with lots of influence (and fresh catch) from the nearby seas.

All trips to Isle of Palms must include at least one visit to The Windjammer at Front Beach. The legendary local music venue is known for its incredible live shows, stellar views of the water, cold drinks, and unbeatable fried pickles.

The obvious choice for places to stay in Isle of Palms is Wild Dunes Resort, a 1,600-acre family-friendly resort that offers everything from rooms and suites at two inns, to private beach condos and home rentals. In addition to a more-than-comfortable stay, the resort also features several resort-style pools, a spa, and two championship golf courses.

If you're hoping for a cozier stay, the newly renovated Palms Oceanfront Hotel consists of 68 modern rooms with gorgeous views of the sparkling Atlantic. There are also plenty of rentals through Airbnb and VRBO for everything from multifamily waterfront homes to one-bedroom condos.

Whether you book for a long weekend or stay for an entire week, the memories and magic of Isle of Palms will stay with you for months and years to come—maybe even until you have a chance to make another trip back!

Isle of Palms City Council members will hear the first reading of a plan to temporarily block short-term rentals in a special meeting Tuesday afternoon.

ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCSC) - The Isle of Palms City Council did not support a moratorium or pause on issuing new short-term rental licenses. The agenda item at a Dec. 6 special meeting garnered a lot of attention.

Many people spoke, both for and against the moratorium, at the meeting. One person presented a petition with more than 600 signatures she said was ‘mostly from residents’ against the pause. The property owner of Wild Dunes also spoke on behalf of some residents against the ordinance.

But Beverly Miller is one of many who said they wanted to see the moratorium pass. She has also owned a short-term rental on the island.

“Speaking for myself, I don’t want our city to be the last city who puts together any kind of restriction -- and I call it a restriction -- in order to find some balance between the residents and the short-term rental operators. Because having been on both sides, we’re not saying you don’t have any. You do want to accommodate the vacationers and the rental market. But you also need to find that quality of life for the residents,” Miller said.

Council member Blair Hahn voted against the moratorium.

“It appears to me that the issue is not so much short-term rentals as it is an explosion of traffic in noise and chaos on certain through freeways on our on our island. So if we can control that, I think we can control the concerns and the short-term rental issue will take care of itself,” Hahn said.

He said going forward the council will work hard to enforce speed limits, noise ordinances and other issues to protect the quality of life.

According to the council as of Dec. 5, 2022 there are 1678 licenses with 211 applications coming in since June.

Council member Jan Anderson says the more than 1600 licenses make up more than a third of the island. She voted in favor of the moratorium. “We don’t want to kill the rental market. We just want to manage it. We are now the only beach community in the Charleston area with an unlimited short-term rental opportunity.”

She goes on to say only 50 of the current short-term rental licenses are to residents. Council member Scott Peirce also expressed support for the moratorium as a short opportunity to evaluate the situation.

The council overall voted against the moratorium. For now, there won’t be a pause on issuing new licenses or a cap on how many are allowed.

City council asked staff members at its Nov. 15 regular meeting to prepare a 6-month moratorium for the council to consider at Tuesday afternoon’s meeting.

The agenda states the moratorium would “allow city council to evaluate the short-term rental regulations recommended by the planning commission.”

The document also says over the last few months the city received “several hundred new business license applications for short-term rentals which represents an exponentiation increase in applications.”

After Tuesday’s first reading, the moratorium must go through a public hearing and second reading before it could be ratified.

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ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCBD) – Isle of Palms City Council is weighing whether or not caps are needed on short-term rentals and if so, how to regulate them across the island. The discussion comes after the city hosted three community listening sessions in September.

Results from the three listening sessions show a divide among residents on the issue. Some say a cap is needed to protect island and community life, while others say implementing a cap would be unfair.

“If we stick with the status quo from a cap perspective, no cap, every other issue we deal with relative to rental impact will increase exponentially,” said one resident during Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.

Regulating short-term rentals could become of greater importance in the coming months. During the meeting, City Council says the number of rental units has grown by the hundreds this year alone, topping more than fifteen hundred units, leaving residents wanting action now.

“I think we’ve flipped,” says Councilman Scott Pierce, referring to the city becoming a rental community. “I think we were a residential community with rentals, and I think we may have already become a rental community with residents.”

The results of three community listening sessions provided council with mixed results. Some say a cap on rentals would mitigate the amount of trash, noise, and congestion that rental properties sometimes create while others say a cap would be unfair and hurt property values on the island.

“Something like this, the people who are the most motivated are the ones who think they have something to lose, not something to gain,” says Councilwoman Jan Anderson.

The three sessions drew more than a hundred residents, property owners, and investors. The overwhelming message gathered from the session results shows residents want city officials to enforce existing short-term rental rules. It’s something they say isn’t being done.

“I think that probably enforceability and seeing if we do need to limit short-term rentals, how we go about doing that,” says Councilman Rusty Streetman.

Residents fear short-term rentals could grow out of control if officials don’t match the steps taken by neighboring islands.

“We did not want to be the last municipality with no limitations, yet here we are,” says a resident.

Results from the city’s listening session and private survey can be found on the city’s website for residents to review.

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ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCBD) – Residents on the Isle of Palms spoke concerned about a possible threat to the island’s golf courses, green spaces, and recreation spaces.

Some of the green spaces in the Wild Dunes Resort could be bulldozed if action isn’t taken to prevent development. Neighbors say they’re concerned Wild Dunes Resort owners are looking to build hotels and homes over the spaces.

The overwhelming message from residents during a special called city council meeting Monday was working to protect the green spaces. City council approved the first reading for five ordinances they say will do just that. Some council members warn it could be a lengthy process.

“Who wins when we give away accommodations tax money,” says Randy Bell, a former Isle of Palms City Councilman and concerned resident. “The entities that don’t benefit the community, that is not a benefit to this community.”

Dozens of residents voiced concerns about potential plans to build over Wild Dunes golf courses and recreational spaces saying the development could bring severe consequences.

“Not only to preserve the greenspaces and open spaces that are critical for stormwater management but also to limit the density in Wild Dunes to mitigate the impact on the city’s resources,” says Bev Miller, a concerned resident.

Plans for development within the resort could bring hundreds of homes, hotels, or condos in place of the current green spaces. Residents at the meeting say it would also bring traffic, noise, and parking issues with it.

“And it’s for the purpose of allowing this audience and this community a voice in the affairs of the community,” says Bell.

Council took up five ordinances meant to protect green space and prevent the building. All five ordinances passed with 8 to 1 votes.

“We need to make sure we protect all the interests, protect as much greenspace as we can,” says Councilman Rusty Streetman. “Conservation and all of that is top of mind.”

Councilman Kevin Popson was the only no vote on the ordinances. The ordinances will likely move to second reading in the coming weeks. Council warns the process could be a lengthy one with potential negotiations with Wild Dunes or legal action looming.

“I fully support what we are doing,” says Councilman Blair Hahn. “But this is the beginning of what could be a six-month process.”

During the special called meeting, residents say it’s important to keep fighting to protect the land and recreational spaces.

“We can not back down from these people,” says Tony Santiago, a concerned resident. “They will just keep coming and coming and coming.”

Isle of Palms City Council will hold a public hearing on the topic and five ordinances Tuesday, October 18th at City Hall to allow people to give feedback before they get a second reading. The hearing will start at 5 pm.

ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCIV) — As Hurricane Nicole makes its way to the Lowcountry, officials along the coast are concerned about possible beach erosion.

In September, Hurricane Ian left its mark on the Isle of Palms.

“Lot of debris, for sure. Beach erosion was not so bad with Ian, and we’ll keep our fingers crossed for Nicole coming up. But a lot of debris, trees down, flooding in our hotspots," says Philip Pounds, the mayor of Isle of Palms.

In preparation for Nicole, IOP's Public Safety team surveyed the beaches.

“Our public safety folks did some drone footage earlier this week just to kind of have a base line for a pre-storm view, and then they’ll do a post probably Saturday when the storm clears out just to see if we have any erosion," continued Mayor Pounds.

The direction of the storm is also causing some concern.

“Didn’t have any issues with Ian. This one, again, since we’re on the other side of the storm, there’s certainly heightened concerns. But hopefully by the time it gets here, we’re talking 30 to 40 mile per hour winds mostly and storm surge of a couple of feet. Hopefully that won’t do too much, but we’ll probably have some issues," said Mayor Pounds.

Nicole is expected to bring heavy winds, rain, and possible isolated tornadoes, which is why Mayor Pounds is assuring the public he's preparing for the worst.

"We’ve pulled off all the trash cans that sit out on the beach for beachgoers. We’ll have some public safety personnel this week," Mayor Pounds says.

His main message is to be cautious.

“As we saw with Ian, the past changes pretty regularly and a few miles makes a big difference. This one seems pretty certain as far as the cone as where it’s going so, but certainly for residents just stay plugged in wherever you get your news from," said Mayor Pounds.

We also checked in with Sullivan's Island town officials. They say they will continue to keep an eye on the beaches, but no emergency evacuation order has been issued.