jrld_7

Planning to rent a house on Kiawah for 2 weeks in either mid-late August or early-mid September 2007 for a family vacation my husband & I, our (will be) 3-1/2 yr. old daughter and grandparents. Any recommendations on kid-friendly activites, beaches to visit, etc? Is 2 weeks too long to stay in Kiawah (should we spend week #2 somewhere else on the coast?) or will we never want to leave? Is the time of year we have chosen too risky in terms of hurricanes? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

dove

We have owned a cottage on Kiawah for almost 10 years. We have 5 grandchildren, all between the ages of 3 to 5. Our children each spend at least 2 weeks each at the beach each summer. It is the perfect place for kids that age. Great beach, lots of activities in Night Heron Park, even a kid's camp for 3 and up.

Unlike most other beaches, there are very few typical tourist amenities: no miniature golf, no movie theater on site, no fast food restaurants. For most of us, that's an advantage, not a drawback.

Lots of bike riding, beach time, pools, nature events.

Having said that, I do think there is a risk to the time you have chosen, which is at the height of hurricane season. That would not keep me from going but you should be aware of the risk of having your trip interrupted.

As to where and whom to rent from, use of the main pool on the island is restricted to Resort guests. If the area you rent in does not have a community pool, you should consider renting through the Resort.

GoTravel

You'll never want to leave.

Both Charleston (about an hour to downtown) and Savannah are good day trips to break up the two weeks. However, you may never want to leave the beach.

As far as hurricanes go, it is a crapshoot. Just do what the locals do and watch The Weather Channel.

dsgmi

Dove described it perfectly. If you go in August, all of the 'events' will still be going on - the kids' carnival on Wednesdays, nature programs, etc. Pick up a schedule book at the Straw Market if you don't get one when you check in. After Labor Day, many of the organized summer activities end. With a 3 1/2 year old, that probably won't be that big of a deal. The Nature Center is open year round- free and lots of live animals to see, a reading/learning area and a shopping area. The beach can't be beat - super wide and flat at low tide, often with great tide pools. Charleston never seems that far to me (45 min); lots to do also. The Aquarium is great. You could take along a bathing suit for your little one when you go to Charleston and let her play in the fountain (after you've seen the sights) at Waterfront Park and enjoy the view and nice breeze.

As to timing, there is always the chance that there will be a storm, but usually you have enough warning to clear out of necessary.

Make sure to look at the map to see exactly where the house you're going to rent is in respect to the beach and pathways, especially depending on the mobility of the grandparents and the load of stuff you're going to haul to the beach. You have to use the designated beach access points. If you stay behind the second security gate, there are two beach parking areas that will get you closer if the walk is far. If you have bikes, it is not an issue. You can rent them there, also, including child seats and helmets.

miller20621

When visiting a friend in C-town, we took our 4 year olds to the Splash Zone water park contained within the Charleston County park on James Island. It'll be easy to get to from Kiawah and a fun break from the beach if you need one-