Edisto Island, Unspoiled Destination

Edisto Island is one of the most unspoiled areas to which we have traveled. This was our fourth time there. We stayed in the Village at Fairfield Ocean Ridge. Driving or walking amongst the big, live oak trees with the spanish moss swinging in the breeze is like another world. Maybe the oaks are the grandmothers of the island with their long, grey hair. A feeling of peace comes over one as soon as one enters the Village.

We have always been there in what I would consider the off season. There have never been many people around. Walking the state park beach is very enjoyable. There is nothing like watching the sunset over St. Helena's Sound.

Quick Tips:

It is a good idea to take food and supplies with you. There is a Piggly Wiggly store not too far from Ocean Ridge, and another grocery down the road to the main land.

There have been no fast food places there when we have been there. There is a little down home restaurant behind the Piggly Wiggly that we found to be good. It is frequented by the locals, which is usually a good sign that it has good cooking. There is a more upscale restaurant called the Old Post Office, which we have yet to visit but we have heard it is good. Next trip we will try it. There is also a restaurant at Ocean Ridge near the golf course. That is very good and not usually very crowded.

Best Way To Get Around:

We will need a car on Edisto Island. There are not motels or hotels. The main street is lined with summer cottage type homes. Fairfield Timeshare has three different places to stay on the island. In season, there is a tram that takes you from the timeshare to the beach. We live in a western suburb of Cleveland. We usually make it a two day trip, but I think it would be about 13 hours driving straight through from our home.

Best Things Nearby:
The golf course runs all through the village. There are places where there are lagoons around the course, making it very attractive. The Atlantic beach is just a short ways away. It is an easy bike ride away. In season they have a tram that takes people to the private Fairfield gazebo at the beach. St. Helena's Sound is also very close by. Watching the sunset from there is great. Sometimes you will also find dolphins swimming nearby the shore.

Best Things About the Resort:
I would have to say the thing we like about this timeshare is the atmosphere. There is nothing like those moss covered live oak trees. We like the unhurried atmosphere of the area.

Resort Experience:
The Village at Ocean Ridge is the older part of the timeshare. The units may not be quite as fancy as at Egert Point, but I don't know for sure because we have never stayed there. Our unit was Fairway Terrace unit 434. We were on the third level of three. Our unit was right up in the trees. Our grandson called it our tree house. There are no elevators and three levels can be a climb for some folks. I would check with the office before checking in if stairs are a real problem.

We had two bedrooms and two full baths. The master bath had a large jaccuzzi tub, which our grandson used as a swimming pool. There were TV's in the living room and in the master bedroom, none in the second bedroom. The master bedroom had a king bed and the second bedroom had twin beds. There was also a sleeper sofa in the living room, which we did not use. There is an outdoor pool that they cover with a bubble in the winter. There is a nice miniature golf course. When we were there it was out of season, so we could play miniature golf at no charge. They also have videos to rent. There is an activities building but we did not participate in the actitivies because we had so much to do on our own.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Very Good

This restaurant is on the grounds of the Fairfield Ocean Ridge in the Village near the golf course. The two times that we have eaten there, the food was good, and the service and the view of the golf course was nice. The mode of attire is casual golf-type clothes, but if you wanted to get a little dressier for a special night out, it would not be inappropriate. It is a quiet restaurant, and at the time of year we were there, not very busy. There is a parking lot right next to the restaurant, so even though it is on a little hill, it is easily accessible to all. Some of the other places on the island have many, many steps.

This restaurant is near the Edisto Yacht Club on Big Bay Creek. The view is lovely looking across the salt marshs. You will see many, many pelicans making their rounds looking for fish and also landing on the pilings.

The menu is mostly seafood.

This pizza shop is in a very small shopping center on Jungle Road. We picked up our pizza there and took it back to the unit. I believe they also deliver.

Edisto State Beach is several miles long. It has beautiful white sand and large dunes. We found some very large shells along this beach. There is a guided walk that vacationers at Fairfield Ocean Ridge may sign up for. There is an admittance charge to the State Park. One could park across the street at the grocery store if one just wanted to walk the beach.

Fairly flat fairways, some lakes and some challenging greens with water nearby. Greens in good condition. Best to reserve tee times but it is a fairly uncrowded course at the time we were there.

We enjoy using The Village at Fairfield Ocean Ridge as our home base when we visit the Charleston area. It is about an hour south of Charleston, and it could be a little less depending on the traffic out of Charleston. The planations are also within an easy drive.

On our last trip my husband and son-in-law thoroughly enjoyed going to see a display of the Civil War submarine, the Hunley. Also a visit to Patroits Point was a highlight for them. Our daughter and I walked around Charleston while we waited for them to finish the Patroits Point tour.

During one night while we were at Edisto we watched our grandson while his parents spent a night at Two Meeting Street in Charleston. That was a memorable time for them. The next morning the owner of the inn allowed our daughter and her husband to take us on a tour of the inn. That was nice for us. While going to or coming out of Charleston, stop by John's Island and see Angle Oak, a 1400-year-old live Oak tree. Be prepared to ask directions. It is a little hard to find but worth seeing.

One day we took a tour of the Edisto Island in the "Pink Van". The company was "Tours and Tings", and was conducted by an island native. It was most informative and something we will probably do again when we go to Edisto this spring.

And don't forget to go to Beaufort, SC, while you are on Edisto. It is not far and a lovely small town. It is rather a very miniature Charleston.

We plan many more trips to Edisto Island.