the best beach in usa

Kiawah Island
Charleston, SOUTH CAROLINA

Once the sole domain of the Kiawah Indians, this island off South Carolina’s coast ranks as one of the region’s cushiest resorts. In past centuries, it served as plantation grounds, pasturelands, a logging site, and a family retreat. It wasn’t until the early 1970s, however, that its beginnings as a resort were realized, when a Kuwaiti-led group began to develop the island as a leisure destination. These days, ownership has changed multiple times, but Kiawah’s status as a luxury vacationland has been cemented. In fact, it’s gained lasting fame for its spectacular, oceanside golf courses, all designed by top golf pros. Host of international and domestic competitions, these manicured beauties draw countless aficionados, who come to soak in the island’s incredible scenery and play where their heroes have trod. Besides golf, tennis is a popular attraction, and Kiawah’s scenic, undeveloped shoreline stands among the country’s best beaches. In an effort to maintain the integrity of the barrier islands, developers have preserved the most sensitive terrain and lumped land-use so that it doesn’t negatively impact wildlife and vegetation. Such planning, of course, relies on substantial funds; as a partial result, Kiawah exists as a private resort where only residents and island guests are permitted past the gates. Beachwalker Park is the exception, granting public access to the beach on Kiawah’s western end. Those who do gain entrance find an unhurried, sophisticated atmosphere, marked by lazy days at the beach and time devoted to relaxation and fun. An increasingly upscale dining scene and a few shopping enclaves provide further distraction, and Charleston is only 21 miles north if brief escape is necessary. However, Kiawah’s rarefied pleasures ensure that little outside of its gates competes for its attentions - at least for the duration of a sun-soaked summer

Kiawah Island Factoids
Fact 1: For millennia, loggerhead turtles have nested on Kiawah's shores. These days, although development and the human presence threatens to interrupt the process, volunteers patrol the shores to facilitate nesting and hatching. Turtle season runs from mid-May to October, and local folks have assisted since the early 1970s, drastically increasing the rate at which young turtles survive - and hopefully return!
Fact 2: Kiawah's charms are myriad, but the price of such appeal comes at a premium. The gated, private island only allows in residents or guests who rent properties or book rooms. Golf courses are just as exclusive, and the River Course and Cassique - in a land of elite courses - require property ownership on the island and membership to the Kiawah Island Club (around $135,000). Homes range from approximately a half-million to $1.5 million.
Fact 3: There's little doubt that golf is the prime pastime on Kiawah. Designers including Tom Fazio, Tom Watson, Pete Dye, and Gary Player have left their imprint on the island, delighting golfers with awe-inspiring scenery and foiling them with doglegs, sand traps, and fickle ocean breezes. Many of the courses, showcased in world-class matches like 1991's Ryder Cup, have become something of a Holy Grail of the sport.
Fact 4: Kiawah first entered private hands in the 1690s, when British lords bought it from a diminished tribe of Native Americans in exchange for tools, cloth, and jewelry. They, in turn, deeded it to its first owner-resident, Captain George Raynor, a reputed pirate. From that point until 1974, the island was under the ownership of various families and used largely for agricultural and logging purposes. However, Kiawah was also inhabited by soldiers during several conflicts, including the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, and World War II. They occupied it for matters of both rest and protection.
Fact 5: Kiawah’s luxury resort, The Sanctuary, became the jewel in the island’s crown when it opened in summer of 2004. The elegant property is without compare, uniting modern amenities with age-old character. So intent on recalling the past were the owners that they moved hundreds of live oaks to create a gracious, welcoming entrance and had the lobby floor engineered so that its random-width walnut floors shift slightly, giving the illusion of longevity and time-worn charm.
Fact 6: Although many folks equate Kiawah solely with golf, plenty of other activities grab the attention of vacationers. Most capitalize on the island’s unspoiled beauty, which entices folks with wildlife, scenery, and vegetation. Biking tours are popular, and kayak expeditions wind through the ocean or the marsh. Canoe excursions explore the creek and marsh, adding to the possibilities, and walking tours point out various bird species and even the occasional alligator. Heron Park Nature Center is a great resource if your tastes run beyond the beach.
Fact 7: Kiawah - along with Johns, Seabrook, and Wadmalaw - comprise some of the Sea Islands, located some twenty miles south of Charleston. These barrier islands, once quiet and isolated, are caught up in the tension of development versus preservation. The distinction between the two realms is quite striking: upscale Kiawah and Seabrook serve as private resorts, accessible only to guests. Johns and Wadmalaw remain largely rural, given over to agriculture but available to all.
Fact 8: Peculiar to this area of SC is Gullah culture, which developed from various African languages and traditions and then incorporated English phrases and ideas into the mix. The unique amalgam began as a way for slaves to communicate and evolved from there, finding its preservation in geographical isolation. Now, as the world tightens, its continuation is threatened, and so, too, are its signature woven sweetgrass baskets and lilting, melodic speech.
Fact 9: For years, the Kiawah Island Inn was one of the area’s favorite hotels, welcoming visitors to the island with affordable accommodations. With The Sanctuary’s premiere, however, the Inn became a victim of the wrecking ball and a casualty of Kiawah’s desire for more upscale lodging. Preserved from demolition is the main building, now a reception facility for other island properties.
Fact 10: Hollywood location scouts found Kiawah an ideal setting for portions of the 2000 film, “The Legend of Bagger Vance.” In the movie, Kiawah serves as the fictional “Krewe Island,” and the Ocean Course functions as the identifiable backdrop. However, the film’s crucial 18th hole was built to fit the book’s specifications and required special permission to create. It’s not an integral part of the Ocean Course as seen today.