Nearly four miles of sandy coastline give Seabrook Island a distinct Atlantic character. At North Beach, you can explore tidal pools; Pelican Beach lies near the mouth of the Edisto River and is characterized by gentle waves and a slow Atlantic current. Each beach has its own features: tidal pools in one place, waves and currents in another.

Beaches and Dolphins

Dolphins are more likely to exhibit strand-feeding behavior on Seabrook Island beaches in spring and fall. This behavior typically peaks within three hours before or after low tide. If you’re interested, you can take the tide times into account when planning your beach visit. The Seabrook Island Dolphin Education Program is a field-based educational program that informs beachgoers about the local dolphin population and aims to reduce disturbance to the dolphins.

Nature Trails with Different Scenery

Bobcat Dune is a sunny boardwalk that runs parallel to the sand dunes at North Beach. Roseate spoonbills and terns can be spotted along the way. The Old Drake Nature Trail is an easy path leading to benches by the marshland. Another nature trail curves through the woods around a lagoon and ends back at Hidden Oaks Drive. The trails mainly differ in their surroundings: sand dunes and a boardwalk, benches by the marshland, or a loop through the woods and around a lagoon.

Horseback Riding, Golf, and Tennis

The Seabrook Island Equestrian Center offers guided trail rides along routes leading to Captain Sams Inlet at North Beach. Advance reservations are required for rides; schedules may change and should be checked in advance.

Seabrook Island has 36 holes of golf across two distinct courses. Guests can book tee times up to three days in advance; access conditions may change. The golf courses joined the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf in 1996. At the time, they were the first in South Carolina and the 75th in the United States. Tennis is also available: the Seabrook Island Racquet Club has 15 professionally maintained clay courts and offers private and group lessons year-round. Lesson times may change.

History and Getting Around

Seabrook Island’s history spans the colonial era and pirate lore, skirmishes during the American Revolution, and the American Civil War. The island was named after a distinguished family descended from Robert Seabrook, who came to Charles Town from England in 1679. This story behind the name adds a specific connection to the island’s early history.

Seabrook Island is about 20 miles, or roughly a 30-minute drive, from the Charleston peninsula; drive times depend on traffic. The city’s undated visitor page says that visitors with a visitor pass can drive directly to the Seabrook Island security gate. Since access procedures may change, check the current process before you travel.

This way, your plans can focus on the experiences that interest you, without prescribing a fixed order for your days.

Discover more destinations: North Charleston, Sullivan's Island, Mount Pleasant, Isle Of Palms, Ladson, Edisto, Folly Beach, Hollywood.

For the broader travel overview: Charleston.