Seabrook Island is a one-of-a-kind private destination with miles of beaches, a nationally recognized Members-Only Club overlooking the Atlantic Ocean with multiple dining options, two championship Audubon-certified golf courses, a tournament-level Racquet Club, full-service Equestrian Center, and fitness/aquatics complex. All of this is set in a lush semi-tropical maritime paradise. Despite its tranquil secluded ambiance, Seabrook Island lies just outside one of the world’s most cherished cities, Charleston, SC.
Only minutes from Charleston, SC, Seabrook Island’s 2,200 acres stand as a reminder of the pleasures of a slower pace of life. Generations of residents and guests have enjoyed the best of life among the most peaceful of settings in this private island paradise.
The Charleston region consists of a wide array of diverse areas and islands. Some of the main areas of Charleston, SC, include historic downtown Charleston (Charleston Peninsula), Johns Island, Seabrook Island, Kiawah Island, Wadmalaw Island, James Island, Folly Beach, West Ashley, Mount Pleasant, Sullivans Island, Isle of Palms, Daniel Island, North Charleston, Summerville, and more.
Johns Island, the largest island in South Carolina and fourth largest island on the East Coast, is west of the Charleston peninsula, and serves as a gateway to its neighboring islands – Kiawah and Seabrook Islands. It is surrounded by the Intracoastal Waterway, the Stono River, the Kiawah River and Bohicket Creek, and is bordered by Kiawah, Seabrook, Wadmalaw, James and Edisto Islands. Kiawah Island is a barrier island with 10 miles of beach, championship golf, and more. It is a private gated community with access limited to property owners and rental guests, and the host site of the 2012 and 2021 PGA Championship. Wadmalaw Island, part of Charleston County, is located primarily to the southwest of Johns Island and more than halfway encircled by it.
Charleston, the oldest and second most populated city in South Carolina, is a top tourist destination and is cited for its beauty, historic charm, array of dining and shopping, livability, and friendliness. The city of Charleston is divided into areas such as downtown, Mount Pleasant, Isle of Palms, James Island, and more.
With nearly four miles of pristine beaches, Seabrook Island lays claim to one of the most dynamic stretches of beach shoreline on the East Coast.
The SIPOA Lake House community center features a state-of-the-art fitness and training facility, indoor and outdoor pools, in addition to an inviting library, comfortable meeting rooms, a playground, basketball court and more.
Like historic downtown Charleston, South Carolina’s oldest city, Seabrook Island harbors its own rich history, from the Colonial era and colorful pirate tales, through Revolutionary skirmishes and the Civil War to contemporary times. The island is named for a storied family descended from Robert Seabrook, a successful businessman, landowner and politician who landed at Charles Town from England in 1679 and was once convicted of trading with pirates. Despite generations of subsequent fortune, his descendants sold the island for worthless Confederate paper in 1863. It changed hands several times more before town incorporation in 1987.
The Seabrook Island community is dedicated to protecting and preserving the island’s natural resources for generations to come. An Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary, Seabrook is home to a diverse variety of wildlife including many mammals such as bobcats, red and gray foxes, and white-tailed deer. Bottlenose dolphins can often be seen strand-feeding in and near Cap’n Sams Inlet during low tide. More than 30 species of reptiles can also be found on the island such as alligators, tree frogs and chameleons. The reptile that gets the most attention, however, is the Caretta caretta—better known as the loggerhead sea turtle. The island is also a haven for over 80 amazing bird species including bald eagles, roseate spoonbills, pelicans, egrets, osprey and more.
Often on Seabrook Island, the bottlenose dolphins have been observed using a technique called strand feeding, something seen only in a few other places in the world.
These are the most common dolphins in this area. Adults are 6 to 9 feet long, weighing between 300 and 600 pounds. Males live about 45 years and females up to 60.
Your best chance for seeing this amazing sight is at low tide at the northernmost tip of North Beach.
The Seabrook Island Turtle Patrol is a volunteer organization supported by the Seabrook Island Property Owners Association and member donations. The patrol operates under a permit issued by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and follows the department’s guidelines for best practices in identifying, protecting and taking inventory of nests.
More than 80 species, including federally threatened and endangered birds such as the bald eagle and piping plover, are routinely spotted on the island. Turkey sightings have also been reported. The sheer number and variety of birds prompted residents to form the Seabrook Island Birders Group. The Seabrook Island Club has participated in the Audubon International’s North American Bird Watching Open since 1998, taking top honors each year.