Wild Dunes Resort Review and Travelogue

Wild Dunes Resort
Charleston, South Carolina

Wild Dunes Resort Review
Grade: A
Teacher’s Comments: We had a very nice weekend at a beautiful resort.

Recently, Mrs. GolfBlogger and I were invited by Wild Dunes Resort for a short weekend vacation of golf, beach and food. Keeping in mind that we were there for just two days, here are a few impressions of Wild Dunes.

Located just a short ride from Charleston, Wild Dunes occupies 1,600 acres on one end of the Isle of Palms. It’s a lush, beautiful place with plenty of opportunities for relaxation and recreation.

Of primary interest to the readers of this blog are resort’s two Tom Fazio designed golf courses, the Links and the Harbor. You can read my review of the Links at Wild Dunes here. I did not have a chance to play the Harbor course, but it was described as playing along the intercoastal, tighter than the Links and a “shotmakers’ course.” If I were to return for a week, I would happily play The Links every day.

But that would take away from hours I could spend on other activities at the resort, such as bicycle riding on the resorts miles of paths (you can rent a bike there), or just sitting on the beach.

Mrs. Golfblogger reports that riding a bike along the beach is a lot of fun. While I was playing golf, she spent her time wheeling about (click on the photos below for a bigger view).

 

The resort also offers spa services, tennis facilities, and a variety of recreation programs. These vary from season to season, so you’d have to visit the website to see what’s available for your stay. Among those, however, are water sports, such as boat and paddle tours of the inland waterways. We were fortunate to be invited to take a boat tour of the inner waterways that included a fine breakfast and skeet shooting.

More photos from the ride through the intercoastal waterways:

 
And as if there is not enough at the resort, Charleston is just a short drive away. If I was there for a week, I would absolutely want to spend a couple of days in that historic and beautiful city.

Accommodations at the resort include rental vacation homes, condos, cottages, suites and penthouses. There’s also the Boardwalk Inn with more traditional hotel rooms. The room we stayed in was a ridiculous 2,139 square feet, with three bedrooms and 3 and a half baths. Some photos are below, and there are more, and pricing here: Ocean Club Deluxe Condo

 
More photos of Wild Dunes properties are below:

 

 
The resort has several restaurants, including The Sea Island bar and Grill, where I had an excellent Chicken and Waffles for lunch on one day, and an Open Face Crabcake and Fried Egg sandwich for breakfast the next.

 

 
Other eateries at the Wild Dunes Resort include the Lettered Olive Restaurant and Lounge with a family style buffet restaurant in the main dining room and a la carte dining in the bar with a full happy hour. The 19th Hole offers pizza, hot deli sandwiches, waps and salads. The Grand Pavilion bar and Grill has beach grill favorites. The Links course clubhouse will have a new restaurant at the end of November.

There is also nearby Charleston, with lots of food beckoning. I really wish we had the time to spend a day (or two) in Charleston. I could eat low country food for a week and not get tired of it.  Chicken and Waffles? Shrimp and Grits? Sign me up.

The Wild Dunes Resort Review was first published November 23, 2015.