Best Things to Do on Seabrook Island for a Family Vacation
From horseback rides to lazy pool days, these are the best things to do on Seabrook Island SC!
Much like neighboring Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island is upscale, secluded, and known for its golfing and tennis.
It’s this isolation and quiet that makes it the perfect spot for your family to relax and reconnect on a visit.
So, what can your family do at Seabrook Island? Let’s take a look!
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Updated 7/2022 | Written 3/2016
Best Things to Do in Seabrook Island SC
Beachfront house on Seabrook Island
Seabrook Island is unlike any place you’ve ever visited. It’s incredibly peaceful and quiet, and it feels as if it is a world away from nearby Charleston, South Carolina.
1) Go bike riding.
There are paved bike trails throughout each section of Seabrook Island, so you can make your way to the amenities centers, rivers, golf centers, and beach.
Freshfields Village, the main shopping center for both Seabrook Island and Kiawah Island, is a fairly easy bike ride. The path is paved and level for the majority of the way.
Just be sure that your bike has a basket for you to carry your groceries or souvenirs home on!
If you wanted to undertake a much longer bike ride, you could go all the way from Seabrook Island to Kiawah Island.
Keep in mind that this stretch doesn’t have a lot of tree coverage: only undertake this during the summer if you've got plenty of water, sunscreen, and a good hat.
2) Shop at nearby Freshfields Village.
The Island Mercantile at Freshfields Village
This shopping center is located roughly halfway between Seabrook and Kiawah Islands.
From local boutiques to ice cream parlors to a toy store, this cute little shopping center is a great place to unwind after a day at the resort.
Plus, if you’d like to try some local restaurants, there are several great ones there. Try Cantina 76 for some excellent Mexican food, or Fuji for inventive sushi.
We also love King Street Grille for its casual atmosphere, build-your-own-salads, and pasta dishes.
>> Check out more things to do in Kiawah Island! <<
Note: if you’re looking for a place to quickly pick up a beach towel or cold drink, there is one shop within the gates at Seabrook Island.
The Seabrook Shoppe is located inside the Seabrook Club and has a small number of beach items, sunscreen, cover ups and Seabrook Island merchandise.
The hours change with the seasons.
In the summer, it’s open daily from 10 AM-5 PM. After Labor Day, the hours shorten from Tuesday-Saturday 10 AM-4 PM. From November 1-March 30, the shop is closed.
3) Swim at the pool.
Guests can buy a daily amenities pass for access to the pools--there are two at the Lake House and two at the Beach Club.
If it's chilly outside, one of the pools at the Lake House is indoors and heated.
Check with your vacation rental to see if passes are provided in the rental fee. If not, you can purchase them each day you’d like to make use of the pool(s).
4) Burn off some energy at the playground.
When you’re traveling with kids, you have to know where the closest playground is.
Seabrook Island has a great one located near the Lake House on Seabrook Island Road near Bohicket Creek Place.
It has standard playground offerings like slides and swings, and it’s clean and spacious.
5) Go to the beach.
The beach at Seabrook Island
While erosion is a constant concern at Seabrook due to the island’s location, the area has undergone multiple beach renourishments since 2000.
These renourishments help ensure that the island has a natural beach.
Avoid the beach near the Beach Club pools at high tide as the water can often come over the access stairs.
Instead, head to the beach behind the Beach Club Villas and Pelican Watch Villas. This are can be found along Seabrook Island Road just after the turnoff for Spinnaker Court.
You can find beach access at the roundabout next to the Seabrook Island Club. Parking is available behind the golf course.
You also have another beach option just outside of the gates to Seabrook Island.
The county-run Beachwalker Park has wide beaches, outdoor showers, a snack cart and changing rooms.
6) Ride a horse.
Making friends with the horses at the Seabrook Island Equestrian Center
Right inside the Seabrook Island gates are two huge horse pastures, and some of the friendlier horses will trot right over to say hello.
My daughter was obsessed with them when we saw them the first night we were there and insisted that we go to the grocery store and buy them all carrots for a snack.
I didn't find out until after we left that little kids can do a parent-led pony ride.
For older riders, you can saddle up for a trail ride or a trot along the beach.
Pony rides start at $65 for non-club members, and trail/beach rides start at $105 per non-club member.
To reserve a spot, contact the Equestrian Center at (843) 768-7541.
7) Work up a sweat playing tennis.
If you're a tennis fan, Seabrook has 11 tennis courts at the Racquet Club!
You can rent out a court for a game with friends, enroll in a clinic, or sign up for lessons.
Morning court times start at $20/person, and families can add on kids for $12/person. Afternoon court times are lower at $15/adult and $8/child.
Weekly programs are held throughout the summer for members and their guests. You can sign up for one session or all of them.
8) Play a round of golf or 2.
Ready for a round of golf at Seabrook Island? | source
Seabrook Island golfing is THE reason why many families return here year and year.
The golfing options are varied and for the entire family.
The 2 courses—Ocean Winds and Crooked Oak—were recently remodeled, and the massive 40,000 sq. ft. practice area provides plenty of options on honing your skills.
Kids and adults alike have the ability to join a group coaching session each week, with the ability to add on private lessons, too.
9) Participate in one of the family activities.
During the summer, the club offers up a special family activity Monday through Friday.
On Monday, eat s’mores by a bonfire.
On Tuesday and Thursday, tie-dye a shirt by the pool.
On Wednesday and Friday, compete in the pool games.
On Thursday, watch at movie from 5:30-7:00 PM.
10) Go to summer camp.
One of the beachfront cabins at Camp St. Christopher | source
Seriously!
On your vacation, you may also notice that there is a summer camp inside of the island’s gates.
Camp St. Christopher is not owned by the Seabrook Island Club, but rather the Episcopal Church of South Carolina.
It hosts hundreds of kids in kindergarten to high school each summer as well as several dozen parents during their buddy camp weeks for younger kids.
Of course, this activity is completely separate from all of the other Club-centric activities on the list, but it could make for a fun add-on your Seabrook Island family vacation if the timing worked out.
As a Camp St. Christopher alumni, I’m happy to say that it might be the most fun you’ve ever had at the beach!
Finding the Perfect Seabrook Vacation Rental
As there are no hotels on Seabrook Island, you’ll need to find a vacation rental.
You’ll find no shortage of these on Booking.com, but you’ll want to weigh your chosen location carefully.
If your family wants to hang out at the beach, you’ll likely want to stay closer to the Beach Club at the southern tip of the island.
If you’d rather go shopping or ride horses, a property closer to the gate on the northern end of the island would be best.
On our last trip to Seabrook Island, we stayed in one of the condos near the Lake House Amenities Center and the playground, and it was one that I’d return to in a heartbeat.
With gorgeous views of the Bohicket River through the live oaks, we almost felt as if we were staying inside of a treehouse!
What You Need to Know Before Going to Seabrook Island
How far is it from Seabrook Island to Charleston?
By car, it takes about 45 minutes to get to Seabrook Island’s gates from the historic district in downtown Charleston.
This drive will take longer during rush hour as residents make their way from Charleston down Maybank Highway to Johns Island and Wadmalaw Island.
Much of the road from Johns Island to the Seabrook Island gates is a 2 lane road, so use caution as there aren’t any shoulders on most stretches.
>> Find the BEST things to do in the area with my Discover Charleston digital visitors center! <<
Is Seabrook Island gated?
Seabrook Island is known for the privacy of its residents and guests. To create this tranquil getaway, Seabrook Island is gated, and only members (those who own property inside and pay club dues) and their guests are allowed in.
Is Seabrook Island open to the public?
It isn’t open to the public, but that doesn’t mean you’re completely barred from entry.
If you’re not a member—and don’t know someone who is—don’t worry!
If you’re renting a vacation home inside the gates, you’re considered a member’s guest, and you’ll have access to all of the fun vacation activities.
Which of these things to do on Seabrook would you like to experience?
