Traveling to the Isle of Palms all the way from Sturgis, South Dakota, the Dixon and Shull families described the island as “beautiful and salty.” The humidity was surprising to them and even the air tasted salty.
IOP contrasts starkly from the landlocked nature of South Dakota, the friends remarked. Chris Dixon continued, “It is beautiful in South Dakota, but in a different way. South Dakota is home to many mountain ski areas with beautiful lakes, summits up to 7,100 feet and sub-zero temperatures.” The entire entourage described a vast difference between the high elevation in South Dakota and the Lowcountry of South Carolina.
Kayleigh Dixon reflected on hearing about the quaintness and charm of Charleston and always wanting to visit. Upon searching for the right place to meet the families’ needs, the Isle of Palms seemed to be the perfect destination. She joyfully recounted, “It met our high expectations and then some. It was everything we wanted and more.”
This tight-knit, friendly and exuberant group of friends traversed a great distance with the hopes of encountering a wide variety of places and experiences and the Lowcountry did not disappoint. From Middleton Place to the USS Yorktown and paddling rowboats at Cypress Gardens’ alligator-laden swamp to discovering drippy sandcastles and sand dollars at the beach, each day brought new encounters for this adventurous group.
The collective goal was to soak up as much beach time as possible. Early yet slow mornings were key to accomplishing just that. The Boathouse, Obstinate Daughter, Saltwater Cowboys, Jeff ’s Bagel Run and Republic Ice Cream were among the group’s food favorites. Catching three sharks while fishing was another crowd pleaser, along with the ability to travel to and from the beach on a golf cart. Our South Dakota visitors described the French Quarter in downtown Charleston as “magical” and a highlight of the friends’ touring destinations.
Choosing to visit South Carolina during the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was no coincidence. Every year since its inception in 1938, this popular event has hosted motorcycle enthusiasts from around the world. Attendance records have soared well above 700,000 in recent years in this small town of just over 7,000 people. The Dixon and Shull families headed south to our tiny seaside city to escape the chaos and crowds of the annual motorcycle rally that invades their peaceful mountain town each August. Nonstop excitement along the legendary Main Street hub includes not only motorcycle enthusiasts, but also concerts, food vendors, charity rides, stunt riding and burnout demonstrations.
Although the terrain and experience differ from their hometown, the friends agreed that the Isle of Palms is home to friendly and welcoming locals, and all also agreed they will miss their time spent here. It marked the first trip of what they hope to make a tradition. It is our hope that we get the opportunity to welcome this wonderful crew back to their vacation paradise.
By Laura Fogarty
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