Mortgage Broker in Kiawah Island, SC

Charleston Wine + Food’s (W+F) Culinary Village kicked off today in Riverfront Park with a ribbon cutting ceremony. North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey cut the ribbon with a knife crafted by Charleston artisan Quintin Middleton, officially welcoming guests into the event.

As guests entered the village, they grabbed custom W+F wine glasses, which were instantly filled with Champagnes and wines by attending sommeliers and winemakers.

Others sought out the beer garden to sip refreshing beers from local breweries, including Palmetto Brewery and Commonhouse Aleworks as well as visiting breweries like Charlotte’s Sycamore Brewing and Rock Hill’s Legal Remedy Brewing.

The village itself is split into four “neighborhoods,” each offering a sampling of different cuisine. In “Shucktown,” hungry attendees shucked buckets of oysters and tasted seafood dishes including ceviches and shrimp and grits.

Barbecue and live-fire cooking stole the show in the “Grillin’ and Chillin’” neighborhood with chefs dishing out smoked meats in a variety of presentations from brisket to pozole.

The Farm Fresh neighborhood welcomed South Carolina farmers and producers, who offered guests samples of grits, home-made ice cream, sauces and more. In the “Street Eats” neighborhood, guests sampled a wider variety of cuisines from different regions.

Aside from chowing down on the many tasty bites, festival goers also enjoyed chef demos at stages and tents, music by a live DJ and fun party favors like Don Julio’s custom embroidered bandanas and Maker’s Mark leather keychains hand pressed with individuals’ initials.

All in all, day one of the Culinary Village was a success with smiling faces all around and laughter ringing out across the park as people indulged in favorite dishes and new cuisines. — Samantha Connors

Fifty lucky diners got a special Charleston Wine + Food treat Thursday night — they discovered their signature dinner was a soft opening for a new location for Ma’am Saab, the aromatic Pakistani pop-up that developed a loyal following during the pandemic. Chef Maryam Ghaznavi and husband Raheel Gauba say they expect to open full-time in evenings next month, a move that augments their popular Malika Pakistani Chai Canteen in Mount Pleasant.

Thursday’s themed dinner offered road food treats and dishes found along the Grand Trunk Road that stretches from Afghanistan through India. Ghaznavi shared richly spiced Pakistani dishes while award-winning guest chef Meherwan Irani of Asheville’s Chai Pani cooked tasty Indian treats as part of a four-course meal. Celebrity bartender Raj Shukla, an Indiana resident who appeared on Netflix’s Drinkmasters show, prepared gin-based drinks with a flair. — Andy Brack

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Perhaps the most surprising twist in Netflix’s adventure thriller Outer Banks – now in its third season – isn’t a plot twist at all. Only the most dedicated of set-jetters would realise that the series isn’t actually filmed in the windswept barrier islands of North Carolina of the same name – instead, the crew (and outrageously attractive cast) followed the compass across the border into South Carolina, mainly around the Charleston area.

This is an idyllic landscape of marshy waterways, historic homes and tumbledown fish shacks, reachable from the UK in around 11 hours with one connecting flight (or fly to Atlanta, and make the five-hour drive).

SOUTH CAROLINA

Mount Pleasant

Charleston

Charleston County

US

Freshfields Village

Kiawah Island

10 miles

Outer Banks has become cult viewing, tracking the twists and turns of life in the fictional beach town of Kildare Island. John B. Rutledge (played by Chase Stokes) plays the brooding teenage lead from the wrong side of the tracks, joining his friends Kiara (Madison Bailey), JJ (Rudy Pankow) and Pope (Jonathan Daviss) – known as the Pogues – as they embark on a seafaring quest, seeking shipwrecks, long-lost treasure and John B’s missing father.

Key to the drama is the epic, scene-stealing landscape, which is mostly captured in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, a coastal region that includes the tidal Sea Islands and the port hub of Charleston. As one of the most charming cities in the US, Charleston’s vibe is quintessentially Southern: horse-drawn carriages clip-clop along centuries-old cobblestone streets, Spanish moss drapes elegantly from trees and ornate, wrought-iron balconies lace the city’s grande-dame architecture.

Get your bearings at Washington Square, in the heart of Charleston’s walkable downtown, where John B and Sarah memorably took a romantic stroll beneath the oak trees, before following in their Converse-clad footsteps with a visit to the nearby Gaillard Center.

Standing in for the University of North Carolina on screen, this stately building is where the sleuthing duo rummaged through dusty records in search of incriminating clues. In real life, the Gaillard Center is one of The South’s most prestigious performing arts theatres, with everyone from touring Broadway musicals to the Charleston Symphony orchestra having graced the stage.

While the 18th-century Lowndes Grove estate – which doubles as the Cameron family’s abode in the series – is largely off-limits as a wedding venue, you can still channel its twinkling, chandeliered decadence with an overnight stay at the Belmond Charleston Place (from £274). The hotel has a nautical theme, with deep-sea maps lining the walls, and the waterfront is just a short walk from its handsome, marbled lobby.

Eight miles east of Charleston, cruising over the river on a show-stopping cable-stayed bridge, is the easy-going town of Mount Pleasant, location for the iconic waterfront scenes in the series. Follow the map to Shem Creek, a dockside hideaway that’s a hotspot for shrimpers, their boats frequently trailed by porpoises and dolphins. Here you’ll find that Kiara’s parents’ restaurant, The Wreck, is actually The Wreck of the Richard and Charlene; a breezy spot where the house speciality is seafood platters piled high with clams, oysters and crab, served on paper plates out on the wooden deck at sunset.

Despite the name change, Outer Banks fans will instantly recognise the nearby Geechie Seafood restaurant (00 1 843-860-7046) as the show’s Heyward's Seafood, a rustic joint run by Pope's father. This rickety seafood hut is the perfect place to try brown shrimp plucked fresh from the local creeks, which can also be explored with boat tours departing from the harbour.

Keep a look out for Captain Dan’s Water Tours, which offers bespoke excursions to soak up Outer Banks filming locations from the water, gliding through salt marshes teeming with wildlife. Experienced paddlers can also join the Sea Kayak Carolina adventure tour, which heads out to Morris Island Lighthouse, known as the bewitching Redfield Lighthouse in the series.

Don’t miss a visit to Mount Pleasant’s Dunes West Golf & River Club, the whimsical setting for the outdoor film screening in Outer Banks. Much like a gripping scene from the Netflix show, this elegant resort, once home to an Italian prince, burnt to the ground under suspicious circumstances. It’s since risen from the ashes, to become a swanky golf club. You’ll need membership to tee off, there’s nothing stopping visitors from dining at the onsite restaurant, The Grille Room.

Those wanting to recreate the dreamy film screening can venture a little further down the coast to Kiawah Island, a tranquil sliver of golden-sand beaches and maritime forests, where Freshfields Village hosts alfresco movies in the balmy summer months.

Treat yourself to a night in the Kiawah Island Golf Club (from £288), the glittering setting for the Midsummer Night's party, where John B finally confessed to Sarah where the loot was stashed. Considered one of South Carolina’s finest resorts, this treasure trove of ocean-view suites and sprawling beach-fronted grounds is well worth splashing some gold on.

For more information, visit discoversouthcarolina.com

When it comes to hotels, one person's must-stay can easily be another's must-avoid. After all, hotels and resorts are highly subjective by their nature, and even ideas around what constitutes luxury hospitality is a moving target these days.

That doesn't prevent plenty of publications from releasing annual lists of top-rated properties. Among the latest of these rosters is a list from U.S. News & World Report, which, though better known for its high-profile list of college rankings, has been publishing a lineup of best hotels since 2011.

Released in early February, U.S. News' best hotels of 2023 ranks luxury properties across numerous countries, regions and destinations, including the U.S., the Caribbean, Mexico and Europe.

But for travel advisors, the usefulness of such lists can be questionable.

"I look at all these lists and rankings, but I do take it with a grain of salt," said Cindy Salik, a luxury travel advisor with New York-based Embark Collective.

I asked Salik what she thought of the U.S. News list. Did a good portion of the lineup overlap with her own top picks? Were there any choices that she found puzzling? Any glaring omissions?

When it came to the No. 1 U.S. hotel, Salik agreed that the top-ranked Acqualina Resort & Residences in Miami's Sunny Isles Beach was a solid pick. Likewise, in the Caribbean, two of Salik's favorites -- Anguilla's Cap Juluca, a Belmond Hotel and Jumby Bay Island on Antigua, which is part of the Oetker Collection -- also topped the category for U.S. News.

Salik said that U.S. News' frontrunners for best all-inclusive resorts in Mexico -- the Grand Velas Los Cabos and Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit -- were in line with Grand Velas' status as her clients' preferred brand within the luxury all-inclusive space.

But Salik did take issue with a few of the list's selections, with properties like Hawaii's Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection, Jade Mountain Resort on St. Lucia and the Tortuga Bay Puntacana Resort & Club in the Dominican Republic placing far higher on the U.S. News roster than they would on her own personal list.

That the British Virgin Islands' Rosewood Little Dix Bay didn't crack the top 50 among the best Caribbean hotels was also a miss, according to Salik.

In places, Salik largely agreed with a hotel's ranking but felt there was an important caveat that should be disclosed to clients prior to booking. In the case of the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina, which ranked as the fourth-best hotel in the U.S., Salik said she thought it important to mention that some could consider the resort's accommodations overdue for a refresh.

"But every other aspect of the hotel is outstanding," Salik said. "The beach is beautiful. The pool is beautiful. The golf courses are amazing. And the service is really good. But I would want to be forthcoming [that the] hotel needs some renovation."

Another element that potentially undermines the list's utility is that U.S. News says as part of its methodology it considers "overall customer satisfaction expressed in online guest reviews of luxury hotels and resorts provided by Tripadvisor."

"Tripadvisor is a mass-market [platform], so it's probably the wrong place to be pulling luxury hotel customer satisfaction from," said Salik. "These lists might be helpful to younger people just starting to travel or to those who want to do it themselves, but for the luxury travel advisor, I don't feel these lists are too valuable to me. I like to do my own research, visit the properties myself and really do my own due diligence in ranking hotels for my clients."

It’s high time you added this Lowcountry destination to your beach bucket list.

Follow winding, oak-shaded roads 25 miles southwest of downtown Charleston's cobblestone streets and celebrated restaurant scene, and you'll find yourself on Kiawah Island. Carved by the Kiawah River on one side and fronting the Atlantic Ocean on the other, the barrier island is a true escape. Here, nature reigns supreme: ten miles of beaches roll out along the Atlantic; cicadas form their own sort of soundtrack; and lights-out is often determined by the sea turtles' nesting season. Even so, there's plenty to do for travelers who like their time in nature punctuated with good food, luxurious creature comforts, and a frozen drink in hand. Here are seven things to do in Kiawah Island, South Carolina.

Stay Like a Local

For access to all of Kiawah's amenities, from bike rentals to pools, you'll have to stay on the island. For an experience that's luxurious but unpretentious, book a room at The Sanctuary, an oceanfront hotel known for its five-star service and elevated onsite dining. For families who want a little room to spread out (or a kitchen), villa and home rentals are a smart choice; reserve through the resort directly, or book through a site like VRBO or Airbnb.

Spend a Day on the Sand

On the west end of the island, Beachwalker Park is Kiawah's only public beach access feels like a hidden gem, thanks to its wide, unspoiled expanses of sand. It offers the best of both worlds too: in addition to the ocean frontage, you can also score views of the Kiawah River here.

Hit the Links

Five state-of-the-art golf courses are open to the public. For avid fans of the sport, the Ocean Course alone makes Kiawah worth the trip. Host to two PGA Championships, the 18-hole course is not for the faint of heart. Raised above the dunes to capitalize on the expansive shore views, golfers are also subjected to ocean breezes (which don't exactly make for an easy or predictable trip around the green). Try Cougar Point for marsh views and a slightly less technical experience.

Go for a Cruise

One of the best ways to explore the island is to leave the car in park and take a beach cruiser for a spin (you can reserve them through the resort or bring your own). Between 30 miles of paved trails and 10 miles of hard-packed beach, there's no shortage of routes to explore. Ask for directions to the Marsh View Tower, an observation deck primed for birdwatching and soaking in the marsh and river scenery.

Visit Heron Park Nature Center

The naturalists here will school you in many of the species who call the island home, from bobcats and white-tailed deer to loggerhead sea turtles and American alligators. Sign up for a guided tour, like "Back Island Birding", "Marsh Kayaking," or "Ocean Seining and Beach Combing," or ask for their recommendations for the best nature-spotting places in the area.

Explore Freshfields Village

Built around a lush lawn, Freshfields Village has plenty of restaurants and shops to explore, plus a boutique stay, the Andell Inn. Pick up a beach read at Indigo Books; snag treats for your four-legged friends at Dolitte's; and gear up for island adventures SeaCoast Sports and Outfitters. Start the morning with coffee and a breakfast sandwich from Java Java; settle in for grilled cheese and a milkshake at retro Vincent's Drugstore & Soda Fountain; or cap off the day with house-made frosé from newly opened The Co-Op. Check their calendar for seasonal events, like summertime's "Music on the Green" concert series and farmer's market.

Venture to Bohicket Marina & Market

Make the short drive to neighboring Seabrook Island for a taste of the area's salty maritime culture. Snag a umbrella-shaded table on the upper deck at Salty Dog Café for fresh catch, a cold beer, and riverfront views of the boats coming and going from the marina.

The teens of Outer Banks are either running from the authorities or frolicking in the sea, so where is the Netflix show actually set? From the beach to the famous lighthouse, HITC identifies the hotspots.

The hit Netflix series follows The Pogues, a group of rebellious teens who are eager to uncover a valuable treasure. Mixed with adventure, romance, and friendship, no wonder Outer Banks is a fan-favorite.

The gang is led by John B (Chase Stokes), who falls in love with Sarah (Madelyn Cline), a Kook. Their other female member is another reckless Kook: Kiara, who is portrayed by Madison Bailey.

They are not complete without the brains of the operation, Pope (Jonathan Daviss), and John B’s BFF, JJ (Rudy Pankow).

Fans are captured by their spontaneous and unrealistic antics, but after all, it’s an adventure in the comfort of their home. But if you want to live the Outer Banks life, here’s exactly where to go.

Where is Outer Banks set?

The series is set in North Carolina, but don’t attempt to visit the state for photo opportunities because none of the filming locations are actually there.

Yes, it’s all a lie, but the good news is that Netflix hasn’t moved too far away: the cast film in the neighboring state of South Carolina, specifically, Charleston.

Filming locations of Outer Banks, including the beach and lighthouse

If the Pogues are ever on their dingy boat, chances are they are filming at Mount Pleasant’s Shem Creek. This spot is used as the entrance to Kildare Harbor and it is near the location of Heyward’s Seafood and Kiara’s family restaurant, The Wreck.

Speaking of Kiara’s family business, the real seafood restaurant is similarly called The Wreck of the Richard and Charlene.

Viewers were first introduced to Redfield Lighthouse in season 1 episode 2. The real deal is Hunting Island Lighthouse, so the nearby beach is Hunting Island State Park Beach.

Another lighthouse frequently used is Morris Island Lighthouse, which stands off Morris Island and Folly Beach. Constructed in the 19th century, it is the tallest lighthouse in South Carolina.

In season 1 episode 5, the gang dressed to nines to attend a midsummer’s party, which is the Kiawah Island Golf Resort. The exact address of the five-star hotel is 1 Sanctuary Beach Drive, Kiawah Island. It is the next island from Folly Beach.

Sarah’s elegant family mansion in reality is Lowndes Grove, a wedding venue. Located at 266 Margaret Street, it was built around 1786.

Why isn’t Outer Banks filmed in North Carolina?

The director’s decision to film in South Carolina reportedly boiled down to North Carolina’s anti-LGBTQ House Bill 2, which required transgender people to use public bathrooms for the sex they were assigned at birth.

It was passed in March 2016 by governor Pat McCrory but was partially repealed one year later by his successor, Roy Cooper.

The co-creator Jonas Pate envisioned filming in Wilmington but switched to Charleston after agreeing with Netflix’s inclusivity decisions, reports Star News Online. The city is known for its bustling atmosphere and home to the wealthy – as seen in Southern Charm – but since Outer Banks is a fictional world, directors were able to handpick ideal locations to create their vision.

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