Day 5: Red's Ice House and Shem Creek

 Luckily, Patriot's Point golf links is only a 5 minute drive from one of the coolest entertainment areas in all of South Carolina. Shem Creek is a waterfront area lined with some amazing seafood restaurants and bars, so if you give it a visit it is a guaranteed night of good food and fun. What makes Shem Creek so good is its location; it has amazing views of the Charleston Harbor and is a really nice walk, as it has boardwalks that allows you to catch all of the great fish and even see the beautiful dolphins that South Carolina has to offer. I recommend walking around Shem Creek and checking it out, and then heading over to Red's Ice House. Red's has an amazing atmosphere and is a great spot for a group of guys, as it has a plethora of tv's to watch sports and a great selection of beer as well. Red's also has some of the best seafood I have personally ever experienced. Whether it is their killer shrimp, shrimp and grits, or Lowcountry boil, Red's offers the freshest seafood you will find, as they catch everything locally. Not to mention, their key lime pie and Hershey bar pie are must-haves, even if you aren't in the mood for desert. High quality fresh seafood and an awesome waterfront atmosphere for $25 max sounds like a pretty good deal to me, as this is my go to restaurant when I am in the Charleston/Mount Pleasant area. No matter the circumstance, I recommend going to Shem Creek and giving Red's a try, it will throughly impress you like it impressed me. Because it is in the Mount Pleasant area, the drive is roughly 28 minutes to the Beachside Boutique Inn, 31 minutes to John's Island, and 42 minutes to the Andell Inn.

Photo credits: https://www.scpictureproject.org/charleston-county/shem-creek.html

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Day 5: Patriot's Point Golf Links

While Patriot's Point is not the most glamorous or well maintained golf course you will play on this trip, it is an absolute bargain and is worth every dollar spent. Located right on Charleston Harbor, Patriot's Point is the golf course to play if you are looking for expansive water and city views, as it is located on a spectacular point that allows you to view the northeastern part of Charleston. You can even see Fort Sumter from multiple holes and use it as an aiming point on some of your tee shots. Patriot's Point is not a short and easy par 70 public golf course like most, it offers some real challenge and shotmaking as it has tees that can be played up to 7,000 yards. This par 72 can get windy as well, due to the fact that it is right on the water and doesn't have many trees. Not to mention, there is water in play on 16 out of the 18 holes, so no matter what level of golfer you are, you will be challenged. This golf course has also been awarded "Best Par 3 in the Lowcountry," which is hole number 17, a short par 3 to an island green that has sweeping views of Charleston, Shem Creek, and Fort Sumter. Patriot's Point ranges from $45-$100 for 18 hole rates and will leave you in awe once you experience its amazing waterfront views. The golf course is a 45 minute drive from the Andell Inn, a 30 minute drive from the Beachside Boutique Inn, and a 28 minute drive from John's Island. 

Photo Credits: https://citadelsports.com/facilities/patriots-point-links/27

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Day 4: Folly Beach and Loggerhead's Beach Grill

 You may feel like you have explored all of South Carolina after walking through Magnolia Gardens, but South Carolina's Folly Beach, also known as the "Edge of America," is a destination that must be visited. If you are staying at the Beachside Boutique Inn, then you are familiar with Folly Beach and all of its amazing beaches and restaurants, but those who are staying in John's Island and Kiawah Island must pay a visit. There is so much to do here, but for a nice relaxing afternoon, I would recommend renting a Kayak of Paddleboard and enjoying a beautiful afternoon on The Atlantic Ocean. If you would rather walk and explore the beach, I recommend going to the north end of the beach and checking out the Morris Island Lighthouse, one of the coolest sights in South Carolina. Once you have explored the amazing white sand beaches that Folly Beach has to offer, stop in at Loggerhead's Beach Grill, for some amazing casual island dining. Loggerhead's Grill is the definition of island food; surrounded by palm trees, you will feel like you are on vacation when enter the restaurant, as it screams "tropical". Not only is the vibe great and casual, the food is amazing as well. Their fried shrimp and oysters is amazing, but so is everything else on their seafood menu, as it is some of the best local seafood in all of low-country. Loggerhead Grill is an amazing way to end your relaxing day in the Charleston area, as the tropical feel along with the amazing seafood will make you feel like you are in paradise. In terms of distance, Folly Beach is 39 minutes from the Andell Inn, and 25 minutes from John's Island. 

Photo credits: https://www.loggerheadsbg.com/home

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Day 4: Sunrise Bistro and Magnolia Gardens

 Three days of tiring golf can get to you, although it may be hard for some to take a day off after the amazing golf that was experienced. A perfect way to start your day off is with some nice local low country breakfast. I recommend Sunrise Bistro for a high quality inexpensive breakfast, as they have fantastic chicken and waffles (a Southern classic), great French toast, burritos, burgers, etc. Also, every main dish comes with a side of their amazing grits, which makes the meal so much better. As I said, Sunrise Bistro is budget friendly, ranging from $8-14 per person forbid portions that will fill you up. Sunrise Bistro is located in central John's Island, so it is roughly a 15 minute drive from the Andell Inn and a 25-30 minute drive from the Beachside Boutique Inn. If you are willing to explore some of the scenic and historic beauty that Charleston has to offer, I recommend visiting Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. Magnolia Plantation spans 464 beautiful acres located right on the Ashley River and was founded in 1676. Magnolia's beautiful gardens are truly one with nature, as some sections of the gardens are 325 years old of unrestored nature, making it the oldest in America. While you are here, you can also get an interactive tour of The Plantation House, or take a tour of the Ashley River on the nature boat. Magnolia Gardens has so much to offer, it's the perfect way to spend a couple hours and relax while experiencing all the beauty low country has to offer. Magnolia Plantation is roughly a 25 minute drive north from Sunrise Bistro. 

Photo credit: https://www.scpictureproject.org/charleston-county/magnolia-plantation.html

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Day 3: D'Allesandro's Pizza

 Ensuing a beautiful yet windy and tough round of golf at Osprey Point, will be an equally satisfying meal in downtown Charleston. No, its not more soul food, its pizza, something that never fails to cheer me up, so I can guarantee it will do the same for you. Located conveniently on the corner of Bogard and Saint Phillip Street is a cozy, yet modern pizza shop, named D'Allesandro's Pizza. D'Allesandro's Pizza has nearly every flavor of pizza you can imagine: from Margarita to Pesto to pizza with every cheese imaginable, D'Allesandro's will fulfill any and all of your pizza craving desires. This is a great spot to sit down and hang out with the boys, as you guys can order beer for a reasonable price and eat a large amount of pizza, for a low price. Pizza here ranges form a little over $8 for a 10" pie, to a little over $25 for a 16" greek pie, but keep in mind this can feed 2 people. This is the best all around pizza shop in Charleston: from the low prices, to the amazing service, to the great pizza, nothing else in the area beats it. D'Allesandros' is roughly 26 minutes from John's Island, 38 minutes from the Andell Inn, and 25 minutes from the Beachside Boutique Inn. If the sun hasn't set and your group wants to do something fun, I recommend making the drive over to Fort Moultrie a beautiful and fascinating fort that was captured by the British in 1780. This fort was used to protect Charleston in times of crisis, and contains 16, 12 inch mortars, which are really fascinating to see up close. Not only is this fort a great way to see some old fashioned artillery, it is conveniently located on the Atlantic Ocean and offers incredible views of Charleston and Fort Sumter. Fort Moultrie has a small $10 entrance fee for adults, but is extremely worth it as the views alone are breathtaking. In terms of distance from D'Allesandro's Pizza, Fort Moultrie is a scenic 22 minute drive. 

Photo credits: https://findyourpark.com/park/fort-sumter-and-fort-moultrie-national-historical-park

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Day 3: Osprey Point Golf Course

 Hopefully you will be warmed up and ready to play some challenging golf, because Osprey Point will give you that challenge, especially if the wind is consistently blowing. This Tom Fazio designed golf course, completely renovated in 2014, has some of the best and most challenging par 3s I have personally ever played on, with incredible bunker complexes that make it extremely penal if you miss the green. Holes 1 and 2 are extremely demanding off the tee, as the first hole has water all along the left side, while the second hole requires a forced carry over a large pond that plays a factor from tee to green. If the wind is whipping in its usual direction, all holes facing north will pose a great challenge; an example of this is the 9th hole, a 460 yard par 4 from the tips that can play upwards of 500 yards and requires not only a forced carry over water, but a spectacular second shot that both misses the driving range on the right and water hazard on the left. Osprey Point is an amazing and beautiful challenge from start to finish, as it is consists of beautiful ponds and homes, while having extremely well manicured paspalum greens and fairways. This incredible golf course is also roughly 6900 yards from the tips, but can play much longer when the wind is howling. This course ranges from $170 in the winter to $262 in the prime season, and is roughly an 18 minute drive from the Andell Inn a 30 mince drive from John's Island, and a 57 minute drive from the Beachside Boutique Inn. 

Photo credits: https://www.charlestoncvb.com/plan-your-trip/sports-recreation~207/golf~1181/kiawah-island-osprey-point-golf-club~5655.html

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