I have been hit one again with a bad case of the travel bug. It happens every year around this time. Summer is over, everyone starts thinking about the holidays, and all I can think about is “did we do enough this year?” I am constantly on a quest to see it all, live it all, do all the things before the years are over. We spent this summer soaking in our new baby boy and seeing the sights and sounds of diaper changing tables and breast pumping rooms. It was beautiful and magical in it’s own special way. Traveling wasn’t high on our list of priorities. But it never strays far from my mind. So when the opportunity came up to escape to Kiawah Island for the weekend, I knew it was time to take one last “trip” for the end of the summer.
Kiawah Island is only 35 minutes from where we live in Charleston, so this felt more like a staycation than a true vacation. We laughed along the way each time Liam asked “are we there yet” as if we were headed out on an all day car ride. Little did he know, we’d be there sooner than he could finish his backseat box of snacks.
the hotel
We left on a Friday after lunch time and arrived at the Andell Inn in time for an afternoon swim. Many of you may know Kiawah Island’s Sanctuary Hotel which is super boojie and known for its spa and romantic getaways. The Andell Inn, while also is very much a luxury boutique hotel, it has a really fun family friendly vibe. It is not located on the beach and instead is in the Freshfields Village, right as you are entering the island. We found this to be a great location for walking to dinner and the shops. What else can I say about the Andell? While this may seem frivolous and random, the pillow and duvet comforter were so unbelievably comfortable. I actually contemplated packing them up in my bag before we left. But I didn’t. The breakfast buffet, which although I saw had some bad reviews on Trip Advisor, was actually very impressive. The mimosa bar and waffle maker being the highlights for my crew. We were able to take our breakfast out onto the porch and eat over looking the lake. But the best part of the Inn for us was the heated saltwater pool. Again, it felt very family friendly but with an added touch of luxury with fluffy white towels waiting for us on all the lounge chairs. 
the itinerary
Unlike previous trips where we are go, go, go, and trying to squeeze in as many sight seeing adventures as possible, this trip was pure relaxation. Besides the pool there is not too much to do at the Inn itself. They have a bar that opens at 5pm at the pool so we were able to grab a drink and stay at the pool a bit longer. But afterwards, we decided to walk down the 15 minute bike trail over to Seabrook Island and grab dinner over looking the marina. This was an easy walk and would of been an easier bike ride but you know, #babyonboard. We caught a beautiful sunset and then actually decided to get our dinner to go and eat it back in the room.
The next day instead of the pool, we headed to the beach. Only 8 minutes from the Inn is Beachwalker Park which is the only public beach on Kiawah. It costs $10 a car to park or get in for free if you have a Charleston County Parks pass. This beach is perfect for families as it has lifeguards on duty, showers, bathrooms, and changing rooms.
Other things you can do in Kiawah include shopping the shops of Freshfields Village, rent bikes and bike the miles and miles of bike paths, go fishing, rent kayaks, get a massage at the Sanctuary, or play golf. Besides the beach and the pool, the rest of our trip was spent relaxing and napping in the hotel room. Something that we could have easily done at home but without the pressure of laundry, piles of bills, barking dogs, and all of life’s other disruptions looming over us. Did it cure my travel bug? Meh, probably not. But it was the perfect end of the summer getaway for my little family of four. 
