Sullivans Island Favorites

Favorite thing: This is a wonderful quiet beach to explore, a Fort, a Lighthouse, great dunes and lots of nature to photograph. Please take the time to clean up after yourself and don't leave any thing but your foot prints behind, and take that perfect photo so you can remember this place always.

Favorite thing: This is what a beach access point may look like, they have a plank walk for you get get up and to the other side of the dune and it's a sand path. Check down the ends of the streets, there are a few parking spots, but pretty limited.

Favorite thing: As always there are beach rules for people and pets too. The usual don't walk or run on the dunes, pick up after your dog, All dog must have a Sullivan's Island dog tag, on leash at all times, no longer than 10 feet. This sign is all about the dogs and when they can be on the beach.

Favorite thing: Now this little guy was fast! He stayed running in front of us by about 5 or 6 feet away as we walking along the beach. This lasted about 100 feet or so and then we turned off down the path heading back top the truck and the bird kept running down the beach, he was not scared of us at all he never flinched. There are many type of other birds all over, I wanted to pull off many times for photos, but time was valuable so we pressed on. I was down here on business and only a few days to explore with Terry and enjoy the area so I wanted to make the most of it with her and not goin nuts with the camera so photos are limited.

Favorite thing: On the road over to Sullivan's Island you will go over a swinging draw-bridge, which we had no idea until we has to wait to get off the island. This was pretty cool, neither of us had ever seen this type of bridge in action. For 1 small sailboat it takes about 15 minutes or so, you might want to shut off your car and get comfortable, get out of your car and take a few photos, there are many birds flying all around for the bird lovers and beautiful landscape views. Just thought this interesting bridge should be shared with the group because it seems to be the only way on and off Sullivan's Island except maybe a boat.

Favorite thing: This was an interesting list on the back of the Station 22 restaurant menu. Below is an abbreviated section of this Dictionary

Apparently the cross streets on Sullivan's Island are all called Stations. It has been speculated that this is because of the military history of the island.

Fondest memory: Atlantic Beach Hotel - hotel at Station 22 in the late 1800's and early 1900's which was destroyed by fire.

Cove Inlet - site of first trolley car bridge from Mt. Pleasannt to Sullivan's Island.

Edgar Allen Poe - stationed here in 1827. Sullivan's Island was the inspiration for the short story "The Gold Bug"

Osceola - Seminole Chief who died in prison at Ft. Moultrie

Sappho - ferryboat with a unique stablizing system - heavy barrels in the hold would be rolled to the windward side to offset the listing effect in a strong cross wind.

Sullivan's Island - named for Florence Sullivan who was the first lookout in 1670.

Favorite thing: We always see this lighthouse as we cross Charleston harbor. The triangular lighthouse which was built in 1962 is not open to the public and has been declared surplus inventory by the Coast Guard.

Information on

Sullivan's Island Light
".. When erosion threatened the Morris Island Lighthouse, located south of the entrance to Charleston Harbor, the decision was made to place a replacement beacon on Sullivan’s Island, north of the harbor’s entrance. ..Inside the tower, the keepers of the light are treated to air conditioning and an elevator that can quickly whisk them skyward. After the elevator ride, it is still necessary to scale a small staircase to reach the lantern room, where a powerful light source is housed. Originally, the light produced an amazing 28 million candlepower, but this powerful beam proved dangerous and was downgraded to a light of just over a million candlepower that has a range of twenty-six miles."

Fondest memory: Next to the lighthouse, the NPS owns the 1898 lifesaving station dwelling and boathouse. They use the historic buildings as housing for seasonal rangers and as maintenance shops.

"The Park Service is interested in obtaining the lighthouse to protect the historic nature of the property and to prevent commercial development on the site. If the Park Service is successful in obtaining the tower, the Coast Guard would still maintain the light, but the Park Service would be responsible for the upkeep of the tower."