Guest guide · Wadmalaw Island
Your Wadmalaw Island guide
Today's tide and sunset, the nearest public beach, where to eat, things to do with kids, the rules and who to call — each line from the official page named beside it.
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Supplied by Mike Olson
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Staying on Wadmalaw Island?
Today’s tide and sunset are below, then the beach, places to eat, things to do with kids, the island rules and who to call. Add this page to your home screen and it opens like an app — no download, and it keeps working offline.
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Wadmalaw has no ocean beach; the closest public beach is Kiawah Beachwalker Park. The island is unincorporated Charleston County, except the Town of Rockville.
Live on your phone · check it each morning
Today on Wadmalaw
Island Today
Weather
Asking the National Weather Service…
National Weather Service, Charleston
Tide · Kiawah River
Asking NOAA…
NOAA station 8667062, feet above mean lower low water
Sun & moon
Worked out on your device (NOAA solar method)
Dolphins · Captain Sams Inlet
Asking NOAA…
The ocean
— water
Asking the buoys…
Water: NOAA Charleston Harbor. Waves: NOAA buoys; forecast: NWS. Wind —.
High water watch
Asking NOAA…
At the Charleston Harbor gauge, the National Weather Service counts minor coastal flooding from 7.0 ft, moderate from 7.5 ft and major from 8.0 ft.
NOAA predictions, station 8665530; flood levels set by the National Weather Service
On Wadmalaw today
Rip currents
Today's beach forecast and rip current risk (National Weather Service) →
Check it each morning before you swim.
- Before you come →The packing list for the month you’re here, with this week’s forecast
- The week’s weather →Radar, alerts, 7 days and the marine forecast
- The whole day →Island Today in full, with the roads and bridges
- Big dates on the islands →The signature events and holidays — see which fall during your stay
- Ask Val about the island →The guide’s AI assistant, for questions about beaches, tides, places and the rules. It answers from this site’s sourced facts — or tap Ask Val at the bottom of any page.
Getting on the sand
The beach
No ocean beach
- The closest public beach is Kiawah Beachwalker Park, before the Kiawah gate. Walk-ins and bikes get in free; cars pay by the month and day.
Source: Charleston County Parks, Kiawah Beachwalker Park, checked October 13, 2026.
Kiawah Beachwalker Park — open to everyone
- 8 Beachwalker Dr, Kiawah Island, SC 29455. Run by Charleston County Parks; the park office is (843) 762-9964.
- Walk-ins and bicyclists get in free. Gold Pass members park free all year. 150 spaces, usually full by mid-morning in summer. If it's full, staff can put you in a virtual line and text you as you near the front. The Town of Kiawah bans idling or parking outside the entrance.
- Lifeguards: Weekends only through the end of September, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. (Barrier Island Ocean Rescue). Swim only in the designated area.
- Not allowed: alcohol (except designated areas with an approved application), smoking or vaping, fireworks, drones, confetti, glitter and balloons. Stay on the boardwalks over the dunes, and fill your holes before you leave.
Sources: Charleston County Parks, Kiawah Beachwalker Park · Charleston County Parks, park rules, checked October 13, 2026.
Beachwalker Park parking, per car
| When | Per car, per day |
|---|---|
| January & February | $5 |
| March | $10 |
| April | $15 |
| May through Labor Day — weekdays | $15 |
| May through Labor Day — weekends & holidays | $25 |
| September, after Labor Day | $15 |
| October | $10 |
| November & December | $5 |
The county Gold Pass ($99 + tax; $84 + tax for Charleston County residents; $69 + tax at age 60 and over) parks free all year.
Sources: Charleston County Parks, Kiawah Beachwalker Park · Charleston County Parks, passes, checked October 13, 2026.
The full beach rulebook — parking, the Gold Pass, dogs (and whether they can be off-leash right now) and alcohol: beach access.
Coming in by Uber, Lyft or taxi, or getting around by golf cart, LSV or e-bike? The gate rules and getting around, island by island.
From the island directory
Eat, shop, rent, golf
Listed A to Z, never ranked — nobody pays to be here. Tap Directions for the live hours.
Where to eat9
The directory lists none on Wadmalaw; these are on Maybank Highway and Main Road, Johns Island.
- Gilligan's Seafood RestaurantMain Rd
Seafood restaurant on Main Road.
Source: gilligans.net
- Lost IsleMaybank Hwy
Restaurant and bar on Maybank Highway.
Source: lostislechs.com
- Low Tide BrewingMaybank Hwy
Craft brewery taproom with a patio and food trucks.
Source: lowtidebrewing.com
- MineroMaybank Hwy
Mexican restaurant.
Source: minerojohnsisland.com
- Tattooed MooseMaybank Hwy
Bar and grill.
Source: tattooedmoose.com
- The Royal TernMaybank Hwy
Seafood restaurant with a raw bar.
Source: theroyaltern.com
- The Southern GeneralMaybank Hwy
Casual restaurant: burgers and sandwiches.
Source: thesoutherngeneral.com
- Wild OliveMaybank Hwy
Italian restaurant with handmade pasta.
Source: wildolive.com
- Zeppelin Pizza Co.Maybank Hwy
Pizza restaurant.
Source: zeppelinpizzacojohnsisland.com
Farms, wine & groceries7
- Ambrose Family FarmWadmalaw Island
Produce farm with a seasonal CSA; its produce is sold at Stono Market on Main Road.
Source: ambrosefamilyfarm.com
- Deep Water VineyardWadmalaw Island
Vineyard and winery with a wine bar on Wadmalaw.
Source: deepwatervineyard.com
- CVS Pharmacy (2803 Maybank Hwy)Maybank Hwy
Pharmacy with drive-thru; also a UPS access point.
Source: cvs.com
- CVS Pharmacy (3575 Maybank Hwy)Maybank Hwy
Pharmacy with drive-thru and photo printing.
Source: cvs.com
- Food LionMaybank Hwy
Grocery store with deli, floral, propane and order pickup.
Source: stores.foodlion.com
- Lowes FoodsMaybank Hwy
Grocery store.
Source: lowesfoods.com
- Stono Market & Tomato Shed CafeMain Rd
Farm market selling Ambrose Family Farm produce, with a lunch café.
Source: stonofarmmarket.com
Boats & paddling2
- Cherry Point LandingRockville
Public county boat ramp on Bohicket Creek in Rockville.
Source: saltwaterfishing.sc.gov
- St Johns Kayaks & Boat ToursJohns Island
Kayak and paddle tours, plus shelling, crabbing, shrimping and fishing boat trips.
Source: stjohnskayaks.com
Golf1
- Oak Point Golf CourseJohns Island
Clyde Johnston course run by Kiawah Island Golf Resort; open to the public, tee times by phone.
Source: kiawahresort.com
Everything else — pharmacies, pets, fishing charters, home services — is in the island directory.
Who can use each one is on its card
Things to do with kids
Charleston Tea Garden
Open to the publicWorking tea farm with trolley and factory tours, tastings and a gift shop.
Source: charlestonteagarden.com, checked October 13, 2026.
Angel Oak Park
Open to the publicCity park around the Angel Oak tree; free, closed on holidays, no food or tripods at the tree.
Source: charleston-sc.gov, checked October 13, 2026.
Johns Island County Park
Open to the publicCounty park with equestrian trails, archery range, disc golf and an off-leash dog park.
Source: ccprc.com, checked October 13, 2026.
Legare Farms
Open to the publicWorking farm on the Stono River: fall pumpkin patch, camps, Rent-A-Chick and farm products.
Source: legarefarms.com, checked October 13, 2026.
Kiawah Beachwalker Park
Open to the publicCounty beach park outside the gate: Kiawah's only public beach access; lifeguards in season, chair rentals, parking fee.
Source: ccprc.com, checked October 13, 2026.
Go crabbing
AnyoneWith 3 or fewer drop nets, fold-up traps or hookless lines, no fishing license is needed.
Source: SC hunting & fishing licenses (eRegulations), checked October 13, 2026.
Marsh at sunrise near Charleston.
Photo by Cody Silver on Unsplash
What a renter needs to know
Island rules
Which rules apply
- Wadmalaw is unincorporated Charleston County, except the Town of Rockville. The County's parcel viewer shows which with the Municipal Limits layer on.
Source: Charleston County parcel viewer, checked October 13, 2026.
How many can stay
- Unincorporated County: a Limited Home Rental is owner-occupied and rented up to 72 days a year.
Source: Charleston County, short-term rental brochure (PDF), checked October 13, 2026.
Noise
- County: amplified sound plainly audible inside another person's home is illegal, as is excessive sound plainly audible within 500 ft of a home or above 70 dBA — and any such sound between 10 pm and 7 am.
Source: Charleston County Code §§3-41 to 3-45 (Municode), checked October 13, 2026.
Golf carts
- A golf cart on a public road needs an SCDMV permit and insurance, and a licensed driver 16 or older carrying both. Daylight only, on roads posted 35 mph or less, within 4 miles of the cart's registered address.
Source: SC Department of Public Safety, golf carts, checked October 13, 2026.
Drones
- Federal rules apply — check the FAA's B4UFLY before every flight.
Source: FAA, B4UFLY, checked October 13, 2026.
Alligators
- Feeding alligators is illegal in South Carolina. Feeding fish, turtles or birds where gators live, or dumping fish scraps, feeds them too.
Source: SCDNR, nuisance alligators, checked October 13, 2026.
Fishing and crabbing
- Anyone 16 or older needs a South Carolina saltwater fishing license, and it covers clams and oysters too.
- No license is needed on a licensed public pier, on a charter you've hired, or with 3 or fewer drop nets, fold-up crab traps or hookless lines.
- Cherry Point Landing, a County ramp at the end of County Road 1767 off SC-700 in Rockville, puts in on Bohicket Creek.
Sources: SC hunting & fishing licenses (eRegulations) · SCDNR, buy a license · SCDNR, public boat landings, checked October 13, 2026.
Hazards, and who to call
Safety
- Emergency — police, fire, medical, or anyone in trouble in the water911Text 911 works in Charleston County.
Emergency room and urgent care
- MUSC Health Emergency Room – Kiawah Partners PavilionSeabrook Island Rd
24-hour freestanding emergency room on Seabrook Island Road; the building also holds MUSC doctors' offices.
Source: euc.muschealth.org
- Roper St. Francis Express Care – Maybank HwyMaybank Hwy
Walk-in urgent care.
Source: rsfh.com
Rip currents
- Check the National Weather Service's Charleston beach forecast each morning — it rates the day's rip current risk.
- Caught in one? The Weather Service's page shows how to get out.
Sources: National Weather Service Charleston, beach forecast · National Weather Service, rip currents, checked October 13, 2026.
Lightning
- When a storm builds, get off the beach and out of the water.
Source: National Weather Service, lightning safety, checked October 13, 2026.
Cuts and salt water
- Keep open cuts out of salt and brackish water — Vibrio bacteria can infect wounds. See a doctor fast if a wound turns red or swollen after a swim.
Source: CDC, Vibrio and wounds, checked October 13, 2026.
Hurricanes (June 1 – November 30)
- Wadmalaw isn't named in the state's zone list — look your address up on Know Your Zone.
Sources: SCEMD, Know Your Zone · SCEMD, 2026 evacuation zones (PDF), checked October 13, 2026.
Going out on a boat, a kayak or a paddleboard? The five rules for every trip on the water.
More from the guide
Photo: MadeYourReadThis, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized)
Two ways in
Talk it through with Mike, or ask Val — the guide’s AI assistant, answering from this site’s sourced facts.