Edisto Beach Vacation

This afternoon, I spent a couple hours lounging and reading by the pool. As nice as it was to have a quiet, sunny afternoon to myself, it reminded me of the summer beach trips we took with our families last month. And that made me miss our families.

So, while I'm thinking of it, here is a little recap of the first trip we took to Edisto Beach (south of Charleston) with Ryan's family.

This vacation spot is especially meaningful because Mom Hudson spent many summers there as a child. A few more houses are on the island now, but not too much else has changed. Edisto is a quiet, relaxed island with all the charm of a small southern town. We buy fresh fish, fruits, and vegetables for a local farmer almost every day, and you'll see more bikes than cars on the roads. The Hudsons rent a house for a week each summer, and this was my third time to be there with them. The back of the house overlooks a little pond, which you can see in the background here. Once in a while we'll even see an alligator in the pond.


On our first morning there, Ryan and I went for a bike ride with Dad Hudson before heading back to the house for a delicious brunch. The bike rides were definitely a necessity throughout the week as we enjoyed many incredible meals. We spent that first afternoon relaxing on the beach and catching up on each other's lives from the past few months.

Speaking of meals (again), I discovered a new favorite recipe that week. On Tuesday evening, my brother-in-law, John, cooked a delicious dinner of mahi mahi for us. And one of the side items was broiled pineapple. I love fresh pineapple, and this recipe is absolutely heavenly! Simply cut a fresh pineapple into strips and brush each piece with a mixture of coconut milk, cinnamon, and a little sugar. You could do this a few hours before cooking, but we just let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Broil the pineapple in the oven until they are browned, then top with chopped fresh mint.

One of my favorite parts about vacationing in Edisto is spending a day in Charleston. We drove up there on Wednesday, and had a wonderful time walking around that beautiful city. I love looking at all the different shops in the market.


And of course, the streets are lined with picturesque restaurants, shops, and houses.


We had an early dinner at Hyman's - a delicious seafood restaurant in Charleston. Our favorite dish of the meal was the shrimp and grits, made with a creamy alfredo sauce. It's a good thing we had more walking to do after dinner!



On Thursday morning, we planned to take a boat ride to Otter Island and look for shells. So Wednesday night, my brother-in-law, Andrew, and I packed a picnic lunch of homemade pimento cheese sandwiches to take with us. We had the beach to ourselves that morning, and we enjoyed a beautiful walk and lunch by the water.


The week came to an end much too quickly, as we had to leave on Friday morning to make it home for Ryan's 10-year high school reunion that night. But we're so thankful for the relaxing, beautiful vacation we enjoyed as a family.