From Georgias Golden Isles to the sunset capital of Alabama, these are the best islands in the South.
South Carolina islands have palmetto trees growing alongside ferns and pine trees.
Activities range from kayaking with dolphins and manatees to sunset cruises and pickleball matches.
An empty beach on Kiawah Island.Credit:Shunyu Fan/Getty Images
Visitors can take in everything that makes Daufuskie so special in a variety of ways.
Upon arrival, the world is your oyster.
Explore the 164-acre Audubon Bird Sanctuary, Shell Mound Park, and Historic Fort Gaines.
A serene beach on Longboat Key.Michaela Sieman/Travel + Leisure
Alternatively, you might spend your days on the water, kayaking, snorkeling, or paddleboarding until dinnertime.
Law adds that the island has an active food scene.
Take South Padre Island, for example.
Oak trees with Spanish moss on Daufuskie Island.Penny Britt/Getty Images
Ship Island, Mississippi
Chad Robertson/Adobe Stock
12 miles off the coast of Mississippi sits Ship Island.
According to the National Park Service, cell phone service is limited.
Still, visitors can take advantage of its Caribbean-like waters and white-sand beaches during the day.
A sandy walkway to a Jekyll Island beach at sunset.Stephanie Vermillion/Travel + Leisure
Just be sure to bring plenty of sunscreen; summers on Ship Island are notoriously hot.
Colorful homes on the water on Dauphin Island.peeterv/Getty Images
A gazebo over the water on Pawley Island.UWMadison/Getty Images
The Hatteras lighthouse near crashing waves.Jens_Lambert_Photography/Getty Images
Tall grass by beach houses on Amelia Island.Valerie de Leon/Travel + Leisure
Houses on South Padre Island.peeterv/Getty Images
Ship Island’s Fort Massachusetts.Chad Robertson/Adobe Stock
