The SCs in SC: Introducing... Wild Dunes!

We woke up on Saturday, ready to get the next chapter of our honeymoon underway!  After a leisurely breakfast of leftover dessert, we hopped into the car and drove about 20 minutes to a nearby barrier island called Isle of Palms.  This picturesque little island became our stomping ground for the next week, with Wild Dunes serving as our home base.  We pulled up to the resort's main entrance and were immediately giddy and excited to check out the resort and all it had to offer.  After checking in, we made a bee-line for the ocean.  We didn't decide to stay at a beach resort without the intention of spending as much time as humanly possible within sight of the crashing waves!  We grabbed a quick lunch and a celebratory cocktail before hitting the sand, eager to lap up as much sunny relaxation as we could squeeze in.

It wasn't much after that point that our villa became available.  Upon opening the door, we both let out a big, happy sigh and let goofy grins spread across our faces.  Our villa's foyer had an oversized picture window looking right out onto the Atlantic Ocean.  It was unbelievable.  Unfortunately, we didn't have too much time to soak in the view, as we had to get ready for our dinner at the resort's signature restaurant, Sea Island Grill.  I'm not going to lie -- we decided to eat here because we got a deal on a dinner package as a result of being guests at the resort.  We decided to use the package on our first day at the resort to avoid going back and forth to downtown Charleston twice in one day.  I kind of wrote that dinner off as one of our lower-key, potentially less memorable meals of the trip.  I'm happy to report that I was 100% wrong on all fronts.  Our meal at Sea Island Grill was utterly divine.  I enjoyed she-crab bisque and the most tender steak I've ever had, while Mr. Snow Cone dined on a poached pear salad that he still won't stop talking about and Grouper.  Simply stated, we were blown away by Sea Island Grill and would gladly have eaten there multiple times during our stay.

We devoted most of Sunday to living the beach bum life, snoozing on towels and cooling off in the ocean.  It was exactly the type of honeymoon we always wanted.  No set schedule, no big responsibilities, no need to worriedly keep an eye on the time.  Furthermore, our villa had virtually no cell phone service with AT&T.  Despite the minor inconvenience this posed at times, I think it actually helped to further our relaxation and seclusion.  No need (or ability) to check email, update Facebook, or call anyone.  It was just me, Mr. Snow Cone, and the beach.  Pure bliss.

After letting our brains turn to sun-friend mush, we popped over to Charleston to meet one of Mr. Snow Cone's cousins and her husband for dinner.  Mr. Snow Cone is supremely Italian, so it was only fitting that we dined at Monza, a little Italian restaurant with amazing pizza, while visiting with members of his family.  I have to say, unlike many Italian meals, this dinner actually left me appropriately satisfied satisfied instead of completely stuffed in every capacity.  With mozzarella and marinara running through our veins, we retired to Wild Dunes, completely unprepared for the turn of events the next 48 hours would bring.

What pleasant surprises (like our awesome meal at Sea Island Grill) did you discover on your honeymoon?

(all photos personal)