Following Owen's birthday party and our Father's Day celebrations, Chad and I headed back to SC....kid free. We worked on Tuesday and Wednesday and then headed south to Bluffton, SC for a weekend away. I celebrated my 30th birthday on Tuesday - we had a nice dinner at 17 North in Mt. P. I have to say that the food was great but the only other time we had gone was an evening in March - we sat outside with friends and had live entertainment. The food was great but I missed that atmosphere. For my birthday dinner, we choose indoor seating (with air!) because it was a cool 94 degrees outside. Such is life when you are lucky enough to have a June birthday in the south. At dinner, Chad surprised me with a beautiful new ring. I wasn't expecting any gifts - especially since we were preparing for our weekend escape - but as they say, diamonds are a girls best friend and I will never complain when they are included in a gift. He did a great job adding a sparkle to my life!
The Inn at Palmetto Bluff
The Inn at Palmetto Bluff
Thursday morning couldn't get here quickly enough. We had plans to spend the weekend at the Inn at Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, SC. I will not be able to capture in words or photos the magnitude of how much we enjoyed every aspect of our stay. From the moment we arrived - and traveled the 6 miles from the gate to the Inn for check-in - I knew we were in for something special. I'm sure there are other places similar in the world. Unfortunately, I haven't been lucky enough to experience any where else quite like this place. The natural beauty of the area is hard to beat. One hundred percent lowcountry - just like the pages of a good novel. We parked our car at check-in and enjoyed riding bicycles around for the remainder of our stay - like traveling back in time to a village out of a storybook. The main village area is great. It has everything you need and is dripping with southern charm. The employees - from check-in to check-out were the most polite and cheerful "hotel" employees I have ever encountered. The food was great. We were surprised with a dish of sweet treats in our room one night for our Anniversary and birthday celebrations. We had some very minor issues with our cottage but overall we were very happy with every part of our weekend. Fortunately, we used some points Chad had earned from work and didn't have to pay for our entire stay. If we have to go back on our own dime, it may take a good while to save up and return but if it is ever a possibility, I will be back in a flash. The best part, it was only a 2 hour drive!
A few of our favorite images from around the property. The main photo is the view as you arrive and travel down the main road prior to checking in for your stay. The property sits on the May River and our river view cottage sat just off the river. Grace was one of the boats you could take out for a tour along the May River. And, you can't forget our bicycles! Cruisers for the weekend....but, we did a lot more than cruise!
We took one LONG bike ride through this awesome path.
At the end, we found a huge tree house, with multiple stories built around the large tree.
The view from the top was worth the long ride.
In addition to lots of bike riding, we also took a guided kayak tour on the May River. We enjoyed going with our guide and learned lots of interesting facts about the May River and coastal life. The following day, we headed out alone to do a little more exploring in the kayaks. We headed a different direction and went just at the peak of high tide - it was a real workout but a lot of fun. I hope this will give us confidence to think of taking a kayak out in the creeks around home.
We enjoyed a couples massage at the spa. I'm not an expert when it comes to spas but, this one was great. Although, I've never had a massage that I've found any reason to complain about. It was 100% relaxation and pampering....what more could a girl want!
While away, Chad surprised me with another gift. A new necklace to match my new ring. Again, completely unexpected and blown away at how great he did! The best part, he gave it to me just as we were heading out for our fancy dinner and it matched my outfit perfectly! At times, Chad "skips" over some minor holidays but when he does buy me presents he hits it out of the park. After this year, he is completely forgiven for any "minor" celebrations he may have (somewhat) neglected! Thanks baby ;)
We left the property for one night and one meal in Bluffton. Great spot! Overall, Bluffton and surrounding areas make a great vacation destination if you're trying to get somewhere quickly from the Charleston area.
A few shots of our cottage.
My favorite parts - the big bench on the back porch and the amazing bathroom!
Finally, a few shots of us from the weekend and more shots of the property. We saw 3 weddings taking place over the weekend and saw the church following one of the weddings. The pews in the church are made out of wood that was saved from a building in New York that was destroyed on 9/11. Two large yachts were docked for the weekend too.
A beautiful place for a wonderful weekend! The perfect way to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary and my 30th birthday. We enjoyed every little detail and I do hope we can find our way back sometime soon. If you can make the trip happen, I would encourage it for each of you too!
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