SC parks agency looks to boost rentals; At $795 per person, the 2-night stay is newest option
By Skylar Laird
SCDailyGazette.com
BEAUFORT — The first time John Alexander visited St. Phillips Island, off the coast of Beaufort, what struck him most was its wildness.
“It was like Jurassic Park, going out there. The shock of the old trees and no people around — it feels like you’re on a deserted island for a while,” said Alexander, a general manager for Coastal Expeditions.
Since South Carolina opened the once-private island as a state park three years ago, visitors have rented the home built there by billionaire Ted Turner 21 times, according to the state parks department. Three of those were test runs of a weekend-long trip run by Coastal Expeditions.
Now, the boat tour company is expanding, with hopes of bringing more people to the island.
Turner, who founded CNN and has put much of his money into conservation efforts, bought the 4,680-acre island in 1979 to protect it from development. He built the five-bedroom house near the beach, which he used as a family vacation retreat.
In 2017, the state bought the island for $4.9 million — a bargain price compared to the $24 million it was listed for several years earlier. After years of preparation, the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism debuted the island as a state park in 2021.
Visitors can pay $65 for a four-hour boat ride and tour of the island. Or, those wanting to stay at the oasis Turner built for himself and his family can pay either $12,000 for a five-day retreat or $20,000 to have the island to themselves.
The newest option — a three-day, two-night stay at the Turner House for 14 people — costs $795 per person.
Meant to be a middle ground between the longer rental and day trips, the weekend stays could help the parks department increase its rental numbers, Alexander said.
Tours and amenities
Ideally, the state would rent out the Turner House about 15 times each year. That would bring in enough revenue to help with maintenance costs and allow plenty of people to experience the island without overburdening staff, said parks department spokeswoman Samantha Queen.
Currently, the state is breaking even with rentals at St. Phillips, which is part of Hunting Island State Park. In other words, maintenance of the island isn’t costing taxpayers.
Coastal Expeditions started offering the tours for the first time this summer and is already booked through the end of the year. The next available dates are not yet announced.
Turner House is, by far, the most expensive of the state’s lodges. The next-priciest option is $425 for a one-night stay at nearby Hunting Island, as well as at Keowee-Toxaway State Park. Each has one cabin.
The hefty price tag includes groceries, as well as extras such as golf carts, kayaks, bicycles, beach chairs and umbrellas.
“We believe the amenities and unique experience offered in the rental justify the rental rate and make the rental manageable for the small team responsible for operating the island,” Queen said in an email.
Visitors spend the weekend doing guided tours of the island’s paths, along with boat rides, safari-style rides and kayak trips.
A rare experience
Running a rental property on a remote barrier island comes with challenges. After buying St. Phillips in 2017, the state spent years updating the house, along with its water and sewer systems, and clearing walking paths.
Complicating matters, crews and supplies had to take a 40-minute boat ride to reach the island. That’s still the case, making running rentals difficult – from having staff on site for housekeeping, stocking groceries, performing maintenance, responding to emergencies, and ferrying guests in and out, Queen said in an email.
The island’s charm lies in the fact that it remains largely rugged and natural. Alligators, deer and fox squirrels roam the forests. On the birdwatching tours, visitors spy bald eagles and ospreys. Massive, slow-growing hardwood trees show that the forest is all old-growth.
“It’s so rare anymore that we have an untouched barrier island on the Carolina coast,” Alexander said.
The day tours are the most popular offering. Coastal Expeditions, which expanded from Charleston to Beaufort specifically for these tours, has brought more than 6,300 people to the island since it first opened to the public, according to the parks department.
Spending even a day there is a great experience, Alexander said, but going overnight allows people to see the island at all times of the day. Different animals come out at different hours. Overnighters can watch the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean from the porch of the Turner House, with spring and fall being the most popular seasons to visit.
Skylar Laird covers the South Carolina Legislature and criminal justice issues. Originally from Missouri, she previously worked for The Post and Courier’s Columbia bureau.
S.C. Daily Gazette is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
