Day 9 - Pawleys Island

We got a late start on day 9 as I think we all finally hit a wall after extending bedtimes (including the adults).  The morning saw some rain move through the area so we decided to do some shopping, specifically at The Hammock Shops Village in Pawleys Island.  It was a neat collection of a variety of stores in an open-air kind of space.  Particular favorite were the Christmas, dog/pet, and general stores.  Nearly everyone walked away with a little something.  The Spanish moss was particularly nice as well.

The rain subsided and after a quick lunch, we headed back to Huntington Beach State Park (we've decided it's our private beach now) for some afternoon swimming, boogie boarding, and fun.

We decided to do something a bit different during the evening and we attended the Summer Light: Art By Night event at the Brookgreen Gardens.  Brookgreen was built on the property of four former rice plantations, when the Huntingtons bought it in 1930.  It soon became a not-for-profit corporation and now includes several themed gardens featuring American figurative sculptures, the Lowcountry Zoo, and trails through several ecosystems in nature reserves on the property.  Their summer event allows visitors in after hours to see nine lighted installations throughout the Gardens featuring a variety of lighting techniques letting you explore the landscapes, sculpture, and galleries in a new light.  There was also a food truck (excellent grilled cheese), an amazing band (In Layman Terms), and a Kona Ice (a kid favorite).  The Gardens were simply amazing.  The sculptures on permanent exhibit were lit beautifully along with the 250 year old Live Oak trees, which gave them a spooky/ethereal feel.  Locally made glass sculptures (similar to Chihuly glass) were placed and lit in unique ways.  The only real complaints were the humidity and the mosquitos.  Both are just part of being along the coast in summertime South Carolina.

If we are ever back in this area, I would definitely love to visit the Gardens during daytime to take in the grounds even more.  This was our last night on the coast so we decided to set our alarms for an early wake-up in order to catch sunrise over the Atlantic.  We make the turn west tomorrow.