It’s a cliché to say a place has something for everyone, and usually, it isn’t even true. But South Carolina’s sea islands come remarkably close. On my recent visit, I rediscovered a destination that delights people of all generations. It spoke to me as a nature enthusiast, foodie, fisherman, tennis player and history buff. Only about a half-hour from Charleston, Kiawah Island and Johns Island combine the best of the South — moss-strewn oaks, gracious homes and exquisite Lowcountry cuisine — with the best of coastal living: pristine beaches, scenic oceanfront golf courses and myriad recreational opportunities.

I have long recommended The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, a Lowcountry landmark, and with the opening of a new Auberge Collection property just 9 miles away, I had the perfect excuse to return and compare the two. My traveling companion happily tagged along for incognito stays at both.

The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort

Opened in 1976, the Kiawah Island Golf Resort development consists of luxury homes, villas, cottages and the 255-room Sanctuary hotel, which debuted in 2004. It hosts three of the resort’s 11 restaurants, along with a spa, three pools and a 21-court tennis facility. Elsewhere across this mostly private island, the resort operates five championship golf courses and offers countless activities on land and water. In short, there’s little risk of succumbing to boredom.