The dog days of summer can be well spent at Daufuskie Island Resort & Breathe Spa.
Family golf vacations are nothing new, but the trend of taking the whole family along, four-legged members included, seems to be on the rise. In 2002, the Travel Industry Association found that 14 percent of U.S. adults have traveled with a pet. In 2007, Tripadvisor pegged it at upwards of 50 percent.
Still, as you might imagine, taking pets (dogs especially) on golf vacations isn’t easy. While there are plenty of stand-alone hotels and motels that allow them, finding a golf resort that accommodates pets is a lot harder. Even tougher is finding one that is truly “pet friendly.” There are plenty of places that will allow pets, but they really just use it as an opportunity to gouge you with all sorts of extra fees.
Not so at Daufuskie Island Resort & Breathe Spa, a two-course property located on a very small and remote-feeling land mass off of Hilton Head Island, S.C. While it does impose a modest, $35 per night pet fee, during our recent visit, we felt like our dog was truly welcome. We even tested the staff by letting her run leashless around the property, including in the lobby, and nobody ever scolded her…or us.
Of course, Daufuskie Island itself is very conducive to pets. It’s a beach-oriented, laid back place, and there are only a handful of cars on the entire island. Most people get around on foot, on bicycles, or on golf carts. Truth be told, it’s a charming place to take golf vacations even if you don’t have a pet nor want to travel with one.
During our anonymous and unannounced visit, we investigated Daufuskie Island Resort & Breathe Spa from top to bottom, inside and out. We spent nights at both of its accommodation options (the Inn at Melrose and its beach cottages), dined in all the restaurants (on- and off-site), played both golf courses (Melrose and Bloody Point), experienced the spa, and explored the beaches and off-site attractions.
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