Your oar slices through the water and your kayak glides to the left. As the ripples disappear, so does your stress. You float along the tidal creek and dip the oar in again, feeling lighter with each stroke. In the nearby forest, you can hear birds singing. A yellow-bellied sapsucker, perhaps?
This is the scene at Palmetto Bluff, a resort and residential community in South Carolina’s pristine Lowcountry, where unspoiled wilderness lives immediately outside your front door. And it’s not just a feast for the senses; this wonderland can also boost your health. Studies show that as little as two hours of experiencing nature each week makes you happier and healthier. In fact, just taking a daily outdoor stroll can help lower your blood pressure, curb the risk of some diseases, and even reduce depression and anxiety. It’s one of the simplest ways to achieve better health and wellness.
And at Palmetto Bluff, that couldn’t be easier, or more beautiful. Here, vacationers—and homeowners who live like they’re on vacation year-round—have constant access to upwards of 20,000 acres of oaks, palmettos, marshes, riverfront land, and more. Right in your backyard, you can go for a leisurely walk on a forest trail, spend an afternoon fishing or kayaking, or take an invigorating hike or mountain bike ride. Booking a room at the Montage Palmetto Bluff gives you a restorative taste of its beautiful environment and lets you sample resident life for a few days. Fun fact: If you take a trip here, you’re five times more likely to eventually buy a home in the community.
Here are just some of the engaging, mood-boosting activities that the people who travel to and live in Palmetto Bluff have at their fingertips.
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By the Water
With 32 miles of shoreline skirting an extensive network of ponds and lakes, plus the winding May River, Palmetto Bluff serves up countless water-based wellness spots for visitors and homeowners alike. For a meditative excursion, you might slip into your kayak or canoe and cruise through the maze of water trails; if you’re up for something more challenging, grab a paddleboard. At the five-bedroom home available on Waterfowl Road, you’ll even have views of the inland waterway from your lawn.
Angling for a laid-back outdoor activity? Cast a line into the water; you might hook a largemouth bass or bream—the ponds and lakes here have been carefully managed and stocked with fish for more than 70 years. If saltwater fishing is more your speed, Wilson Landing’s the starting point to charter a boat out to deeper waters, where the tarpon, redfish, and sea trout may be biting that day. Or just kick back aboard the Grace, Palmetto’s own restored 60-foot yacht, one of the last remaining pre-World War I luxury cruisers. Rent it for an afternoon or longer—it even comes with its own skipper.
When the tide’s low, picnics are the name of the game along the May River sandbar, an untouched strip of an island accessible only by boat. Afterwards, go beachcombing along the water’s edge before the tide comes in. You’ll look forward to spending more time at home with such relaxing activities right on your doorstep.
Explore the Trails
The simple act of being in nature is so beneficial that the Japanese have a special name for it: forest bathing. It makes sense when connecting with the authentic sights, sounds, and smells of the natural world gives us a generous bump on the happiness scale. And Palmetto Bluff’s network of trails through its century-old trees is like having an easily accessible, all-natural forest bathtub for travelers and those who live there.
And any time, you can stroll, jog, or hike through dense forests and along trails that meander through the Lowcountry landscape. Go as fast or slow as your mood dictates. From the spacious home for sale on Old Moreland Road, you’re also within easy walking distance of the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy, where you can learn more about the environment that surrounds you. Or, saddle up at Longfield Stables—Palmetto Bluff’s on-site, 173-acre equestrian facility—and go for a leisurely horseback ride along the dirt paths, clip-clopping one step at a time to achieve a more serene state of mind.
Break a Sweat
There’s nothing like an intense workout to clear your mind and body and rev up your endorphins for a natural high. It’s even better when you’re outdoors, under the sunny blue skies of Palmetto Bluff as a homeowner or guest.
Adrenaline-seekers will love adventuring through Palmetto Bluff’s varied landscape from the perch of a mountain bike—riding over wide dirt trails that amble through thick, historic forests, spacious parks, and residential neighborhoods. A morning ride can stretch into a half-day adventure or more.
If golf’s your thing, the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course—a stunning, par-72 course along the banks of the May River—is the perfect marriage of classic sport and gorgeous Lowcountry scenery. Soft white sand and green slopes flanked by majestic palmetto and live oak trees provide a beautifully natural backdrop for an elegant and challenging round on the links.
And at the Wilson Lawn and Racquet Club, Palmetto’s recreational hub that’s located just across the street from the currently listed Montage Residence at 106 August Lane, competition ranges from friendly afternoon bocce ball and croquet matches to the more intense action found on any one of the eight Har-Tru tennis courts. Channel your inner Serena or Federer and give it a go, or simply enjoy watching from one of four courtside shelters with a chilled beverage. Imagine having access to all of this within spitting distance of your home.
