Virginia packs a surprising range of tennis settings into one state. You can rally on clay near the Blue Ridge mountains, play indoors beside a university stadium, hit on courts steps from a colonial capital, or squeeze in a match between rounds of golf along the Potomac.
Tthe John Newcombe Tennis Ranch hosts adult weekend and weeklong camps all year round. No matter your level, anyone attending a Newks camp will leave having played as much tennis as possible, with plenty to work on when you return home.
There’s something about a fall tennis trip that makes it easy to get a group together. The heat of summer begins to ease, the days are still long, and a few days away can feel like a real break without requiring a complicated itinerary. Along Florida’s Gulf Coast, Alys Beach makes a particularly appealing setting for that kind of getaway.
Virginia packs a surprising range of tennis settings into one state. You can rally on clay near the Blue Ridge mountains, play indoors beside a university stadium, hit on courts steps from a colonial capital, or squeeze in a match between rounds of golf along the Potomac.
Padel resorts in the USA are quickly becoming the new must-have amenity for luxury travelers, and this padel travel trend shows no sign of slowing down.
Tennis travel has moved well beyond "a resort with a few courts out back." A new wave of luxury properties has built entire identities around the sport: hiring name-brand coaching talent, running structured multi-day camps, and pairing that instruction with proven five-star hospitality.
Located a mere 15 miles from the historic district of Charleston, Wild Dunes Resort is one of the rare vacation properties to afford the diversions of golf, tennis, beach, and marina within easy striking distance of a cultured city. The 1,600-acre property encompasses the northern tip of the Isle of Palms, a long, club-shaped barrier island on South Carolina’s Atlantic Coast. It gets its name from the mounds of sea oats-tufted sand lining its 2½-mile-long beach.
I first visited the resort in the 1980s and immediately fell under its spell. That glorious beach aside, it had a very active tennis program and became the host site for the U.S. Clay Court Championships, both of which helped it garner a ranking among the finest resorts in the country. There was one superb restaurant, Woody’s Eatery, not far from the tennis courts. Bike lanes and a free on-property shuttle made it easy to get around. And best of all Charleston was close enough that you could stay at the beach and drive into town for dinner, an historic houses tour, and in spring the WTA’s annual Volvo Car Open held on nearby Daniel Island.
Under the current management company, Destination by Hyatt, the pace of development has accelerated. The resort looks spiffier than it has in years. The Residences at Sweetgrass sit at the heart of Wild Dunes Resort, offering modern, coastal-inspired condominium accommodations with the convenience of hotel services such as daily housekeeping, bellman assistance, and in-room dining. At the base of the Residences is The Plaza, a lively hub for resort guests and homeowners alike. The Plaza features a collection of shops and dining, including Hudson’s Market, Beachside Burgers & Bar, and the full-service Spa at Sweetgrass. You’ll also find access to the resort’s fitness center, pools, and a variety of seasonal events and activities that make it the central gathering place of the resort. The property keeps getting better.
As the one-time site of the U.S. Claycourt Championships, Wild Dunes Resort has a long history of devotion to tennis, having located its 12 clay courts—one of them a stadium—and six pickleball courts at the heart of the resort, just a short walk from the Boardwalk Inn and Sweetgrass Plaza.
Tennis Staff: Tennis director Clayton Langheim, who is originally from South Africa, directs the tennis, having come to Wild Dunes from clubs in North Carolina, Connecticut, and Florida. He played Division I tennis for Troy University in Alabama before moving on to teaching and coaching. “I’m big on energy,” he told me, noting that he’s introduced music during the popular 2-hour morning clinics and weekly summer exhibitions. It’s also a quality he looks for in the pros he hires, saying he looks for “high energy individuals who are personable and focused on really teaching as opposed to just feeding balls.”
Tennis Programs: Wild Dunes kicks off each week in season with a well-attended Monday night exhibition, whose centerpiece is a doubles contest featuring staff. That event also provides a venue to introduce the weekly programs and services. Those include conscientious game matching, often drawing on local members, and a diverse calendar of weekly adult and junior clinics and round robins, among them sessions for beginning, intermediate, and advanced adults and for children as young as 4 years. The pro shop manager also coordinates activities, like the adult and junior round robins that take place each week, and matches guests looking for games. There are morning and afternoon programs for all skill levels and ages year round. The local membership includes over 100 active players, further adding to the overall tennis atmosphere. The tennis complex has a new system of online payment and check ins, allowing guests to reserve their spot and get to the court much faster.
Court Complex: There are 12 Har-Tru courts at Wild Dunes, one of them a stadium court, with permanent seating on one side, and a pro shop on the second story overlooking the complex. Four of the courts have lights. The complex also has six permanent pickleball courts, adding another dimension to the racquet activities. Light meals are as close as Woody’s Eatery right next to the Harbor Course Pro Shop.
Court fees (for guests who book through Wild Dunes Resort): - Tennis - $10/person per hour plus one complimentary hour after 12pm - Pickleball - $10/person per hour
Off Court
Beach: The beach at Wild Dunes stretches for two and a half miles, framed by tall, sea oat–topped dunes that remain among the highest along the South Carolina coast. Unlike neighboring areas once cleared for plantations, the Isle of Palms landscape was left largely untouched, preserving its natural beauty. Midway along the shoreline sits the Grand Pavilion, a lively gathering spot offering seasonal light bites, snacks, ice cream, and refreshing beverages. With two oceanfront pools overlooking the Atlantic, it’s the perfect place to relax between beach strolls and swims.
Golf Courses: Wild Dunes Resort is home to two Tom Fazio classics: the Links Course, with sweeping oceanfront holes, and the Harbor Course, a water-lined test of precision along the Intracoastal. Two distinct challenges—one unforgettable golf destination.
Spa at Sweetgrass: The Spa at Sweetgrass features 14 luxurious treatment rooms and a full-service hair and nail salon. Guests can indulge in massages, facials, and body treatments, all designed to refresh, rejuvenate, and provide a serene, coastal-inspired escape.
Pools: There are two swimming pools at the Grand Pavilion, another at the Boardwalk Inn, another with a splash pool at the Sweetgrass Inn, and a junior Olympic pool at the Swim Center. Bikes can be rented at the tennis center, and fishing and boating excursions leave from the marina.
Children's activities: Wild Dunes’ children’s program, Island Adventures®, offers engaging, supervised activities designed for kids to explore, play, and create lasting memories. Activities are available throughout the resort season, with the most frequent offerings from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Dining: There are 11 restaurants and bars scattered throughout the resort, ranging from Coastal Provisions, the signature restaurant in the lobby of the Boardwalk Inn, the Beachside Burgers & Bar overlooking the ocean at the Grand Pavilion, and Oystercatcher in the lobby of the Sweetgrass Inn.
Accommodations
Sweetgrass Inn at Wild Dunes: Sweetgrass Inn, Wild Dunes Resort’s new 153 room hotel in the South Carolina Lowcountry, encompasses four acres and features state-of-the-art amenities including 30,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, an 8,000 square-foot grand ballroom with pre-function and terrace event space, a 3,000 square-foot rooftop ballroom with a 6,000 square-foot terrace featuring stunning ocean views, a lobby lounge, expanded pools with hot tubs, a kids splash pad, poolside restaurant and bar, a 10,000 square-foot luxurious spa and salon with 14-treatment rooms, a top-notch 2,750 square- foot fitness center, retail space, and more. Rooted in culture and inherently tied to the resort’s island setting, the Sweetgrass Inn is inspired by the native sweetgrass that peppers the Lowcountry’s barrier islands. Along the beautiful coastline, sweetgrass anchors the dunes providing stability, preserving history and fostering life. The Sweetgrass Inn will continue to bind the new and old, representing growth and beckoning guests to step into natural simplicity.
Boardwalk Inn: Nestled into the heart of Wild Dunes Resort and just a short stroll from the beach, the AAA Four-Diamond rated Boardwalk Inn features 93 luxurious rooms with a balanced blend of bright beachy aesthetics and Charleston charm. Each guestroom has a private balcony, and the Inn also includes eight junior suites, a cozy well-appointed club room and a 1,700-square-foot grand Presidential Suite on the top floor. The Boardwalk Inn is home to the tranquil, adult-only Boardwalk Inn pool and poolside cabanas!
The Residences at Sweetgrass: The three-building Residences at Sweetgrass is at the center of all resort activity, and just a short walk from the pristine Isle of Palms beach. Guests can choose from one-, two- and three-bedroom suites and penthouses, all of which are fully furnished and tastefully decorated in the casual elegance of the Lowcountry. In addition to 150 units, the Residences at Sweetgrass is located in the heart of the Sweetgrass Plaza, offering an array of apparel, accessories, keepsakes, and so much more. With a focus on locally sourced goods and Lowcountry-inspired styles, the Sweetgrass Plaza is a must-visit shopping destination on Isle of Palms.
Getting there
Seasons: Year-round but potentially chilly in winter. The greatest concentration of family activities occurs between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Travel Instructions: From the airport: Take I-526 East to the Georgetown exit, Hwy. 17 North. Turn left at the light and follow Hwy. 17 North to Hwy. 517, the Isle of Palms Connector. Turn right only Hwy. 517 and proceed over the Intracoastal Waterway to the Isle of Palms. Once on the island, turn left at the light at the foot of the bridge onto Palm Blvd., Hwy. 703. Follow Palm Blvd. north to 41st Avenue, where you’ll see the Wild Dunes directional sign to turn right onto Palm Blvd. (Extension). The main gate will be on your left.
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351 Reviews on “Wild Dunes Resort”
We had a ton of fun playing tennis at the resort while on vacation. Everyone was so friendly!
We had several group lessons with Tory, and she was fantastic. Her coaching was clear and concise, and her feeds were super smooth.
She fed fun, fast paced drills, played in, and coached all at the same time – and did it all at a very high level.
Plus, she was funny! We had a great time.