So you’re here on the Isle of Palms, comfortably settled into your luxury rental house. You’ve hit the beach, strolled along the sand, caught up on some reading, and gotten into chill mode. Now you’re ready for an outing.
The Isle of Palms has a growing number of great restaurants and hotspots with a lively social scene and luscious libations. You might try out the new Islander 71 in the prime spot on the Intracoastal and Morgan Creek, or head to The Boathouse on the other end of the island at Breach Inlet. Or maybe Papi’s Taqueria, The Windjammer, Coda del Pesce, Acme Lowcountry Kitchen, The Dinghy, Laurence’s Seafood Company, Long Island Café or The Refuge in the middle of the island.
These places have some seriously refreshing adult beverages, so leaving the driving to someone else seems like a very wise choice. But do you really want to mess with an Uber if you’re not even leaving the island?
Well, now there’s a fun new alternative. Why not try….
Jaunt!
Jaunt is a new electric shuttle ride service that is launching in select locations in the Palmetto State.
The company is officially called Ride.Jaunt and is based in Charlotte, NC. It’s been operating there for a while now, in certain hip sections of the Queen City - namely Uptown, Southend, and the West End. Depending on location, they operate during working hours and in the evenings.
And they recently announced they’ll be coming to just two places in South Carolina. Lo and behold - one is the Isle of Palms! Service in the capital city of Columbia is launching the first week in September. The company will be doing a soft launch on the Isle of Palms the second week in September.
Apparently the company is going to see how the service catches on here on the island first, before they try downtown Charleston.
It’s environmentally friendly…. and cute!
Jaunt vehicles are 100% fully electric, so they are quiet and don’t emit noxious fumes. They look a bit like a cross between a fancy golf cart and a miniature tour bus. Check out the gallery on their website.
Jaunt vehicles are street legal on roads with speed limits of 35 mph or below. They have six doors, with three rows of seats. Jaunts have room for five passengers plus the driver.
It’s free!
In one of the coolest features of an already cool idea, rides are complimentary. There are absolutely no fares charged for riding Jaunt.
Rides are paid for by the advertising that’s on the vehicles. Some of their many ad sponsors in Charlotte include Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Wicked Weed Brewing, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Cîroc, Stella Artois, Wells Fargo, and the Carolina Small Business Development Fund.
You are, however, encouraged to tip the driver. They try to choose drivers (aka “brand ambassadors”) who know the area and can offer ideas and advice on trendy local spots.
Their business ethos
Here’s how Jaunt describes what they do…
We work with progressive-thinking advertisers to get their business creative and captivating exposure in the areas where people eat, work, and play the most. These businesses effectively become community ambassadors that allows Jaunt to provide this free service that enhances the lives of individuals, local businesses, and our environment.
Our electric vehicles make mobility seamless and fun by getting patrons out of their cars for short jaunts around town. Whether you need a ride…from your parked car, or from your doorstep – Jaunt is here to make your life easier.
Download the app
Just download their user-friendly app to schedule a ride. You can find “Ride Jaunt” in the App Store or Google Play. Their tagline is, “Connecting Neighborhoods with a Push of a Button.”
The steps are simple: 1) request a ride, 2) select your destination, 3) confirm your pickup, and 4) enjoy the ride!
You can also just flag down a Jaunt, if you spot one nearby.
So keep an eye peeled for Jaunt on the IOP, and hop on one. It will help make getting around the island even more fun and convenient.
All best,
Lowcountry Lisa
your Isle of Palms vacation blogger