Due to the number of requests for a HIT and the great responses: here it is! (yes I
have read South Of Broad, as well as most of Conroy's other books)
Well, I responded to you about Savannah, and my husband and I visited
Charleston also on the same trip! We went with the cheaper motel in Savannah
and then went with a fabulous B&B for the 2 nights we were in Charleston. I
think it was around $250 a night, but it was worth it! Right on Battery
Park, looking out onto the water, and we had a bedroom that had a walkout
patio under the home's porch. It was lovely. We walked around a ton, which
was one of the best things to do in Charleston. We took the boat tour to Ft.
Sumter (that was worth it) and had fun eating at the pizza place called the
Mellow Mushroom (a chain in the south, it appears). We ate at a Thai
restaurant called Basil (good, but not the best Thai we've had, but we live
where there are lots of Thai restaurants). We spent a lot of time looking
(from the outside) at the old houses that were gorgeous. I would leave a lot
of time for that. There's a section near the Battery called rainbow row that
has very colorful houses.
Mt. Pleasant is right over the Ravenel bridge (and that is where I live)...so you
could try:
Sullivans Island (drive onto the island via Ben Sawyer Blvd and see the bridge that
replaced the one upended in HUGO, turn right at Middle street and you'll see a
selection of restaurants (Dunleavy's Pub, Station 22, Poe's, Sullivans, The
Atlantic) pass all these and go about a mile and on your right you'll see the Ft.
Moultrie Museum across the street from the actual Fort Moultrie (both inexpensive).
Stella Maris Catholic Church built about 150 years ago (free). Park at station 12
across from the church and walk the beach, really great and not too well known.
You can eat at any of the Sullivans Island restaurants and have a grea time, or you
can go back Middle Street and keep going until you cross breach inlet onto Isle of
Palms, the Boathouse is great and right there or go straight until you come to a
light, turn right and park along the beach area and pick one of many
restaurants...all fine and view of the Atlantic. There are plenty of every kind of
hotel in Mt. Pleasant, take your pick. There is also the beautiful Shem Creek area
with Shrimp boats, and great seafood restaurants. Along highway 17 you can find
the Sweetgrass baskets that are unique to this area. Also, Patriot's Point has
military history and a great ride out to the spot where the Civil War began, Ft.
Sumter.
Downtown, the Market is great, wonderful shopping, all kinds of history...the
Watrerfront park is free and beautiful. There is also a terrific Aquarium.
And you'll be here around Spoleto Festival: http://www.spoletousa.org/
All kinds of arts experiences May 28th on.
I am from Charleston and have a couple of suggestions. There are also a few good
travel sites with lots of good information about lodging, restaurants and tours.
For lodging, I would try finding something West of the Ashley. It's much more
affordable and only minutes from downtown (but then you do have to deal with
parking, etc.).
Charleston has more excellent restaurants for its size than any other city I've
ever visited. There are several wonderful "pricier" places such as Magnolia's,
South of Broad (or SOB), Rue de Jean, High Cotton, Charleston Grill, etc., etc.
There are also some less expensive good eats such as Hominy Grill, Melvin's BBQ,
Sticky Fingers, AW Shucks, etc., etc.
There are many good walking tours, boat tours of the harbor and Fort Sumter, and
carriage tours, which are touristy but fun and very informative. I also think the
Spoleto Festival is starting up, with many, many arts events (visual, dance, music,
etc.).
Also, of the plantaions you can tour, Middleton is probably the best.
Have a wonderful time in the SC Lowcountry!
They have rickshaw bicycles, which can be taken instead of waiting on a taxi. Fun,
different, something you don't see everywhere. There are walking tours, house
tours, harbor tours, Fort Sumter. Hope the weather is nice for you.
OMG! I visited Charleston last summer and loved it! Charleston reminds me of
Williamsburg, Virginia, but more lively.
I stayed at the Embassy Suites which is the site of the former Citadel and it was a
wonderful experience. I highly recommend it.
The hotel was on the main thoroughfare and near all the historic spots, easily
within walking distance. Take a carriage ride, visit the shops, take a boat ride.
You will love it! And, if you drive, go up Route 17 through Myrtle Beach.
Although it has been 5 years or so since I have visited Charleston, there are few
things that I remember.
Parking downtown was limited and expensive.
Hotels in North Charleston cost much less but then you have to drive in and park.
Most things are within walking distance in downtown Charleston.
I would pay more to stay downtown and leave the car parked at the hotel but check
to make sure that parking is included.
The wrought (?sp) iron on the buildings and doors etc... is all different and
unique so check it out.
Food is fabulous.
If you are lactose intolerant, stay away from the she-crab soup.
That's where the rest of my family lives;>)...walk along the battery,see Rainbow
Row and Rvierfront park--take a picture in front of the pineapple fountain, grab a
swing and watch people, take a carriage ride, visit the Yorktown at Patriots Point,
and Middleton Place, the market downtown, a harbor cruise, the aquarium, Fort
Sumter (boat trip out there, reasonably priced), Fort Moultrie, Magnolia
Plantation, Edmondston-Alston house (my cousin used to be a curator there), Folly
Beach pier and beach, the Angel Oak on Johns Island, buy a sea grass basket from a
roadside vendor. Have fun!
We went to Charleston over spring break for just a few days. We stayed at Wild
Dunes resort on Isle of Palms. I can't really vouch for any hotels in Charleston.
Of course you should do the obvious things--a carriage ride around the city to get
a feel for where things are and the architecture. I recommend Fort Sumter and Fort
Moultrie, and a stroll around Battery Park. As for restaurants, I can recommend
the Carolina Crab House near the carriage liveries, and a little out of the way
place called the Seewee on Rt. 17. It looks like a dive, but trust me, the food is
good. Many locals eat there. Please let me know what all you do and any
restaurants you recommend as we are going back in June.
Jesteen's (maybe I have the spelling wrong, but it is NOT Justine's)
the nicest close beach is at Folly Beach; a great place for breakfast there, if I
recall
the boat ride to Ft. Sumter is really a nice way to restore energy between an early
walking day and later evening sightseeing
SNOB (Slightly North of Broad) is a fun place to eat. Try the Charleston iced tea
(it is an alcoholic beverage, I will warn you).
if you like teas, go to the Charleston Tea Plantation, which is at Wadlamaw Island,
also see the largest live oak tree there -- it is quite impressive.
My favorite of the houses to visit is the cheapest one (I think). it is Drayton
Hall; no furniture in it, but beautiful architecture and very interesting to get
the history from this perspective.
Just go to White Point Gardens and walk, walk, walk. It is so interesting, up and
down all those little streets.
check out the beautiful sweet grass baskets which have gotten to be OH SO EXPENSIVE.
go to the market area.
You will have a ball.
Sorry no hotel recommendations; we have friends on John's Island, so stay there.
If you do get a good one, would you please pass it on to me? Unfortunately our
friends will be moving soon.
You might want to read Pat Conroy's SOUTH OF BROAD; it would give you a great
"picture" of what Charleston was / is like.
You have to eat at Hyman's Seafood. I would suggest visiting the Slave
Market, the Battery, and Rainbow Row. Do a walking tour. There are so many
beautiful historical buildings. We love to tour the graveyards of the old
churches. We have seen the gravestones of two of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence.
Things we loved:
1. We drove northwest of Charleston to the Frances BEidler Forest. It's run by
the Audubon Society and it was a really cool walk on a boardwalk through a swamp.
It's the largest stand of bald cypress remaining in the world. It you're a nature
lover, do not miss it.
2. We drove south east of Charleston to see the Angel Oak. Awesome! Again if
you're a nature person don't miss it.
3. Do not waste your time at the Boone Hall Plantation. House was built in 1935.
Totally fake.
4. Walk walk walk
5. We stayed at the Hampton Inn in the historic district. It was within walking
distance of just about everything. Free breakfast included. But we went out for
breakfast to Toast (get the fried green tomatoes in the morning) and to Joseph's
-get the sweet potato pancakes and the French Beignet's. Awesome
6. Best meal we had was at Magnolia.
7. Try to check a guidebook out of your library before you go that describes the
houses in the historic district.
8. Take the ferry out to Ft Sumter. It's a short ride out (we saw dolphins) and
then a 30 minute talk by a ranger and maybe another 30 minutes to explore on your
own and then you HAVE to be back on the boat.
If you can get into some of the historic homes it would be fun. Battery Park is a
beautiful place to walk.
OMG. We love Charleston. We have been 3 times.
We stay on Seabrook Island, right on the beach.
Take a trolley tour.
Charleston has a tea plantation, if you like tea.
Visit at least one plantation. Drayton Hall, Magnolia, Middleton Place.
Tour at least one house in town. Nathaniel Russell Home has a free flying
staircase.
See the Battery. Take the Fort Sumter tour.
Visit the old city market.
Susan Johnston, Librarian
Central High School Library
2200 S Roosevelt St
Aberdeen, SD 57401
sue.johnston@k12.sd.us<mailto:sue.johnston@k12.sd.us><mailto:sue.johnston@k12.sd.us>
Reading is not simply an intellectual pursuit but an emotional and spiritual one.
It lights the candle in the hurricane lamp of self; that's why it survives. There
are book clubs and book Web sites and books on tape and books online. There are
still millions of people who like the paper version, at least for now. And if that
changes—well, what is a book, really? Is it its body, or its soul? Would Dickens
have recognized a paperback of A Christmas
Carol<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1449910416/?tag=nwswk-20>, or, for
that matter, a Braille version? Even on a cell-phone screen, Tiny Tim can God-bless
us, every one. ~~Anna Quindlen
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