Five Day Trips from Charleston,
by Carol White
Charleston is one of the most charming of our
Southern cities, and you could easily spend an entire vacation
exploring its culture, history and recreational attractions.
But there are some great road trips within just a few hours'
drive of Charleston that will give you some different glimpses
of the region's famed hospitality. Don't let the mileages
fool you. Most of South Carolina is not well connected by
those "ungracious" freeways, so you have to slow
down, amble a bit on mostly two-lane highways, and arrive
"in due time." Road trippers looking for a more
extended trip could easily connect a couple of these days
together for a nice overnight stay between destinations.
Day 1: Savannah, Georgia
109 miles, 2.25 hours
Savannah became Georgia's first city in 1733,
and much of what made it flourish over the intervening years
is still visible today. Second only to Charleston in historic
preservation, Savannah offers an easy day of activities centered
on history and Southern culture.
I recommend that you head first to the visitors
center, where you can sign up for one of the many trolley
tours around town. I have been on several and find that
each one has its own "hook" - there are history
tours, ghost tours and tours focusing on the book "Midnight
in the Garden of Good and Evil," a nonfiction novel whose
locales are some of the city's best-known attractions -- but
any one of them will get you oriented.
Once you have a good overview, you'll probably
want to explore more of the largest historic district in the
country. Twenty-one of Savannah's original 24 public squares
still survive, and it's worth the shoe leather to examine
the lush landscaping, hanging moss and historic statues on
foot. Many richly restored buildings in the district are also
open to visitors.
At the Cotton Market on River Street, alongside
the Savannah River, you can learn about the once-thriving
cotton industry and see Factors Walk, where the cotton brokers
would survey the cotton being sold below them. Today these
buildings house a nice array of retail shops and restaurants,
but the original use is clearly preserved.
If you tire of history, take the 20-minute trip
east to Tybee
Island, a beautiful barrier island off the Georgia coast.
Its beach and extensive bird-watching areas offer lots to
explore and do. The well-preserved lighthouse is the tallest
in Georgia.
Day 2: Beaufort, South Carolina
72 miles, 1.75 hours
I have to tell you, I love Beaufort (pronounced
bu-fit, not bo-fort -- that's in North Carolina).
It sits on a lovely estuary and has a great little historic
district with cute shops to explore, but I think it is the
laid-back, friendly atmosphere that does it for me.
Beaufort has a large Marine Corps presence. The
Marine
Corps Recruit Training Center is located on nearby Parris
Island. If you have a Marine in your family who is from the
eastern U.S., chances are he went to basic training here.
You'll see families around town on graduation days, and many
other Marine events are held during the year. The Marine
Corps Air Station, where pilots are trained for the Marines,
is also located in Beaufort.
Beaufort is South Carolina's second-oldest city.
Take a buggy tour around town, explore the estuary by kayak,
or take a walking tour of the city's many historic
buildings. As in Charleston, history abounds behind every
moss-draped tree.
But if you really want to step back in time,
head for Lipsitz's Department Store on Bay Street. Opened
in the 1870s, it is the oldest business in Beaufort and is
very much the way it has always been. The owner, Joe Lipsitz,
now 88, was born in an upstairs bedroom. The store smells
old, the floorboards creak, the merchandise is casually displayed,
but there is something very charming about both the store
and the owners -- both want to please you and tell you their
stories.
Day 3: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
96 miles, 2 hours
Myrtle Beach is a famous golf mecca with more
than 120
area golf courses and a well-organized marketing machine
to make your every golf wish come true. The hotels, resorts
and motels are all in on the act too, providing packages with
a variety of amenities and prices. While many golfers come
for weeks at a time, you can certainly sample one of the courses
on a day trip.
But Myrtle Beach isn't all about golfing. There
is also, well, the beach. Stretching for miles, the "Grand
Strand" (as it is called), provides many hidden places
in the dunes. The surf is gentle and there are lots of beach
activities for the whole family to enjoy. As you venture further
north and south of the downtown area, the beaches get quieter
and less crowded. We enjoyed a nice, quiet beach weekend at
Litchfield, about 20 minutes south of downtown.
If you've been widowed by the golfers and the
beach isn't your deal, all is not lost. Broadway
at the Beach has a good family-oriented reputation. Or
try the beautiful 1,920-acre antebellum Brookgreen
Gardens just south of Myrtle Beach. Live oaks draped in
Spanish moss are everywhere, and the flowers, plant life and
sculpture are breathtaking.
Day 4: Hilton Head, South Carolina
105 miles, 2.5 hours
Hilton Head Island, also called "Golf
Island," is one huge resort community. The most famous
resort on the island is Sea Pines, which is adjacent to its
most famous golf course, Harbour Town Golf Links, home to
a PGA event. But be warned: If you want to go to Sea Pines
and Harbour Town, you will have to pay an entry fee just to
drive through, and RVs are not allowed.
But, again, there is more to this great area
than golf. The beach is accessible in many areas, and you
can walk for miles on the unspoiled sand, playing tag with
the surf. Even though there are many resorts on the island,
the beaches always seem uncrowded and serene.
The Coastal
Discovery Museum is worth a trip for a little history
of the area and a good overview of the island's animal life,
including a protection program for loggerhead sea turtles
and information on local crabs (and crabbing) and alligators.
The museum also has a good trolley tour around the island.
Day 5: Columbia, South Carolina
119 miles, 2 hours
If you've had enough beach, head inland to Columbia,
the capital of the Palmetto State. This city was one of the
first master-planned cities (and state capitals) in the U.S.
and is home to the University
of South Carolina. Be sure to check in at the historic
horseshoe for a self-guided tour of the campus.
The South Carolina Capitol is an interesting
building with park-like grounds. We find that state capitols
hold a wealth of historical and architectural information
about a state, and this building is no exception. Although
one-third of Columbia was destroyed during the Civil War,
more than 20 antebellum buildings still stand.
Columbia boasts South Carolina's only full-fledged
National Park at Congaree
National Park, a large swampland with a forested floodplain.
A kayak or canoe ride will get you into the most interesting
parts of the park. Near Charleston, you'll find two other
parks that are part of the National Park system: Charles
Pinckney National Historic Site and Fort
Sumter National Monument. They're both worth a stop on
the way back to your starting point.
Columbia is frequently on "Most Livable
Cities" lists and "Best Places to Retire" lists
in recognition of its small-town atmosphere and bountiful
amenities. As in all of South Carolina, there is a calm, welcoming
graciousness here that really personifies what most of us
think of as "Southern hospitality."
A note on Spanish moss
Have you ever heard the saying "Good night,
sleep tight don't let the bed bugs bite?" That came directly
from the beautiful, draping, Spanish moss found throughout
this area. In years gone by, the moss was used to fill mattresses
- until folks discovered that it harbors tiny, biting mite
larvae, commonly called "chiggers."
So be warned: Leave the moss on the trees, lest
the "bed bugs" bite you. Boy do they itch!
Enjoy South Carolina.
Carol
White
8/8/08
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