where to stay

Our family would love to come to Hilton Head at the end of September. We have 5 kids who have never seen the ocean. We would love to stay in a villa or place with a great ocean view and access to the beach. Does anyone have a suggestion? Will the weather still be affected by the hurricane season? Questions from Canada

where to stay

Let me address the Hurricane issue first. september is the peak of the hurricane season. today Tuesday Sept 2nd we are looking at a potential evacuation Thursday from Hanna.

currently there are 4 storms in the Atlantic. Hanna and Ike could affect us. Josephine and the Topical depression in the Atlantic probably will move into the Gulf of Mexico.

the latter part of September is still Hurricane season, but probably Hurricanes are less likely then. You should check with this website which is one of the best for hurricane information. www.wunderground.com

start checking about a week before your trip.

As to where you should stay

Palmetto Dunes is the beach oriented resort. They have a number of Villa complexes which are oceanfront, and provide ocean views from many of them.

The other area for oceanfront rentals is Forest Beach. The following Condo rentals are excellent.

SeaCrest Resort, Ocean One, and Shorewood. they also have a number of oceanfront homes avialable for rental.

If you are a timeshare owner, or want to rent through a hotel complex. Try to get a oceanfront timeshare from Marriott. You may need to rent two for your party.

the names to look for are Grande Ocean, Barony, Surfwatch, and Monarch. the other Marriott properties are not oceanfront.

Stan (hhiguy)

where to stay

Saraphina:

If that is Guelph, Ontario, I know exactly where you are from. We used to live in Kitchener. You will LOVE Hilton Head.

We spent last March Break there with a group of 14 friends (3 families with 5 teenagers and 2 -10/11 yr olds). We had a blast and so did the kids.

Anyway, you need to tell us more about your family - ages? Bedrooms needed? Interests? Mostly importantly BUDGET!

Please post that information and we can get you started, for now, depending on the Hurricane situation.

D in Muskoka!

Our kids are interested in seeing ocean life, collecting shells, bike riding, seeing some wildlife (an alligator or two) swimming, fishing, people watching etc : They are 14,12,10,8,6. Our budget is 1000 - 1500 for lodging. We are willing to pay more to have an ocean view. Thanks for responding.

$1000-1500 will not be enough- i am thinking you will need a minimum of 4 bedrooms? Depending on who can stand sleeping with each other- boy/girl ratio and all that. Look on VRBO for the North or South Forest beach area. There are many options. Houses that small are typically not ocean front as that is mostly the huge mansions. If they are oceanfront they are the old fashion ranch homes there aren%26#39;t many. Look to be 2 rows back-it is still a quick walk and you won%26#39;t have to cross a main road. If you think you can squeeze into 3 bdrm you might have a condo option which would cost less but also have less room. In that case look for SeaCrest resort, Ocean One or Shorewood. Even North Shore Place which is across the street from the ocean is nice and the road is not busy at all. I recommend N/SFB because with teens they will love the freedom to shop and get ice cream and walk and hang out by themselves- it is perfectly safe and Coligny Circle - which is like the town center is right there. It has tons of restaurants %26amp; shops a grocery store and ice cream parlor %26amp; coffee shop. You can walk or ride bikes the whole week and not use your car!

Saraphina: did you get my private email? I see that you are a ';newbie'; and many don%26#39;t realize you can send private emails. If you look in the upper righthand corner where it says, ';Welcome SaraphinaGuelph';, it will you say ';You have 1 private message.';

D in Muskoka.

networking

Beach renourishment progress ?

We%26#39;re set to arrive in NMB this Sat. (if TS Hanna doesn%26#39;t cause us to ';hold up'; at our daughters in Fayetteville, NC, as we%26#39;ve had to do a couple of times in the past) and I was just wondering about the renourishment project. We usually stay in Windy Hill but will be in Crescent Beach this year. Does anyone know how far it has progressed or if it is finished?

We%26#39;re not too worried about Hanna - we even ';rode out'; Ophelia a couple years ago, but assume a TS or hurrican would halt progress if the project isn%26#39;t finished yet. We%26#39;ve had some experience with the process while staying in my sisters house at the Jeresy Shore, and while it%26#39;s interesting to watch and does make for good shelling we%26#39;re concerned that between the tropical storms and beach project we may lose a good bit of quality ';lazing on the beach with a good book'; time.

I%26#39;d appreciate any info locals or recent visitors might have. Thanks so much. Liz

Beach renourishment progress ?

I heard it was at Sea Mountain Highway in Cherry Grove this past weekend.

We we were down there two weeks ago and it was at Cherry Grove Pier. If it was at SM Highway this week that%26#39;s approx 10-15 blocks in a week. At that rate it would be another 2-3 weeks to get to Cresent.

Beach renourishment progress ?

We were at Cherry Grove this past weekend and the project is still going on there. So, I wouldn%26#39;t think it would be there during your stay. I do know that it is a 24/7 operation and it was in front of our condo one of the nights we were there and all I heard was the noise of bulldozers. Hope you have a fun vacation.

My wife and I are staying at the Prince Resort starting Sept 19. Should they be done in that area by then?? i would hate to have this ruin us using the beach.

They should be long gone from the Prince Resort by then (that resort is right on the Cherry Grove Pier).

They were in front of the Prince Resort at Cherry Grove last weekend and they were moving south along the beach when we left on Sunday, so your trip should be fine. Have a nice vacation.

we are planning to arrive Sept 13-19 and have not made reservations yet...This is our first time there. which beach area shoud I avoid during construction, I have an elderly parent who would like to walk to something during our stay other than another hotel..thanks

Because they just finished in Cherry Grove, that would be safest. Next safest, IMO, would be Windy Hill as they are moving south from Cherry Grove and doubt they will make it down that far to Windy Hill.

With the storms moving in I%26#39;d say the renourishment project is least of your worries.

Anything north of Sea Mountain Highway would get you above the project. It%26#39;s been completed in that area. Anything above 24th Ave north would be good. Between the new sand and the storms the shelling should be great.

Anything in the low ';twenty'; Ave nunmbers would be within walking distance to grocery store, beach shop, ice cream, post office and a few places to eat.

Prince Resort might be something to look at. Two years old. Maybe 10 short blocks to stores plus Cherry Grove Pier right on same property.

The project should be in the area between Sea Mountain and Main Street now. Something near Main Street would put you within walking distance to stores but you would also be in the path of beach project.

Farther down in Cresent Beach or Windy Hill would get you away from project but little to walk to.

Since this is first trip you might not be familier with the area. The Grand Strand is 50+ miles long. North Myrtle is just one of several communities along the Strand. Ten miles south is City of Myrtle Beach and below there is Surfside and Garden City.

Number of sections to pick from to get away from beach project but few really have a lot to walk to. Most attractions and shopping is out along Rt 17 which runs entire length of Grand Strand.

Hanna action

Anyone wishing to view the big waves coming in on Kiawah can visit the KI Community Association%26#39;s live webcam at -

earthcam.com/usa/鈥?/a>

Since Kiawah%26#39;s beach is south-facing, we normally don%26#39;t get as much surf as the east-facing beaches. I can imagine that the waves at MB are MUCH bigger.

Hanna action

Here%26#39;s an awesome hurricane tracking site one of my Seabrook Island neighbors sent me yesterday:

http://www.stormpulse.com/

There are left, right, up, and down arrows so you can move around the screen to view the next hurricane and tropical storm. Clicking on the named storm shows you the predicated path.

Love that the islands and towns are labeled!

Stay safe y%26#39;all!

jellyfish

How have the jellyfish been so far?

jellyfish

Not Bad at all.

We don%26#39;t get near as many as they do in Florida.

Stan (hhiguy)

jellyfish

Thanks, Stan. We live in fear of jellies, sharks, too!

Just came back from a week in HH. Spent most of the week in the ocean and saw only one jellyfish the entire week.

O.K., just returned on 7/30/06. The ocean was jelly free until Friday, 7/29/06. When I arrived around noon, the lifeguard said she had 15 stings. We spent our last day @ the pool. Oh, but was that ocean beautiful that day!

I bel;ieve there has been a warning issued in North Carolina about jellyfish, any such warning lurking in HHI?

yes, we had one jelly sting, and yesterday there was even a shark sighting (3-4 ft) - it was caught in the tide pool trying to get back into the ocean, so our beach was cleared for 30 min by the lifeguard to be safe. It didn%26#39;t phase us much though, we were back playing in the ocean again today!

yes, we had one jelly sting, and yesterday there was even a shark sighting (3-4 ft) - it was caught in the tide pool trying to get back into the ocean, so our beach was cleared for 30 min by the lifeguard to be safe. It didn%26#39;t phase us much though, we were back playing in the ocean again today!

Kate,.

OMG, sharks really freak me out! In the tidal pool? Yikes! What beach was this on?

The most Jellies I ever saw in one place was in the Chesapeake Bay. There were regular street signs along the waters edge showing a person jumping into the bay and jellies stinging him all over. I walked out onto the pier and couldn%26#39;t believe my eyes. There were so many of them. My guess is literally a billion in that small area of the bay, My stomach turns just remembering them. There was a small swimmable beach that had jellyfish nets up protecting the bathers. O.K., now who is going to swim in that?

Another way to freak yourself out is to go shark fishing off HHI. I mean immediately off the island - if you decided to jump ship and swim to shore, you%26#39;d be there in 5 minutes . Be prepared to become exhausted by the number %26amp; types of shark you pull in and by the fight they give you. Those are the small ones!! My daughter reeled in a big bonnethead.

Please tell me which beach this was and what kind of shark.

I think that surf fishing should be illegal because aren%26#39;t they attracting shark towards the swimmers? It%26#39;s totally legal.

Shark fishing from the beach is totally ILLEGAL for the reasons stated.

Stan (hhiguy)

hhiguy: These things are somewhat disconcerning, please ease my mind with your view of the dangers of jellyfish and sharks and the likliehood of both in the end of August 2006.

buy make up

Hurricane...and trip advice

Hi, I am visiting my husband in Sumter, SC right now. We spent all last weekend in Charleston with our 2 year old son, and we loved it. We are supposed to go back this weekend to the beach just for Saturday night and Sunday. The weather forecasts say the rain will mostly be moved out by Sunday, but I am worried about doing something stupid and driving into a hurricane??? Should we just hang around Sumter, where we will get rained on and be bored, or should we chance it and drive into Charleston tomorrow, stay the night and hope Sunday is nice? We live in Las Vegas....I have no hurricane experience!

Hurricane...and trip advice

Wait until tomorrow to make your decision. A lot depends on when/where Hanna makes landfall and on how quickly she moves on. We are expecting rain and wind from Hanna in New York on Saturday, so chances are good that by Sunday, Charleston will be fine.

Few Questions

We are leaving Saturday for Surfside Beach if T.S.Hanna doesn%26#39;t hit to hard. I had a couple of last minute questions.

1.)Best Mini Golf?

2.)We were considering making the trip to Hammock Shops. Is it worth the trip?

3.)We decided to try some new restaurants this year:

Nibil%26#39;s

Texas Roadhouse

Bubba%26#39;s Fish Shack

River City Cafe

Thoughts? Favorite Dishes?

4.)Rainy Day Activities?

Few Questions

There are thousands of mini-golf places here. my favorites are Mt atlanticus (sp) and Captain Hooks and the one at Broadway at The Beach.

Hammock Shops are nice. Def worth the trip and other shops in the area.

River City Cafe on 21st Ave N is great. Wouldn%26#39;t miss it.

The others i%26#39;ve never been to so i can%26#39;t give a personal opinion. Some of my favorite places to eat are on the way into Myrtle Beach if you have the time is FATZ CAFE. its in conway past the super wal-mart. Great chicken and awesome soups. Then there is in garden city beach about 2 mins or so away from surfside beach is a great little restaurant called Conch Cafe on garden city blvd.

Rainy Day activities- Ripleys Aquarium, there is an indoor putt-putt i believe in North Myrtle Beach, shopping at the mall, imax theater at broadway at the beach, and i%26#39;m sure other ppl can give you ideas.

Few Questions

If you go to the hammock shops in Pauley%26#39;s Island, I strongly recommend driving the few extra miles south to visit Georgetown. It%26#39;s a beautiful little town perched on the water. There are many neat little shops, restaurants, and bars along the waterfront facing the boardwalk. Just take 17 south into Georgetown, cross the big bridge, take a left onto St. James street and follow to Front St.

Bubba%26#39;s Fish Shack is good. Fun atmosphere, and the food is good. While the menu isn%26#39;t terribly extensive, I%26#39;ve never had a bad meal there. We usually go there for lunch rather than dinner--it just seems to have more of a lunchtime vibe to me.

Texas Roadhouse, while a chain, is very good. Their ribs and steaks are excellent for the money. It does get crowded early though, so plan accordingly.

If you have not already eaten there, SARA J%26#39;s in Garden City is an absolute must for us at least once on every trip+++ usually about 6 times ayear.

It seems to me (not an expert) the mini-golf places are all about the same. Love the hammock shops. Be sure to visit the candle shop! And across the street are the Island Shops. always a must do for me. Nibils was just OK for us, Love the Roadhouse for their sirloin. River City very good burgers. We keep board games in our place and there is always the indoor pool for a rainy day.Thoughts?? We get there twice a year and it is just not enough!! Retirement can not come too soon, We will be your neighbors, we are in Garden City just down the beach from Surfside,. Where in Surfside will you be?

Thanks for all of your help!!

Jerseygirl, We are staying about a mile north of the Surfside Pier. This is our first time staying in Surfside Beach, we usually stay in NMB.

Have fun Seashell02. I hope you miss Hannah! We leave 0n the 12th.I hope we miss ike and Josephine! We will be at Water%26#39;s Edge in Garden City. When we stayed in Surfside Beach we stayed @ The Sea Shadow and Surfwatch 3 and a few more I can not recall. That was back in the early 90%26#39;s. Can%26#39;t wait to go!!!

good fantasy name

Restaurant advice

I am from SC and live in Boston now. I am bring my boyfriend of several years to Charleston this weekend, and he has never visited the South. We love to eat, and I want to take him to some great southern food and seafood restaurants. We already have a reservation at circa 1886 for one night and are hoping to spend a little less for the other two.

I wanted to take him to Poogan%26#39;s Porch, but my dad said he thought that it had gone downhill lately, and I haven%26#39;t been there in about 10 years. Has anyone been there lately? Is this true? We%26#39;re only in town a few days; should we try Hank%26#39;s instead?

Thanks for your help.

Restaurant advice

Poogans is a well known restaurant in the city and I have to agree with your dad, the past couple times my husband and I have been there we were not impressed. We enjoy 82 Queen for southern food or something smaller and not as fancy would be Cru Cafe. It is in a historic home about a block from the city market. Or like you mentioned Hanks is the best seafood restaurant. It is very overwhelming trying to decide where to eat. We have too many great places!!

Restaurant advice

i would have to disagree with someones dad.i enjoyed poogans porch.i ate my whole meal.which to me i never do.i was kinda full but i ate it anyway.i even ordered dessert.because i wanted to try a key lime cheesecake.

trying to put a review on here.but i cant figure out how to do that.so i thought i would share my experiences with you.

To leave a review ... Click on ';Restaurants'; in the list on the left side of this page. At the top of the restaurants page, you will see the link to ';Write a Review';.

There have been some very nice things said about Poogan%26#39;s recently. You were responding on a thread that started and ended almost three years ago. Restaurants change, going through good times and bad. Glad to hear you had a good meal at this old and famous Charleston restaurant!

Best Route from North NJ to MB

I will be traveling to MB EARLY Sat Morning Sept 13th. I plan to leave around 2/3 AM. I will be leaving from Newark NJ. Can anyone recommend the fastest way to get to MB with the least amount of traffic? Mapquest has me going on the GSP-%26gt;I95 but I am afraid I will get alot of traffic in DC area as other posts have stated.

Best Route from North NJ to MB

Leaving at that time you will hit DC at around 7 am on a Saturday morning. That is a good time to be driving through. You should not encounter much traffic.

Best Route from North NJ to MB

This is my standard post on this subject. If you take 95 down,

Take exit 2 off I-95.

Hwy 130 out of Rowland, NC for 6 miles then right on Hwy 904 in the small community of Fairmont, NC.

Hwy 904 to Fairbluff, NC, Left through town and then right on 904 again into Tabor City, NC.

Hwy 701 out of Tabor City, NC into SC and left on Hwy 9.

Hwy 9 all the way in to Hwy 17 for NMB or the 31 bypass to MB or all the way to 544 for Garden City and Surfside Beach.

This route is mostly 2 lane country highway, but the fastest I%26#39;ve found. I will admit I do go over the 55 mph speed limit out on these roads. I probably average 65 MPH the whole way. There is also almost NO TRAFFIC this way. The small towns you encounter on this route are just that, SMALL. You are through them in no more than a few minutes.

I would stick with 95 South all the way.

Newark is about 4 hours from the MD/VA highways near DC that you will be getting there around 6-7am. There isn%26#39;t anything going on then. And the only bad thing that can happen is an accident which if you see or hear about one once there, there are plenty of alternate routes along the 495/95 corridor. There will be a ';little'; slow down right at the Wilson Bridge for all of the people trying to look over at the National Harbor or are too scared to drive close to the barrier walls they have up (the lanes are really narrow here between exit 4 and 2)

Hope this helps.

I didn%26#39;t say in my previous post, but thats exit 2 in NC.

We just traveled from South Jersey to MB this past week and experienced the WORST traffic ever through Virginia on 95. We left NJ at 6AM, and returned from MB at 8AM - both Saturdays. We sat in bumper to bumper congestion for about 2 hours on the way and for more than 4 hours! on the way back.

For my next driving trip down through Virginia, I will definitely be looking for alternate routes.

abcmanzer is correct, if you don%26#39;t time it right the traffic is the worst from the Dc loop to around Richmond in VA. BUT since you%26#39;re leaving between 2-3, the earlier the better, you shouldn%26#39;t hit the bummper to bumper traffic.

We are headed down on Friday. We should hit Baltimore at around noon. Should we take 295 from Baltimore through Washington? Also how about 295 around Richmond mid afternoon?

Thanks Snake

I always get on 295 (Baltimore-Washington Parkway) at Baltimore and take it straight through Washington. When you reconnect with 95, after Washington, get in the left lane in hope that the HOV lanes will be open going south.

Richmond is more problematic. I prefer to take 95 straight through town; but, on a Saturday afternoon, it could be packed with local traffic.

I wouldn%26#39;t suggest 295 in Maryland, there are many lights and the speed limit is only 50.

But I also take the 295 bypass of Richmond, similar road as 95, but speed limit is 65 straight thru.

Traffic lights? Gosh, I drive 295 frequently from B-more through DC, and I honestly do not remember any traffic light on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.

Although the parkway is not a high-speed road, it moves along well and saves time and frustration over the I-95, which is multilane and packed with trucks.

Judge for yourselves from the MD 295 and DC 295 links -

www.aaroads.com/mid-atlantic/md-295.html

www.aaroads.com/mid-atlantic/dc-295.html

Trip Report 8/22/08 to 8/29/08, AWESOME

Guys, We%26#39;re back. I just almost finished a rather lenghty report and I did something by mistake and it just disappeared!! So here I am again.. exhausted!

So we left NJ at 5:30 pm and arrived at Dunes village around 7:30 pm. The ride in was not bad, no traffic to speak of. KIAWAVILLA, if you see this post, we ended up eating at Ralph%26#39;s bbq in Weldon, N.C coming to MB. On the way home we ate at Parkers in Wilson, N.C, Of the two we loved Parkers. I had my pulled pork sandwich both places of course, but the barbecue and fried chicken at Parkers is to DIE FOR!.. We brought fried chicken to take for the road.

Check in was a breeze, we got a $268.00 credit because we were being overcharged for the room that they wanted to give us. I had asked for a specific room. The night managers Joseph and Matt and resvationist Kim were great very accomodating.

The hotel is impressive! we loved our room. It was so comfy that we stayed in a lot and we didn%26#39;t eat out that much. We enjoyed cooking and serving our own meals.

People.. One word.. WALMART. The best place to buy groceries cheap.

At Dunes there are 12 water features between two buildings including lap pools kiddie pools jacuzzis and lazy rivers. Our kids had a blast and so did we!

Whan it rained all day monday it didn%26#39;t affect us at all. We had the pools plus indoor games like table tennis,floor checkers etc. Look for my post for Dunes Village Resort..sometime soon..

As far as activities outside the hotel we did the Mirror Maze at BATB, It was fun but could be scary for younger children. The kids tried rock climbing and the very last night we squeezed in mini-golf at Hawaaian Rumble at 10:00 pm. Great course! We wished that we had made more time to play more often during the trip. We would have done Myrtle Waves but it was closed during the week.

On Tuesday we left MB at 5:30 am for a one-day trip to Charleston. Look for my post on the Charleston forum.

On Wednesday we visited MB State Park. It is truly a beautiful place,with georgeous trees, the beach was fabulous, all re-nourished, there is a great snack and restroom area, and large shelters w/electricity and charcoal grills. We took chicken and ribs and grilled them. unfortunately it was threatening to storm so we cooked the food and took it home for the next night%26#39;s dinner. The park is open untill 10:00pm and people visit the pier late at night.

The restaurants we visited were: (1) Fire House Grill, we loved the cozy,romantic decor but the food was cold and the vegetables undercooked. Their kabobs were not bad and their exotic sauces were good. (2)Pier 14, We loved the view but did not stay because the room smelled of smoke. (3) Nibils. We loved their crabcakes and hushpuppies.The service was good and friendly. (4) River City Cafe at Surfside. We wanted to see the peanut- covered floor but did not eat there The view was good and we definitely want to go back.(5) Dead Dogs Saloon for lunch. I got 10% of our bill buy using the MBVip card, the one time I did use it. At least it paid for itself, for those we are aware of what I went through to get it,Lol! The She crab soup is very good. The shrimp and grits was good but the grits were not creamy enough. Their location at Murrell%26#39;s inlet is priceless. I must say of their restrooms, it%26#39;s the first airconditioned outdoor restroom I%26#39;ve ever been into!! and also really clean..

Overall the trip was well planned and enjoyable my only surprise was that I didn%26#39;t bawl myself all the way home this time like last summer. I was actually happy to be home. But now i%26#39;m sooo envious of those of you who still have to go. LOL. Please feel free to pm me if you have any questions about anything that we did. Wait, I almost forgot the best part. The House of Blues. We did the gospel brunch on there on Sunday. It%26#39;s unique atmosphere (old country barn meets rock%26#39;n roll?) and the three-man southern gospel group made for an enjoyable day. We were practically jumping and dancing in the aisles!! We were invited to stay as long as we wanted to. The buffet breakfast was delicious, so here could be considered one of the highlights of my trip!

And lastly there was no sign of the dredging equipment we were all so nervous about. The beaches were still beautiful and the water very warm. Only one jelly fish sighting.

Trip Report 8/22/08 to 8/29/08, AWESOME

Thanks for taking the time to post a report!

Glad you guys had a wonderful and thanks for the positive info on Dunes as we are considering staying there in the Fall.

Trip Report 8/22/08 to 8/29/08, AWESOME

Ok... I gotta ask, since we are also from NJ...... how did you leave at 5:30PM and arrive at 7:30PM? I know for us it was about a 9:30 hour drive!

Just thought I would ask.....

----Paul back in Southern NJ

(I was there at the same time!)

Sorry, typo.

look at the time I posted this. I was half asleep and exhausted!! I also had to do it twice as I lost the post when i was almost finished. I meant 5:30 am.

Cool.... I live in Roanoke Rapids/Weldon NC where you ate at Ralphs. We do have alot of people stop off of 95 to get BBQ. It used to be alot better than it is now but seems a little different now. The company I work for is based out of Wilson. When we go to meetings sometimes we go to Parkers. We think that is the best too.. Neat to hear about somewhere so close to where I live from a traveler.

I am like seriously thinking of how I could get some of that fried chicken from Parkers to NJ. Any suggestions?

I%26#39;m going to do a formal report on them soon.

seawatch plantation

I have stayed at Seawatch before, on the 2nd floor of the south tower. Since I prefer to take the stairs instead of the elevator, this worked out well for me. I am going back in another month or so, but am thinking of staying at the north tower this time instead. Is there easy access from the lobby or pool area to walk up to your room? Of course I would request one on the 3rd floor. Thanks for your advice! Also, is parking awful in the north tower garage since the space seems limited.

buy make up

Help with Dunes - Palmetto Tower

Once again I seek your suggestions...we are considering staying here in October. Our choice is a 3 bedroom angleview condo. Is there a particular floor or side I should request. Is the ocean visible from this angle...thank - again!

database

Captain's Walk - Help

Sadly, we have already returned from our 2008 Hilton Head vacation and are already planning our trip for next year. This year we stayed near South Beach - and while our unit was fabulous - the beach area down there left a lot to be desired.

Next year we are looking at staying at Captain%26#39;s Walk. We have rented through Beach Properties in the past and have always been satisfied. The particular unit we are looking at renting is 410 (unless someone else would recommend another rental company to try). Is anyone familiar with this unit?

Is Capatain%26#39;s Walk a nice property? Our only experience with Palmetto Dunes has been the Disney Resort (which I know is technically in Shelter Cove) and while a very nice property, it is too far from the beach.

My husband and I will be traveling with our 2 year old and my parents - so it needs to be a child friendly place to stay.

Captain's Walk - Help

Brandyandbrian: Here%26#39;s a forum link written by Stan aka HHI Guy:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g54273-i170-k11028鈥?/a>

I think you will find it useful. Stan will probably respond to your post personally as well.

Hope this helps.

D in Muskoka.

Captain's Walk - Help

We have stayed in several units at Captains Walk. Most recently, in 2005, we stayed in 447. We rented it through Island Getaway. Our experiences with Island Getaway have been great. All of the units have always been clean. 447 was no different...it was great. It was a unit that has 2 levels. My memories of that unit are that it had spectacular ocean views! Our family has gotten so big that we now rent a home when in Hilton Head...14 of us just returned yesterday! However, the point of this reply is that Captains Walk is the way to go in Palmetto Dunes. We stayed there in 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2005. The pool set up is also great. I can pretty much say with great confidence that you will not be disappointed in CW. Plus, Palmetto Dunes is wonderful and beautiful.

Captains Walk has a breathtaking view of the ocean. Place was so nice my parents put a bid for the unit. The first 2 floors don%26#39;t have much of a view but floors 4 and 5 have amazing views. I hear there鈥檚 no other complex on the island with a view like Captains Walk. I swear during high tide it looks like the waves are going to crash onto the property. My parents claim they鈥檙e going to retire on a Captains Walk unit.

Hello, I am in Charleston as well!! We have stayed at Captains Walk 3 different tines, all great experiences. I love the close proximity to the beach and love the pool there. You will need to rent on the 3rd and 4th floor for a great view of the ocean though. It%26#39;s very child friendly and in Palmetto Dunes you%26#39;re close to many attractions and restaurants. We head back to HHI in 2 wks and have opted for a vacation home in Sea Pines with a pool. We rent thru resortquest/Hilton head and have done so for 6 yrs. I have never had any issues with them or the rentsls in Captains walk.

You won%26#39;t be disappointed!! As I type, I am enjoying the beautiful view of the ocean from unit #450. The decor is like a Tuscany home (although I can%26#39;t speak for the decor in other units). This unit is in the middle building. CW has 3 buildings in the complex. Be sure to rent in the middle building (it has the pool and kid%26#39;s wadding pool. The Ocean view (sunrises and dolphins) are stunning. Hopefully your unit will be on the 4th or fifth floor for the best views. #450 has two bedrooms, each with their own bath and a gorgeous kitchen. One entire wall in the unit is mirrored which gives the impression of a larger unit and reflects the sunshine and daylight continuously. Assuming your 2-year old will sleep in your room, the other bedroom should suit your parents just fine. Enjoy and be sure to reply back with your opinion after your stay in CW. Mom of 2 pre-teens : )

We stayed in Captains Walk the first and only time we vacationed in Hilton Head. It was beautiful, had an unmatched view of the ocean as well. The beach was expansive, never crowded.

We were there in July, and the pool was gorgeous, it was very hot, and we were surprised to see that they added water to the pool each day to cool it down.

Since then we have spent our vacations in Destin, Florida.

I would love to travel to Hilton Head sometime, but the condo rentals are very pricey, compared to Destin.

You will not be disappointed with Captains Walk.

We loved it, and if we ever get back would stay there again.

Watching Baseball

We will be in MB the week of Sept. 21 to 27. My husband is a die hard NY Mets fan. Does anyone know if there is any place to go and watch a Mets game during that time?

Watching Baseball

Here%26#39;s a prior equest for sports bars in myrtle beach

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g54359-i25-k217657鈥?/a>

Let%26#39;s Go Mets!

August 2008 Roll Call

Our family of five will be at Myrtle Beach Resort from August 23rd through August 30th. Where will everyone else be during August?

August 2008 Roll Call

If all goes well I may be back in Myrtle Beach for a couple of days during a job process im going through..Other than that i%26#39;ll be stuck in KY.

August 2008 Roll Call

family of 5, Dunes Village 8/23-9/1

Windermere and Royale Palms in Kingston Plantation August 3 to August 10th. All of us together in paradise! Total of 12!

Our family of 5 will also be at Myrtle Beach Resort, from August 9-16th! Is it too early to start packing???

My boyfriend and I will be there from Aug.25-Aug.31. We are soooo excited!!

I%26#39;m going to be there Aug 11 - Aug 18!!

(yup - Monday to Monday ;)

I%26#39;ll be here for the entire month of August!! ;-)

My daughter%26#39;s and their husband%26#39;s along with their boy%26#39;s ages 8 4 and 2 1/2 will be at Water%26#39;s Edge in Garden City Aug 23-30th.

Mid August at the Anderson Ocean Club

with teenagers -- - -

save me !!!

hahahhaha!

Brighton Towers (Kingston Plantation) six nights beginning August 27, 2008. Two couples, very old friends, playing golf, eating out, shopping, and just having fun. John

Restaurants that can handle 7 person group?

Hi,

Any suggestions for lunch or dinner restaurants in the Kiawah area and/or Charleston that can accommodate 7 adults with the caveats of entrees not above $20-25 and has some vegetarian options? Thanks!

Restaurants that can handle 7 person group?

At Bohicket Marina, adjacent Kiawah - Rosebank Farm Cafe can handle 7 at a table, and is within that price range.

At lunch you can get a ';blue plate special'; that is all vegetables; I am sure they would do similar at dinner as well. Is the vegetarian vegan? Some of the vegetable dishes may contain eggs or cheese, so be sure to inquire.

Do a search in the Charleston forum for ';vegetarian'; to turn up other options. Also post for ';vegetarian restaurants'; on the Charleston forum.

Restaurants that can handle 7 person group?

Mustard Seed on Maybank Highway has some ';veggie'; options.

What time of year are you visiting? If in the fall/winter (not summer), you shouldn%26#39;t have a problem getting seating.

Red Sky, located outside of Seabrook Island%26#39;s gate is suppose to re-open in September. It should have plenty of seating with the remodel.

I always recommend calling the restaurants to check:

1. if they are still open;

2. operating hours;

3. can they handle our group;-)

Most any restaurant can handle 7 people. I would just call ahead to let them know you have a group.

You might try Chez Fish, it%26#39;s close and we%26#39;ve seen groups bigger than 7 in there.

You might also call out to the Ocean Course and Turtle Point, either could easily handle 7.

Have fun!!!

thank you. trip is beginning of sept so looking forward to it!

Just wanted to give an update. We had an absolutely wonderful dinner at S.N.O.B. in Charleston where my mom said it was one of the best vegetarian meals she had had. The Smokehouse Brewery there also had good veg options. We ate at Hege%26#39;s at the Freshfields center which was good food for the most part albeit a little overpriced IMHO. We also enjoyed Chez Fish where the portions were quite plentiful. King St. Grille at Freshfields was typical bar food although the hamburgers were disappointing. Ladles was great for lunch at Freshfields. Good service everywhere. Most fun was shopping at Newton Farms and cooking dinner since the produce was so fresh. Thanks for all the suggestions!

Sounds like you ate well! Thanks for the report and for the suggestions.

Southern Suppers

Is Southern Suppers closed for the season?

buy make up

extension to sqltableprovider

Tropical Storm Hanna

We%26#39;re heading to to HH on September 6, looks like Hanna may impact out time there. Some of the storm models showing a line heading towards Georgia and South Carolina. Hopefully it won%26#39;t, but anybody have any thoughts on Hanna?

Tropical Storm Hanna

Riptide/current warnings have been posted for GA, SC and NC. Be careful if you enter the water.

The latest from the NHC is one of ';wait and see'; what will happen with Hanna. Some discussion suggests that the remnants of Gustav could weaken Hanna.

Check up http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/index.shtml for updates.

Tropical Storm Hanna

Log onto www.islandpacket.com. That is the HHI local newspaper. last I logged on, Friday was the ETA if Hanna hit the SC/Georgia coast, but all is very tentative right now.

It will be a few days before they%26#39;ll be able to pinpoint where it will make landfall, but even if it hits upper Florida or Georgia, South Carolina will get the residual tropical storm/depression rain, wind, and tornado watches/warnings. How much and for how long will depend on size, speed, etc. of hte hurricane. There are already rip currents at Tybee Island, GA so I%26#39;m sure they are already affecting HHI also (and probably all the way into NC beaches also).

I would just keep an ear to the weather channel, by Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning they%26#39;ll have a pretty good idea on it%26#39;s expected landfall location.

Check with the hotel or property owner to find out what sort of preparations are going on in advance of the storm.

Keep in mind is that property owners need to start securing their homes and condos well before an evacuation order is issued.

Given the projected ';cone'; of Hanna%26#39;s path, my local managers on Kiawah, who care for a number of homes in addition to their own homes, will start boarding up our windows, securing deck furniture, cutting off power, etc., today and tomorrow. Hotels may be able to wait a bit longer to make those decisions.

If you have the option, i would cancel and maybe book a gulf coast alabama or florida beach. If Hannah continues on its projected path (as of today - tuesday) it will make for a horrible vacation for you. The water will be nasty, the beaches a mess, and it will probably rain through that weekend (not sure how long your stay will be), and thats just if it is a tropical storm or a minor hurricane. By the time you get down here, the beaches/water in the gulf should have recovered from gustav.

Here%26#39;s the problem (my opinion only). Based on the projected cone, whether we get a direct hit or not is not really going to matter, your vacation will definately be affected.

1. If you are driving, you will probably have to drive through some of the rain from the outer bands. If you fly, you may have cancellations, delays, etc. due to the winds.

2. Regardless where it hits, there WILL BE and already are major rip current problems and there will be a rough surf with a strong undertow. There have already been several deaths up and down the East Coast due to rip currents this summer.

3. If the eye comes in in Southern GA, HHI will be at the right front of the storm, which is the worst part and will spawn off tornadoes and the most severe weather.

4. HHI is flat. If landfall is from mid GA upward to HHI there should be a high storm surge, which means lost of beach erosion and some flooding.

5. The best senerio for your vacation in HHI is for it to make landfall in North Carolina. This will only affect your vacation, weather wise, for a few days (will still have rip currents).

I wouldn%26#39;t change plans to Florida or Alabama either. There is a storm right behind Hannah which could follow her path, or go into the Gulf. No one knows yet.

If I were you (and this is only my opinion), I%26#39;d check to see what your cancellation policy is and use your best judgement as to when to cancel. I would cancel this trip though and maybe go to Cape Cod????

We are looking for an evacuation order possibly Thursday. More often than not, it won%26#39;t happen.

storms have a habit of skipping our area and coming ashore either at charleston and the north Jacksonville and the south. the current path looks like a heading towards Daytona and then a turn north with a landfall in upstate SC somewhere between Georgetown Sc and Wilmington NC.

this happens with Atlantic Storms that don%26#39;t hit South Florida. They come into contact with the Gulf Steam, and follow it north. This means that the storm will come ashore somewhere in NC. the Gulf Stream is 65 miles east of Hilton Head.

If all goes as usual we may have tropical storm conditions on Friday, but not have to evacuate.

There may be some erosion on Friday,but barring a direct hit in Savannah. the weather should be fine by Saturday.

Stan (hhiguy)

A few years ago we were in Cape Cod for vacation. There was a hurricane down south, atlantic side, I dont%26#39; rember where. But it was nowhere near the cape nor was it expected to travel there. The ocean disturbance was so great that the Cape Cod beaches were closed and the Ferry ride from Martha%26#39;s Vinyard to the Cape was a seasickness nightmare. Just be cautious, whatever you plan. We just returned from Orlando and our vacation was compromised because of TS Fay. Good luck.

I%26#39;m also heading to HH on Sept. 6th. Thanks to everyone for posting your advice. I know for me, personally, not having ANY experience with a tropical storm or hurricane, it sure helps to know what to expect.

Well, Hanna has stalled in the caribbean since yesterday. If you listen to most of the networks, they say it will make landfall around Charleston on Saturday as a category 1 hurricane. But, this morning, our local station in Columbia is telling us that their models are predicting the hurricane to make landfall in NC around Wrightsville beach. Which actually makes sense to me, because for the last 10 yrs, it seems that that is where the hurricanes on the East Coast (except Florida) seem to gravitate to. Of course, you can%26#39;t really predict anything until it starts to make it%26#39;s northward movement. Time will tell.

Golf trip, Need lots of help

PLanning a trip for my husband and his buddies. And need a lot of help. Since I have never been to Myrtle Beach have no clue where to stay or golf. I think they wanted to go in early Oct. Is the weather still good for golf then???Any thoughts or suggetions would be great

Golf trip, Need lots of help

October is peek golf season down here. Amazing weather for golfing. There are over 100 courses to choose from in and around the area. A lot of hotels in the area do golf packages that include everything.. room, breakfast, greens fees, cart fees, and taxes

Breakers has some really good packages running and i%26#39;m sure theres a lot of other places but def give them a call 1-800-555-2001

Golf trip, Need lots of help

Check out:

http://www.eatdrinksleepgolf.com/

I have had great service and information from:

brian@golfdesk.com

E-mail Address(es):

brian@golfdesk.com

I%26#39;ve used him for setting up trips weeks in advance or even games the day before when plans change. Good for golf and accomodations.

Ill put my two cents in suggest a few of the places I%26#39;ve stayed on Golf Trips.

Compass Cove www.compasscove.com

Long Bay Resort www.longbayresort.com

Litchfield Beach %26amp; Golf Resort www.litchfieldbeach.com

One of my favorite places for golf trips which no longer is around was Helms Vista, too bad.

The Myrtle Beach National courses have a site online and you can put together your own golf package including hotel. I think the site is something like MBN.com or similar. Our favorite place to stay in Myrtle Beach was Carolina Winds on 7600 N. Ocean because it is a little quieter in that area. But, then we moved down here.

I have used Elliot Realty in NMB in the past to set up golf weekends. We go down usually in late March and play Friday, Saturday and return home on Sunday. Have always had fair weather then.

I also give a thumps up for Elliott Reality. I%26#39;ve never booked a golf trip with them, I have used them numerous times for summer vacation rentals.

We stayed at the Grande Shores in a penthouse condo last year and I booked my rounds through them - it%26#39;s located in a great spot - www.grandeshoresgolf.com

Hi

Check out Legend%26#39;s Golf Resort...they will take care of everything.

One Day Trip Report 8/26/08 Attack of the Killer Mosquitos

Our trip started out at 5:30 am from Myrtle Beach, (a one day diversion from our eight-day trip there) this by no means an easy feat to get two children and significant other ready to go on time after being exhausted by the fabulous pools at our hotel.

I was determined, schedule and itinerary and coffee mugs in hand.

We were supposed to reach Mills House around 7:30-7:45 am in time to park to car early bird in it%26#39;s adjacent garage. Thanks to a lead from a fellow tripper who thought it to be a good idea to have access to a bathroom when we were ready to pick up the car. I took it one step further.To have breakfast at the Barbadoes room. I don%26#39;t know what hapened to the early bird special there was none but we parked anyway. After all we%26#39;re from NJ. We would end up paying a total of $17 for the day. Unheard of in the metro area.

Breakfast at the Mills House was delicious. The portions for the kids was exceptionally generous. They no longer have a breakfast buffet but just as well because we were on a tight schedule.

We were scheduled to get on the first Old Towne Carriage tour leaving around 9:15 am We finished breakfast took a few pictures in the courtyard and walked the few blocks over to Anson Street.

We got our tickets and after 20 minutes booarded the carriage for an infomative tour.

It is on this tour that we got our first taste of what is is to be attacked by mosquitos and biting flies. The tour lasted approx. one hour, we disembarked, took pictures with the cute horse and decided to walk over to maritime centre for the harbor tour which was part of the carriage tour.

It was while walking that we all four of us attacked ungraciously by swarms of mosquitos and flies. So much so that we begged directions to the nearest pharmacy to get repellent. We prceeded to lather ourselves with it. Good.

The 15 minutes distraction caused us to miss our boat at 11:30 am. However the next was at 1:30 pm.

A minor annoyance, we decided to eat an early lunch at Harbor grill to kill time until the next boat.

Harbor grill was disappointing, beautiful place an good view, their pulled pork was very tasty but the bread was not sandwich bread and was stale. The explanation,, too eary for a fresh delivery.

We finished lunch, made our way to the boat and embarked on a fun trip with Charleston Harbor Tours for about 1 1/2hrs? not sure.

we got off and made our way towards the bustop to take a trolley to the convention centre to change for the #212 to downtown. Before we got to the shelter we were again bombarded by swarms of mosquitos and flies.

It is here that I%26#39;m going to ask, How to you natives deal with these monsters? We ran flailing our arms for our lives, not angry, laughing at how hilarious we must have looked. Nobody else around was being attacked like we were, What WAS IT about us?

Anyway we got on the trolley, really cool, quickly changed to the #212. We were impressed at their efficiency. By then we had decided we would squash our plans to go to 82 Queen and then the waterfront park, no more out of the car for us. We went and picked up the car. By now its close to 3:00pm, so as per my itinerary I decided we would take ride up Ashley road to perhaps see where the plantations were. It was by then way too late to pay to go in any of them but we got to see the beautiful oak- tree covered roads. The kids fell asleep in the car. After this I wanted to see the Angel Oak tree. We made our way there but again it was late and we werte only able to take pictures outside the fence. But it was worth it!

From there we made our way to Folly Beach as per our itinerary. It was around 6:30pm. We took a walk on the pier.

We loved Folly Beach!! And no mosquitos there, a few flies, but fotunately not the biting kind. We bought some souvenirs and then we chose Folly Beach Crab Shack for dinner where we enjoyed a seafood bucket and a couple of kids meals. Great atmosphere

After that we made our way back to MB

Overall we enjoyed Chaleston, Actually loved it. I would love to come back, but could someone please tell me at what time of the year are the mosquimonsters not around. Spring perhaps or late fall. If so I%26#39;m there. Seriously, wouild spraying early in the season help curb their population?

One Day Trip Report 8/26/08 Attack of the Killer Mosquitos

Sorry you had the problem with the mosquitos. Strangely enough, we have had very FEW mosquitos this year until last week and they were very bad! We were at a cook-out and everyone was spraying and eventually went indoors.

Skin-So-Soft or repellant sprays are usually taken to outdoor events in case they come out. Drier sheets will keep some away, but not all. The county/city spray throughout the year at night.

The drive to the plantations is beautiful. The canopied road reminds me of a rainforest!

Angel Oak is wonderful. It is magnificent to see, even over the fence!

Come back to visit and bring your spray!

One Day Trip Report 8/26/08 Attack of the Killer Mosquitos

Funny, reminds me of a recent trip to Lake Erie. We paid for a gorgeous, lake-front room with a balcony %26amp; then spent the whole weekend fighting off swarms of ';Canadian Soldiers';. Never heard of them before but I%26#39;ll never forget them!

You packed a lot into a day-trip! We did that once when staying at Hilton Head %26amp; I%26#39;ve always wanted to go back for a 3 day stay at Charleston.

Guys, sorry about the type errors. I%26#39;m still exhausted from the vacation and the labor day weekend! i also posted very late last night and had just completed my myrtle beach report.. twice.. cause i deleted the first one by mistake.

Hi, queenmum1. Thanks for the review!

I don%26#39;t understand why mosquitos and flies attack some people but not others. My husband and daughter will get attacked viciously, while I get not a single bite. I suppose I am not as sweet as the rest of you folks!

When you have the time, please post about restaurants you enjoyed along I-95 on your trip to/from NJ.

You must be an expert scheduler, as I%26#39;m wiped out just from reading your report! Next time, come and plan to stay for a while, as that%26#39;s the best way to enjoy Charleston.

I empathize with y%26#39;all on the skeeters and gnats, as any time I venture outside in the summer, it%26#39;s like they%26#39;ve been waiting their whole lives for me and my blood. I get torn up by %26#39;em!

Thanks for your efforts on what is a really nice trip report!

Thanks for the report. If memory serves, I didn%26#39;t encounter my first skeeter for the year til Aug 16th or so. Things were very dry until a few days before then, and wham-o there they came!

It is true that some people just aren%26#39;t affected. Here%26#39;s a tip - find someone who is loved by them, and take them everywhere you go! And repellant works but get the spray kind as it needs to be on your clothing as well.

Dryer sheets in pockets are a good ';added protection'; = apparently the scent masks the scent they%26#39;re looking for. (I%26#39;ve heard mouthwash is good, too)

Thanks guys,

We loved Charleston and we%26#39;ll certainly come back.

Don%26#39;t get me wrong we have plenty of ';monster skeeters'; in NJ, I just have never seen them swarm like they did in Charleston :-)

Trip recap- cooking demo, restaurants, veg options

Just wanted to give a quick recap on our trip. We stayed at Kiawah Island thinking we could go into Charleston for day trips. But Kiawah was a farther, more complicated drive (50 minutes) than we thought so only went in 3 times over a week.

We took the Charleston Cooks! Low-Country Cuisine cooking demo and tasting with Emily. It was very informative and fun if you are into cooking or eating. Go hungry. Great way to spend an hour or 2. We also ate dinner one night next door at S.N.O.B. which was an amazing meal. Daniel, our waiter, was excellent and made the meal entertaining and relaxing. My mom commented that the vegetarian meal was one of the best she had ever had in a restaurant. The cheese plate was a great value as well. We also enjoyed the Smokehouse Brewery for lunch. We found some nice art at the Market and enjoyed just walking around near the waterfront.

Trip recap- cooking demo, restaurants, veg options

Thanks for the recap! Glad you enjoyed it and hope that you come back soon.

HELP!!-Seawatch Plantation

I have stayed at the seawtch before, on the second floor of the south tower. This worked out well for me, because I prefer to take the stairs and not the elevator. I am returning in September, and am thinking of staying in the north tower this time. Ia there easy access to the stairs from the pool area or the lobby to walk up to your unit? Also, is parking in the garagr at the north tower a nightmare due to only having a few floors? Thanks for your advice!

Sue

good name for dog

Visiting at the beginning of October...

Hurricane Hannah just went through, how is the damage at Surfside Beach/ Myrtle Beach?

From what I understand at this moment, hurricane Ike will be entering the Gulf of Mexico so SC doesnt have to worry about that. We will be traveling from Huntsville, Alabama.

Thanks for the response.

buy make up

Help with NEW things to do...

Hey there,

I%26#39;m planning a surpise trip to Charleston for our 5th wedding anniversary next weekend (11th-14th). Living in Myrtle Beach, we make a point to get to Charleston at least once a year. Therein lies my problem. We%26#39;ve experienced a lot of the ';touristy'; Charleston and I want to avoid doing some of the same things over again.

We really like taking a carriage ride and visiting the market, so we%26#39;ll do that again for sure. I also heard that Charleston Stage is putting on West Side Story so we%26#39;ll check that out as well. What I%26#39;m really looking for is information on what to do during the day. We can fill our nights with dining and meandering.

Here%26#39;s a bit about us...

We%26#39;re in our late 20%26#39;s, really enjoy live music, theatre, and art. Love dining but not so much into the nightlife scene. We would much rather visit a jazz club or a wine tasting than a dance club. My wife enjoys browsing funky shops and boutiques (a la Melrose Ave). We also like being active and being outdoors.

Any ideas?

Thanks for the help!

Help with NEW things to do...

Contact Ralph to set up a personal kayak trip for you and your wife...

http://kayakcharleston.net

He%26#39;s a wonderful guy who%26#39;s lived in the Charleston area for most of his life. He would definitely give you a good time!

Help with NEW things to do...

It%26#39;s not exactly romantic and not in the city, but for an interesting thing to do consider visiting the Hunley. It%26#39;s only open on weekends.

Funky shops - ours are more spread out. There%26#39;s a great antique place on Hwy 17 in Mt. Pleasant called ';Hungryneck Antiques';. King Street, as you probably know, has some great shops both above and below Calhoun St.

There are a lot of nice shops in Mt. Pleasant Towne Center but few are especially unique (though there is a new dog specialties shop called ';Hairy Winston'; that is beyond cute!) and a few upscale beach decor shops along with the usual Ann Taylor, Old Navy, etc.

One of the things that lots of visitors miss is the sailboat ride on the Schooner Pride. It is a tall ship that tours the harbor and this can be done at sunset as well.

http://www.schoonerpride.com/

I really think you would enjoy this!

oysters??

My boyfriend and I will be in Charleston for a couple days and are oyster lovers! Any good places we can gorge on these treats without breaking the bank? Also, any great southern restaurant suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

oysters??

You%26#39;re in luck! Since it%26#39;s now September, they are back in season. We love the oysters in EVERY form (fried, steamed, stew, shooters) at Shem Creek Bar %26amp; Grille in Shem Creek (about 10 mins from downtown Ctown). Great location on the water. Good for brunch and sunset dinners. Enjoy!

oysters??

You can get them at pretty much any seafood restaurant, although a high end restuarant won%26#39;t do them by the bucket.

Pearlz Oyster Bar on East Bay is a fun place with great drinks and oysters.

You didn%26#39;t say when you were coming - January is the time of the largest oyster festival in the country -the Lowcountry Oyster Festival held at Boone Hall Plantation. I must say it was awesome - I was not expecting really excellent oysters (how could they be, I thought, if they have to serve 65000 pounds of them?) Well they were great.

If you get a chance to go to Shem Creek but want an indoor restaurant, Locklear%26#39;s has a great menu with a few oyster selections.

I am going at the end of this month (sept.), but I really wish we could attend the oyster festival!

Typically in Charleston, the old %26#39;rule of thumb%26#39; is that you shouldn%26#39;t eat oysters until after the first frost. Although I am a oyster lover myself, I have to say that the best oysters can be found at a little shack called Bowen%26#39;s Island near Folly Beach. It really isn%26#39;t a long drive and it is well worth it. If you prefer more of a ';nice'; dining atmosphere, then the places listed above will work for you. Bowen%26#39;s is a rustic place that caters to good food - all you can eat oysters- beer and lots of local fun!

Some NOT so nice and Pricey places to EAT, please.

Hi.

My wife and I are going to Charleston for 3 days in June as we return home from a circular trip from Florida, Asheville, N.C., Washington, D.C, CHARLESTON, and then back home to Florida.

I am using this forum to select a nice B%26amp;B in the historic district, and this is where I would most like to spend the remaonder of my money.

Upon reading the forum, eating out sounds like it is going to be very expensive.

Are there any places in Charleston where two people can get away with $30 not including tip or drinks?

I would appreciate any help you can offer.

Thanks.

Steve

Some NOT so nice and Pricey places to EAT, please.

I like Jestine%26#39;s Kitchen. Not fancy - the ';table wine'; is sweet tea - but tasty and affordable.

Some NOT so nice and Pricey places to EAT, please.

When travelling, to help keep our budget on track, we often opt for lunch at nice restaurants opposed to an expensive dinner. The menu items are just as nice and just as filling, but at a much lower cost.

For dinner, we opt for early dining menus--usually a great deal! However, I don%26#39;t think Charleston has embraced the early dining menu option. If anyone knows of any great prix fixe menus, let me know!

High Cotton on Bay Street has a great Saturday lunch menu and Sunday brunch menu with several tasty dishes for $10 and under (www.mavericksouthernkitchens.com)

Juanita Greenberg%26#39;s on King Street is Mexican food and very reasonably priced, as well as a fun casual atmosphere(www.juanitagreenbergs.com).

Magnolia%26#39;s on Bay Street is one of our consistent favorites, and if we do have dinner here, we enjoy the generous ';uptown'; appetizers (housemade pimento cheese and flatbread, the fried green tomato, and downsouth egg roll are great), a cup of soup and a salad (www.magnolias-blossom-cypress.com).

Virginia%26#39;s on King is a neat place to have an appetizer, soup or salad, and great side dishes (www.virginiasonking.com).

There are many ways to enjoy great food and ambience on a budget. Charleston has so many options. Enjoy!

Juanita Greenburg%26#39;s is right up your alley.

There%26#39;s also a Moe%26#39;s on King St, but I don%26#39;t think you%26#39;re going to find many spots where you can both eat for %26lt;$30.

In the city: consider Southend Brewery, or for a really great deal...go to Social during their Happy Hour where a nice selection of appetizers are all $3 as are one red, one white, and one bubbly wine. What more could you ask? Many a time hubby and I have made meals of a few shared app%26#39;s and some wines.

It sounds like you will have a car, so head across the bridge to Mt. Pleasant and eat at the Boulevard Diner or keep driving on over to Sullivan%26#39;s Island and have an incredible burger at Poe%26#39;s Tavern. Both places have good food and very reasonable prices. You can easily eat for $30 before tip and drinks at either one.

Folks,

You are a life saver!!

I can not thank you enough for those suggestions. It is a great comfort to know I will not have to walk about aimlessly reading menus and prices.

Thanks a million!!!

Steve

Jestines and Boulivard Diner will be must-do! Also, Sticky Fingers (Meeting St.), Jim %26amp; Nicks (King St.), The Griffon (Vendue Range), Fast %26amp; French aka Gaulart %26amp; Maliclet (Broad St.). SNOB has an Express Lunch Special everyday for about $10. It is always good. If you really like salads that are HUGE and good, go to California Dreaming. Most hotels have a booklet with restaurants listed in their lobbies. It usually has a coupon for a free order of honey croissants from Calif. Dreaming, too! Ye Olde Fashioned Ice Cream also has sandwiches. Their BLT is unbelievable!!!

Remember that Spoleto is most of June and it is a very popular month for tourists.

We are frequently in Charleston for a day of doing errands. For a delicious, EXTREMELY budget-friendly lunch, we uaually go to Joseph%26#39;s. -

http://www.josephsofcharleston.com/

The food is so good at Joseph%26#39;s that we frequently take visitors there even when speed and economy are not our primarly objects.

Joseph%26#39;s is open only for breakfast and lunch, and they do not serve alchoholic beverages. (Try the sweet tea!) Teh atmosphere is casual and ';local';.

Ditto, KYBetsy! Those are great places and Mt Pleasant has lots of choices without expensive prices.

Hot Dog Joints

We will be in Hilton Head in two weeks and our kids love hot dogs. Are there any restaurants or stands in HH that specialize in this?

Hot Dog Joints

There is a restaurant called ';Street Meet'; where the specialty of the house are dogs of all types. It is located in Port Royal Plaza off of Matthews Drive.

Some of the other restaurants who have childrens menus offer corn dogs.

Otherwise check with a local Gas Station.

Stan (hhiguy)

Hot Dog Joints

Thanks for the info Stan. We don%26#39;t make that a staple of our diet but I am glad to know there is a place like that. I%26#39;m sure we will get lunch there at least one day.

Don%26#39;t miss the homemade onion rings and fresh baked pretzels at Street Meet!

Best Gyros on the island too.

The menu is out on the Hilton Head Dining Guide website at www.hhidining.com

Harold%26#39;s Diner also offers hot dogs. They are only open for breakfast and lunch Tue-Sat. Definitely worth a visit.

Just about ever golf course clubhouse in the country will have hot dogs with steamed buns and all the fixings. For some reason they always seem to be the best tasting hot dogs. Maybe its the cooking all day, the soft steamed buns, the crunch pickle relish or maybe I%26#39;m just that hungry after a round of golf... :D

I%26#39;d send you to Coco%26#39;s on the Beach, oceanfront, just north of Palmetto Dunes at the RTJ #10 green, but I think Larry has closed for the season...

Please report back after your trip!

- Jeff

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Help! Planning vacation around jelly fish and sting rays!

We normally vacation the end of August but I know this is prime time for jelly fish. How is the end of July as far as jelly fish and sting rays go? I%26#39;m petrified of ocean creatures.

Thanks for any help.

Help! Planning vacation around jelly fish and sting rays!

I don%26#39;t think you can plan a trip around the presence of jellyfish and Stingrays. They live in the ocean we do not.

The lifeguards do however put up signs when these creatures are present in the area you might be swimming in. So just look around the lifeguard areas for information.

Rays tend to stay away from humans however. in the celebrated case of Steve Irwin, he was actively looking for them, and he was speared by the Ray accidentally. His wound came about because the stinger went into his chest piercing his heart and lungs. He was not poisoned.

Stan (hhiguy)

Help! Planning vacation around jelly fish and sting rays!

Thanks, Stan. I was trying to find the best summer weeks. I know there%26#39;s a time when jelly fish are more prevalent and I%26#39;d like to stay away from that time period if I can. I know they live in the ocean and we don%26#39;t. I was just saying how scared I am.

Thanks.

I have never heard of this!!! You are ALWAYS at risk of jellyfish, crabs biting and even sharks when swimming in the ocean. My friend keeps a bottle of vinegar in her beach bag just in case of a sting... Never prevents our family with a 3 and 7 yr old of going and we live 5 mins from the beach.

NO need to worry! Enjoy your trip! :)

beach areas

We%26#39;re traveling to Edisto Beach next week. Are there public beaches open to swimming or do we have to go to the state park?

beach areas

No problem parking on the main drag (for Edisto) and walk past the beach front houses to the beach along the entire length of the beachfront. Public access paths are frequent and the parking is easy and no charge.

Also worth thinking about - there is the newly opened Botany Bay area which has beach. Part of the park system and open to the public only in the last month or so. Getting a lot of press. Should be worth your time to head there on your trip. Have fun.

beach areas

Thank you so much for the beach info. It was very helpful to know access will be easy.

Bobby, can you tell me how to get to the new access for Botany Bay? I%26#39;ve been there with Capt. Ron many times and am wondering where to go now? I%26#39;m going in about 3 weeks and anxious to make that trip. I hadn%26#39;t known they were going to open it to the public--but I%26#39;m excited to get back there! Its a wonderful place. Thanks for your help.

Funny thing - we were at the island on Labor Day Weekend and we had hoped to go to Botany Bay. Ran out of time - too much time on boats, the golf course, doing shrimp on the barby, and heading to Charleston for some fun. I didn%26#39;t see any signs, but I%26#39;m sure you can find a map on the net at :

鈥c.gov/managed/wild/botany/description.html

We left on Tuesday morning and you could almost sense the difference in the waves from Sunday to Monday as Hannah started to rear it%26#39;s ugly head. Still quite nice, but a little rougher.

BB--thank you SO much for the website. I%26#39;ve already checked it out and it tells me everything I need to know! I can%26#39;t wait to get there. I know what you mean about running out of time--I always do. Used to stay 2 weeks, but lately with family responsibilities I%26#39;m unable to stay that long--but I%26#39;ll take anytime there I can get.

How interesting for you to see the changes as Hanah came in! I%26#39;ve been watching the weather closely and at first it looked like Edisto might get a direct hit from her. I%26#39;ll have to keep watching--about my luck this year a big one will come up in 3 weeks!

Thanks again for the info-I%26#39;ll try to let you know how it was when I get back.

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Advice Needed - Inexpensive Lodging Near Charleston

My spouse and I are looking for lodging options within 2 hrs of Charleston (preferably closer than farther) for July 23 - 27. We%26#39;re limited to $100 / night but are seeking something as nice as possible. Seems like $$ for lodging doesn%26#39;t go far in Charleston. Does anyone know of places that have discounts for extended stays that would have somewhat of an ambience? I%26#39;m trying to avoid chain hotels... I did see the state park cabins (which would have been fun) but they%26#39;re limited to a 7 day minimum stay during high season.

Thank you so much! Any recs are greatly appreciated!!

Advice Needed - Inexpensive Lodging Near Charleston

Bed and breakfast recs near that price range ($100/night) would be WELCOME!

Advice Needed - Inexpensive Lodging Near Charleston

I know absolutely nothing about this place except its approximate location: Village Inn Bed and Breakfast, McClellanville (about 35 minutes from Charleston).

McClellanville is a very very small, old fishing village that has been the site of some movie filming - for one, Forrest Gump, and this past spring (and for all I know still ongoing) a movie with Kevin Costner. Don%26#39;t expect much - there are a couple of shops, a couple of small diners and a few churches and a marina - that%26#39;s about it. very pretty though and nice residents. According to the website the B%26amp;B is only $65/nt, so it might be worth looking into. I%26#39;d rec perhaps staying there 2 days and having a backup (in case it doesn%26#39;t suit you) somewhere else - you still can average under $100/nt if you%26#39;re careful). Maybe we%26#39;ll get lucky and someone on this board will know something more about it.

If you go up Hwy 26 towards Columbia you%26#39;ll be able to stay in one of many chain hotels, but you said you were trying to avoid them. McClellanville will also be convenient to the beaches of Isle of Palms and Sullivan%26#39;s Island and all the services (restaurants, etc) of Mt. Pleasant (though McC has its own couple of charming, unique restaurants).

Hope this helps!

Sorry - meant to put the link: http://www.coastal-sc.com/village/

You might contact the visitors center. They sometimes know of hidden gems that we locals never know exist. Also, don%26#39;t forget to check out some of the places in Summerville.

You did say 2 hours...

In Georgetown the Shaw House is a B%26amp;B that looks really nice and is in your price range - full breakfast included...again, I haven%26#39;t been there but here%26#39;s the link...http://www.bbonline.com/sc/shawhouse/rooms.html

This website has several hotels in the Charleston area, not sure if any of them will fit your needs, but here it is.

www.secure-res.com/rdx.asp鈥?/a>

Hi Culturehound, Those were exactly the types of places I was looking for!!! Thank you so much!! They both look so authentic and charming!!!

I will also check out the Summerville options and inquire with the visitors center for future options.

For this trip, I am leaning toward Culturehound%26#39;s suggestions as that would also give us another chance to explore Myrtle Beach. I%26#39;ll be living in Charleston for the next year, so I look forward to seeing what other aspects of SC hold.

Thank you so much!!!

WHen you%26#39;re in Georgetown, be sure to visit Pawley%26#39;s Island. Our introduction to the area was by staying at Pawley%26#39;s Plantation in a 2-br golf villa - I tell you it was heaven and the weekly rentals were at the time very reasonable. The foliage was unbelievable.

The village bed and breakfast in McClellanville has been closed for several years now, but there is another one in town (more information at www.caperomainbb.com ). Don%26#39;t forget to check out the village museum and get some fresh shrimp or crab dip before you head out of town. tripadvisor.com/GoListDetail-i12234-McClella鈥?/a>

Dining help please...

Hey there,

We%26#39;ve been to the following restaurants and were wondering if anyone could offer us some other suggestions based on our tastes? Sorted based on preference鈥?/p>

Basil 鈥?perfect!

Fulton Five 鈥?loved the intimate dining room, food was pretty good

Cypress 鈥?very good, but expensive

Southend Brewery 鈥?good experience.

Charleston Cooks 鈥?fun time and decent food

Mellow Mushroom 鈥?OK for lunch, but not the place for an intimate evening.

Bubba Gump 鈥?not too impressed.

Thanks for the input!

Dining help please...

Slightly North of Broad, High Cotton, Blossom, Magnolias (all on East Bay), The Boathouse at Breech Inlet (IOP), Station 22 (Sullivans). If you have a chance go to Poe%26#39;s on Sullivans Island. May be the best hamburger on the planet.

Dining help please...

Hominy Grill - good for lunch

Mistral - good French food, live music, nice atmosphere, great prices

82 Queen - reliably lovely - I can%26#39;t imagine a nicer place at dusk or later with evening temps in the 70%26#39;s and lower humidity (sit outdoors)

Juanita Greenberg - lunch - great

Cru Cafe - nice lunch spot

Virginia%26#39;s on King - a little more like Hominy Grill

Fast and French - great for lunch

Coast - nice atmosphere, decent menu

39 Rue de Jean - nice menu, decent atmosphere

Circa 1886 - overall elegant restaurant with good food

Then there is a whole list of great, unique spots in Mt. Pleasant with good value, tasty food

Our favorites in downtown Charleston are SNOBS and a small italian restaurant called Garabaldi%26#39;s. Really good.

Help to Customize our 8 days in Charleston/Savannah (more)

Sorry, I hit ENTER too soon!

We are heading Charleston on Oct 29 for 8 days. We would like to see a bit a Savannah as well. We love to walk, so it sounds like both places are good for that. We also love the outdoors and are looking to get a day of kayaking in somewhere and maybe tour some wildlife sanctuaries. (Maybe 8 days isn%26#39;t enough!)

Any suggestions on how to split the trip up? Stay in one central location and drive? 1/2 in one and 1/2 in the other? The lodging isn%26#39;t as important as the location for us although we don%26#39;t want to stay in a real bad place.

Help to Customize our 8 days in Charleston/Savannah (more)

Don%26#39;t have the time right now to help w/what all to do in Charleston, but for a wonderful kayak trip that will introduce you to the lowcountry, contact Ralph...

http://kayakcharleston.net

He takes no more than 6 guests and has spent most of his life in the Charleston area. Give him a call now and set something up with him.

We%26#39;ll be down there at the same time you are and will be paddling with him (we do every time we are down there).

Enjoy, weather should be a little cooler by then, we%26#39;re really looking forward to it.

Help to Customize our 8 days in Charleston/Savannah (more)

I have been to both places and I would do 5 days Charleston, 3 days Savannah. I think there is more to do in Charleston and it would require more time. Both cities are lovely, but Charleston is my favorite!Mt Pleasant and the Battery area are lovely in Charleston. Not sure what to recommend for Savannah. Have fun!

structuretoptr

tips on saving money

We just got back from North Myrtle Beach and had the best vacation ever. We saved a lot of money. With gas prices being so high this year my husband and I debated rather we should go on vacation or not. I decided to post tips on saving money. When you look for a place to stay make sure that you check with the different real-estate companies. I know that Elliot http://www.northmyrtlebeachtravel.com/) and Seaside vacations(http://www.seasidevacations.com/) have specials going. Make sure you check the real-estate company鈥檚 main pages for specials and coupons form local businesses. I know condolux always has a ';HOT DEALS THIS WEEK'; section. We got an email from a company and saved 30% on the rental for the week. We bought a lot of groceries this year and ate in 3 nights for dinner and had breakfast and lunch at the condo. This saved a lot of money. When we did go out for dinner or a game of Putt Putt golf I made sure that I used a coupon from sunnydayguide.com/myrtle_beach/gs_coupons.php

We wanted to go parasailing so I found a coupon in the monster coupon book and we booked before 10:00 AM and saved $15.00.

http://www.themonstercouponbook.com. I rented a couple of bikes from www.northstrandbeachservice.com and we parked the car and tried to ride our bikes most of the week. This saved us on gas money and we even rented chairs and umbrellas from the same company. They gave me a coupon so I rented 2 chairs and umbrella for $55 for the seven days we were there.

The rentals on the beach for the same equipment was $175. Even though gas prices were high this year we didn%26#39;t spend anymore than previous years. In fact I think it was our cheapest vacation ever. We had a great time! The only regret I had was that I didn鈥檛 get to go to the new Hard Rock Park. We couldn鈥檛 find any coupons. Does anyone know where to get them? I will work on this for my next trip.

tips on saving money

Fabulous post! Goes to show that we don%26#39;t necessarily have to cancel vacations, just change the way we think %26amp; prioritize.

Maybe AAA has a discount for Hard Rock. I know they offer big discounts for Cedar Point %26amp; other large amusement parks.

tips on saving money

Thanks for the info. Will be at the Avista June 30 - July 5. Who did you use for parasailing?

I went to Atlantic Water sports. They are located next to Baywatch Resort between 28th Ave. S and 32nd s. and I used a coupon from the monster book

themonstercouponbook.com/coupons/attractions鈥?/a>

They also have 3 wheel bikes that our friends rode

while waiting for us to finish parasailing. It cost them $8.00 which I believe is the cheapest price on 3 wheel bike rides. One thing we did discover down there at Atlantic Watersports was that they sell the real good frozen lemonade that used to be on the beach (only $2.00). We couldn%26#39;t believe they had it! We had been buying it for years on the beach and it disappeared.

Tip on parasailing-Always go before 10:00 AM and Saturday and Sunday are usually there slowest days.

My family and I are going to N. Myrtle Beach to stay for one week and i would greatly appreciate any more great saving tips.

Thanks

Mark Chamberlain

This is a great post with lots of info.

Does anyone have any information on snorkeling in N. Myrtle Beach? We%26#39;ve never done it before and saw some scuba ads but more interested in snorkeling.

Thanks for any advice

Coastal Scuba

www.coastalscuba.com/

Explore sea life in the Barracuda Alley Artificial Reef or along one of the Civil War wrecks. Discover dives are available for beginners. Open-water and advanced dives require a C card. Dives take place daily; hours vary. Full equipment rental is US$36 with a charter dive. 1901 Highway 17 S., North Myrtle Beach. Phone 843-361-3323. Toll-free 800-249-9388.

Great tips!

Also, don%26#39;t feel too bad about missing out on Hard Rock Park. Based upon the TripAdvisor reviews I%26#39;ve read, you didn%26#39;t miss much! :)

We are going to North Myrtle Beach on 7/19. I got a great deal on a condo through www.elliottrealty.com. The condo originally rented for $1895-I got it for $800!!!! When you go on their website go under specials. Then look up available properties. Make sure and write down quite a few (I think I had 8 or so) as when you call you might find out that the owners don%26#39;t participate in the special or it is not available and has just not been updated. Renting a house or condo allows you to save alot by having a kitchen.---I scoured the internet and by far Elliott usually has the best specials..We rented through them 2 years ago getting a 50% off discount and it was a great experience. You just have to be able to have the patience to wait until close to your arrival date to get the best deals. I recommend to start checking their website a month or two before your trip..and check often (I did daily) as their specials change frequently!!!

Great tip!!I also noticed that you can get the same equipment that they rent on the beach from Northstrandbeachservice.com for 1/3 of the cost!

Hanna

Latest track is landfall very close to MB, perhaps NMB or Calabash.

Hope all residents %26amp; visitors can be prepared %26amp; safe.

Take everything inside that you can, plastic lawn furniture can easily become missiles.

Hanna

The entire eastern seaboard from Georgia to NY is going to see something from Hanna starting tonight through Sunday. We in the DC area who are east of 95 will get about 2-4'; of rain or more starting early Saturday morning. You all in MB will get some heavy winds it seems but no hurricane winds. And some rain for sure. Just be prepared to be indoors and relax. Rent a movie and buy some groceries.

Hanna

Its raining right now in crescent beach, winds are minimal, surf is churning pretty good. We are expecting gusts of up to 60 mph. We do expect street flooding, some power outages, probably tree damage. We are in the process of bringing all the balcony furniture in. Schools, county govt, many businesses closed but not rental agencies.

Hey hart, etal...thanks for the update and hope y%26#39;all will continue to keep us informed.

We have a shack at Crescent that causes us to be interested in the weather.

Donna

Now they are saying the storm will make landfall at McClellanville, south of Myrtle Beach putting us on the northern edge, that is worse for us. We had some torrential rains about 30 mins ago but it has stopped right now. Winds is minimal, had some ponding on Ocean Blvd during the heavy rain but its okay right now. Will keep everyone posted.

Thank you HART...called my neighbors earlier to take in my balcony furniture. Good thing!! Keep us posted. Have a place at Bay tree in little river.

I hope all you locals down there stay safe. We have family property at Garden City, so I hope there%26#39;s not too much damage with this one. Ike is also looming out there...much stronger storm, although the latest forecasts suggest it may take a more southerly tack and miss the Carolinas.

Stay safe my Carolina friends. We have a place at Water%26#39;s Edge in Garden City. so we too are holding our breath on this one and Then there is also Ike and Josephine brewing out there. We will get to our place on the 12th, I hope things calm down by then.Here in N.J. we are expecting high winds and lot%26#39;s of rain at least in my area of N.j.sometime late tonight or early tomorrow. Lucky us we get to carry flood insurance in both States! I%26#39;ll keep you all in my prayers that you are all OK.

LOL, jerseygirl49! Feeling your pain on the flood insurance ... but VERY glad that we have it. Still having flashbacks to Hurricane Floyd. Love to all in SC. Stay safe.

Waiting for a SAFE report from Hart.

She%26#39;ll probably be fussin%26#39; bout having to work.......

Need lots of advice

Charleston has been recommended by several friends as a wonderful city to visit for my 60th birthday weekend which would be Oct.31 through Nov 3.

My questions are:

What would be a good hotel to stay in - must have an exercise room for my husband?

Good romantic (never too old for romance) place for dinner

Fun activiites

Do I need a car?

Should I visit the beaches?

Any help in plotting out an itinerary would be appreciated. I have tripadvisor advice so helpful in the past. Thanks in advance. I really want to have a special weekend.

Need lots of advice

You do not need a car unless you plan to go to one of the beaches but there is so much to do and see in Charleston that many people never make it to the beach.

Start with going to the Visitors Center and picking up discount coupons, a Heritage Passport (big savings!) and finding out if there are any special events going on while you are here. Then take a carriage ride downtown to get an introduction to Charleston.

Stroll around downtown south of Broad Street to see some of the homes. I love going to the Battery across from White Point Gardens with a cup of hot coffee early in the morning. It is a good way to start the morning.

Tour one of the historical homes downtown. My favorites are the Edmonston-Alston House (on East Bay Street just down from White Point Gardens) and Nathaniel-Russell House (Meeting Street).

Shop along King Street. There are boutiques, antique shops (high $ end) and national chain stores. Grab some souveniers at The Market. It is between the North Market and South Market Streets and runs from Meeting Street until East Bay Street. It has a mixed bag of items and the vendors change but there is a lot of choices.

Try to visit a plantation. There is a new shuttle that just started (I have not heard any reviews or to anyone who has taken it) that leaves from the Visitors Center. It is run by one of the tour services and goes to all three out Ashley River Road. My favorite is Middleton Place. Plan on spending several hours and take a house tour. The gardens are beautiful. Some of the early camillias should be blooming. There is a very nice restaurant with a fixed price menu. Sandwiches and salads are available at The Garden Market for a picnic. There are casual tables there and picnic tables out under the huge oak trees on the greensward area.

Two good romantic restaurants are in the courtyard of 82 Queen and High Cotton.

Maybe someone else can help with a hotel with an exercise room. Charleston Place Hotel has this but there may be others. They even have two ';private'; club floors with all kinds of perks! I have heard some good things about the club floors%26#39; waitstaff.

Need lots of advice

Thanks so much. I am starting to get really excited about the trip. Would you recommend going to Fort Sumter? Also, if we rent a car for one day, which beach is recommended?

That depends on your interest and time. It is a great harbor cruise to it and fun to see Charleston from the water. When you arrive at the fort, it is interesting to people interested in military or Civil War history and has a decent museum.

Personally, I enjoy going there but had rather tour Charleston and save it for an extended stay or another trip.

You will absolutely LOVE this town for romance. Ive been there 5 times already and never get everything done that I plan, so I just keep coming back! lol We loved the harbour / carriage tours, plantation tours, shopping at the Market downtown. Yes I highly recommend a car. Avoid North Charleston. I like Mt Pleasant area or you can book a B %26amp; B. Hope you have a wonderful Birthday!

Thanks so much. I%26#39;m sure I%26#39;ll have lots more questions before going. This forum is the best.

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