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 :-)
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