Trip Review - Sept 13-15

We stayed at the Comfort Suites on the IOP Connector and it was a nice drive over the Ravenal Bridge into Charleston. The hotel was really clean and comfortable and only about $110/night - a lot less expensive than ones we were looking at in Charleston, but I would love to go back and stay in the historic area once - its gorgeous!

First thing we did was go to the Visitor%26#39;s Center (what a gorgeous center!) to get some information. We knew we wanted to take a carriage ride and then a trip to Ft. Sumter. What we ended up was a package deal with the Olde Towne Carriage Company and Charleston Harbor Tours. For $31 per person (cheaper for children), we got both the carriage ride and a harobr tour.

We did the harbor tour first. The boat was the Carolina Belle - the captian and all the staff were very friendly and personable and had lots of great information and stories told during the trip. The boat started out going along the Battery area, then out towards Ft. Sumter (while it didn%26#39;t stop there, we had a great view of the fort!). We saw the Morris Island lighthouse, Sullivan%26#39;s Island, Ft. Moultrie, Patriot%26#39;s Point and cruised under the Ravanel Bridge. We saw dolphins along the way and the college was having sailboat races out there, too. It was a nice trip and very relaxing!

Next we drove back into town and took the carriage ride. That was amazing! We saw Rainbow Row, the Battery, and so many other gorgeous buildings/churches/exchanges that I can%26#39;t name them all.

We ended up back at the market and made a quick trip through there -- it was about 5pm and a lot of the vendors were packing up so we didn%26#39;t get to see everything, that would be something else to go back for.

Then we headed to Vickery%26#39;s for dinner - which was delicious! Then drove out to the Battery and walked the riverwalk until dusk.

The next morning we decided to tour a plantation and picked Boone Hall. I had picked this one because the movies ';North and South'; and also parts of ';The Notebook'; were filmed here - two movies I really enjoyed. The cost was about $17 to enter. We drove up along with alley of trees, it was a gorgeous entry to the house! We watched the Gullah Theatre show (which is amazing!), walked the grounds, went on the house tour, walked through the gardens and enjoyed the morning. We missed the ride around the plantation and didn%26#39;t want to wait another hour, so we didn%26#39;t do that. And it was pretty disappointing that the house isn%26#39;t an actual old plantation home, its been rebuilt. And apparently the owner still uses the house so we were unable to take photos of it inside.

I%26#39;m a big fan of Dorothea Benton Frank%26#39;s writing and wanted to see the areas she%26#39;s written about, so we also drove out to IOP and Sullivan%26#39;s Island. We missed Shem Creek and that is another place we really wanted to see, but we just couldn%26#39;t get it all in. We did go out to James Island to see the Angel Oak and that is incredible!

We had just the best time - except the humidity! Everyone was friendly and helpful and we%26#39;re already planning next year%26#39;s return trip!

I%26#39;ve written reviews of the hotel, the carriage ride, Vickery%26#39;s and Jack%26#39;s Comic Dogs that should be posted soon.

Trip Review - Sept 13-15

Thanks for the great review. You packed a lot into a short visit.

Isn%26#39;t the Ravenel Bridge breathtaking? Sorry you missed Shem Creek ... where there is another Vickery%26#39;s location. Next time?

Trip Review - Sept 13-15

Kiawahvilla - I thought the same thing about Vickery%26#39;s and then re-read the trip report - I assume that they went to the Vickery%26#39;s by the College of Charleston. It threw me when the report stated they drove to the Battery (as it%26#39;s so close) - I thought that meant that they were at Vickery%26#39;s in Shem Creek as well.

Micountrygal - THANK YOU for your thorough trip report and know that when you return, whether you stay in Mt P or in Charleston you will be very close to Shem Creek so not to worry!

Thanks again! Glad you%26#39;re home safe and sound!

Thanks for the review! It sounds like you got a lot of things done but there is so much to see here. It is the kind of place you can live all your life and never see it all.

Yes, it was the Vickery%26#39;s by the college. We drove out to the riverwalk because I had my car - it really isn%26#39;t far, but instead of leaving it in the parking lot, we drove.

I am sad we missed Shem Creek - I realize how close we were, we just simply ran out of time. But that is where we%26#39;re planning to visit first next time!

And yes, the bridge is something to see! Especially at night when its all in lights.