Visiting CharlestonSouth Carolina is a very easy

Visiting CharlestonSouth Carolina is a very easy. We stayed at a rural camping park (Lake Aire RV Park) in Hollywood, again using our Passport America Discount. This membership has more then paid for itself.

Day one we headed to Mount Pleasant to Patriots Point. There we toured the Aircraft Carrier, Yorktown. It is a self guided tour, broken down into 6 areas of the ship. This is very convenient so you can break away when it is your time to visit FortSumter (more on that soon). The volunteers and staff have done a fine job maintaining the Yorktown but it is not perfect. This does give you a greater sense that it was a working space and has earned its retirement. It is easy to see that there are some expensive repairs and painting that will be needed sooner then later. The Medal of Honor tunnel is humbling to tour. It shares the bravery and terror of battle and freedom. Not a spot to rush through. Also part of your visit is the destroyer USS Laffey. She had been stuck by 22 Japanese bombers, stayed a float and shot down 11 of the attackers. The USS Clamagore is a diesel-powered submarine. She was getting a face lift when we were there so no tours please. We did tour the Naval Vietnam Support Base complete with swift boat and helicopters.

Later we boarded the ferry to take us out to the place the civil war started (12 April 1861), FortSumter. It is about a 30 minute ride. You have beautiful views of Charleston, dolphins and jelly fish. The Civil war reduced the fort from a three story to a now reclaimed airy one story. There is a nice little museum and narration by a Park Ranger, but the highlight is wandering the grounds.

Patriots Point is an area you can take as much or as little time as you want. There are many pieces of decommissioned weaponry to inspect, monuments and picnic areas and don’t forget the gift shop.

Day two was all about food and drink. 20 minutes from our camp is Wadlaw Island, Home of Charleston Tea Plantation. This is the only tea grown in the USA. The heat, humidity, rain and sandy soil are perfect. This is the CLEANEST processing plant we have ever seen. It looks as if it is only for show. You can take an additional tour of the plantation on a trolley car. We found out that these tea plants are from China, over 300 years old and any new plants are clones of the originals. If you see American Classic Tea in the store you will know that that is the only tea completely made in America

Just down the street is the Firefly Distillery and tasting room. Firefly made its mark with the original Sweet tea flavored Vodka. Yes, they only use American Classic Tea. They are generous in the tasting room and have a new bourbon that can give Kentucky a good run. Right next door to Firefly is Irvin House Vineyard. We had such a wonderful Southern welcome at FireFly we opted out of any tasting here. Additionally, the wine is from Muscadane grapes so we already know tastings would be not in our lane. Hungry? Why yes! Weekends there is live music and food is served in the shade. Southern Macaroni and cheese (I was 30 before I found out that it all doesn’t come from a blue box) and inland paella (chicken, sausage, rice, saffron and many other things that make it smell and taste amazing { no that isn’t the Firefly talking}).

Today people have been asking us if we have seen the Angel Oak? You must see the Angel Oak! So off we go. Well, Angel Oak is only 65 feet tall, but her truck measures 25.5 feet and her shade covers 17,000 square feet. Estimated age is 300 – 400 years old. For us Northerners she is a Live Oak (not as apposed to a dead one), it never sheds all of it leaves just basically makes a mess all year round. There are places where branches are propped up and cabled together. The shear expanse of this tree makes you think it could come alive in a Japanese animated cartoon. It was nice to see her so well visited.

Mothers Day is probably not the best day to visit downtown Charleston. But for a normal there is very little parking so park where you can and ride the free trolley. There is a lot of street parking on the peninsula and everything here is mostly a nice walk anyway. Charleston has a lot in common with Savannah. Where Savannahfeels like a tourist town, Charlestonfeels as if it is a living and working. All recommended restaurants were filled with mothers day reservations. No fear, there are plenty of little spots everywhere. The Blind Tiger offered great bloodymarys and my favorite, Shrimp and grits with gouda. Even on a cool overcast day it is a pleasure to wander around Charleston. 

13 MAY 2012

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Savannah – Not an inconvenience at all

The trip from St Augustine toSavannah is easy and quick. Just a few hours and we were set up in on new location in Hardeeville RV Park, Hardeeville GA. This is another park that is filled with hiking trails and lots of room for Brady the squirrel chaser.

We have only slotted one day for our trip to Savannah so we opted for the tried and true Old Town Trolley. The policy is a bit different from St Augustine, only one day for the same price as apposed to three days in FL. We only had one day, but just wanted to throw that price hike out there.

Despite the age of Savannah it is quite easy to figure out. It was settled in 1732 and planned out in squares. Each of the 22 squares has a park in the middle surrounded by housing and businesses. Over the years a few squares have been lost to new Federal buildings and parking lots. The ease of figuring out the town is still there. The plan was put in to place by founder James Edwards Oglethorpe from England. There must be something mellow in the air. The Indians welcomed the English settlers. Then during the Civil war Savannah surrendered (they said it was a Christmas gift) to Gen Sherman. This did stop Sherman from burning Savannah down and allows us to see many of the original buildings today. By now you know we love military forts….wellSavannah does have one, but it was never really used, and isn’t a focus point here. When speaking of the civil war, here in Savannah it is referred to as “Time of the great inconvenience”.

Church steeple from Gump

Home of Girl Scout founder; Juliette Gordon Low

The Old Town Trolley

This town is full of great homes and I am sure famous people lived in them all - but heck they are all pretty

WWII Memorial along the water front

City Hall

Steps are eveywhere

The Cotton Exchange

Now office space

Vietnam Memorial

Yep - this is Savannahs Light house

The Waving Girl welcomed sailors to Savannah for 40 years

Now she is slapping Les on the head

Or your brother

We loved walking the docks. Formerly, the Cotton Exchange filled with monuments, fun shops, and taverns. We choose the Boars Heads. The best bacon wrapped shrimp ever and the Georgia Brown has been added to our “How can we make this”list. We could have eaten at Paula Deans restaurant. However it is against our rules to stand in line for food. You can make reservations but you stand in line to make those too. I still love you Paula. Ps. A Paula Dean tour is available.

Great cardio

Pretty fancy for Bohemians

There is masonry work everywhere. The steps may not pass code today – but, what a good little workout. It is easy to just be taken with how pretty this town is. Nothing really stands out to me it is just a very pretty cohesive town. The Museum is located in the Old train station and is a beautiful don’t miss spot. Forest Gumps Bench is there (or at least one of them)

Savannah history museum

The bench ( or one of several)

It was a great day of walking and sightseeing. My favorite accidental part was when we wandered into a candy store. They were wrapping freshly pulled taffy. It was squeezed out of a tube, twisted in a wrapper machine, rolled down a shoot, dropped in a bin, the bin raised to a tread mill in the ceiling, taken to the next room and dropped in the candy bin for sale. Plus – the candy man was tossing taffy to us. Yeah, he was tossing it to other people too.  

There really is so much to see and do here. So glad we came and are very much looking forward to coming back.

Our RV is only 20 miles from Hilton Head so we drove over for the day. After traveling in bumper to bumper traffic, and seeing nothing but Golf Resorts and brief glimpses of bayou type water bodies, we did what we do best. We stopped for lunch at the Crazy Crab and enjoyed the beautiful day. If we ever go back, I’ll call ahead to get the secret password or handshake. I know there must be more there.

When in doubt - eat lunch

Part of the wait staff

Nice view and a lovely stop

  10 MAY 2012

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