While my brother was stationed at the nearby Goose Creek naval station, my family visited Charleston for Easter weekend and pre-Christmas weekend in 2005.
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The grand Customs House, down by the port.
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We missed out on some of the great sites (Fort Sumter) and neat things to do (carriage tours) due to weather and illness, but enjoyed Charleston and the surrounding area. While she shares southern charm, historic value, and great seafood with her cousins Savannah and New Orleans, Charleston is slightly more proper and genteel. The city retains the feel of its colonial past along with the traditions infused by slaves and rebels. The firing shots of the American Civil War took place at nearby Fort Sumter, ensuring its place in the history of the military and of the South. Echoes of the past can also be heard in the Gullah language – a mix of English-African Creole unique to the South Carolina and Georgia coast.
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Sunset from the deck of the U.S.S. Yorktown.
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Of particular interest to us was Patriots Point, just across the Cooper River Bridge from the city. The main attraction is a decommissioned aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Yorktown, which has been turned into a museum. Visiting the Yorktown gave us a feel for what life on a carrier is like, with the recreated bunks, kitchens, stores, and even doctors offices. It contained many exhibits on aspects of the history of the Navy, especially from World War II onwards. We also visited the small submarine moored alongside the Yorktown – an incredibly claustrophobic experience.
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Magnolia Plantation gardens.
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Just outside of Charleston, you’ll find a string of plantations along the Ashley River. We chose to visit Magnolia Plantation, as it also has extensive gardens. The interior of the house wasn’t very interesting, but rest of the plantation was. Directly in front of the house are a menagerie of peacocks, roosters, horses, and other petting-zoo type animals. Nearby were recreated slave cabins and a snack stand – an odd juxtaposition. In back of the house, and to both sides, is a garden full of Spanish moss, ponds, and bridges. Along with the flowers and wildlife, a family tomb cracked by the Charleston earthquake caught our attention. Next door to the plantation is the Audubon Swamp Garden. Rickety wooden walkways alternate with patches of dry land to lead you across the swamp. We spotted egrets, herons, and what we’d come hoping to see – several alligators out sunning themselves.
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Sweet grass baskets; picture taken by my mother.
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The Old City Market is a covered marketplace that stretches down two blocks, and is a great (though possibly overpriced) place to buy souvenirs. Along with the palmetto shirts and confederate flag apparel, you’ll find scores of the main local craft – sweet grass baskets hand-woven by Gullah women.
Charleston’s skyline is marked with church steeples. We visited St. Philip’s church and graveyard, which contained some beautiful headstones from the Colonial era and a sign that read “The only ghost at St. Philip’s is the Holy Ghost,” gently poking fun at the city’s many ghost tours which surely stop by.
Charleston’s architecture is worth note – the pastel colors, the painted shutters, the side porches designed to catch a breeze on hot summer nights. The most famous examples can be found on Rainbow Row and down by the Battery, where the grandest houses were built.
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We stayed at the Renaissance at Easter and the French Quarter Inn at Christmas. Both hotels were comfortable and nicely decorated, with good service, and in excellent locations close to the market.
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Dinner at the Noisy Oyster.
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A.W. Shucks: One of the more heavily advertised seafood restaurants. We ate in the covered outdoor portion, which lacked ambience. The food was average.
Noisy Oyster: Fun décor, good location, great food. We enjoyed chowder, oysters on the half shell, and Bloody Mary’s, and came back on our second trip.
Blossom: My parents’ friends recommended three affiliated upscale restaurants. The food was delicious (regional specials gone gourmet – what my father would call frou-frou), but the service that evening was poor – the staff was inexperienced and stretched thin.
Shem Creek: Another repeat visit – great choice for lunch after visiting Patriot’s Point. Excellent seafood and hush puppies, nice water views.
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Marina behind the Dead Dog restaurant.
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Charleston is on the Carolina coast, not far from many great beaches. We stayed south of Myrtle coming home both times, and had fun at the beach, browsing the antique shops and tacky beach stores, and eating great seafood. I highly recommend the Dead Dog in Murrell’s Inlet, for its food, décor, and setting.
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Published on Wednesday April 12th, 2006
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Mon, Jun 05 2006 - 10:10 AM
 by marianne
Polly,
An enjoyable read and good practical information. I like your photos (also your mum's) |
Fri, Apr 14 2006 - 01:54 AM
by downundergal
| Sounds like an interesting part of the world. Well written. |
Thu, Apr 13 2006 - 04:54 PM
 by isaacmolina
Thu, Apr 13 2006 - 09:03 AM
by davidx
Interesting report - very good photos.
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Thu, Apr 13 2006 - 08:45 AM
by bear495
This is a very nice report, Polly. I like the tone of the photos that you have integrated into the story. Congratulations!
Russ
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Thu, Apr 13 2006 - 07:42 AM
by ravinderkumarsi
Thu, Apr 13 2006 - 07:23 AM
by mistybleu
Polly, nice report, really intesting; the pictures of the marina reminds me of a scene from Dawson's Creek.
Take care
Amanda |
Wed, Apr 12 2006 - 04:40 PM
by st.vincent
| Nicely written and some good historical information. |
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