Charleston, SC area

[LivingtheWDWdream]

We are contemplating a road trip in 2011 to visit the Charleston, SC area we would probably spend a day in Myrtle Beach, and the rest of the time exploring Charleston and what it has to offer.

I know we will want to do Patriots Point, visit a Plantation or two, and take a carriage tour.

What I am hoping is that maybe a Disboard member or two who have visited and could recommend places to stay, and dine and other attractions they could recommend. Or if you live in the area what are things locals enjoy that are maybe off the beaten path we are free and open to any suggestions you can make.

Thank you very much for taking the time to make suggestions traveling outside the Disney bubble is new to us and we want to make sure we make the most of it!

 

[toystory1130]

We were just there a few weeks ago. I can highly recommend Holiday Inn Express & Suites, 350 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. Their suites are huge, granite in the bath, very very clean, free hot breakfast, small pool and close to alot of shops. I can also recommend Tokyo Bistro just down the road, best sushi I have ever had and you can pick up some certificates on resturant.com. Taco Boy is also excellent- great fish taco's. There's an outlet down there also to do some shopping.

 

[LivingtheWDWdream]

We were just there a few weeks ago. I can highly recommend Holiday Inn Express & Suites, 350 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. Their suites are huge, granite in the bath, very very clean, free hot breakfast, small pool and close to alot of shops. I can also recommend Tokyo Bistro just down the road, best sushi I have ever had and you can pick up some certificates on resturant.com. Taco Boy is also excellent- great fish taco's. There's an outlet down there also to do some shopping.

Thanks will look into both restaurants and the hotel. Outlet shopping!

 

[KCK]

If you are wandering about downtown and notice a line snaking around the block and leading to a seafood restaurant named Hyman's, resist the urge to join the line. No, it's not that good, and in fact is quite ordinary, with hurried and indifferent, assembly-line service. The herd mentality is at its best here.

 

[christineann]

Places to stay - any place in the city or just over the bridge in Mt. Pleasant. Stay away from the hotels near the airport, except for those on International Drive (safety reasons in addition to convenience).

Restaurants - Hyams too crowded. Fleet Landing is very good and reasonable and is located on a pier over the water (a local favorite as well). Sticky Fingers is good for barbecue. Jestine's is good for Southern cooking but may be crowded.

Stuff to do - Patriot's Point, Fort Sumter (accessible by boat and includes a harbor tour- a favorite around here), plantations, walking tours (especially a ghost tour), beaches.
I would skip the aquarium - it's okay but no where near being worth the high admission charge (about $17!).

Have fun!

 

[minniebeth]

On our last Charleston trip, we stayed at the Hampton Inn, in the Historic District. It was a good location, although not as close to the main attractions as we thought...lots of walking to where we wanted to go. It was very nice, clean and reasonable with nice charm in the lobby. Good breakfast.

As for restaurants, I can't remember all of the ones we ate at, but the ones I remember are 39 Rue de Jean, which is literally around the corner from the Hampton Inn.

Fig is very good, and we actually liked Hyman's, but we don't mind the touristy thing. Both the food and service were good.

One of my favorite Charleston restaurants is Poogan's Porch. Just good old fashioned southern cooking and charm with class.

Enjoy Charleston, it is a wonderful city to tour~

 

[LivingtheWDWdream]

Thank you all very much for the suggestions and ideas its a great help and I appreciate it very much!

 

[wdw_girl_18]

I just went to Charleston/Myrtle beach this summer! Here are the things we did in charleston (we only had 1 day):

Aiken-Rhett House- Soooo cool! They have the main house, the building the slaves lived in, and the barn. Go on a cool day because there is no air conditioning and the tour takes about an hour. They seem to be working hard to restore this house. Some of the stair cases were scary to walk on. They felt like they were about to fall apart! It was a really neat place over all!

Charles Pinckney National Historic Site- This plantation was free to get in to.. The grounds are beautiful. They have the most beautiful trees with moss hanging from them. Inside they showed artifacts that they dug up on the grounds such as pottery, coins and other things. This doesn't take more than 15 minutes to look through but we spent a long time sitting out on the back porch in the rocking chairs!

Straw baskets- Apparently this is becoming a lost art, and the baskets these people are making are being put into the Smithsonian Museum. The vendors are all along a main road (I can't remember which road, but if you google it you'll find it!) These people are all so interesting and have so many great stories to tell. The baskets are expensive but it was a great souvenir! I paid $30 for a small basket that holds my ipod touch and cell phone. The most expensive basket was $850!! One man even showed us how to even make a basket!!

We stayed at the double tree hotel right in the middle of downtown Charleston (historic district maybe?) by the moon pie store (yummm ). Be careful if you stay here. The valet parks the cars in a parking garage. The guy let the garage gate slam right on my brand new 2010 car!!!!! It now has a huge dent on the top of the trunk

Have fun! Charleston is an amazing city!!

 

[java]

http://www.thefathen.com/

one of our favorites!!

And we like
Hominy Grill for breakfast

http://hominygrill.com/