Help wanted: Charleston and Savannah activities whilw staying in HHI

[Joeblack]

To all the experts on HHI out there (Dean, Doc, anyone else), Do you recommend day trips to Savannah and/or Charleston? What things should not be missed there? ANy tips will be greatly appreciated.

Also any tips on "not to be missed" things while in HHI would be great. We'll be there 15 days in all, so we'll ahve plenty of time.

Thanks a lot.

 

[TR Denise]

We've been to both Charleston and Savannah. We really enjoyed the carriage ride ghost tour in Savannah. Of course each city has city tours and both have plantations, there is lots to do and great food. We also went to visit a town called Beuford (not sure of spelling) its where prince of tides and the big chill were filmed its a pretty town about 30 mins from HHI

 

[kweaver]

Beaufort, SC is a great little town. If you have small kids, they have an incredible playground near the water just steps from downtown. Lots of great shops and homes to look at.

If you check out some of the HH websites, you will find a number of museums and cultural centers that list their event calendars online. We never seem to have time to do many of them...but it's worth a look. Outlet shopping and trying as many of the restaurants as we can are our main activities (other than the beach, of course) when we are there. We also really liked Hunting Island (just north of HH). There is a state park there along with a wonderful lighthouse you can tour. It's a little remote...but great beaches!

I've never been to Savannah (weird, since I live in Georgia!)...but I've heard excellent things about the ghost tours. If you have any Girl Scouts, the Juliette Gordon-Lowe (sp?) house is there. Savannah is another city full of great architecture...and restaurants.

 

[sjdisneywedding]

hello,

I thought i might be able to tell you a few spots to hit. i went to college in charleston and have been back quite a few times since showing my wife the area.

Both are beautiful cities, they are called sister cities because of there closeness and similarities.

A cant miss in Charleston would be "the market" off of market street. Its an area encompassing outdoor and indoor shopping, restraunts, and the like. You can find anything from hand made crafts to jewlery to food. Also in that area are carriage rides taking you through a small part of the downtown area.

If you are more into history stuff there are many beautiful plantations in the area, Fort Sumpter(may be spelled wrong) a historic civil war site is there and "the battery" downtown has some historic homes located along the water.

 

[TXMommy]

We loved Savannah - we took a day-trip there when we stayed at HHI. If you go, be sure to eat at Lady and Sons - it is SO DELICIOUS! Good, Southern, home-cooked food. Comfort food. Yum! We also took a carriage tour which was a good way to see some of the squares. It's a beautiful town.

 

[Disneyaholic]

I'm in Charleston right now -- getting DD set up in her apartment for the coming school year.

This city is beautiful and I just wish we had more time to do some of the touristy things here. The previous poster was right about Market Street -- it's awesome. The Port of Charleston is right at the end of Market Street and I saw signs about cruises; haven't had a chance to check it out yet, but I hope to before leaving in a couple of days. (I am hoping that there is a way to take a ferry of some sort from Charleston to Hilton Head so that my daughter can join us more easily over Thanksgiving!)

The drive from HH to Charleston is a little long -- we took the back roads instead of going all the way out to I-95. Very scenic, but it does make for a long "day trip" -- I think I'd recommend maybe changing a day or two at the beginning or end of the trip and spending the night somewhere in the Charleston area.

 

[KLR-wlv]

I just moved from Charleston after living there 6 years. THe drive to HH is 2 hours each way - so you may want to take the suggestion of spending a night there. It's a pretty drive though. It is a beautiful city. Compared to Savannah - Charleston has a more extensive historical district and a more things to do tourist-wise I think. Savannah has the waterfront area - but that's about it. The squares are pretty, but there's a historic house next to a parking garage next to a coffee shop. Don't get me wrong, I love Savannah because it's more of a "real" city than Charleston, but from a tourist perspective, it's hard to beat Charleston. It's a great walking city and probably the most european of amerian cities in that respect. King Street is fun to walk - lots of antique stores on one end, national chain stores have taken over the middle, and then some funkier local stores on upper King. The market ends at East Bay street which has some great restaurants and waterfront park is great and if you walk south a ways you'll hit the battery. There's a new aquarium that is beautiful, and a children's museum, if you have kids. And then about 10 miles out is Sullivan's Island which is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful beaches on the east coast.

Now I'm getting home sick!

Have a great time whatever you do - we love HH and can't wait to go back.

 

[sartello]

I love Charleston! My husband and I have visited several times. In fact I was so taken by Charleston, I set one of my novels in Charleston.

I love walking along The Battery.

What time of year are you going? Kids, no kids?

If you're a gardener and like flowers, Magnolia Place is wonderful, but obviously seasonal. Our first trip was over valentine's day weekend and the Camilla's were beautiful. They also will have azaleas in bloom, but not sure of the time frame. I can ask my hubby if you're interested.

The market is very interesting. Kaminsky's on Market has the BEST desserts. I also recommend The Baker's Cafe on King Street.

If you're a book buff there's a used bookstore on King Street. I think it's Atlantic Books, but I'm not sure. We're talking about heading down tomorrow, so I can let you know exactly where it is. But they have some great first and second editions and hard to find vintage books.

If it's just the two of you on a romantic vacation, a walk through Waterfront park and a swing on the porch swings on the boardwalk there is nice as well.

If you spend the night, Charleston Chops is INCREDIBLE, WONDERFUL and FABULOUS.

Shelly

 

[SheriB]

I've never been to Charleston, but I was in Savannah in March. I stayed in the historic district and really enjoyed walking around the different squares and parks, as well as the waterfront. I did a ghost tour at night, which was pretty cool. I would love to go back, since I was there by myself on business and didn't get to see everything I wanted, but I don't think it's the type of place my husband and kids (17 and 13) would appreciate. It's more of a place for me to go with girlfriends, or my mom and sister.

Have fun!

Sheri

 

[Joeblack]

Oh, my!!! What a bunch of great replies. All in all, it is going to be my MIL, FIl and our two kids 3 and 1 year old. Charleston sounds like such a great place to visit. We will definitley do the day trip based on all the good advice of you folks.

Shelly. I will definitley go to the book store. I am a book freak. And will try the places you suggested. Hope the 2 hour each way is not too heavy for the kids, but, after the 5-6 hour drive from Orlando to HHI, it won't be as bad...I guess

Thank you all, friends.

 

[TwingleMum]

I was going to recommend the Lady and Sons Restaurant in Savannah. Paula Deen is the owner and she is just terrific. She has a show on the Food Network "Paula's Home cooking" check it out, you'll love her.

 

[jersey shark]

Anyone try Mrs Wilkes Boarding House while in Savannah?

Apparently, it's a quasi-institution like Lady & Sons....family style meals, basement setting, they ring a bell, say grace and you get into the great Southern chow....

...but this is all from the guide books...anyone been for real? Worth it?

Thks

 

[VMS]

We ate at Lady and Sons when we did a day trip from HH last March. It was wonderful, and Paula Deene was there, I got a signed copy of one of her cookbooks, and had my picture taken with her. She was very personable. I had looked into Mrs. Wilkes when I was researching the trip, and read a lot of comments that since Mrs. Wilkes died and they reopened the restaurant it is not as good. There were many unhappy reviews that I read. Just thought I would pass this on.

 

[lenshanem]

I was born in Savannah and still have family there so I always miss out on the tourist stuff. But, if I could go back as a tourist only I would definitely do a tour. There is so much history there! Very quirky stuff, too. A fun thing to do would be read Midnight in The Garden of Good and Evil before you go. Kinda puts a fun twist to Savannah.
I also have heard great things about the ghost tours.I've always eyed that one that has the guide in period costume, tour by candlelight. If you go to Bonaventure Cemetery you can say hello to my Granddad and some other relatives for me. Really cool place, moss hanging down... I bet it is creepy at night!
Make sure to wear mostique spray, though! Sand gnats bad, too.

 

[Disneyaholic]

Well, unfortunately, I didn't get to check out as much while I was in Charleston as I had hoped...

But, if you're only planning a day trip there, I think one of the carriage tours should be on your list of things to do. It looks like a relaxing, fun way to get the highlights of what the city is all about. Then, as time permits, you can look into some of the sights more extensively.

Whatever you do, I think you'll enjoy Charleston!!!

 

[Goofyzgurl]

Another must do for the Lady and Sons. We had gone there to eat after a tour guide had said she was on Oprah. It was my pre-Paula days when I didn't know who she was. Anyways it was so good I bought a cookbook. When I got home I was looking through it and saw that it was written in. I thought darn it I got a used book and it's a 2 and a half hour drive back to Savannah! Well, when I actually read it, it said, To my name, and it was signed by Paula Deen. I have been a fan ever since. We did do a tour and that was wonderful. It was nice because you could hop off the trolley then hop back on at another place all day long. We toured some of the houses and that was so nice. It's interesting to see how big houses actually were, not some of these small houses they try to charge an arm and two legs for now a days. Every bus driver/tour director had different stories so even if you took one trip around, go around again with a different driver and you'll hear something new. We loved Savannah.

 

[QuiltTeddy]

Oh, definately the carriage tours are wonderful. Juliette Gordon Lowe's house is really neat too if you have girls. As my parents live in HH, we don't stay at DVC, but we have checked it out and there are even plenty of things to do while on HHI. There are dolphin tours which the kids all love. There's a great mini-golf course there.

 

[ripleysmom]

Joe, we'll be at HHI next week as well. Maybe we'll run into each other.

 

[Joeblack]

That would be great Ripleysmom. Look for the guy and his wife, a 3 year old princess girl and a 1 year old bandit driving mom and dad crazy

See you there!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BobH]

There is a visitor center in Savannah that will give you the backround history and that also has parking and trolley tours that leave from the center. The riverfront area is very nice and is built aroung the historic cotton factories on the river. A riverboat ride is also available at the riverfront. Try http://www.visitsavannah.com
Savannah is an easy 45 minute drive by highway from Hilton Head DVC.