jlbartley

I'd love some help creating an itinerary for my Charleston trip starting 3/21-3/29. I have 7 full days to spend in and around Charleston (travel time is already removed from this). We've rented a house on Folly beach and will have a car to move around wherever. I love anything nature and historical (which describes all of Charleston). Here are some things I was thinking of:

Some time downtown (not sure how much time to allocate to this). See Rainbow Row, Meeting Street to East Bay St, King St, Cooper River waterfront
Fort Sumter
Middleton Place
Drayton Hall
Hunley
Maybe Charles Towne Landing
Probably spend a day or two wandering the other areas like Isle of Palms, Folly, Edisto, Kiawah
Home and Garden Tour

I've seen the info posted for ComfyShoes:
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...erary-help.cfm

I've got 7 full days though and don't really plan to visit Myrtle Beach (unless I should). I was really planning to spend all of it around Charleston. I'd love it if you could help me figure out what to do. I'd like some time to relax and take things slow as well as manage to see a lot.

Any help would be appreciated.

SAnParis2

You'll find plenty to do in & around Charleston. MB would be the opposite of Charleston, btw. Seems like you have things pretty well covered, look on here (Fodor's) for dining possibilities + this might help. http://www.charlestoncvb.com/ Beaufort might also be a nice diversion.

dsgmi

Just an FYI...according to the Gibbes Museum website, the date for the 2009 Kiawah Island Art and House Tour is
Friday, April 17, 2009, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Festival of Houses and Gardens in Charleston is going on during your stay. If you can still get tickets for any of these events, they are usually well worth it. There is a phone number on the Charleston Convention and Visitors website.

In order to visit Kiawah by car, you will need a reason to be there...reservations for lunch or dinner, golf, shopping at the Sanctuary, etc. You will have to get past security at the gate. The Jasmine Porch is a lovely place for a splurge lunch. Their menus are online at The Sanctuary's website. Beachwalker County Park (on Kiawah) is only open on the weekends during March and April, but that does not get you driving access to the island, only to the beach.

Edisto is further south than Kiawah and is not gated. There is a lighthouse there. The Sepentarium on the way to Edisto is very fun for kids (you didn't say if you had any along for the trip). The Angel Oak on John's Island is very cool and worth a stop if you're going by, IMHO.

jlbartley

Thanks for the replies. No kids, just my husband and I so we're free to do anything. Also, any night life that you would recommend. We are not drinkers at all so the usual bar/party scene is not for us but maybe somewhere that there's some good calm music?

jlbartley

Here's an itinerary that I put together. FYI we're staying on Folly Island, just my husband and I. Am I missing anything major that I should see while in Charleston? Are there things that I should combine in order to save time traveling between sites?

Also, I'm thinking that for sure I want to see Middleton Place and Magnolia. Is it possible to fit in Drayton Hall in the same day?

If I have time to fit in another house what should it be? Rhett, Nathaniel, other?

I'm also wondering what should I see outside of Charleston? I really enjoy being outdoors and nature. I'm going to see Folly obviously since I'm staying there, I'm thinking Edisto and John's Island with Angel Oak sounds nice, what about Cape Romaine National Wildlife? Is this worth spending some time at?

Also, last question hopefully, is it safe to be out in some of these areas at night, for example folly beach at night or what about the state park at Edisto?

Day 1: Charleston - Sunday
Ed Grimball's Walking Tour of Historic Charleston @ 9:30
Spend the day in town see:
King St for shopping
Old City Market from Meeting Street to East Bay Street
Candies – Lucas Belgian Chocolate
Cooper River – Waterfront Park
Rainbow Row
Visit dungeons (old exchange)
Visit waterfront gallery
Visit Mountain to the Sea Collection

Day 2: Charleston - Monday
Morning:
Drayton Hall???
Visit Middleton Place Plantation
Lunch @ Middleton
Afternoon:
Visit Magnolia

Day 3: Charleston - Tuesday
Morning:
Charleston or one of islands
Afternoon:
Home and Garden Tour 2-5pm (get tickets prior to 1:00)

Day 4: Charleston - Wednesday
Morning:
Visit Fort Sumter
Afternoon:
Visit Boone Hall or Aiken-Rhett House or Nathaniel Russell or Cypress Gardens

Day 5: Charleston - Thursday
Edisto Beach State Park
Isle of Palms
Folly Beach Lighthouse
Johns Island and see the Angel Oak

Day 6: Charleston – Friday
Morning:
Patriots Point
Afternoon:
Friday The Citadel 3:45 drill parade

Day 7: Charleston – Saturday
Hunley tour

Sorry for all the questions and thanks for all the help!

Shandy1977

I would recommend a carriage ride through the city. On my most recent visit I was pulled into doing this by my fiancee. I did not expect to enjoy it but it actually was a very nice treat. I also recommend visits to Patriots Point and perhaps even the Citadel. I enjoy learning about the military and found my visit to the Citadel very interesting. If you are into it, I think you would like it. If not, it is not worth a special effort.

I'd also recommend getting to Hyman's for dinner one night. I have been there three times and they've consistently been outstanding. I got their fried flounder special twice and it was just an incredible treat. I recommend a weeknight when the line/wait might be shorter since they do not take reservations.

SAnParis2

If you've not been to Charleston before, the carriage ride is especially helpful. Help you get your bearings, as well as learn a little history along the way.

dsgmi

jl,Everything looks great except for Day 5...You could do Edisto along with John's Island/Angel Oak and then the lighthouse at Folly (Folly first probably makes the most sense), but putting Isle of Palms in the middle will mean trekking all the way north to the other side of the peninsula to there, then back south to the other items. If you keep the other three together, you might be able to go to Isle of Palms in the late afternoon, maybe for dinner somewhere over there. The drive from Kiawah to Edisto has taken us almost 1 1/2 hours each way (probably a little shorter for you since getting to 17 is easier) and with time to look around, etc, you may burn up a good portion of your day. There's a neat gallery across from the Sea Cow restaurant on Edisto.

Angel Oak is good for 1/2-1 hour visit depending on how many photos you take and how much time you spend in the gift shop.

jlbartley

How about these revisions?
Is it really feasible to do Patriots Point and Fort Sumter in the same day?
Anything else I should do on Day 5, Thursday?

Day 1: Charleston - Sunday
Folly Beach
Breakfast at the Lost Dog
Beach walking, lighthouse, pier, and street walking. Outside pizza at Woody's for either lunch or dinner.

Day 2: Charleston - Monday
Morning:
Patriots Point
Maybe eat somewhere at Shem Creek
Afternoon:
Fort Sumter
Isle of Palms - The BoatHouse restaurant or Red's Ice House on Shem Creek at sunset

Day 3: Charleston - Tuesday
Morning:
Carriage Ride
King St for shopping
Old City Market from Meeting Street to East Bay Street
Candies – Lucas Belgian Chocolate
Cooper River – Waterfront Park
Rainbow Row
Visit dungeons (old exchange)
Visit waterfront gallery
Lunch maybe small cafe - Gaulart & Maliclet on Broad Street west of Meeting, maybe Jestine's Kitchen
Afternoon:
Home and Garden Tour 2-5pm (get tickets prior to 1:00)
Dining, maybe Mistral, Anson, and Garibaldi, all near the Market.

Day 4: Charleston - Wednesday
Morning:
Drayton Hall???
Middleton Place Plantation
Lunch @ Middleton
Afternoon:
Magnolia

Day 5: Charleston - Thursday
Johns Island and see the Angel Oak
Wadmawlaw Island
Maybe take a dolphin tour or sunset cruise http://www.bohicketboat.com/

Day 6: Charleston – Friday
Morning:
Ed Grimball's Walking Tour of Historic Charleston @ 9:30
And spend more time in Charleston maybe?
Afternoon:
The Citadel 3:45 drill parade

Day 7: Charleston – Saturday
Morning:
Hunley tour
Maybe Magnolia Cemetery???
Afternoon:
Maybe Sullivan's Island for lunch (go to Poe's Tavern)
Sullivan’s Island/Shem Creek???
Or to Folly to Relax

BetsyinKY

I have a feeling that some of your Day 3 morning activities will get postponed or continued after your walking tour on Day 6! I could easily spend 2-3 hours prowling the Market and the shops on King St. without adding in the time for the carriage ride, Rainbow Row, the Old Exchange, etc.

I think you can definitely do Patriot's Point and Fort Sumter in one day, if you allow time, and it appears that you have. If it were me, I would drive just up the road from Patriot's Point and eat lunch at the Boulevard Diner. Yum!