Charleston/Savannah/Asheville, 6 days enough?

Old Oct 25th, 2014, 06:28 PM
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Charleston/Savannah/Asheville, 6 days enough?

We're considering a March trip coming from the west coast. I've been doing some research on here for restaurants and hotels. Gee, DebitNM, I think I followed a lot of your advice around New Mexico some years ago!

Unless the flight schedules (which I haven't checked yet) mess this up, I'm thinking of flying in to Charleston, spending 2 nights, driving to Asheville, 1 night, down to Savannah for 2 nights, lunch in Beaufort, then spending the final night in Charleston before flying back.

There will be a limit to the number of plantations, etc, I can drag DH through. I'm just wondering if this gives enough time to actually see the towns. I've not been in the area before and am not sure if/when I'd be back.

We're not limited by job schedules, but I do board a cat and a dog whenever I leave.
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Old Oct 25th, 2014, 07:21 PM
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2, 2 and 2 should work. There's a slight chance of snow (very slight) in Asheville and you'd need to readjust if that happens. But I'd make it at least a 7 night trip.
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Old Oct 26th, 2014, 01:23 PM
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Thanks. The possibility of snow hadn't occurred to me. However, it should have as there could be snow on the ground here when we leave.
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Old Oct 26th, 2014, 03:27 PM
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Driving to and from Asheville? Does it not take about 4 hours to drive there from Charleston?
I am probably missing something, but the route seems kind of zig zaggy..(??)
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Old Oct 26th, 2014, 04:03 PM
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It is zig zaggy, but not impossible. I'd be pretty shocked by snow and if so, so minute as to be negligible.
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Old Oct 26th, 2014, 06:05 PM
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I have done this journey but over two weeks, what you are suggesting is entirely possible but wonder about the logic of Asheville. Charleston to Savannah is under two hours but Asheville is around an eight hour detour and you may need a good book while driving up the I26, it's not stunning, trees are a makn highlight. I also seem to remember the only highlight leaving Asheville was the few miles in NC, once you arrive in SC the road to Augusta and then Savannah isn't thrilling either.

Just not sure it is worth it.

Put simply you are going to be driving for the good part of two days.

Personally, I would spread the time between Charleston and Savannah with a night stop in Beaufort wich is lovely.

Better still try a stop off here :

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attract...I.html#REVIEWS

I am a little bias as I am currently staying on Edisto Island but Botany Bay is beautiful and very quiet.

When you are in Beaufort visit the Penn Center on St Helena Island and The Church of St Helena in the center of Beaufort. If you have time, Hunting Island is another stunningly beautiful natural beach (no condos in evidence here!)

For Charleston Plantations :

http://www.draytonhall.org/

Gives a more historically accurate representation of its previous life. The house is absolutely preserved and unrestored, the guides describe the property as a concentration camp rather than the "Gone with the Wind" soap opera you receive from most of the other sites.
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Old Oct 26th, 2014, 06:22 PM
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Botany Bay Beach :

http://www.sciway.net/sc-photos/char...otany-bay.html

It has an amazing collection of shells, mainly due to the fact that The Department of Natural Resources apply fines of $470 should you try to remove them.

The road down is worth the trip alone.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/1-tamm/6889367706/
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Old Oct 26th, 2014, 08:16 PM
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OK, this is good feedback. Thanks. Maybe from the years of "Look Homeward Angel", and Thomas Wolfe's mother having ran a boarding house there, I somehow thought I'd be missing something if I didn't jog over to see Asheville. No? And not pretty scenery on the way?

I notice Drayton Hall was mentioned in my latest Traditional Home magazine.

Alaska Air doesn't fly direct either so I realize I'd be facing some layovers which could turn the whole trip into a timewarp.
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Old Oct 27th, 2014, 03:48 AM
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Let's see. A week's vacation. Going from C to S = 2 hours travel in a week.

Okay. That works and is not a lot of travel time during the week.

OR...a week's vacation. Two nights in one coastal city. A day driving four hours to the mountains. Two nights in the beautiful mountains. A day driving four hours back toward the coast and then enjoying the rest of the day (and the next day) in a different coastal city. Stopping by a sweet little town on the way back to the airport city for the last night before flying out.

I don't find the 4 hour drive to Asheville particularly onerous.
In fact, it's not.
It's an easy drive that's not very long and gets you to a completely different place to visit.
Completely different than just another coastal city.

Thomas Wolfe and Look Homeward Angel.
The largest private home in the US.
http://www.biltmore.com/
The gorgeous mountains.
Wandering a cute quirky downtown.
Eat in good restaurants.
Browse in one of the neatest independent bookstores left in the country.
http://www.malaprops.com/
Shop, including the unique merchandise in the Mast.
https://www.mastgeneralstore.com/mast-collection/food
In general, spend a couple of days in the Smoky mountains.
Maybe drive a section of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

I like Savannah and Charleston just fine, but in a week's vacation a four hour drive (twice) is a low mileage vacation for me.
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Old Oct 27th, 2014, 04:07 AM
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If you are still checking flight schedules consider this -
You may find better flights to Savannah via Jacksonville, FL. It's a 2 hour drive but may be a better option if you can get a nonstop flight to Jax.

If you fly into Jax, you may want to visit St. Augustine, the oldest city in the country.
St. Augustine is very small and could be visited in a few hours.

If you want to see something VERY unique, you could take a ferry out to one of the remaining (almost) deserted barrier islands, Cumberland Island. If you want to make it a day trip, you take the NPS ferry out of St. Mary's GA.

If you can afford it, take the Greyfield's ferry out of Fernadina Beach (not far from Jax).
http://www.greyfieldinn.com/index.html
It's pricey, but all inclusive and very unique on a very unique island. March would be gorgeous in the mansion, with fires in the fireplaces and wandering the island with miles of white sand beaches and wild horses.

From Jax to Savannah, you could stop at Jekyll Island and visit the Sea Turtle Center, kayak in the marsh, visit the historic section on what was the world's wealthiest private island and where the National Reserve Bank was secretly created. Stay at the Jekyll Island Club or one of the new hotels, walk Driftwood Beach and maybe take a tour on the Lady Jane, the only Coast Guard approved shrimp tour boat - a gorgeous way to see the marshes, especially at sunset.
http://www.shrimpcruise.com/

If you are planning a March trip, the best time to go would be at the end of the month when the azaleas are in full bloom. Spend an afternoon touring some of the homes and gardens on tour during the week of the garden tour. It's a great way to see the secret gardens of Savannah that the public rarely gets to see.
http://www.savannahtourofhomes.org/

If you don't go to Asheville, then Beaufort and Charleston are 2 hours away and that would be all the driving you'd need to do. If you didn't stop anywhere, Jax to Savannah is 2 hours.
But there's plenty to see and do along the way.

If it's still hard to find tickets, the drive from Atlanta to Savannah is about 4 hours and a very easy (if not boring) drive. Flights to Hartsfield in Atlanta would be very easy. If Asheville stays in the picture, your loop would be -
4 hours from Atlanta to Savannah
2 hours from Savannah to Charleston
4 hours from Charleston to Asheville
less than 4 hours from Asheville to Atlanta
but you'd see a lot more than just 2 coastal cities and if you're taking connecting flights, you'd be traveling those 4 hours anyway...via flights and wait times vs driving in the car.

Just some ideas.
There's LOTS to see between Asheville and Atlanta, especially if you take the Dillard/Clayton route through the mountains of north Georgia.
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Old Oct 27th, 2014, 05:59 AM
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Wow! Lots to chew on here. You do have a point that rather than sitting waiting for a connection in Atlanta, we could be driving. Plus Charleston doesn't HAVE to be the first city on my loop. After my morning coffee I'll re-look at my map.

The Savannah House and Garden Tour sounded fascinating to me, but I wasn't sure we wanted to go that late in the month. Will talk to DH.
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Old Oct 27th, 2014, 07:07 AM
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The good thing about that tour is that you can just do the days or morning/afternoon/evenings that you may be interested in. And if YOU want to do more, your hubby can do something else for a couple of hours while you go on one of the (self-guided) tours.

I travel that area for business and I hate sitting in the airport, waiting on a connection...knowing that if I were in the car I'd be halfway there by now.

You don't have to go during the tour dates, but that's when the azaleas will be at peak. If you do want to go during those dates, you could start in Atlanta, drive to Asheville (a really pretty drive) spend a couple of nights in Asheville, then on to Charleston, stop by Beaufort on the way and end up in Savannah. You could fly out of Jax or Savannah or drive back to Atlanta and return the rental car.

You do NOT want to be in Savannah around March 17th...unless you want the crowds and the St. Patrick's Day stuff.
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Old Oct 27th, 2014, 08:22 AM
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I'm discovering more to think about. I'd forgotten The Biltmore is near Asheville. So I'm assuming that would probably add a day. Since their tickets have to be reserved ahead, I guess I would want to be late enough to miss possible snow.
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Old Oct 27th, 2014, 08:25 AM
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Chances are slim for snow in Asheville but there's usually one or two small snowfalls in the early months. It melts within a few days. The roads are excellent - unless it's an ice storm. Low probability but you can divert if it happens.
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Old Oct 27th, 2014, 09:17 AM
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Well, if you're going to consider a different entry city, how about Charlotte.
Two hours to Asheville.
3.5 hours to Charleston.
Go to Asheville first, then Charleston, Savannah. It will be a hike back to Charlotte, but shorter drives in between--I think. Haven't counted them all up.
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Old Oct 27th, 2014, 09:32 AM
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Charlotte - 750 miles. 11.5 hours

Atlanta - 830 miles. 12.5 miles

Jax to loop to Atlanta - 720 miles. 11 hours.
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Old Oct 27th, 2014, 11:40 AM
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Bookmarking--lots of good info and advice here!
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Old Oct 27th, 2014, 01:01 PM
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Yes, but I DO think it is a nicer drive for the Charlotte possibility. Shorter legs to begin, and then one long one that could be broken up by going to Charleston again.
Seems like the Jax loop takes more time with added places to stop--are they going to Asheville with that scenario?
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Old Oct 27th, 2014, 01:27 PM
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I need to check the air thing again but Alaska Air did tell me the closest airport they fly in to was Atlanta.

Keep in mind we're flying from the west coast so arrival times could be late in the day. If departure times are early, that almost means an overnight in whatever airport town.

DH is starting to groan when I mention all the options.

Am leaving for the Oregon Coast tomorrow so may actually not book until I get back.
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Old Oct 27th, 2014, 01:41 PM
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Yes, Gretchen.
The legs are comparable.
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