Trip Report: Charleston SC, Hilton Head, Savannah GA and Jekyll Island
May 3rd, 2016, 04:26 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 485
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Trip Report: Charleston SC, Hilton Head, Savannah GA and Jekyll Island
The trip started off with a bang when an odd cab driver showed up at our house. The only good thing about the ride was that he arrived early. He left the back windows of the car open while he waited for us which would be fine if hadn’t been raining . . .So the seats were wet. Then he failed to notice us come out of the house so we got no luggage assistance—in fact he was sleeping in the cab when we arrived at the car and had to knock on the window. We loaded in and started off—he was driving erratically slowing down/speeding up. This continued the whole way into Boston and we took up 2 lanes on the Mass Pike. It got so I had to look out the side window instead of front window, as what I was seeing out the front was too scary. My poor father was in the front seat. Upon arrival at the airport he had no clue how to maneuver the cab into position at the curb and ended up letting us out far from the normal drop off area but at that point we were just glad to be there in one piece. We’re not sure if he was on something or had vision problems, but in any event he was an unsafe driver so we’ll probably complain to the cab company now that we’re home.
The luggage drop line was fairly long for Jetblue on Saturday morning which is to be expected but it moved pretty quickly. The security line was short. We were at gate C16 which is a cramped gate space at the end of the terminal but we did board and take off on time so that was a plus.
We arrived on time into Charleston and claimed our luggage. The next task was to get the rental car. The line for Avis was the longest of all the car companies—we stood in it for an hour. We finally got our car, a Ford Explorer and set off for Charleston. We made a quick stop at Taco Bell for lunch where they got our order wrong but we ate it anyway. The good thing about Taco Bell, is that pretty much whatever you order has the same ingredients—just a different presentation.
Since we had the rental car, we drove around Charleston to get an overview before heading to our hotel. I had been to Charleston before about 16 years ago, but my parents had never been. It’s such a pretty city and we enjoyed seeing all the beautiful houses and driving up down the quaint, historic streets. After our tour, we went to our hotel, the HarbourView Inn which is located on Vendue Range on the riverfront. Upon check in we got room 206. This was a river view room, though being on the second floor, the trees sort of obstructed the view. We dropped the luggage in the room and then drove out again and parked at the Fort Sumter Visitor Center. We looked at the displays and looked at the harbor, but going to the actual fort was not on our agenda this trip. We then drove back to the hotel and I walked around a bit before dinner, taking in the city and enjoying the atmosphere. My parents enjoyed the nice roof deck that the hotel has and took advantage of the wine that is served daily on the deck and in the atrium between 5pm and 6pm.
We took the free DASH trolley to dinner. The DASH has several routes around the city so it is another way of getting around. One of the stops is right in front of the hotel, so that was convenient. Dinner tonight was at Sticky Fingers. This is a BBQ place. I enjoyed it quite a bit when I was last in Charleston, so we added it to our itinerary this trip too. My mother and I got margaritas and my father a bloody mary (served with a spare rib in it!). For dinner my mother got the brisket dinner, I got the rib sampler and my father got the ribs and pulled pork platter. All were served with cole slaw and bbq baked beans. The table had bottles of all of their barbecue sauces (about 6) so you may add whatever sauces you like. My favorite bbq sauce was the Memphis original, followed by Carolina sweet and then the Southern heat. We were full so skipped dessert and took a cab back to the hotel. After letting our food digest we got gelato from Belgian Gelato next door to the hotel. I got a Belgian style cone (lined with chocolate and filled with whipped cream in the bottom) with chocolate peanut butter gelato. It was really good—served correctly with paddles and served at the right temperature. My father got a cup of chocolate orange and my mother pistachio.
I then walked around for 30 minutes to enjoy the city at night. The hotel is very centrally located and is an easy walk day or night.
Sunday morning I walked around before breakfast. Breakfast is included in your rate and they will deliver it to your room, the atrium or the roof deck. You may also just go to the atrium where they have some pastries and juice set out. My mother and I opted to have it served on the terrace at 7:30am. I got a ham and cheese croissant and my mother a sweet filled croissant (both served with fruit) and we both got hot chocolate. My father opted for some simple pastries from the atrium. If you want to take advantage of the delivery service, you fill out the card that they give you each evening and hang it on your door. The choices are limited, as the hotel does not have a kitchen, so they get pastries from Saffron Bakery and cut up fruit or cereal, but we really liked the pastries we had and loved having it outside on the roof each morning.
We then took advantage of the quiet Sunday morning and drove around looking at all the pretty streets before heading to Magnolia Plantation which was about a 30 minute drive. We got the basic admission and walked around the garden. I encountered a snake on the camellia pathway; it was a brown/copper color. I am not familiar with snakes of the Low Country so am not sure if it was a copperhead or some other perhaps harmless snake. Luckily, the snake had no desire to see me either so it slithered off and I turned around and went back the way I came! The gardens were very pretty. I love all the little ponds and pretty bridges over the water. The last time I went earlier in April so the azaleas were out, while this time they were already past. We spent a couple hours at Magnolia and then drove to Drayton Hall where my father and I did the house tour. This is a preserved house not a restored one and the tour was interesting, learning the history of the house.
We then returned to the hotel. I went and got a coffee-cappuccino gelato and walked up and down the streets taking pictures. My parents went to the Exchange and Provost Dungeon and did the tour there. I then returned to the hotel and sat on the roof deck until dinner. The deck was really a nice location to sit—it had couches, lounges and tables/chairs and the view of the skyline was nice. There was also a river view on the other side so you could watch the shipping traffic going up and down the river.
We walked to our 6:15 dinner reservation at Magnolia’s. I got a flirtini, my father a hibernian and my mother a margarita for drinks. The sourdough bread they bring to the table is served with a whipped cream cheese spread which I really liked. We got 2 shared appetizers since we wanted to try both—the pimento cheese spread and the fried green tomatoes with country ham and grits. The cheese spread was delicious and the tomatoes were okay—the breading was the best part for me. My father also got a crab bisque. For the main course my father had a mahi mahi special, my mother the filet of beef with pimento cheese and I chose the short rib risotto. For dessert my mother and I had pecan pie while my father had the cream cheese pecan brownie. We all really enjoyed our meal at Magnolia’s and I’d definitely have it on my list of dining options for next time.
I then walked around after dinner again to get some more exercise. Even though I’d been on my feet most of the day you can never walk too much especially when you want to sample all the delicious foods there are to offer.
The luggage drop line was fairly long for Jetblue on Saturday morning which is to be expected but it moved pretty quickly. The security line was short. We were at gate C16 which is a cramped gate space at the end of the terminal but we did board and take off on time so that was a plus.
We arrived on time into Charleston and claimed our luggage. The next task was to get the rental car. The line for Avis was the longest of all the car companies—we stood in it for an hour. We finally got our car, a Ford Explorer and set off for Charleston. We made a quick stop at Taco Bell for lunch where they got our order wrong but we ate it anyway. The good thing about Taco Bell, is that pretty much whatever you order has the same ingredients—just a different presentation.
Since we had the rental car, we drove around Charleston to get an overview before heading to our hotel. I had been to Charleston before about 16 years ago, but my parents had never been. It’s such a pretty city and we enjoyed seeing all the beautiful houses and driving up down the quaint, historic streets. After our tour, we went to our hotel, the HarbourView Inn which is located on Vendue Range on the riverfront. Upon check in we got room 206. This was a river view room, though being on the second floor, the trees sort of obstructed the view. We dropped the luggage in the room and then drove out again and parked at the Fort Sumter Visitor Center. We looked at the displays and looked at the harbor, but going to the actual fort was not on our agenda this trip. We then drove back to the hotel and I walked around a bit before dinner, taking in the city and enjoying the atmosphere. My parents enjoyed the nice roof deck that the hotel has and took advantage of the wine that is served daily on the deck and in the atrium between 5pm and 6pm.
We took the free DASH trolley to dinner. The DASH has several routes around the city so it is another way of getting around. One of the stops is right in front of the hotel, so that was convenient. Dinner tonight was at Sticky Fingers. This is a BBQ place. I enjoyed it quite a bit when I was last in Charleston, so we added it to our itinerary this trip too. My mother and I got margaritas and my father a bloody mary (served with a spare rib in it!). For dinner my mother got the brisket dinner, I got the rib sampler and my father got the ribs and pulled pork platter. All were served with cole slaw and bbq baked beans. The table had bottles of all of their barbecue sauces (about 6) so you may add whatever sauces you like. My favorite bbq sauce was the Memphis original, followed by Carolina sweet and then the Southern heat. We were full so skipped dessert and took a cab back to the hotel. After letting our food digest we got gelato from Belgian Gelato next door to the hotel. I got a Belgian style cone (lined with chocolate and filled with whipped cream in the bottom) with chocolate peanut butter gelato. It was really good—served correctly with paddles and served at the right temperature. My father got a cup of chocolate orange and my mother pistachio.
I then walked around for 30 minutes to enjoy the city at night. The hotel is very centrally located and is an easy walk day or night.
Sunday morning I walked around before breakfast. Breakfast is included in your rate and they will deliver it to your room, the atrium or the roof deck. You may also just go to the atrium where they have some pastries and juice set out. My mother and I opted to have it served on the terrace at 7:30am. I got a ham and cheese croissant and my mother a sweet filled croissant (both served with fruit) and we both got hot chocolate. My father opted for some simple pastries from the atrium. If you want to take advantage of the delivery service, you fill out the card that they give you each evening and hang it on your door. The choices are limited, as the hotel does not have a kitchen, so they get pastries from Saffron Bakery and cut up fruit or cereal, but we really liked the pastries we had and loved having it outside on the roof each morning.
We then took advantage of the quiet Sunday morning and drove around looking at all the pretty streets before heading to Magnolia Plantation which was about a 30 minute drive. We got the basic admission and walked around the garden. I encountered a snake on the camellia pathway; it was a brown/copper color. I am not familiar with snakes of the Low Country so am not sure if it was a copperhead or some other perhaps harmless snake. Luckily, the snake had no desire to see me either so it slithered off and I turned around and went back the way I came! The gardens were very pretty. I love all the little ponds and pretty bridges over the water. The last time I went earlier in April so the azaleas were out, while this time they were already past. We spent a couple hours at Magnolia and then drove to Drayton Hall where my father and I did the house tour. This is a preserved house not a restored one and the tour was interesting, learning the history of the house.
We then returned to the hotel. I went and got a coffee-cappuccino gelato and walked up and down the streets taking pictures. My parents went to the Exchange and Provost Dungeon and did the tour there. I then returned to the hotel and sat on the roof deck until dinner. The deck was really a nice location to sit—it had couches, lounges and tables/chairs and the view of the skyline was nice. There was also a river view on the other side so you could watch the shipping traffic going up and down the river.
We walked to our 6:15 dinner reservation at Magnolia’s. I got a flirtini, my father a hibernian and my mother a margarita for drinks. The sourdough bread they bring to the table is served with a whipped cream cheese spread which I really liked. We got 2 shared appetizers since we wanted to try both—the pimento cheese spread and the fried green tomatoes with country ham and grits. The cheese spread was delicious and the tomatoes were okay—the breading was the best part for me. My father also got a crab bisque. For the main course my father had a mahi mahi special, my mother the filet of beef with pimento cheese and I chose the short rib risotto. For dessert my mother and I had pecan pie while my father had the cream cheese pecan brownie. We all really enjoyed our meal at Magnolia’s and I’d definitely have it on my list of dining options for next time.
I then walked around after dinner again to get some more exercise. Even though I’d been on my feet most of the day you can never walk too much especially when you want to sample all the delicious foods there are to offer.
May 3rd, 2016, 04:27 PM
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 485
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Monday I got up early and walked around before we had our breakfast delivery to the terrace of the hotel. I had a ham and cheese croissant again. After breakfast we split up and I walked around and took photos in the morning and went to the Old Slave Mart Museum. The museum is housed in the old Ryan’s Mart building and you are in the room where slaves were bought and sold. They have first hand accounts recorded from former slaves which were interviewed back in the 1940s. The exhibits focus mostly on the slave trade itself such as discussing slave traders and brokers.
Then I went back to the hotel about 11:30 and got a gelato for lunch—chocolate extreme and salty caramel. I ate it on the rooftop deck to have a short rest before my afternoon touring began.
My parents were back from their morning walk on the Battery and on some of the other streets. They were preparing to head out to the City Market after lunch.
I went out in the afternoon and went in St. Michaels Church before meeting for my Charleston Strolls walking tour which met at the Mills House hotel. I took the 2pm tour and it is a 2 hour tour. They discuss the history of Charleston, about the architecture and local historical figures. We walked from Meeting St, down Chalmers, up and down various streets to the Battery and then up Church St and back over to Meeting St. I enjoyed the tour and learned some interesting tidbits.
After the tour I met up with my parents on the hotel roof deck where we watched the Carnival Ecstasy take off and several container ships go in and out of the harbor.
At 5:30 we walked over to dinner at Poogan’s Porch. We had a 6pm reservation. We got a table inside but right next to the open doors off the back patio. We enjoyed the fluffy biscuits and sweet butter. My mother and I got margaritas and my father got a special gin and tonic. For the appetizer we got the pimento cheese fritters which were good. For the main course my father got the shrimp and grits which he loved, my mother got the filet of beef with blue cheese dumplings and I got the cast iron pork chop. This was a breaded, fried chop served with smoked gouda and bacon mac and cheese. It came with a ham gravy which I asked for on the side as I was not sure I’d like it and I was right. The gravy was a thick white gelatinous variety which was not my taste. The pork chop was delicious though and very tender. For dessert I got the peanut butter pie which was like a frozen peanut butter mousse. My mother got the chocolate caramel bread pudding and my father didn’t care for any of them so didn’t get dessert.
After dinner I walked around some more and took some more photos.
Once again Tuesday morning I walked around prior to our 7:30am breakfast on the terrace. Once again we got the pastry option. We know what we like!
We then left the hotel and drove to Beaufort and looked around there at the St Helena Church and some historic houses. We then continued on to Hilton Head. We checked into our hotel, the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort and got room 330. The room had a beige color scheme with beach motif prints. The balcony looked out over the pool and the ocean.
We went for a walk on the beach before heading out to dinner at the Low Country Backyard. We had to wait about 20 min at the restaurant. I got a rum punch type drink, my mother a traditional margarita and my father a margarita with moonshine instead of tequila. My father got a white bean/ham soup and we shared a chips and blackeyed pea salsa appetizer. I got the Low Country Burger—pimento cheese, pickles, lettuce, a fried green tomato and ranch sauce. I chose mac and cheese for my side. My father had a mushroom and shrimp cobbler with corn bread and my mother the grilled pimento cheese sandwich with side salad. For dessert my mother got the banana pudding and I got chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting.
I swam in the pool after dinner for my nightly exercise.
Wednesday I got up at 6:30am to take in the sunrise on the beach. There were pelicans and dolphins zipping around as well. Then we drove to Kenny B’s French Quarter Cafe but it turned out it didn’t open until 8:30am so we went to Stacks for breakfast instead. My mother and I had chocolate chip crepes and my father a chocolate chip waffle. The crepes were pretty good, but maybe could be a little thinner.
After returning to the hotel my father and I got ready to go kayaking at Hilton Head Outfitters. It was only a 2 min drive from the hotel and you either park across the street at the tennis courts or next door at Alexander’s Restaurant. We got there about 9:15 and got 2 single kayaks for 2 hrs. They gave us each a map and highlighted the 2 hr route for us. It took us past houses and golf courses. It was pretty. There are alligators in the canals but we didn’t see any. We saw a turtle, herons and fish jumping out of the water.
We returned to the hotel and went for a swim and then met up with my mother for lunch at the hotel pool bar. I got a key lime colada and nachos while my mother got a chocolate shake and cheeseburger. My father got a Red Stripe beer and chicken sandwich.
After lunch I rented a bike from the hotel. I rode down the paths within the “Palmetto Dunes” resort area, then out and to the left down the Wm Hilton Pkwy. Upon my return to the hotel, I then rode along the beach. You can do that because the sand is packed so firmly; I thought this was a unique experience and not one you see everywhere. Next I went in the pool and sat and read my book for a short time.
Dinner tonight was the Santa Fe Cafe. We had a 6pm reservation. We each got house margaritas. We also split the chile con queso which also came with a side of salsa. These were good. My mother got the Painted Desert Soup which is half corn and half red pepper soup and they paint a cactus on top of it using mole and crema. I got the Pork Chop Verde which was 2 pork chops with cheese and green chile sauce served with rice and black refried beans. My mother had the beef burrito which was huge and my father had scallops. The portions were huge and we couldn’t finish so I was the only one who got dessert. I got the “Ultimate Indulgence” which was toffee cake topped with coconut ice cream (from Hilton Head Ice Cream) and whipped cream. It was really good but almost tasted more like gingerbread than toffee. We were happy we went there as everything was really good.
Since we were still about 30 min away from sunset, I went for a walk on the bike path after returning to the hotel and then a swim in the pool later that night. Keeping track of the sunset is essential, as there are no street lights on Hilton Head.
Then I went back to the hotel about 11:30 and got a gelato for lunch—chocolate extreme and salty caramel. I ate it on the rooftop deck to have a short rest before my afternoon touring began.
My parents were back from their morning walk on the Battery and on some of the other streets. They were preparing to head out to the City Market after lunch.
I went out in the afternoon and went in St. Michaels Church before meeting for my Charleston Strolls walking tour which met at the Mills House hotel. I took the 2pm tour and it is a 2 hour tour. They discuss the history of Charleston, about the architecture and local historical figures. We walked from Meeting St, down Chalmers, up and down various streets to the Battery and then up Church St and back over to Meeting St. I enjoyed the tour and learned some interesting tidbits.
After the tour I met up with my parents on the hotel roof deck where we watched the Carnival Ecstasy take off and several container ships go in and out of the harbor.
At 5:30 we walked over to dinner at Poogan’s Porch. We had a 6pm reservation. We got a table inside but right next to the open doors off the back patio. We enjoyed the fluffy biscuits and sweet butter. My mother and I got margaritas and my father got a special gin and tonic. For the appetizer we got the pimento cheese fritters which were good. For the main course my father got the shrimp and grits which he loved, my mother got the filet of beef with blue cheese dumplings and I got the cast iron pork chop. This was a breaded, fried chop served with smoked gouda and bacon mac and cheese. It came with a ham gravy which I asked for on the side as I was not sure I’d like it and I was right. The gravy was a thick white gelatinous variety which was not my taste. The pork chop was delicious though and very tender. For dessert I got the peanut butter pie which was like a frozen peanut butter mousse. My mother got the chocolate caramel bread pudding and my father didn’t care for any of them so didn’t get dessert.
After dinner I walked around some more and took some more photos.
Once again Tuesday morning I walked around prior to our 7:30am breakfast on the terrace. Once again we got the pastry option. We know what we like!
We then left the hotel and drove to Beaufort and looked around there at the St Helena Church and some historic houses. We then continued on to Hilton Head. We checked into our hotel, the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort and got room 330. The room had a beige color scheme with beach motif prints. The balcony looked out over the pool and the ocean.
We went for a walk on the beach before heading out to dinner at the Low Country Backyard. We had to wait about 20 min at the restaurant. I got a rum punch type drink, my mother a traditional margarita and my father a margarita with moonshine instead of tequila. My father got a white bean/ham soup and we shared a chips and blackeyed pea salsa appetizer. I got the Low Country Burger—pimento cheese, pickles, lettuce, a fried green tomato and ranch sauce. I chose mac and cheese for my side. My father had a mushroom and shrimp cobbler with corn bread and my mother the grilled pimento cheese sandwich with side salad. For dessert my mother got the banana pudding and I got chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting.
I swam in the pool after dinner for my nightly exercise.
Wednesday I got up at 6:30am to take in the sunrise on the beach. There were pelicans and dolphins zipping around as well. Then we drove to Kenny B’s French Quarter Cafe but it turned out it didn’t open until 8:30am so we went to Stacks for breakfast instead. My mother and I had chocolate chip crepes and my father a chocolate chip waffle. The crepes were pretty good, but maybe could be a little thinner.
After returning to the hotel my father and I got ready to go kayaking at Hilton Head Outfitters. It was only a 2 min drive from the hotel and you either park across the street at the tennis courts or next door at Alexander’s Restaurant. We got there about 9:15 and got 2 single kayaks for 2 hrs. They gave us each a map and highlighted the 2 hr route for us. It took us past houses and golf courses. It was pretty. There are alligators in the canals but we didn’t see any. We saw a turtle, herons and fish jumping out of the water.
We returned to the hotel and went for a swim and then met up with my mother for lunch at the hotel pool bar. I got a key lime colada and nachos while my mother got a chocolate shake and cheeseburger. My father got a Red Stripe beer and chicken sandwich.
After lunch I rented a bike from the hotel. I rode down the paths within the “Palmetto Dunes” resort area, then out and to the left down the Wm Hilton Pkwy. Upon my return to the hotel, I then rode along the beach. You can do that because the sand is packed so firmly; I thought this was a unique experience and not one you see everywhere. Next I went in the pool and sat and read my book for a short time.
Dinner tonight was the Santa Fe Cafe. We had a 6pm reservation. We each got house margaritas. We also split the chile con queso which also came with a side of salsa. These were good. My mother got the Painted Desert Soup which is half corn and half red pepper soup and they paint a cactus on top of it using mole and crema. I got the Pork Chop Verde which was 2 pork chops with cheese and green chile sauce served with rice and black refried beans. My mother had the beef burrito which was huge and my father had scallops. The portions were huge and we couldn’t finish so I was the only one who got dessert. I got the “Ultimate Indulgence” which was toffee cake topped with coconut ice cream (from Hilton Head Ice Cream) and whipped cream. It was really good but almost tasted more like gingerbread than toffee. We were happy we went there as everything was really good.
Since we were still about 30 min away from sunset, I went for a walk on the bike path after returning to the hotel and then a swim in the pool later that night. Keeping track of the sunset is essential, as there are no street lights on Hilton Head.
May 3rd, 2016, 04:28 PM
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 485
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thursday I got up early and went out for the sunrise, though it was cloudy. Due to the overcast skies, the sunrise wasn’t quite as nice as the day before. It rained a bit on the walk back, so I had to seek shelter at the Marriott Resort until it stopped. Went back to the room and packed up and left by 8:15. We tried to drive to the far end of the island/Sea Pines area but there was a charge to enter. This morning we had breakfast at Kenny B’s since we knew what time they opened—beignets and cafe au lait. These were quite tasty—not as good as New Orleans but very good!
One thing we found surprising about Hilton Head was how busy it was overall—-the main road was 2 lanes in both directions with cars going about 55 mph. Also it was really built up! Lots of strip malls. It was highly developed, but they had done a nice job of developing it in an attractive manner—-ie the malls were set back from the road and behind trees etc. It’s also a very planned type of community—the island is made of up different resort areas and most side roads are gated. We didn’t really care for the faux exclusivity they seemed to be trying to create. Gated communities are not that common in New England so it’s sort of a foreign concept for us and not one we really care for.
After leaving Hilton Head we drove to Savannah. Upon arrival we drove around to all the squares and looked at them. This was an easy way to get an overview of the city. Each square is different so it’s good to see them all. Some are definitely prettier than others. Some have fountains or sculptures and some are left plain. We tried to check into the hotel, Hampton Inn Savannah Historic District but the rooms weren’t ready so we went to the Savannah History Museum while we waited.
By 3:15 our rooms were ready—I got 616 and parents 626 with views of the river. I then walked out and took pictures of some of the squares and across Bay St. The hotel was very centrally located on Bay St and Reynolds Square was directly behind it a block away.
For dinner we had a 6:15pm reservation at Olde Pink House. I got the Planters Punch, my mother the Pink Lady (lemonade with raspberry vodka) and my father a local beer. We ordered the appetizer special of the evening—a vidalia onion stuffed with cheese and andouille sausage and it was finished with a butter/sage sauce. That was very tasty. I also got a wedge salad with bacon. For my main course I got the fried pork chop served with mac and cheese and collard greens and a pan gravy. My mother got the pork tenderloin and my father the salmon. For dessert my parents both got the chocolate pecan pie which has a graham cracker crust and I got the peanut butter praline bomb which is served with a spun sugar decoration in the whipped cream. All of the food was really good. I will definitely go there again.
I then walked around after dinner. I tried the hotel swimming pool located on the roof, but found the water too cold for my taste.
Friday I got out touring by 6:30am and walked down River St with no traffic except food delivery trucks. While I was out there, several large container ships went by fully loaded.
I had my rice crispy treat which I had purchased the night before at Savannah Candy Kitchen for breakfast and then arranged with my parents to meet them at 3pm for a 3:30pm river cruise. I then began my sightseeing. I walked around to many of the squares and toured the Andrew Low House. The Andrew Low House was built for cotton factor Andrew Low and was also the house where Juliette Gordon Low founded the Girl Scouts.
For lunch I had a hot fudge sundae at Leopold’s Ice Cream. I got it with Mocha Chip ice cream. The ice cream was very flavorful. Leopold’s is a local institution and the lines get long. I was early so only had a few people in front of me. My parents went later and had a line.
Next I walked to City Market and went in some of the art stores on the second floor. Then I bought a ticket for the Old Town Trolley. The tour took about 2hrs. I didn’t use the hop on/hop off feature but instead used the trolley as a tour.
I then went to River St to meet my parents and we boarded the boat for our river cruise. We cruised up under the bridge and saw cars waiting to board a car carrier ship and turned around a little early due to a departing container ship. The captain had to avoid getting in its way. Then we cruised down to Old Fort Jackson and saw a couple other container ships. The cruise took 1.5 hrs. The cruise is fully narrated by the boat captain.
We then went back to the hotel and got ready for dinner. We had a 6pm reservation at Vic’s on the River. I had a Savannah Peach drink and the onion soup. For the main course I had the butterflied pork chop—it was fried and served with chive mashed potato and a mushroom brie gravy. Delicious. For dessert I got the pecan pie with vanilla ice cream. My parents both got the short ribs and that is served with a salad—caesar for my father and wedge for my mother. My mother got the peach trio—peach bread pudding, peach ice cream and peach cheesecake. My father had peach ice cream. Next we went down to River St and went to River Street Sweets for a couple pralines to take home with us.
After dinner I took a pedicab to Forsyth Park to photograph the fountain at night and then walked around afterward. I took a pedicab because I wasn’t sure how busy the park would be at about 9pm on Friday night and I had planned to ask the pedicab to wait if it seemed deserted. I needn’t have worried, as there were enough other people walking around to not be deserted, so I didn’t need to have the cab wait. I then walked back to the hotel from there.
One thing we found surprising about Hilton Head was how busy it was overall—-the main road was 2 lanes in both directions with cars going about 55 mph. Also it was really built up! Lots of strip malls. It was highly developed, but they had done a nice job of developing it in an attractive manner—-ie the malls were set back from the road and behind trees etc. It’s also a very planned type of community—the island is made of up different resort areas and most side roads are gated. We didn’t really care for the faux exclusivity they seemed to be trying to create. Gated communities are not that common in New England so it’s sort of a foreign concept for us and not one we really care for.
After leaving Hilton Head we drove to Savannah. Upon arrival we drove around to all the squares and looked at them. This was an easy way to get an overview of the city. Each square is different so it’s good to see them all. Some are definitely prettier than others. Some have fountains or sculptures and some are left plain. We tried to check into the hotel, Hampton Inn Savannah Historic District but the rooms weren’t ready so we went to the Savannah History Museum while we waited.
By 3:15 our rooms were ready—I got 616 and parents 626 with views of the river. I then walked out and took pictures of some of the squares and across Bay St. The hotel was very centrally located on Bay St and Reynolds Square was directly behind it a block away.
For dinner we had a 6:15pm reservation at Olde Pink House. I got the Planters Punch, my mother the Pink Lady (lemonade with raspberry vodka) and my father a local beer. We ordered the appetizer special of the evening—a vidalia onion stuffed with cheese and andouille sausage and it was finished with a butter/sage sauce. That was very tasty. I also got a wedge salad with bacon. For my main course I got the fried pork chop served with mac and cheese and collard greens and a pan gravy. My mother got the pork tenderloin and my father the salmon. For dessert my parents both got the chocolate pecan pie which has a graham cracker crust and I got the peanut butter praline bomb which is served with a spun sugar decoration in the whipped cream. All of the food was really good. I will definitely go there again.
I then walked around after dinner. I tried the hotel swimming pool located on the roof, but found the water too cold for my taste.
Friday I got out touring by 6:30am and walked down River St with no traffic except food delivery trucks. While I was out there, several large container ships went by fully loaded.
I had my rice crispy treat which I had purchased the night before at Savannah Candy Kitchen for breakfast and then arranged with my parents to meet them at 3pm for a 3:30pm river cruise. I then began my sightseeing. I walked around to many of the squares and toured the Andrew Low House. The Andrew Low House was built for cotton factor Andrew Low and was also the house where Juliette Gordon Low founded the Girl Scouts.
For lunch I had a hot fudge sundae at Leopold’s Ice Cream. I got it with Mocha Chip ice cream. The ice cream was very flavorful. Leopold’s is a local institution and the lines get long. I was early so only had a few people in front of me. My parents went later and had a line.
Next I walked to City Market and went in some of the art stores on the second floor. Then I bought a ticket for the Old Town Trolley. The tour took about 2hrs. I didn’t use the hop on/hop off feature but instead used the trolley as a tour.
I then went to River St to meet my parents and we boarded the boat for our river cruise. We cruised up under the bridge and saw cars waiting to board a car carrier ship and turned around a little early due to a departing container ship. The captain had to avoid getting in its way. Then we cruised down to Old Fort Jackson and saw a couple other container ships. The cruise took 1.5 hrs. The cruise is fully narrated by the boat captain.
We then went back to the hotel and got ready for dinner. We had a 6pm reservation at Vic’s on the River. I had a Savannah Peach drink and the onion soup. For the main course I had the butterflied pork chop—it was fried and served with chive mashed potato and a mushroom brie gravy. Delicious. For dessert I got the pecan pie with vanilla ice cream. My parents both got the short ribs and that is served with a salad—caesar for my father and wedge for my mother. My mother got the peach trio—peach bread pudding, peach ice cream and peach cheesecake. My father had peach ice cream. Next we went down to River St and went to River Street Sweets for a couple pralines to take home with us.
After dinner I took a pedicab to Forsyth Park to photograph the fountain at night and then walked around afterward. I took a pedicab because I wasn’t sure how busy the park would be at about 9pm on Friday night and I had planned to ask the pedicab to wait if it seemed deserted. I needn’t have worried, as there were enough other people walking around to not be deserted, so I didn’t need to have the cab wait. I then walked back to the hotel from there.
May 3rd, 2016, 04:29 PM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 485
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Saturday I got up at 6:30am again to take photos on River St. Had the rest of my rice crispy treat for breakfast and we left the hotel about 8am to drive to Fort Pulaski. We toured the fort which was interesting. This fort is significant because it marked the end of using masonry structures for fort. During the Civil War, the Union, using rifled canons was able to penetrate the walls of this fort forcing the Confederates inside to surrender.
Then we drove to St. Simons island and looked at the lighthouse, Christ Church and Fort Frederica. The Fort was very extensive so we didn’t have time to see much of it. I liked St. Simons a lot—it was very pretty and green with an upscale feeling. I wouldn’t mind staying there if I was going to pick a coastal Georgia island to stay on.
Then we set off for Jekyll Island where we would be staying the night. Our first stop was Driftwood Beach. I took some photos at this interesting beach. There are old trees/driftwood washed up all along the shore of the beach which makes for some interesting photo opportunities. We then made our way to the Hampton Inn which is located on South Beachview Dr. We received rooms 146 and 145 which looked out at the woods.
I looked at the beach which was connected to the hotel via a long boardwalk. The boardwalk starts at the pool and goes up steps and winds it’s way through trees like a nature walk before coming out at the beach. The beach was not as wide as Hilton Head but it had dunes.
We then drove to an early dinner at the Driftwood Bistro. We had about a 15 min wait. My mother and I got Island Sunset drinks—pineapple juice and coconut rum. My father had a local beer. We split the fried mushrooms with chipotle ranch sauce and each got a side salad with blue cheese dressing. I continued my pork obsession and got the pork tenderloin with a brown gravy, mashed potato and mac and cheese. I didn’t like the mac and cheese—it tasted funny to me. My mother had the pot roast with mashed potato and cheese grits and my father had a shrimp dish with cheese grits. For dessert I got the Key Lime pie and my mother had bread pudding. The food was quite tasty but not as good as many of the other restaurants we had visited during the trip. Jekyll Island does not have a lot of restaurants to choose from though.
We drove to look at the Jekyll Island Club after dinner—it was very pretty with lots of trees draped in Spanish moss. That area is nicer than the ocean side. More upscale feeling. Then we drove out past our hotel to the end of the road to see what was there—not much, it is very undeveloped at that end.
I then walked on the beach and used the exercise room.
Sunday morning I went out on the beach at 6:30am to walk and take sunrise photos. Early on it was just me and a fisherman, then as it got lighter more people came out, but it was still pretty quiet. I walked for about an hour before meeting my parents for the hotel breakfast.
We left about 8:15am to drive to Jacksonville FL for our flight home and that drive took about an hour. The rental car drop is right in a parking garage next to the terminal so it’s not a long walk or a shuttle required. Jacksonville is a small airport—I think 20 gates total and there are not a lot of food options or other convenience style stores.
Our Jetblue flight took off on time and we arrived into Boston about 30 min early. The luggage took about 15 min to come out and we found our cab with no trouble. Thankfully, the ride home was uneventful.
We had a lovely time on this trip. My favorite location was Charleston, followed by Savannah, then Hilton Head and finally Jekyll Island. I think I’d prefer to stay on St. Simons instead of Jekyll if I was to do it again. The interesting thing is all these little islands have their own personality—so you have to try them all to find the ones that suit your taste best. We loved Charleston with all it’s brightly colored homes and beautiful flower boxes in the windows. Savannah was nice too, with a different style of architecture and each unique square. I always enjoy going to historic destinations and trying to picture what it may have been like in the “old days”.
Then we drove to St. Simons island and looked at the lighthouse, Christ Church and Fort Frederica. The Fort was very extensive so we didn’t have time to see much of it. I liked St. Simons a lot—it was very pretty and green with an upscale feeling. I wouldn’t mind staying there if I was going to pick a coastal Georgia island to stay on.
Then we set off for Jekyll Island where we would be staying the night. Our first stop was Driftwood Beach. I took some photos at this interesting beach. There are old trees/driftwood washed up all along the shore of the beach which makes for some interesting photo opportunities. We then made our way to the Hampton Inn which is located on South Beachview Dr. We received rooms 146 and 145 which looked out at the woods.
I looked at the beach which was connected to the hotel via a long boardwalk. The boardwalk starts at the pool and goes up steps and winds it’s way through trees like a nature walk before coming out at the beach. The beach was not as wide as Hilton Head but it had dunes.
We then drove to an early dinner at the Driftwood Bistro. We had about a 15 min wait. My mother and I got Island Sunset drinks—pineapple juice and coconut rum. My father had a local beer. We split the fried mushrooms with chipotle ranch sauce and each got a side salad with blue cheese dressing. I continued my pork obsession and got the pork tenderloin with a brown gravy, mashed potato and mac and cheese. I didn’t like the mac and cheese—it tasted funny to me. My mother had the pot roast with mashed potato and cheese grits and my father had a shrimp dish with cheese grits. For dessert I got the Key Lime pie and my mother had bread pudding. The food was quite tasty but not as good as many of the other restaurants we had visited during the trip. Jekyll Island does not have a lot of restaurants to choose from though.
We drove to look at the Jekyll Island Club after dinner—it was very pretty with lots of trees draped in Spanish moss. That area is nicer than the ocean side. More upscale feeling. Then we drove out past our hotel to the end of the road to see what was there—not much, it is very undeveloped at that end.
I then walked on the beach and used the exercise room.
Sunday morning I went out on the beach at 6:30am to walk and take sunrise photos. Early on it was just me and a fisherman, then as it got lighter more people came out, but it was still pretty quiet. I walked for about an hour before meeting my parents for the hotel breakfast.
We left about 8:15am to drive to Jacksonville FL for our flight home and that drive took about an hour. The rental car drop is right in a parking garage next to the terminal so it’s not a long walk or a shuttle required. Jacksonville is a small airport—I think 20 gates total and there are not a lot of food options or other convenience style stores.
Our Jetblue flight took off on time and we arrived into Boston about 30 min early. The luggage took about 15 min to come out and we found our cab with no trouble. Thankfully, the ride home was uneventful.
We had a lovely time on this trip. My favorite location was Charleston, followed by Savannah, then Hilton Head and finally Jekyll Island. I think I’d prefer to stay on St. Simons instead of Jekyll if I was to do it again. The interesting thing is all these little islands have their own personality—so you have to try them all to find the ones that suit your taste best. We loved Charleston with all it’s brightly colored homes and beautiful flower boxes in the windows. Savannah was nice too, with a different style of architecture and each unique square. I always enjoy going to historic destinations and trying to picture what it may have been like in the “old days”.
Sep 8th, 2016, 08:39 PM
#6
I just discovered this TR. What a great report! So full of details. I totally agree with your last paragraph and Jekyll is my favorite because it's so natural and uncrowded. Savannah is next because the historic district is so easy to navigate and the 22 squares are so lovely. Thanks for the report!
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
persimmondeb
Road Trips
21
Nov 8th, 2018 09:17 AM
rkkwan
United States
9
Jun 13th, 2008 10:48 AM
