The office I work at will be closed for 12 days, the day before Christmas through the Sunday before the first Monday in January.
I could make my trip as long as 11 nights. Do you see any ways to improve my supposed itinerary? Do you think it is wise to just stick with Charleston SC and Savannah GA? Would it be a shame to not squeeze in St. Augustine FL at the beginning or end of my trip? Yes I realize that I might not fit in everything I listed that isn't an advance reservation.

Supposed itinerary

Savannah, GA:

Wednesday, 12/24: Flights and transportation to the hotel.

Thursday, 12/25: History-related walking tour. Congregation Mickve Israel has tours at 10am, 11, 1:30 or 2:30? If time Savannah History Museum? River street or Forsyth park?

Friday, 12/26: Jepson Center for the arts, Telfair Academy, Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters (combined ticket covers all 3; all open 10-5)

Saturday, 12/27: Mercer-Williams house (open 10-5); Davenport House Museum (11-3:30); possibly Maritime museum (10-5)

Sunday, 12:28: Pick up a rental car, Fort Pulaski (9-5), drive to Charleston SC, return the rental car, get a ride to the hotel?

Monday, 12/29: a history-related guided walking tour? Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim 45-60 minute tour? Advanced reservation required. 10:15am, 11:15, 1:15pm or 2:15. If time, The Charleston Museum (open 9-5)?

Tuesday, 12/30: Fort Sumter. Boat leaves from Liberty Square 9:30 am. About 2 ¼ hours total. Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon (closes 5pm), Old Slave Mart Museum (closes 5pm), Powder Magazine Museum.

Wednesday, 12/31: Gibbes Museum of art 9-5pm), Nathaniel Russell House (10-4), if time: Aiken-Rhett House Museum (10-4), Joseph Manigault House (10-5)

Thursday, 1/1: Middleton Place Plantation (9-5 open New Year’s day)

Friday, 2/2: flights back to Detroit

Hi Michael

Your plan seems reasonable. With 11 days, you could potentially see St. Augustine too and make certain cuts from Savannah and Charleston, flying into or out of Jacksonville instead and ending or beginning in Charleston. The trip then would become a 3-3-4 day split with a bit of loss in driving time; sounds ok, more for a fast-paced than relaxed style traveller—really depends on you. All are fun for New Year’s Eve. I’ve visited all three around that time of year but in different trips; one thing to be aware is a number of restaurants and attractions are closed on New Year’s Day in Savannah & Charleston and I would presume Christmas Day. Weather ranges from needing a winter coat to pleasant. There are options other than St. Augustine you could consider if upon reflection the 3-3-4 split sounds more fast paced than you want but visiting only Charleston & Savannah sounds not enough— Beaufort between Charleston & Savannah is lovely, I hear good things about some of the Georgian isles, but no experience there. I also liked Tybee near Savannah and Fort Moultrie in Charleston. I would plan Fort Sumter on the nicest weather day you see rather than picking in advance.

Best wishes, Daniel

You do need to call for reserving tours for Congregation Mikve Israel in Savannah as no walk-in's permitted, and also verify that it would actually be open on Christmas Day. It is a nice tour experience. On Christmas Day, I suspect all the stores and many restaurants on River Street will be closed, so you will need to check availability for restaurants for dinner. Same with New Year's Eve and whether the boat to Ft Sumter is operational that day as well. The combo ticket for the Jepson Center, Telfair Academy and the Owens-Thomas tour is a good value and it doesn't take a full day to do all three. My husband and I did it following the synagogue tour with a stop as well at the Cathedral nearby and for coffee. The Cathedral will likely be open for mass only.

Hours at all the places in Charleston as well as Savannah need to be verified. If you want to go to St Augustine, you might reverse the trip order, although, apart from the historic fort, similar to the forts in San Juan, it is in my opinion very touristy. Beaufort sounds like a good option but I've never been there.

Of course both Savannah and Charleston will be decorated for the holiday season, but the beauty of both cities are to walk around while flowers and gardens are in bloom.

You would lose a day but flying on Christmas Day, if acceptable to you, nets cheaper airfare and takes care of what to do on the day when most attractions are closed.

Thanks for your input.
The boat to fort Sumter requires an advance ticket. It isn't possible to plan based on the weather. I will bring a folding umbrella and a sunhat.

I don't have enough time to fit in St. Augustine without feeling like I am rushing too much or sacrificing sites that could be worthwhile.

The local grocery stores will probably take away my need for restaurant food. I took two trips to Florida so far in my adult life, an 8 night trip, and a nine-night trip. I didn't eat restaurant food in Florida even once. I have not traveled to St. Augustine or any part of South Carolina or Georgia. My parents took me on a few road trips when I was a kid and I was conditioned to feel like, in travel, every meal had to be eaten in a restaurant. That isn't necessarily the case. I am afraid eating restaurant food too often isn't healthy.

Note to those responding - restaurant recommendations are wholly unnecessary. michaelp does not (ever) eat in restaurants - lots of threads over the years make that clear.

I can't put my finger on it but I was not impressed with St. Augustine. If you want another stop I would go to Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island (2 hours south of Savannah). It has 50 blocks of historic buildings housing unique shops, etc The Book Loft is a famous independent bookstore which has 1,500 rare books. Ft. Clinch State Park features serene beaches and six miles of natural surface trails for hiking and mt. biking. You can sail the islands aboard a 100’ replica 19th Century schooner (sunset cruises).

If flowers are important to you this statement should give you pause. Savannah last half of March is like a huge flower show. I’ve been all over and nothing comes close.

Beaufort and the nearby beach islands are very nice if you need more places to see. DO NOT go to Hilton Head.

You have already given Florida more days of your life than it deserves.

Hi Michael

If concerned, you can monitor this site in the approach to your visit, but unless there’s something unusual, you should have flexibility to pick a nice weather day when you go to Fort Sumter. It’s a sizeable boat going out there. Note how every day in August has availability and around Christmas when I went, I purchased the tickets the day of my outing.

Best wishes, Daniel

https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/f...rs.com/&g4=yes

For Savannah -
This tour is good but is just of the building -
"Congregation Mickve Israel has tours at 10am, 11, 1:30 or 2:30?"
For a walking tour with a slave trade emphasis, I highly recommend Sister Patt's tour -

You Tube

https://undergroundtoursofsavannah.info/
You may want to visit First African Baptist Church too. I took a tour during their limited hours years ago. Here's a link I just found online
https://gallivantertours.com/savanna...aptist-church/

Once you pick up your rental car, I highly recommend that you drive out to Pin Point -
https://visitsavannah.com/profile/pi...ge-museum/5417

If you want to go when the azaleas are in bloom, go in March.
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=...52241109550236

That FB link is to one of the best guides I've had anywhere at any time but I don't know if Dirk is still giving walking tours. His company name is/was Savannah Rambles.

The Savannah Garden tour is usually scheduled for predicted peak times - worth checking if you plan to go in March.

If you don't want to eat in restaurants but want really good food options, including ready-to-heat meals, go to Parkers - in a former gas station.
A great market!
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...h_Georgia.html

There's also a farmer's market in Forsyth Park as well.

Those are some of my favorites. I do have restaurant favorites if you change your mind about that.

Although I rarely eat restaurant food, if you want you can mention any characteristic foods you tried in the South Carolina-Georgia cost area and the venues or business you bought it at.

"You have already given Florida more days of your life than it deserves." - Nah, Florida has multiple good parks and small museums - Key West, the Miami area, the gulf coast area, the Ringling museum in Sarasota, the Salvador Dali museum in St. Petersburg, boat tour in Winter Park, and so on.

I am thinking that I will skip Florida on this trip and err on the side of going too slow than going too fast and skipping what could be potentially of interest. But I logically know that some of the smaller historic houses or sites could be skippable.

Hilton Head Island SC has Harbor Town, Old Town Bluffton, and Sea Pines Forest Preserve. The island seems to start about a 45 minute drive from the middle of Savannah. It is described on pages 348-368 of Fodor's The Carolinas & Georgia. There also Tybee Island - the only good thing there might be the lighthouse and seeing the ocean again.

It looks some plants in the South Carolina-Georgia cost area might actually flower in the early winter.

I am sure that you can get the same trailer park, pawn shops, and fast food chain feeling of Florida right at home in Michigan if you try and save the airfare.

Hilton Head is a traffic choked 1-1/2 hours from Savannah and very disappointing unless going for a tennis tournament or golf course. That lighthouse area is artificial and has a $10 access fee just to drive into it before seeing anything. Tybee Island on the other hand is very close, just past the fort you want to see anyway, a lot prettier, and a classic Atlantic beach resort.

"There also Tybee Island - the only good thing there might be the lighthouse and seeing the ocean again."
In December, yes.
It's a very small island and very residential. There is a small shopping district. In winter, there's not much to see - other than those two things.

If you decide to drive on to FL, you could stop at Jekyll Island or St Simons Island on the way down the coast.

If you want a REALLY unique and amazing experience, go to Cumberland Island. Take the ferry out of St Marys. Spend the night nearby. It's a national park with a few privately owned homes on the island. Feral horses. Gorgeous beaches. The ruins of Carnegie mansions. Other than camping, the only overnight option is the Greyfeild. Very pricey but wonderful. Gourmet meals included (not alcohol). Their private ferry leaves from Fernandina Beach, just over the state line in FL. I can say more about that if you are interested.

"It looks some plants in the South Carolina-Georgia cost area might actually flower in the early winter"

Camellias will be.

The further south you go into Florida, the warmer and more exotic the flowers will be.

I really enjoyed a visit to Charleston Tea Garden, a plantation now owned by Bigelow not too far outside the city. Here’s my report:

https://www.travelgumbo.com/all-the-tea-in-charleston/


https://charlestonteagarden.com/

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Yes Michigan has those things but so what? You travel just for monuments, museums, and landmarks recommended in guidebooks, and maybe parks that are unlike what is near your home.

That is quite possible regarding Hilton Head and I have some doubt that Hilton Head island will even fit into my supposed itinerary so far.

Hilton Head is great for a week at the beach with the family doing beachy things, but I agree for the OP's purposes, he should feel zero remorse for skipping it.

If you are familiar with gated communities in affluent neighborhoods, that is Hilton Head but at a beach location.

You can drive the roads of HHI and see entrance after entrance of subdivisions (often called plantations) and that's about as interesting as driving around a similar area anywhere else. There are so many islands along the coast of GA and SC to choose from. Hilton Head is the affluent version of that. I've been there a lot for work and stayed in hotels there for conferences, but it's about the least interesting place to do a drive-by visit as I can think of.

In December, I'm not sure why you would include it. I've parked in public parking in winter to stretch my legs and take my pups on a walk on the beach, but would not drive out of my way to do that on HHI. Tybee is much closer to Savannah (but NOT dog friendly - so don't take a dog to the beach at Tybee!)