Charleston experts please!
 

Hi Fodorites,

My adult daughter and I are going for a 6 night vacation to Charleston- Savannah area from Wednesday through Tuesday of the following week. I just learned that the Cooper Bridge run is the Saturday of our visit. How should we best avoid the race traffic for days leading up to race and the closures etc the day of? Elegant and well located hotel favorites? Day trips? Savannah ideas? We like scenery, history, architecture, good food.
Thanks,
Bonnie

If you don't have a hotel booked, you'll have to find an elegant and well located hotel in another town. That run has 30000+ extra people and rooms are booked a year in advance.

I think you should stay in Charleston for the time unaffected by the run, then go down to Savannah for the weekend. There are tons of restaurants, nice hotels and things to do. Look through the Charleston trip reports here to get a start for yourself, but get a hotel soon. Spring is very busy in the lowcountry.

How about the Avia in Savannah and Charleston Place in Charleston? Both elegant and well located properties. Sue is right, this is a very busy time for both towns. The race weekend is huge and people book far in advance for it.

I love Avia, and the Bohemian. charleston Place would be great if they have rooms.

It's simple: Just do what Suewoo says!

Thanks everyone.! Charleston Place has room and through Amex fine hotels and resorts program gives a few extras like free breakfast, early checkin and late checkout, etc.

If we arrive in Charleston on Wednesday, what day should we leave to avoid the crowds and what day could we return? Could we go out to the plantations on one of the days that Charleston is busy with the runners?

Thanks!

It will be hard to leave on race day because many streets will be closed off. It starts at 7 on Saturday if I remember correctly. Get reservations for any place you want to eat that weekend or just plan to eat at the hotel. Walking the HD won't be a problem, but it will be crowded. They all come in on Thursday and Friday and most leave on Sunday. When I lived in Mt Pleasant I stayed home all weekend.

Thanks so much for your expert advice!! We will walk the HD on race day. Any advice for visiting Middleton and Drayton Hall? We like photography in addition to history, scenery and architecture. Any special spots to take photos at golden hour or blue hour?
Thanks!

Take a carriage tour when you first get to town. You can get acclimated and see where you want to revisit when the light us long.

I don't have any recs for the plantations. Drayton is nice because the original house has been maintained. The roses at Middleton should be in bloom.

thanks to all, especially Suewoo for your advice! we are leaving on Tuesday and looking forward to an interesting and relaxing vacation!

You are welcome. You'll love it!

See Ft Sumter while you are there. Some of the plantation homes are beautiful to tour as well

Thanks for the Ft Sumter suggestion. It sounds like there is a nice approach on a boat tour.