Our style is to wander around and see the sights. We are not really museum goers. I can see us visiting some historic houses and of course my wife will wander into a fair number of stores.

I would try to select a time when it's warm but not too hot or humid with the most chance of relatively dry weather. I realize nothing is guaranteed.

Originally I thought of mid-April (ending 5-6 days prior to Easter). Would mid-October be similar or is spring more preferable?

Thanks.

Fall is better simply because the water temps are better & the weather is at its absolute best - IMHO. We always go to the Carolina Beaches in October.

Thanks.

Ok. Let's eliminate beaches since we live near Ft Lauderdale and can go here if we want to.

Either month would be a good time in terms of weather, I think, but I'd pick April for the flowers. Nothing like the Charleston gardens.
I suggest you get the book "Mrs Whaley's Charleston Gardens" it is an entertaining look at the gardens and their importance in Charleston life. You might also enjoy the video suewoo posted in the forum, Darius Rucker's tribute to that beautiful city.

If you plan to visit any of the plantations I recommend spring. Like cmfong said, the flowers are amazing. Tell your wife not to miss Bob Ellis on King Street.

Weather wise you have chosen the two best of the year.

Both are good but I vote for spring.
IMO the folks that run the Savannah home and garden tour pick the best week of the year

http://www.savannahtourofhomes.org/tourinfo.html

http://www.savannahtourofhomes.org/2...esBrochure.pdf

I agree that the flowers are a big plus in April, but I'd guess that you'd have better luck weather wise in October (ignoring the hurricane threat). And personally, I'd choose fall over spring to avoid the crowds and higher hotel rates.

Not that you can avoid crowds, but my sense is that spring flowers draw a lot of folks.

If you like a variety of music, the Savannah Music Festival runs from March 24-April 9. Venues are in the historic district. It is a highly acclaimed event. Azaleas will be in bloom. Weather is typically beautiful this time of the year.

I've been looking at Apr 10-16 for a trip to Charleston & Savannah.

Should I be looking at late March instead and is a week too long?

Those dates should still be lovely.
The good thing about both cities is that they are beautifully green almost all of the year. Peak springtime with azaleas = especially beautiful.

Myer,

My first trip to Charleston was 7 days and we spent 3 nights in Savannah. We felt that we could spend even more time in Charleston! The danger is the food! So many good restaurants, and different ways of preparing that one can gain weight easily. But what to do? Oh, so very much! The historical sites, the antique shops, general shopping, walking tours, especially home tours. The markets...oh Charleston can be dangerous...you will want to go back again and again. I cannot get enough of it! Next trip I want to do Charleston and spend beach time on one of the nearby islands! And if you golf, well, you may not have time for anything else. You will love it!

I lived in Carolina for nine years. Weather is fine both times, but IMHO, Spring! Dogwoods lace the sky. Purple Whisteria drips from the trees. Shrubs are wild with color. The ground is covered with bulb type flowers. Their perfume swirls through the air. Brook Green Sculpture Gardens a few miles North of Charleston is wonderful.

Which Carolina? There are two.

Brookgreen is beautiful but it's @ 90 miles north of Charleston. The azaleas bloom mid-March, then the confederate jasmine, then the gardenias. Not many bulbs in the lowcountry-too warm. A week is not too long.

Suewoo,

Columbia, SC. Our flowers there were a tad behind Charleston and we had lots of bulbs though some had to be planted every year. I was always surprised that so many people bothered with them.
You are absolutely right. Brookgreen is much further from Charleston than I remembered; I usually visited when I was already in Myrtle Beach. It is still worth the trip, I think.

April weather is lovely, though early April may still be a bit cool. During an April 10 - 16 visit, you can visit private homes and gardens - rarely open to the public - on a tour from the Historic Charleston Foundation's "Festival of Houses and Gardens". http://www.historiccharleston.org/ne.../festival.html

My favorite month in Charleston is October, when the sun is strong and the air is dry. In October, you can visit historic homes rarely on view in the Preservations Society's evening "candlelight" tours of homes and gardens. http://www.preservationsociety.org/tour_dates.asp

We were in Charleston last year in July. Yes it was hot but I still enjoyed the city. It is great anytime.

Early April is almost unbelievable with the profusion of flowers. Every square in Savannah has masses of azaleas and it is just so pretty. We lived there for 4 years, and the azaleas made that The Best Time of year, IMHO. It was also the most expensive time for lodging for that reason, and ressies need to be made early. My recollection is around the 3rd week in March for peak (barring unusual weather) in Savannah, very slightly later for Charleston, so the earlier in April you go, the better.

Oh yes...one thing you do NOT want, is to be in Savannah during St Patricks Day!