Mary_Fran

I am trying to think up a way to get my sister/travel partner to agree to a trip to Charlotte in October, to see the Bobcats NBA team in their season-opening game with Orlando. We are Gonzaga U. basketball fanatics, and our star player, Adam Morrison, was drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats in the recent NBA draft. I'd like to see his first NBA game in Charlotte on October 10, when the team plays Orlando, and at the same time take in the sights in a part of the country we haven't visited before.

I did visit the Charleston, S.C. area a few years ago and was just knocked out by it, unprepared for how beautiful, interesting, and amazingly historic it would be. We live in Spokane, in northeastern Washington State, where nonnative history here is so new, compared to what I found in South Carolina. It was a terrific experience. We actually stayed in Myrtle Beach that trip, where my son's wife had family at the time. I thought Myrtle Beach was pretty much a train wreck, except for that fabulous beach where my year-old grandbaby splashed along the shore.

Anyway, I'm thinking it would be neat to spend two or three days in the Charleston area and then rent a car and drive to Charlotte to spend a couple more days and go to the basketball game before flying home the next day. Looks like a drive to Charlotte through Columbus would be about three hours. Would you recommend a different route, even if longer?

We love interesting residential areas, history, museums, beautiful and/or interesting scenery, etc. We are in our 60's and are most decidedly not shoppers or hikers.

I'd surely appreciate your suggestions for making my sister an offer of a trip she can't refuse.

I'm most interested in selling her on the Charlotte area, with Charleston a bonus.

beach_dweller

Mary_Fran,

sounds like a great trip. I think you'll find the drive between Charleston and Charlotte very easy (all interstate), although I think it will take you closer to 4 hours than 3.

You could stop in Columbia on the way and visit the zoo. Columbia is a nice little city, very livable, but I'm not sure there would be a whole lot to stop for. Columbians out there, I am ready to be corrected on that.

Once in Charlotte, you have quite a few options, besides watching Adam play hoops of course.

Charlotteans should see this and chime in about specific museums, etc., such as the Mint Museum, or Discovery Place. If you stay in the Myers Park area (perhaps the Moorehead House), you'll be in the heart of a beautiful residential neighborhood close to downtown.

I had to chuckle at your comment about Myrtle Beach, where I live--a train wreck except for the wonderful beach. I could quibble, but there's a grain of truth there

starrsville

I honestly would just do the drive from C to C and not stop in Columbia. I'd have a great lunch in Charleston and head on to Charlotte.

GoTravel

Train wreck?

Yes, I'm sure you saw all of Myrtle Beach.

starrsville

If I were going to "wander" in the area, I would spend a few hours driving around to the Jugtown area potteries. You said a different route, even if longer, would be okay.

Here's a link and an excerpt of an article. I did this a few years ago and really enjoyed it. Hmmm...time to do it again!

http://destinations.usatoday.com/charlotte/day_trips/

Seagrove: A tradition of pottery
For 300 years, artisans have shaped North Carolina's native red clay into ceramic vessels of breathtaking beauty, and the area around the tiny burg of Seagrove has been the center of the state's pottery industry. This rural area two hours northeast of Charlotte boasts more than 100 potters who create pieces using different techniques — some traditional, some modern — and different styles and glazes that yield a wide variety of shapes, colors and textures.

Make the North Carolina Pottery Center (250 East Ave.; 336-873-8430) your first stop. You'll find exhibits that present the state's ceramic history, maps to local potters' studios, a gift shop and more. The Center is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.; admission is $2 for adults, $1 for high school students, and free for kits in 8th grade or younger.

Then hit the road and take it slow, or you'll miss your turns on the winding country lanes. Search out a few studios; you may meet some of the potters along the way, and you're guaranteed to take home one-of-a-kind pieces you can't get anywhere else. Some of the most famous Seagrove studios are Ben Owen Pottery (2199 S. Highway 705; 910-464-2261); Jugtown Pottery (330 Jugtown Rd.; 910-464-3266); King's Pottery (2475 S. Highway 705; 336-381-3090); and Westmoore Pottery (4622 Busbee Rd.; 910-464-3700).

starrsville

Here's a map of the area -
http://www.seagrovepotteries.com/Map_Details.htm

ncgrrl

Seagrove pottery is wonderful, but it is out of the way if you wanted to do it on the way from Charleston to Charlotte. I would put it as a daytrip from Charlotte.

You could also stop in the national forest/state park in the area (sorry, name is blanking) and wander around, esp. if the leaves have started to turn. The time might be a little early for leaves in mid-state, but maybe also a day trip up into the mountains to see the leaves.

starrsville

>>>Would you recommend a different route, even if longer? <<<

If I read the OP correctly, they are going to spend two days in Charlotte with only a ballgame planned. That's why I said "If I were going to "wander" in the area, I would spend a few hours driving around to the Jugtown area potteries. You said a different route, even if longer, would be okay." Heck, maybe Albemarle would even have a Kelly Pickler sign up by now

ncgrrl

I'm trying to think of a way from Charleston to Charlotte via Seagrove and I'm not coming up with too much. Maybe Charleston to I-95 to highway 74 in NC. 74 west to 220 north to Seagrove (a/k/a Jugtown)?

Too bad the Star Trek teleporter hasn't been developed yet.

starrsville

My earlier recommendations -

"I honestly would just do the drive from C to C and not stop in Columbia. I'd have a great lunch in Charleston and head on to Charlotte.

If I were going to "wander" in the area, I would spend a few hours driving around to the Jugtown area potteries. You said a different route, even if longer, would be okay."

Since the OP said "at the same time take in the sights in a part of the country we haven't visited before." I thought the potteries (and countryside)around Seagrove may be interesting to them.

Maybe. Maybe not.

Mary_Fran

Thank you for your thoughtful and helpful responses. I think I'll have to pick up a travel book about North Carolina as well, or at least go to the library and see what they have available.

I'm especially interested in "old south" type of stuff. Our visit to Fort Sumter, for example, was just marvelous - with a wonderfully evocative and informative presentation by a national park service guide.

The Battery in Charleston was spectacular, too. Is Charleston just a gem, and I'm barking up the wrong tree if I hope to find anything approaching that level of beauty and mystique in or enroute to Charlotte? What about civil war interest?

I really appreciate your patience in helping educate this ignorant northerner.

SAnParis

Charleston IS a gem, you may also want to visit Beaufort & one of the Plantations, if that interests you.

Gretchen

Charlotte has become the "new South" unfortunately for its historic buildings. No one thought they were "old enough" to be valuable. So really enjoy Charleston for that part and then enjoy Charlotte for others. We have a very nice art museum--the Mint (which is actually a US Mint dating from 1848, I think, when Charlotte was the center of a gold rush!!). Anyway, there is a branch downtown called the Mint Musum of Craft+Design and then the historic building in Eastover, a beautiful residential section. Discovery Place is a science museum downtown with an IMAX theater. The Museum of the New South is also downtown. Good shopping at South Park and good restaurants in all parts of town, but near the arena.

Mary_Fran

Googling, I find a book that intrigues me. It's Touring North Carolina's Revolutionary War Sites, by Daniel W. Barefoot.
http://www.blairpub.com/travel%20tit...evwarsites.htm

"The fourteen tours in this book tell the story of Revolutionary War North Carolina at the places where events occurred--at the homes of participants, on the ground where battles were fought, at the graves of men and women who sacrificed for freedom."

Anyone have any experience with it? I'm thinking I might just go ahead and order it. Maybe we could cobble together a week-long tour and also see our favorite basketball player up close and personal.

Heck of a deal when a young guy like Adam has to deal with groupies on the north side of 60! Mick Jagger is closer to our age, but I don't look for back-stage passes from him any time soon either.

Gretchen

The Battle of Kings Mountain is not far from Charlotte. I think it is where Cornwalliss said the colonists were like a hornets' nest, from which Charlotte took its motto. and the name of our original BB team. Just south of here is Cowpens Battlefield, on the SC line--near the Gaffney peachoid water tower.
There is a battlefield near Greensboro I believe and just south of charlotte, near York is Brattonsville, a restored Revolutionary War plantation that is EXcellent in its exhibit.
Nearer Charlotte is Latta Place, a Revolutionary War plantation house on the Catawba River and in town, at the Charlotte Museum of HIstory is the Hezekiah Alexander home--also a Revolutionary War restored home.

Mary_Fran

Wow! Now we're cooking with gas! ...or maybe with ethanol. I feel a road trip coming on for big sister and me, as soon as I can round up some shekels.

Thanks for the excellent suggestions, Gretchen.

cchottel

I am planning a trip to Charlotte and Charleston for next month. Here is what I have on my Charlotte list so far:
the Fourth Ward; Latta Plantation and the Raptor Reserve; and Historic Brattonsville.

You might look into these on the internet. Take a look at www.visitcharlotte.org

Gretchen

We just took the grandchildren to the raptor center. It is very nice. And Latta Plantation is always nice. As is Brattonsville. Fourth Ward is an interesting part of town--Victorian residences, but that is all--just a drive by, I think.

xrae

Well Columbia is the state capital, so you could at least stop at the capitol building and say hi to the government types and have a look around. But the other posters are right, there just isn't much else in Columbia as far as sights.

aomphan

I personally haven't read Mr. Barefoot's book on the Revolutionary War sites, but I have read a couple of his others (he did a three book series on North Carolina ghost stories with one book from each area of the state, the mountains, piedmont, and coastal plains, and found one ghost story from each county) and they're wonderful. He's written a number of books dealing with North Carolina history, and they're highly regarded. He was also a representative in the state house for a number of years. I can't imagine that this book wouldn't be worth reading. Incidentally, his wife was also my high school French teacher.