Help plan FL, NC ,SC ,TN trip
 

My husband and I are planning a driving trip from Ft. Lauderdale to Charleston and up to the Smoky Mountain National Park. We'll be probably leaving Fri. Aug. 6th, and returning on Sun. the 15th. We're planning to drive from Ft. Lauderdale to St. Augustine (neither of us have been there before) stay in St. Augustine for the night, and visit some of the town the next morning before heading out to Charleston. Stay in Charleston for a few days (not sure how long here) and then on up to Asheville, and perhaps staying a few days near the Smoky Mountain National Park and just enjoying the change of scenery. We're interested in any suggestions for where to stay, things to see, etc. I'm 25, and he is 40, both deeply enjoy historic sites, and natural vistas (photography, etc.).... We obviously don't mind driving long distances, and love finding "off the beaten path" type areas to explore. It will be our 2nd anniversary as well, so I would like to find a few romantic places. We would prefer to stay in Bed & Breakfasts or Country Inns, but are not completely opposed to chains.

Any food, lodging, itinerary, etc. recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

If you want to be a lil romantic on your first night away, try staying at the Casa Monica hotel in St. Aug. check out their site.

www.casamonica.com

Something not so extravagante or pricey, I always recommend Anastasia Inn.

www.anastasiainn.com

For dining in the warm, intimate atmosphere of an 1879 Victorian Home, check out Raintree at 102 San Marco.

http://www.raintreerestaurant.com/

or go to Gipsy Cab Co., a more urban cusine type on Anatasia island, about a mile from bridge of lions.

http://www.gypsycab.com/restaurant/rest.html

Dont forget to check out the St Aug lighthouse, nice views and sunsets from up there.

best website for st. aug is

http://www.visitoldcity.com/

I can only recommend places Ive been to already, hope you start off your trip having a good time. Happy 2nd!

Any one else have any suggestions?

I agree with the suggestions for St. Augustine. Fernandina is about 1.5 hours north of there, you may consider stopping for lunch on the intracoastal and shopping. The downtown is on the National Register of Historic places. Charleston will be about 4 hours from Fernandina.
For a really nice place to stay or dine, try Charleston Place. It is a larger hotel. We usually stay at the Mills House inn. It's fine for us, but not really an anniversary place. For dinner try Hank's, High Cotton, Magnolias, SNOB, and for lunch try 82 Queen or Poogans Porch. I would stay at least two nights (if for nothing but the food alone).
Sorry I'm not familiar with your other desinations.

You may want to check out The Grove Park Inn in Ashville. Good luck.

In Charleston, this place:

http://2meetingstreetinn.com/

Charleston Place is indeed a wonderful hotel - have stayed there, but you probably can't beat the above inn for romance and location! Our favorite restaurant in Charleston is Magnolia's........., and family there highly recommend the Boathouse.

In Asheville, we love Richmond Hill Inn with the terrific Gabrielle's Restaurant.

Have a great trip.

Just outside Asheville on the Blue Ridge Parkway (heading towards Boone) is a fantastic Folk Art museum. The exhibits change all the time and I always make a point of stopping in whenever I'm in the area.

Also on the BRP are some fantastic vistas you can walk to. There are short walks and longer more strenuous walks. Visit the Blue Ridge Parkway website and you might be able to print the maps and information.

I just made a drive from FLL to Memphis, then to Raleigh. Returned a week later via Savannah. That's another great city to check out. I like both Charleston and Savannah. Take a tour in either City (or both) and you won't be disappointed.

Enjoy your trip!

If you drive to Boone and want to spend the night, I would recommend Big Sky Lodge. It is perched on top of a hillock,surrounded by mountains. The rooms have absolutely gorgeous views of the mountains, the host is warm and friendly. We drive through the Blue Ridge Parkway to Boone and stay over the night. Blue Ridge Parkway is awesome. Best of luck!

There are two tours I would highly recommend. Both can be obtained at the visitors centers. In St. Augustine, go on the trolley tour. I'd recommend the tour that has the waiting bench right outside of the visitor center. I've been on the other one and by far this was the best tour. It has on/off privilages, so if you see something you'd like to visit, you can get off and board another trolley later.
The other tour I would definatly not miss is the mini-bus tours of Charleston. These are great and give a fantastic overview of the city.
I know you'll have a great time in St. Augustine, Charleston, and Asheville.

I am assuming that you have picked a place to stay in Charleston but there is still time to think about restuarants. this will turn out to be very long, but hopefully helpful. I am copying the local paper's list of 20 top resturants in Charleston. I have cut a few since they are way out of town. for romantic locations, look at Mcrady's, Fulton Five, SNOB, Pennisula Grill, Robert's(the most unsuual experience!)--but not Magnolias or Boathouse. The latter is a great seafood resturant, but not so romantic! I'd skip Mag's--see some other post here. None on this list are cheapos, so check before you reserve if a budget is an issue, and do reserve.

Here goes:

Charleston heritage thrives at Anson
Anson takes Charleston culinary tradition, adds a bit of the French and American, with a dash of whimsy, and soars to the heavens with elegant food that's seriously good. Located near restaurant-clustered Market Street, it remains at the top of its game after competing for more than 10 years.

Basil is a gem of a Thai place on upper King Street
When Basil dropped on the restaurant scene a year and a half ago, it almost felt like pennies from heaven. Long-starved for Thai food on peninsular Charleston, the masses descended upon the place like there was no tomorrow, and they still do.

Carolina's is Charleston gold
Another relative grandmama in our midst, Carolina's has been around the brutally competitive downtown dining scene for more than a decade. Ironically enough, executive chef Rose Durden refers to herself as "Mama Rose" because she likes to think of the restaurant as "a bustling household where the staff and guests interact as a family and where each meal is prepared with love."

Circa 1886 combines the old with the new
In 1886, the awe-inspiring Wentworth Mansion was built. So, too, was the adorable carriage house that is now home to Circa 1886. The restaurant has achieved its full stride under the guidance of executive chef Marc Collins, who has been at the helm for about two years.

Cypress whimsically sophisticated
This baby of the Hospitality Management Group, Inc. restaurant family that includes older sisters Magnolias and Blossom Cafe has matured into a restaurant worth its very pricey salt.

Ten years into the restaurant game, Fulton Five reigns
Widely considered to be Charleston's most romantic restaurant, Fulton Five is also one of her best. In business more than 10 years, a period of time in which the number of downtown dining establishments has exploded, Fulton Five retains a kind of well-aged decorum and still serves stellar Italian food.

It doesn't get any meatier than at Grill 225
Just thinking about Grill 225, I develop an intense craving for lamb chops. But not just garden variety lamb chops -- Grill 225's lamb chops. The chops here are hothouse grade, which means they are the best you can buy in the world.

High Cotton struts its stuff
A member of the same restaurant group as its cousin SNOB across the street, High Cotton asserts its individuality with admirable elan. Traditional and to the point, steak, seafood and game dishes are simultaneously old-boy country and citified Southern gent in style.


Detail is McCrady's middle name
In operation for close to four years with an impeccable track record that includes prestigious awards from the highest caliber leagues, McCrady's just keeps getting better. Executive chef Michael Kramer employs ever more precision, clarity and creativity in what he calls his "progressive American" cuisine.

Peninsula Grill a leader in culinary innovation
Yet another restaurant with a series of major culinary kudos and distinguished awards to its name, the Peninsula Grill is widely recognized as one of Charleston's best restaurants.

Robert's delivers food and song with bravado
Robert's gives you three experiences in one. Much more than dinner out, dining here is a hair-raising good time led by chef/owner Robert Dickson.

39 Rue de Jean a direct link to the City of Light
39 Rue de Jean gets straight to the business of "real" French food, the kind Parisians linger over on countless street corners in that magnificent city. Mousses, souffles, sauces and other regulars on the fussy, classical French, upscale dining bandwagon are completely abandoned here.

Slightly North of Broad is simply Southern, simply fresh and simply delicious
Commonly known as SNOB, this restaurant doesn't just call its food Southern, it delivers it in every comely bite. South Carolina native and executive chef Frank Lee stands staunchly behind the use of fresh, regional produce raised by local farmers.

They are not on this list, but two restuarants in Mt Pleasant--about 10 min from downtown are worth visiting--The old Village Post House, and Langdon's. These are more moderately priced, but absolutely excellent. consider these especially if you should stay on Isle of Palms or Sullivans.

If you want to see these on the web, go to www.charleston.net and go to dining. there you will find hundreds more very good restuarants.

For the mountains portion of your trip, if your budget allows, check out blackberryfarm.com. It's supposed to be one of the best B&Bs in the country. It's on the TN side

I would bypass St. Augustine and head directly to Charleston. You can do St. Augustine for a week-end another time from Ft. Lauderdale. A waste of a chunk of time for this trip.

Thanks for all the help. It looks like we'll be delaying our trip by a few weeks, but we appreciate the tips!

I recommend four days for a first trip to Charleston. I am a serious photographer and have a Charleston section to my Web site at www.oneeyed.homestead.com. You may find a few tips about what to see and photograph. As for the mountains, the Brevard area south of Asheville has lots of waterfalls, which are very photogenic. Good trails for hiking too. If you decide to pursue waterfalls, take a look at Craig Adams's book on photographing NC waterfalls (get a tripod if you don't have one).