KayF

Hi, my husband and I are in the early planning stages of an (approx.) 2 week trip in March 2008, flying from the UK direct to Orlando, and driving to Savannah and Charleston.

We'd ideally like not to pre-book all our accommodation so we can stay longer in places we like and meander a little. Any comments on doing this? I have read that spring break is in March but not sure how much impact that will have on finding hotels etc.

Also, any other big events on in March? We were in Key West and the Miami area earlier this year and I thought I did my research but we found out while we were in Miami Beach that the Superbowl was on! We certainly wouldn't have chosen to be there then if we had known, it was wall to wall football fans.

Any help really appreciated. We have done a few road trips in the USA before and had some wonderful holidays.

Kay

Orlando_Vic

This sounds like a wonderful trip and you will enjoy all three places.

Yes, spring break in Florida will be in full swing. Because the various U.S & Canadian universities schedule their breaks at slightly different times, what is known as "spring break" actually lasts about six weeks, from late February to April. High schools (i.e. secondary schools) will probably schedule theirs during the week just before Easter.

Having said this, be aware that Orlando is a MAJOR tourist destination during this time. Ditto for the Florida beaches.

I would recommend that you pre-book your Orlando accommodation now. If your trip north (via I-4 & I-95) will take you to St. Augustine (which I highly recommend) you may wish to pre-book at least the first night there, possibly two. This is particularly wise because Bike Week <http://www.daytonachamber.com/bwhome.html>
in nearby Daytona Beach draws tens of thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts from all over the country. Those who do not find accommodation in Daytona Beach sometimes stay in St. Augustine.

Good luck and have a great trip. You have an excellent itinerary!

pal440fcv

HI, Folks. You were not specific about your March dates, but did you know that the Charleston Preservation Society sponsors a very popular homes and gardens tour every March, over the course of a week. I mention it to you for two reasons: (1) accommodations in Charleston can be difficult at that time if not reserved in advance, (2) the event is a wonderful opportunity to take walking tours into private homes and gardens - many of which are quite expensively restored and furnished antebellum homes (pre US Civil War, i.e., pre-1860) -- maybe not so old for you Brits, but historical over here. We live in the Northeast US, but have enjoyed two visits to Charleston, and the Spring home & Garden tour was the highlight. Do some internet searches and you will find some information. If this interests you, you may want to plan on a couple of days in Charleston that week. There is not one tour, but a number of tours, all on foot guided by a map, each one into a different quarter of the city -- usually there are several tours ongoing at the same time. Ticket purchases for the tours in advance is also recommended, as they do limit the number of tickets sold for each. Charleston Visitors Center handles the ticketing, or at least did several years ago.

We welcome you back to the US and hope you have a great trip.

gail

Unless you are a rowdy, 20-something year old male, you do not want to be in Savannah around 3/17. It has one of the largest St. Patrick's Day celebrations in the US and although there is a large parade, the rest of the days surrounding are concentrated in varying degrees of public drunkenness. (That is why my 21 year old son who is a student in Savannah thinks it is so great).

A related problem is that hotel rooms are often booked, River Street and surrounding streets are packed, and you would be unlikely to be able to do any real sight seeing in Savannah.

Spring break is at many different times in US. Some high schools and lower have a week in February and a week in April. Others have 1-2 weeks in March. Most colleges have aboutr a week sometime in March - but exact dates vary.

OO

Flowers, azaleas and dogwood, are at their peak the last week in March in Savannah. Azaleas, especially, are massed in the Savannah squares and are a sight to behold. Rooms are at a premium then and you must book in advance. Charleston peak follows by about a week. It is, without a doubt, the most beautiful time of year to see either city, but rooms will be scarce, and you certainly will need advance reservations.

OO

Forgot to mention, St Patrick's Day, March 17, was my least favored day in Savannah when we lived there. If you want to see the beautiful city, you don't do it then. It is akin to going to New Orleans during Mardi Gras...maybe something that is great fun at a certain age and/or perhaps to see once, but after that, no--let me outta there!

cmcfong

Kay, if you enjoy gardens, be sure to find a copy of "Mrs. Whaley's Charleston Gardens". It is a delightful account of life in Charleston and the famous Charleston gardens. Welcome back to the USA.

KayF

To everyone who has replied - thank you. This is very helpful information.

I've found the dates for Bike Week (29 Feb to 9 Mar 2008) so will try and avoid that. The date for the Charleston Spring Festival of Houses and Gardens is 13 March to 12 April 2008. We'd love to see some of the homes when we are there and as the festival is for a whole month, I'm sure we could find accommodation somewhere during that time. We'll definitely try and avoid Savannah on St Patrick's Day, it sounds awful.

We are not really planning on staying in Orlando, we're not into theme parks (been there, done that) but it's convenient as we can fly direct from the UK.

We don't have firm dates yet but will try and work around some of the dates for big events. We would love to see some of the big antebellum mansions, we actually stayed in a plantation home in Natchez a few years ago and it was a real highlight of our trip. So interesting, I could have stayed a week instead of 2 nights. We are Australians, though we live now in the UK, and we love history and grand old buildings.

Thanks again for all your help. Looking forward to lots more planning! Any other tips or ideas gratefully received.
Kay

starrsville

If you are flying into Orlando, stop at St. Augustine on the way up to Savannah/ Charleston.

Consider going out to Cumberland Island on the ferry for a day trip - or stay overnight at the Greyfield Inn if you can afford it. Amazing.