Just returned - Charleston SC & D.C.
Jul 8th, 2004, 01:36 PM
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Just returned - Charleston SC & D.C.
Well, the trip was TOO SHORT! Not sure what to say about this one. It was, well, shall we say a different experience... 
Two ladies out to see the world. Left 1:30 p.m. Ontario Canada, arriving at Charleston WV 1:30 a.m. Slept in car. No problems.
Drove to Charleston SC next day, arriving Visitor Center 3:45 p.m. Bought "Heritage Pass" - well worth it. Admission to 6 historic homes/plantations for $39.95.
(small aside - received an "invitation" to return to Virginia on Aug. 23rd from a kind gentleman waiting at the bottom of a hill in a car with a cherry on top! thanks, thanks a lot)
Arrived Magnolia Plantation by 4:30-5:00 p.m. (gardens & swamp tour ticket $17).
The garden tour is a 24-stage map. We were at about #13 when the heavens opened! Absolutely torrential downpour. One drop is large enough to soak your face - honestly! Of course, we were at the point of no return. So we just kept on going. Totally soaked. Clothes literally dripping. Passport & documents soaked. Camera soaked. Film ruined. Shoes ruined (inner "sole" came unglued from rubber outer bottom sole) But hey! It was a very WARM rain ;-) Very hot & humid.
Tried to dry ourselves & changed clothes in restroom before leaving the plantation - resulting in a "2nd set" of soaked clothing just getting back to the car.
Supper at Ruby Tuesdays.
9 p.m. ghost walk tour (reserved but not paid in advance) - drove around for 15-20 minutes trying to find parking. By the time we did and walked (ran) back a few blocks, the tour had left. Found another place taking bookings all evening. Reserved it for 10 p.m. The real Charleston - murders/bardellos/etc. - not a "ghost" walk. Was "okay". Guide was good and could talk a lot about the stories but I thought we would be actually "shown" more of Charleston.
Slept in car.
Next morning. Back to Magnolia to finish Audubon Swamp Garden. Very nice walk. My friend was terrified of the spiders (ha!).
Then to Middleton Place - totally different than Magnolia - formal gardens. House tour included. Interesting. Again very very hot & humid.
Drayton Hall next. This is kept "as is" - no furnishings, not restored - so you can see it as it was. Still very nice & good tour guide.
By the time we returned to town, just enough time before closing to park at Visitor Center & walk to Aiken-Rhett House. Interesting "walkman/headset" tour of unfurnished, "as it was" house.
Thought we would have time to walk "The Battery" that evening but, alas, another heavy heavy downpour.
Stayed at "Charleston NotSo Hostel" $19. Good beds. Clean. Only annoyance to all guests was a BMW parked on street completing blocking our hostel driveway. Nobody could get out that evening or next morning. We were delayed there a couple hours in the morning waiting for the police to tow it. They had ticketed it overnight but didn't tow! This ruined our time limit to see The Battery area.
Drove to Washington DC. Found parking (thanks to everyone's suggestions on this forum) at Dupont Circle area (couple blocks away from Metro) on residential street. Turns out we were surrounded mostly by Embassies so it was a good place to park. Left the car there. Used Metro to get around. $6.50 day pass well worth it. Had supper. Slept in car - windows down in the heat. No problems. Nobody approached our car. Lots of sirens screaming by in the night though.
July 4th. Went to Engleside Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA (found by internet & arranged a ride from them to be picked up at a Metro station - worked well). Arrived back at Federal Triangle Metro stop by 11:30 a.m. Parade not yet started - rain delay. Waited with others in good area to view parade and GREAT area to get totally SOAKED when the rains started shortly after the parade. Great timing! Totally soaked yet again.
Carried on anyhow - soaked to the bone. Smithsonian - American History museum, & Natural History museum. Walked through the mud & drizzle to find a spot to sit on a garbage bag on the wet grass & watch the fireworks. The rain actually held off for the rest of the evening.
Disappointed at the snowfence everywhere restricting our walking paths, & the large number of tents set up for some type of festival. Very tacky! Not the same beautiful D.C. as when I visited pre - 9/11.
Next morning, the National Zoo. Then Arlington Cemetery.
Most folks (on this forum, in D.C., & Smithsonian security guard) told us we do not need a "ticket" for the Holocaust Museum. I doubted that because the website says you do. Went to Holocaust Museum at about 4:00 p.m. Of course, tickets were gone for the day. You have to line up for them first thing to get a "timed ticket" of when to come back to enter the permanent exhibition. There are a few parts you can walk-in without a ticket. We started going through this but didn't have time before closing at 5:30 to finish.
Ran out of time to see the Air / Space Museum. Had hoped to, but went to Zoo instead. We arrived at Zoo by 8 a.m. but many animals were already in hiding from the heat. Would recommend spending more time seeing Smithsonian instead of Zoo (unless you can get there 6:00 a.m. when grounds open)
By now, of course, our feet are blistered and every step is painful from so much walking. However, we persevered and walked down to the war memorial area & over to the White House to take photos. Too "pooped" to walk over to Roosevelt Memorial. Saw it from distance. Then sev'l blocks to a Metro station back to the car.
Drove to Rockville MD to Shady Grove Sleep Inn. Very nice. $59 if you book on the internet. Supper at good food, higher end Italian restaurant 1 block from hotel.
To Ronks Pennsylvania area (just east of Lancaster) - Pennsylvania Dutch / Amish area. Very scenic. Met our good friend from New Jersey who joined us here for 2 shows at "Sight & Sound Theatre" www.bibleonstage.com Spectacular professional actors/singing voices/props/effects. Very well done. Saw "Abraham & Sarah - A Journey of Love" then moved down the road 1/2 mile to their larger Millenium Theatre to see "Noah & the Ark - the Musical". Supper at "Good & Plenty" family style restaurant. Well fed up
After supper, drove to Malvern PA to our sister church there. Slept on cushions on the floor inside the church (hey! One step up from the car, ain't it?!)
Then drove home next day. Oh & yes, of course, it rained!
Two ladies out to see the world. Left 1:30 p.m. Ontario Canada, arriving at Charleston WV 1:30 a.m. Slept in car. No problems.
Drove to Charleston SC next day, arriving Visitor Center 3:45 p.m. Bought "Heritage Pass" - well worth it. Admission to 6 historic homes/plantations for $39.95.
(small aside - received an "invitation" to return to Virginia on Aug. 23rd from a kind gentleman waiting at the bottom of a hill in a car with a cherry on top! thanks, thanks a lot)
Arrived Magnolia Plantation by 4:30-5:00 p.m. (gardens & swamp tour ticket $17).
The garden tour is a 24-stage map. We were at about #13 when the heavens opened! Absolutely torrential downpour. One drop is large enough to soak your face - honestly! Of course, we were at the point of no return. So we just kept on going. Totally soaked. Clothes literally dripping. Passport & documents soaked. Camera soaked. Film ruined. Shoes ruined (inner "sole" came unglued from rubber outer bottom sole) But hey! It was a very WARM rain ;-) Very hot & humid.
Tried to dry ourselves & changed clothes in restroom before leaving the plantation - resulting in a "2nd set" of soaked clothing just getting back to the car.
Supper at Ruby Tuesdays.
9 p.m. ghost walk tour (reserved but not paid in advance) - drove around for 15-20 minutes trying to find parking. By the time we did and walked (ran) back a few blocks, the tour had left. Found another place taking bookings all evening. Reserved it for 10 p.m. The real Charleston - murders/bardellos/etc. - not a "ghost" walk. Was "okay". Guide was good and could talk a lot about the stories but I thought we would be actually "shown" more of Charleston.
Slept in car.
Next morning. Back to Magnolia to finish Audubon Swamp Garden. Very nice walk. My friend was terrified of the spiders (ha!).
Then to Middleton Place - totally different than Magnolia - formal gardens. House tour included. Interesting. Again very very hot & humid.
Drayton Hall next. This is kept "as is" - no furnishings, not restored - so you can see it as it was. Still very nice & good tour guide.
By the time we returned to town, just enough time before closing to park at Visitor Center & walk to Aiken-Rhett House. Interesting "walkman/headset" tour of unfurnished, "as it was" house.
Thought we would have time to walk "The Battery" that evening but, alas, another heavy heavy downpour.
Stayed at "Charleston NotSo Hostel" $19. Good beds. Clean. Only annoyance to all guests was a BMW parked on street completing blocking our hostel driveway. Nobody could get out that evening or next morning. We were delayed there a couple hours in the morning waiting for the police to tow it. They had ticketed it overnight but didn't tow! This ruined our time limit to see The Battery area.
Drove to Washington DC. Found parking (thanks to everyone's suggestions on this forum) at Dupont Circle area (couple blocks away from Metro) on residential street. Turns out we were surrounded mostly by Embassies so it was a good place to park. Left the car there. Used Metro to get around. $6.50 day pass well worth it. Had supper. Slept in car - windows down in the heat. No problems. Nobody approached our car. Lots of sirens screaming by in the night though.
July 4th. Went to Engleside Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA (found by internet & arranged a ride from them to be picked up at a Metro station - worked well). Arrived back at Federal Triangle Metro stop by 11:30 a.m. Parade not yet started - rain delay. Waited with others in good area to view parade and GREAT area to get totally SOAKED when the rains started shortly after the parade. Great timing! Totally soaked yet again.
Carried on anyhow - soaked to the bone. Smithsonian - American History museum, & Natural History museum. Walked through the mud & drizzle to find a spot to sit on a garbage bag on the wet grass & watch the fireworks. The rain actually held off for the rest of the evening.
Disappointed at the snowfence everywhere restricting our walking paths, & the large number of tents set up for some type of festival. Very tacky! Not the same beautiful D.C. as when I visited pre - 9/11.
Next morning, the National Zoo. Then Arlington Cemetery.
Most folks (on this forum, in D.C., & Smithsonian security guard) told us we do not need a "ticket" for the Holocaust Museum. I doubted that because the website says you do. Went to Holocaust Museum at about 4:00 p.m. Of course, tickets were gone for the day. You have to line up for them first thing to get a "timed ticket" of when to come back to enter the permanent exhibition. There are a few parts you can walk-in without a ticket. We started going through this but didn't have time before closing at 5:30 to finish.
Ran out of time to see the Air / Space Museum. Had hoped to, but went to Zoo instead. We arrived at Zoo by 8 a.m. but many animals were already in hiding from the heat. Would recommend spending more time seeing Smithsonian instead of Zoo (unless you can get there 6:00 a.m. when grounds open)
By now, of course, our feet are blistered and every step is painful from so much walking. However, we persevered and walked down to the war memorial area & over to the White House to take photos. Too "pooped" to walk over to Roosevelt Memorial. Saw it from distance. Then sev'l blocks to a Metro station back to the car.
Drove to Rockville MD to Shady Grove Sleep Inn. Very nice. $59 if you book on the internet. Supper at good food, higher end Italian restaurant 1 block from hotel.
To Ronks Pennsylvania area (just east of Lancaster) - Pennsylvania Dutch / Amish area. Very scenic. Met our good friend from New Jersey who joined us here for 2 shows at "Sight & Sound Theatre" www.bibleonstage.com Spectacular professional actors/singing voices/props/effects. Very well done. Saw "Abraham & Sarah - A Journey of Love" then moved down the road 1/2 mile to their larger Millenium Theatre to see "Noah & the Ark - the Musical". Supper at "Good & Plenty" family style restaurant. Well fed up
After supper, drove to Malvern PA to our sister church there. Slept on cushions on the floor inside the church (hey! One step up from the car, ain't it?!)
Then drove home next day. Oh & yes, of course, it rained!
Jul 8th, 2004, 03:34 PM
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WOW....... you are adventurers, for sure. And much braver than me....... I would never have the nerve to sleep in the car with the windows open. Is that a common practice in Canada, when vacationing? If I were your mother, I'd say you shouldn't do that!
Sorry the weather was not better for you, and that you got rained on so much! Glad that you saw so much, and had a lot of fun! Come back soon...... and come to North Carolina next time!
Sorry the weather was not better for you, and that you got rained on so much! Glad that you saw so much, and had a lot of fun! Come back soon...... and come to North Carolina next time!
Jul 9th, 2004, 06:38 AM
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The HEAT was why we just HAD to keep the windows down & hope for the best. At least the daily soakings gave us "free showers" (ha!)
No - it's not common practice to sleep in the car. We get the lectures from concerned family & friends every trip
No - it's not common practice to sleep in the car. We get the lectures from concerned family & friends every trip
Jul 9th, 2004, 11:20 AM
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The "tacky" festival you speak of is the Smithsonian's Festival of American Folk Life held each July 4th week on the Mall--it is a real shame you didn't go to it. It celebrates one Indian tribe and one state each year. It was begun about 1968. It is a wonderful extavaganza of crafts, music and culture.
Jul 9th, 2004, 11:25 AM
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Syv, I wonder if you meant that the plastic fencing was tacky--I'm with you there, but what's a city to do?--or the festival tents were tacky. Because I agree with Gretchen--the festival of American Folklife is awesome, a very entertaining and educational mainstay of the city's cultural life. Did you know that during WWII the Mall was lined with barracks and other temporary buildings put up by the US military? My point is that DC is lived in and used by its residents and visitors--it can't exist for pretty vistas alone.
