EK, how come no Charlotte visit? I third Beaufort!

ek...

I have 2 restaurant recommendations for you in Beaufort.

The first one is Wren ( http://wrenbistroandbar.com/). I have only been here for lunch, it was very enjoyable, good food, & nice atmosphere. I can't comment on dinner but from Trip Advisor reviews it seems to be just as good.

The second is Griffin Market at 403 Carteret Street. I have not been here myself, but very good friends have been here and loved it and they are big-time "into" food. However, it is an Italian place (owner is Piemontese) & that may not be what you are looking for in coastal SC. You know how much I love Italian food and this is on my list of places to try if I ever get over to Beaufort! :-)

ekschrunchy, are you planning on traveling down through Jersey and taking the ferry or going across the Del Mem bridge? If I'm doing the ferry I go Rt 1 to 24 to 113 to 13. If I'm going to the bridge I go up 13. 113 will take you by Berlin, MD where Runaway Bride was filmed.

Our must-do stop on the Eastern Shore is Stingrays, right before the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. It's in an Exxon and is a hole-in-the-wall but the broiled flounder and corn pudding is to die for.

Gosh. Now I need flounder and corn pudding for breakfast.

I can't believe I forgo to mention Old Sheldon Church Ruins near Beaufort. The light is beautiful any time of day.

http://www.sciway.net/sc-photos/beau...on-church.html

Time is drawing closer.....just adding this possible lunch stop, as gets good recommendations on Chowhound and seems to be open daily:

http://www.thegreatmachipongoclamshack.com

No idea but it looks wonderful.

When are you leaving?

I've driven past it a hundred times but never stopped to eat there. Please let me know how it is if you go.

Sue: Plan to leave in mid-December, but am planning details now because I want to book the hotels along the route. Hoping to make it from NYC to Elizabeth City, NC in one day. (I know most people could do this but I am anxious in the car and do not want to push.

In the "old days" when I drove to Florida (well, only three or four times) we would make it in one overnight, and we never booked motels (as they were then called) ahead of time; we would just pull off the road when we got somewhere into NC ( I remember Rocky Mount and Dunn as two of the stops) and find the nearest motel.

Birdie: Will surely post short report here!

I recommend to everybody I know who's heading south that they go by Edenton NC. It calls itself the prettiest town in the south, but I'd say it's one of the prettiest towns in the east. It's set on the Albemarle Sound. There are beautiful houses and gardens, churches, the old courthouse, a Jacobean-style house built 1758, and the village green. Some private homes are open for a Christmas candlelight tour and some open for the biennial pilgrimage (next one April 2015).

One of our perennial favorite restaurants in that area is a little north along Rte 17 in Hertford NC: Cap'n Bob's. Nothing fancy but always packed because the cooking is good. We always eat fish for the main course, and then for dessert I have a slice of one of their tall layer cakes and my husband has a BBQ sandwich.

We've tried Wilbur's and the Skylight Inn and can't remember which we preferred. Try both.

A word of warning--several times when we showed up at a BBQ place praised on the internet it was out of business. So I advise you to call first before driving too far out of your way.

Thanks very much. Excellent tip on phoning the BBQ places. I am not sure we will have time to visiti Edenton although it has been on my radar for a long time. But maybe on the way back, when we will be more in the mood for meandering!

It's always a good idea to call especially McCabe's. Sometimes they close when they run out of pig. The places recommended on here have been there for decades, so you're good.

Edenton is very nice. Hope you can stop on your way back.

Sue: Took your advice. The drive from NYC to Edenton was easy! It took us just over 7 hours, with a lunch stop. There was no traffic along the Delmarva route. We went from a near blizzard to almost balmy conditions with bright sun!


We stopped for lunch at Great Machipongo Clam Shack in Nassawadox on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Despite rather off-putting claim that they offer "seafood from around the world," we
thought it made a good stopover.

Eastern Shore (brothy) Clam Chowder (10 oz cup). Filled with large pieces of clams, along with potato chunks. $5

Fried Oyster Sandwich. Well fried. Good (potato?) roll. Excellent with malt vinegar. Served with hush puppies and cole slaw. $9 for about 6 oysters.

Fish and Chips. Did not taste but partner liked. Good crust; greasless.

Glass of ordinary white wine, $5; soda, $1.75.

Service was very friendly. Unlike other likely lunch spots, this is open on Sundays. Right on the highway.
http://www.thegreatmachipongoclamsha...e/default.aspx


Hampton Inn Edenton just north of Route 17 suits us just fine. Very accommodating service; refrigerator and microwave in room for extra $3 fee. Clean, with comfortable beds. Just a couple of minutes from Edenton's gorgeous historic district; houses now attired for the holidays.

What a lovely town! We plan to walk around in the morning, before heading to Ayden for a BBQ breakfast.

Thanks for the report, ekscrunchy. We have driven by the clam shack many times without stopping. We'll have to give it a try sometime. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

I'm so glad it's goung well. Edenton really is a treasure. Enjoy that Q and keep us posted! I'm waving from the west.

I forgot to tell you this:

http://www.scnow.com/observer/news/a...9bb30f31a.html

BOOOOOOOO.

Wow. what a shame.

I have seen the light! Or at least the light as far as BBq goes...

Arrived at 10am opening time for breakfast at The Skylight Inn (aka Pete Jones) in Ayden.
Without a doubt this makes my list of one of the best eating experiences in the country.

It is SO beautiful in the Low Country, where we are now based for two nights....dreamy!

Details soon...

Well halleluyer. So glad you picked it.

Are you in Beaufort? It is dreamy-good description. Go out to the beach for the moon rising. It stops my heart every time.

You might need to rethink Floriday!! It's purty nice along the SC coast!!
I know I know--not the same.
Last time I was in Florida I had forgotten about the breeze that is always there. Great feeling.

I may be en route to Florida, but without a doubt, the Low Country will always have a piece of my heart! I am sad today because we are packing up for the last push on to South Florida. There was a full, or almost full, moon the last two nights and to see it hanging over the moss-draped trees, with the May River glittering in the distance.....those of you who know this area can picture this..

We stayed in Bluffton, but are already planning to return here on the way back in the spring, and to stay longer. More details soon...hard to concentrate on the computer when there is so much beauty all around..