We have five days to get a feel for this part of the world. We will fly into and out of Atlanta (staying with a relative there for a few days). We love to drive, walk, old buildings and food and wine. Not big on museums.

So far thought we'd drive from Atlanta to Charleston.. down to Savannah and back to Atlanta. Any ideas would be appreciated.

I highly recommend taking the Gullah Tour in Charleston. I just returned from Savannah and Charleston and you can find my trip report here:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...e=SandyP&fid=1

You'll have a great time.

Atlanta-Charleston-Savannah is a nice trip, better if you take US 17 from Charleston to Savannah and then drop down to Beaufort. This is Spanish Moss country and very picturesque off the interstate and main roads.

I am from Atlanta. Atlanta is an amazingly vibrant and growing city. Charleston is one of the most beautiful towns in this country.

As you may know, it takes five hours plus to drive from Atlanta to Charleston. I recommend you skip Savannah unless you feel compelled to go there. It's charming, but I would spend my time in Charleston if I had never been to either one.

If you don't mind my asking, where are you on the spectrum of "we find a way to travel on very little" to "who cares! we're on vacaaaation" spectrum for this trip? It would impact my suggestions. For example if you are very budget conscious this time, it might be a good idea to stay in Beaufort, as mentioned by another poster, absorb the low country small coastal town life and drive in to Charleston, about an hour and a half drive each way. That could really cut down on your costs. However, if possible, staying in downtown Charleston is wonderful. You can walk every where. The city is extremely safe. My favorite place is Governors House Inn and a room with a balcony. You can walk to dinner, but you are away from some of the nosier streets.

Does your five days include the time you will be spending with family?

I have spent a great deal of time in both cities. Feel free to give more specifics and ask questions!

There's a place close to Atlanta your relative may want to join you as a day trip. Drive out I20 east to the little town of Madison, GA. It's a gorgeous town full of antebellum homes that survived Sherman's March to the Sea. If you want southern cooking, stop at the Blue Willow in Social Circle.

You can't go wrong with any Savannah/ Charleston/ Beaufort combination. Enjoy!

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Sandy, your trip report was great and I just talked to Diana and have "your" room booked. After talking to my husband we've decided to drive from Atlanta to Charleston, stay one night then 3 nights in Savannah. (we'll go down to see my niece in a couple of years and concentrate on Charleston then) I think we'll have lunch in Madison GA per your suggestion.

As far as our style of travel.... not at all thrifty BUT we don't like to spend a ton on rooms. Just booked the Green Palm in Savannah for $150 a night which seems reasonable and we booked the Elliott House in Charleston. We DO usually spend quite a bit on wine and food. Love good restaurants with good wine lists... can be really fancy or basic.

With that in mind any ideas for lunch or dinner in either Atlanta, Charleston or Savannah (or enroute)

Poogan's Porch in Charleston!!!!

Hi,

For a true Atlanta dining experience I suggest Two Urban Licks. The food is fantastic and the atmosphere is fun. Another good choice for dinner is Restaurant Eugene (owned by the former chef at Bacchnalia.) Rathbun's is supposed to be very cool. Rathbun was the chef at Nava. I love to eat at Bone's, a steakhouse for the locals. My whole family just ate at No Mas and lurved it. No kidding. The location was very interesting, down south of the dome.

When choosing a restaurant in Atlanta it is frequently a good idea not to pick the very top priced restaurants unless you have a very sophisticated palate. The chefs tend to be very creative -- so creative I can't find anything on the menu I would actually eat. For example the Restaurant at the Ritz or the former Bacchanalia. However if you go one tier down you can have a great, creative meal with excellent service without paying the seriously major bucks.

Atlanta is very spread out with several in-town neighborhoods, each with their own character. In Atlanta, part of the dining experience is the location. Mid-town and downtown are very hot right now.

For Charleston, brunch at 82 Queen is very genteel and Southern. She Crab soup is a must.

For a true Southern down home lunch I recommend Justine's. There is usually a line. Who cares?

For dinner, I like Hanks for their Shrimp & Grits it is near the market. The only restaurant on the water is the Navy Pier. The food is good, but not fantastic. The view is nice. BTW, Shrimp and grits is probably the signature dish of the area. That or Frogmore Stew (low country boil.)

Ansons, Carolinas, Magnolias, McCradys are all good.

These are all just MHO, of course! Have fun and I hope you have great weather.

We are planning a very similar visit in June to what you are planning - so far we have decided on flying into Charleston, spending 3 days & 2 nights, then driving to Savannah for 1 night, then a night in Atlanta and then flying north...

Love the suggestions everyone has so I thought I would post here!

I was born in Atlanta so I am just showing my wife around a tiny bit.

jnifraz, just curious ... did you base your 3 nights/Savannah, 1 night/Charleston on the fact that SandyP expressed a preference for Savannah in her report, or is it simply a better plan (seeing family, etc.) to see Charleston later? I think many on this Board would do the reverse, when choosing how many nights at each city. Don't misunderstand ... I really like Savannah, but I would at least give each place equal time (lean slightly toward Charleston, myself.) Hope your trip is wonderful!