TRIP "to Fripp" REPORT, Savannah and Charleston, too!
Jun 25th, 2007, 07:15 PM
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TRIP "to Fripp" REPORT, Savannah and Charleston, too!
What/where: Trip Report for Fripp Island, SC with side trips to Beaufort, SC; Savannah, GA; and Charleston, SC
When: June 15-24, 2007
Who: husband and wife (40's)
Why: preservation of sanity
The "little" darlings were away at church work camp, so we decided to hightail it out of town. Drove from IL to SC, with an overnight stay in TN. Arrived at Fripp Island around 6:00 p.m. Our Sun Suite efficiency was reserved through VRBO. Nice, very clean accommodations right on the ocean. Had a quick dinner at Bonito Boathouse and went to sleep dreaming of peace and quiet for the next week.
SUNDAY: rented a golf cart from Island Excursions at a rate of $215 for 5 days. This is a great way to see the island--highly recommend the rentals. We bought some supplies at the grocery store on the island and hit the beach. Fripp Island, for those who aren't familiar, is a barrier island on the southern coast of SC. FI is in Beaufort county and is about 90 minutes from Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC. The beach is very natural and unspoiled. The water had nice waves and water temps were warm.
We drove to Beaufort in late afternoon. What a quaint town with some beautiful homes and buildings. Note to cmcfong--I loved the mermaids throughout town! Unfortunately, the shops were closed so we walked down to the river front. Wow, is that nice! There are swings along the sidewalk so you can sit and watch the boats. We bought some coffee beans at Common Ground and stopped to have drinks at Katherine's (? I think). There was a southern rock band of older gentlemen and we enjoyed them. I wanted to eat at the Shrimp Shack, so we drove back east on Route 21. My husband saw it was counter service and picnic tables w/out AC and snarled, so we drove on down the road to Boondocks. Had a nice meal of crawfish soup, mussels, and shrimp. Stopped at Hunting Island on the way back to Fripp. Wonderful state park with a nice beach area and lighthouse.
MONDAY: spent the day swimming, collecting shells, and exploring the island on our golf cart. I also got a look at my first shark. Saw a commotion on down the beach several yards and a fisherman was bringing one in. Everyone took pictures and the man set the shark free.
Had dinner that evening at Saltus River Grill in Beaufort. A gentleman at the bar heard us say we live in Illinois and immediately struck up a conversation--says midwesterners are always so friendly. He lives in Atlanta, but had spent many years in Chicago. We shared stories and bought him a glass of wine. Saltus and Plum's are owned by the same person. Never did see Plum's, but Saltus is very nice inside. We had dinner outdoors on the patio because it was a beautiful evening. The food was delicious, but the service was slow. My scallops were out of this world, but husband ordered mussels and they brought him a clam appetizer. When we questioned the waiter he couldn't really give us a definite answer as to the mix up, but he did adjust the bill. We both had chocolate desserts that were heavenly.
TUESDAY: more beach and lounging around reading. Had dinner at Johnson Creek Tavern--just east of Hunting Island. Good food--crab cakes, stuffed flounder with lobster sauce, cornbread, and gumbo. Yum. Picked up some T-shirts and such at Bubbas by the Bay on Route 21.
WEDNESDAY: drove to Savannah in the morning. Parked in a lot on River Street and started walking. We were in awe of the old buildings and cobblestone/brick streets. There is so much history here that it's easy to get "lost" in time. Had to sample the pralines--oh yea, what a sugar rush! Had a drink and appetizer (blackened tuna) at One Eyed Lizzys, which is a really neat place. Decided to take a trolley tour so that we could see the historic sites ($46 for two). Our first stop was the market and we ducked in and out of a few shops. Walked to Ladys and Sons to get pictures for our 15 yr. old who likes Paula Deen. The line was a block long, of course. I was in a little shop purchasing some lotions and it started pouring rain! We waited several minutes for a break in the weather and walked back to the market area. Downpoured again, so we hurried in a restaurant and had a drink and piece of cheesecake waiting for the rain to subside. Well, needless to say, the rain was here to stay for several hours. We boarded the trolley and continued to ride the entire tour. The streets were flooded and cars were stalled. We couldn't get any pictures and it was difficult to see the historic buildings and squares because of the rain, but our tour guide was very knowledgable and tried to keep everyone entertained in spite of the rain. What a lovely city--we definitely want to return and spend several days. Oh yes, we had dinner at the Pink House. I had called that morning and decided to take our chances in the tavern/basement seating. Thank goodness we did because we looked like a couple of drowned rats! The food was excellent--shrimp and grits, salmon, New York strip.
THURSDAY: stayed on Fripp Island all day and evening. We were tired and our stomachs were blown out from all the great food thus far. Had a light supper at Bonito Boathouse.
FRIDAY: this was our last day at the beach, so we took advantage. I should mention that there are chaise lounges and umbrellas to rent for $5 each. We drove to Beaufort for dinner at Steamers Oyster and Steakhouse. This is definitely a local hangout, nothing fancy, but food was good. Husband ordered Frogemore stew, which is nothing like he expected (it's just potatoes, sausage, and shrimp).
We drove down several country roads exploring the area. We were amazed at little "communities" out in the middle of marshland. We found Distant Island--very nice homes. Drove down a road marked "Land's End". There was a church about every 50 feet for two miles! We drove by acres and acres of tomato farms--beautifully planted. At the end of that road was a residential area--very quiet, lots of boats, and beach area. Another road took us to Dataw Island and another gated community, of which the name escapes me. Wish we could have seen those areas--they looked very nice.
There are many roadside stands selling shrimp, fish, and vegetables. We were truly fascinated by it all. I remember the first night we drove out to Fripp on Route 21 we had the windows down and could smell the "muddiness" of the marsh. By the end of the week we didn't even notice it.
SATURDAY: stopped at Firehouse Books & Espresso Bar (706 Craven St) in Beaufort. This was a recommendation from the woman renting us the efficiency. What a lovely cafe and bookstore. I could spend hours in that place!
We drove to Charleston and found ourselves in some slow moving traffic on Savannah Hwy. Come to find out we drove right by the site of the horrific fire that cost 9 firefighters their lives. There were memorials all along the sidewalk and it very emotional seeing the shell of that building. We drove to the visitors center and parked. Bought a day pass for the trolley ($4 each) and toured the city market area. We walked down Bay Street and grabbed an appetizer at Crab Shack--I had fried green tomatoes for the first time and loved them. Walked to the Waterfront and took pictures. Admired some galleries and bought a piece of slate with a painting of Rainbow Row. Walked down to the Battery. Loved all the gorgeous homes! We were desperately wanting a drink of water and ended up purchasing bottles at a liquor store. The lady said they have talked to the mayor about having vendors with water down near the Battery. We caught the trolley back to the visitors center to rest a bit. Shopped on King Street before having dinner at SNOB. Beautiful restaurant with great atmosphere and food. I had BBQ tuna and husband had swordfish. Topped it off with excellent peach cobbler.
And so our SC excursion came to an end. Our kids really enjoyed their mission trip and we thoroughly enjoyed our adults only adventure (first big trip w/out kids in 17 years). Thanks to everyone who offered information! I'd be happy to answer any questions. ~ sunbabe
When: June 15-24, 2007
Who: husband and wife (40's)
Why: preservation of sanity
The "little" darlings were away at church work camp, so we decided to hightail it out of town. Drove from IL to SC, with an overnight stay in TN. Arrived at Fripp Island around 6:00 p.m. Our Sun Suite efficiency was reserved through VRBO. Nice, very clean accommodations right on the ocean. Had a quick dinner at Bonito Boathouse and went to sleep dreaming of peace and quiet for the next week.
SUNDAY: rented a golf cart from Island Excursions at a rate of $215 for 5 days. This is a great way to see the island--highly recommend the rentals. We bought some supplies at the grocery store on the island and hit the beach. Fripp Island, for those who aren't familiar, is a barrier island on the southern coast of SC. FI is in Beaufort county and is about 90 minutes from Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC. The beach is very natural and unspoiled. The water had nice waves and water temps were warm.
We drove to Beaufort in late afternoon. What a quaint town with some beautiful homes and buildings. Note to cmcfong--I loved the mermaids throughout town! Unfortunately, the shops were closed so we walked down to the river front. Wow, is that nice! There are swings along the sidewalk so you can sit and watch the boats. We bought some coffee beans at Common Ground and stopped to have drinks at Katherine's (? I think). There was a southern rock band of older gentlemen and we enjoyed them. I wanted to eat at the Shrimp Shack, so we drove back east on Route 21. My husband saw it was counter service and picnic tables w/out AC and snarled, so we drove on down the road to Boondocks. Had a nice meal of crawfish soup, mussels, and shrimp. Stopped at Hunting Island on the way back to Fripp. Wonderful state park with a nice beach area and lighthouse.
MONDAY: spent the day swimming, collecting shells, and exploring the island on our golf cart. I also got a look at my first shark. Saw a commotion on down the beach several yards and a fisherman was bringing one in. Everyone took pictures and the man set the shark free.
Had dinner that evening at Saltus River Grill in Beaufort. A gentleman at the bar heard us say we live in Illinois and immediately struck up a conversation--says midwesterners are always so friendly. He lives in Atlanta, but had spent many years in Chicago. We shared stories and bought him a glass of wine. Saltus and Plum's are owned by the same person. Never did see Plum's, but Saltus is very nice inside. We had dinner outdoors on the patio because it was a beautiful evening. The food was delicious, but the service was slow. My scallops were out of this world, but husband ordered mussels and they brought him a clam appetizer. When we questioned the waiter he couldn't really give us a definite answer as to the mix up, but he did adjust the bill. We both had chocolate desserts that were heavenly.
TUESDAY: more beach and lounging around reading. Had dinner at Johnson Creek Tavern--just east of Hunting Island. Good food--crab cakes, stuffed flounder with lobster sauce, cornbread, and gumbo. Yum. Picked up some T-shirts and such at Bubbas by the Bay on Route 21.
WEDNESDAY: drove to Savannah in the morning. Parked in a lot on River Street and started walking. We were in awe of the old buildings and cobblestone/brick streets. There is so much history here that it's easy to get "lost" in time. Had to sample the pralines--oh yea, what a sugar rush! Had a drink and appetizer (blackened tuna) at One Eyed Lizzys, which is a really neat place. Decided to take a trolley tour so that we could see the historic sites ($46 for two). Our first stop was the market and we ducked in and out of a few shops. Walked to Ladys and Sons to get pictures for our 15 yr. old who likes Paula Deen. The line was a block long, of course. I was in a little shop purchasing some lotions and it started pouring rain! We waited several minutes for a break in the weather and walked back to the market area. Downpoured again, so we hurried in a restaurant and had a drink and piece of cheesecake waiting for the rain to subside. Well, needless to say, the rain was here to stay for several hours. We boarded the trolley and continued to ride the entire tour. The streets were flooded and cars were stalled. We couldn't get any pictures and it was difficult to see the historic buildings and squares because of the rain, but our tour guide was very knowledgable and tried to keep everyone entertained in spite of the rain. What a lovely city--we definitely want to return and spend several days. Oh yes, we had dinner at the Pink House. I had called that morning and decided to take our chances in the tavern/basement seating. Thank goodness we did because we looked like a couple of drowned rats! The food was excellent--shrimp and grits, salmon, New York strip.
THURSDAY: stayed on Fripp Island all day and evening. We were tired and our stomachs were blown out from all the great food thus far. Had a light supper at Bonito Boathouse.
FRIDAY: this was our last day at the beach, so we took advantage. I should mention that there are chaise lounges and umbrellas to rent for $5 each. We drove to Beaufort for dinner at Steamers Oyster and Steakhouse. This is definitely a local hangout, nothing fancy, but food was good. Husband ordered Frogemore stew, which is nothing like he expected (it's just potatoes, sausage, and shrimp).
We drove down several country roads exploring the area. We were amazed at little "communities" out in the middle of marshland. We found Distant Island--very nice homes. Drove down a road marked "Land's End". There was a church about every 50 feet for two miles! We drove by acres and acres of tomato farms--beautifully planted. At the end of that road was a residential area--very quiet, lots of boats, and beach area. Another road took us to Dataw Island and another gated community, of which the name escapes me. Wish we could have seen those areas--they looked very nice.
There are many roadside stands selling shrimp, fish, and vegetables. We were truly fascinated by it all. I remember the first night we drove out to Fripp on Route 21 we had the windows down and could smell the "muddiness" of the marsh. By the end of the week we didn't even notice it.
SATURDAY: stopped at Firehouse Books & Espresso Bar (706 Craven St) in Beaufort. This was a recommendation from the woman renting us the efficiency. What a lovely cafe and bookstore. I could spend hours in that place!
We drove to Charleston and found ourselves in some slow moving traffic on Savannah Hwy. Come to find out we drove right by the site of the horrific fire that cost 9 firefighters their lives. There were memorials all along the sidewalk and it very emotional seeing the shell of that building. We drove to the visitors center and parked. Bought a day pass for the trolley ($4 each) and toured the city market area. We walked down Bay Street and grabbed an appetizer at Crab Shack--I had fried green tomatoes for the first time and loved them. Walked to the Waterfront and took pictures. Admired some galleries and bought a piece of slate with a painting of Rainbow Row. Walked down to the Battery. Loved all the gorgeous homes! We were desperately wanting a drink of water and ended up purchasing bottles at a liquor store. The lady said they have talked to the mayor about having vendors with water down near the Battery. We caught the trolley back to the visitors center to rest a bit. Shopped on King Street before having dinner at SNOB. Beautiful restaurant with great atmosphere and food. I had BBQ tuna and husband had swordfish. Topped it off with excellent peach cobbler.
And so our SC excursion came to an end. Our kids really enjoyed their mission trip and we thoroughly enjoyed our adults only adventure (first big trip w/out kids in 17 years). Thanks to everyone who offered information! I'd be happy to answer any questions. ~ sunbabe
Jun 26th, 2007, 01:31 PM
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We used to spend 2 weeks each summer with the kids on Fripp when we lived on the East Coast (back in the 80's). Great fun! Your trip report brought back a lot of good memories. My kids loved eating at Shrimp Shack - too bad you missed it. We ate at many of the same restaurants you did. One year we rented in the beach house that was later featured in the movie The Prince of Tides with Barbara Striesand and Nick Nolte.
Thanks for a terrific trip report.
Thanks for a terrific trip report.
Jun 27th, 2007, 03:49 PM
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A_Traveller--I can see why Fripp is a great vacation spot for families. My husband and I couldn't help but watch the little kids playing in the ocean or digging in the sand.
Aileen--despite the rain, I am so glad we visited Savannah. We'll be back again, for sure!
Aileen--despite the rain, I am so glad we visited Savannah. We'll be back again, for sure!
Jun 27th, 2007, 04:35 PM
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Oh, I love Tucson, also. Are you there on business or pleasure? The Sonora Desert Museum is fantastic.
Hope you can enjoy yourself in Tucson. You'll be visiting Firehouse before you know it!
Hope you can enjoy yourself in Tucson. You'll be visiting Firehouse before you know it!
