VERY last minute trip to Savannah and Charleston
 

I need YOUR help, please! Yesterday, I had to cancel a much anticipated 17-day trip to Provence and the French Riviera. Unexpected "work issues" have recently developed which prohibit an extended absence from now until the end of June. If it were simply a personal vacation, I would just "suck it up" and look forward to my next travel opportunity. However, this trip was a graduation present for my 24-year-old daughter who completes her master's program on 3/30/07. We were scheduled to fly out the following morning.

In hopes of lessening her well hidden disappointment, I am frantically trying to arrange an alternate itinerary for 4/5/07 through 4/15/07. Incorporating my 2-day Easter holiday into our travel plans would give us 10 nights, but require only 5 days out of the office for me.

Based on probable weather conditions during our restricted time frame, San Francisco, Chicago, and Boston were eliminated. The 2 remaining cities on our "Top 5 USA Travel Wish List" are Savannah and Charleston.

Neither of us have visited Charleston and only I have been to Savannah for a conference which afforded minimal free time; a single trolley tour and a walk along the riverfront were the extent of my touring. A combined trip to these 2 destinations seems to be our best choice.

I have found flight availability(using frequent flyer miles, believe it or not!)and will start checking hotels tomorrow. I was originally thinking of 4 nights in Savannah followed by 6 nights in Charleston. But with a 2 or 3-day car rental, a "one-nighter" in Beaufort is an attractive possibility. A vehicle would also allow a day to visit the plantations before returning the car upon arrival in Charleston. Any thoughts on a preferred itinerary would be greatly appreciated. If staying in Beaufort, should we give up the one night in Charleston or Savannah?

Considering my severe distress last night, I am now extremely optimistic about salvaging a delightful vacation with my DD. My only remaining reservation relates to the floral blooming season. Several friends who have been on similar trips advised as to the difference a week to 10 days makes. As a native Lousianian, I am well aware of the brevity of the azalea season. Has the flowering begun in either city yet? It is just starting here in Baton Rouge. Hopefully the season is later in that region as our departure date is more than 3 weeks away. If we miss the azaleas, will the dogwoods and other local flora still be in bloom?

Thanks in advance for any advice "y'all" may share. I am anxiously awaiting word from the expert natives as well as any visitors' memorable experiences.

If you have not read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, you must do so before spending some time in historic Savannah. Second, check out some of the food sites for Savannah restaurants, a great food destination. If you are up to a beach visit. Hilton Head is between Savannah and Charleston. Can't propose a link to the best homes to visit in Charleston, but that's what ladies on vacation in Charleston do. Any of the reliable guides can provide better advice than I. Likewise, Charleston's restaurants are low country fine. Substituting low country for the French Riviera is quite a change. You should still have a good time.

It may not have been your first choice but it sounds like a great trip.

Why not just reduce your original trip from 17 days to 10?

Dogwoods have not really started here in Savannah. The early azaleas have already done, but the midseason ones are doing well and will be for a while longer. I don't think you will get here in time for most of them. We are expecting another little cold snap which may slow things down a bit. In three weeks, the trees will be budding out with new leaves. There will be at least 100 different shades of green! They may have already planted spring annuals in the parks. It's going to be lovely even if the azaleas are finished. Charleston bloom seems to be about a week behind Savannah, but we have had such crazy on/off weather, it's hard to say if it will be.


I really don't think that you need to spend a night in Beaufort, it is close to both Savannah and Charleston. Plan your trip to get there in the morning and by evening, I think you would be ready to move on. It's a lovely little town, but it's just not very large. If you can, take one of the horse drawn tour carriages from the riverfront plaza.

What the other guy said...why not reduce your original trip to the French Riviera to "only" 10 days?

I agree. I like Savannah and Charleston, but 10 days in Provence and the French Riviera would be paradise. Go to France. 10 days is plenty (although 100 days probably wouldn't be "enough").

I'd still go to France.

Our azaleas have bloomed but other stuff is always blooming.

I think you were a little hasty in cancelling the France trip. 10 days would have made a great trip. You could have spent 5 days in Paris and 5 days elsewhere.
Can you uncancel that trip?

If you have already cancelled your trip to France then don't worry about it. Start planning for the same trip this time next year if you can. Go on to Charleston and Savannah. You will enjoy your trip and not regret having pressure on you from work while in France. You can always fly home early if need be because of work problems if necessary from Charleston quicker than you could from France. Check out Charleston Place Hotel or Planters Inn, which is a member of Relais and Chateaux. I really like CP and I have been several times. PI is just across the street. You can take your own walking tour of Charleston out your hotel door down King St. and back up Meeting St. and around down E. Bay St. finding great shopping and restaurants. I don't think you really need l0 days to visit both cities unless you just want some rest. If I were going for 10 days I would spend 2/3 nights at Palmetto Bluff Resort just north of Savannah about 30 minutes which has one of top 10 spas in US.

http://www.palmettobluffresort.com/

Go to Trip Advisor.Com and look at their reviews. In Savannah I would spend a night/two at The Gastonian and have dinner at Elizabeth on 37th one night. Savannah has some great restaurants. George's of Tybee, 700 Drayton, 1790 and I like Johnny Harris which is a local favorite but nothing like Elizabeth.

http://www.charlestonplace.com/web/o...a1a_splash.jsp

http://www.plantersinn.com/



In Charleston I would have dinner at Charleston Grill and Peninsula Grill, which is in Planters Inn. The owners have another place very nice called Hank's Seafood. Circa 1886 is nice, so is McCrady's and Magnolia's.

http://www.mccradysrestaurant.com/

http://www.magnolias-blossom-cypress.com/magnolias/

http://www.peninsulagrill.com/

http://www.charlestongrill.com/

Fly into Savannah and spend a few days at Palmetto Bluff Resort, go into Savannah for a few days, then drive up to Charleston for 4/5 days. Stop in Beaufort and have lunch on the way. Drive back to Savannah and turn your car in then fly home late in the PM. Have a nice trip.



http://www.palmettobluffresort.com/

I forgot about Wentworth Mansion. I have not stayed there but it's highly recommended.

http://www.wentworthmansion.com/

Thanks so very much to all of you for taking the time to reply with such great suggestions. I apologize for my delay in responding, but let me tell you: WHEN IT RAIN, IT POURS!!!

Anxiously awaiting comments on my very 1st Fodor's thread, I headed straight to my computer yesterday morning and found it dead as a doornail. After 3 trips to the service center last night, the technician concluded that the mother board, hard drive, and power supply on my PC are "fried." Well, so much for those surge protectors! The bottom line is that until I replace the CPU, my only internet access is at the office. There's no time during regular office hours for trip planning, so please be patient with me.

In an attempt to curtail the length of my original post, I didn't fully explain why cancellation of the trip to France was my only option. Since we were traveling on FF tickets, I spent all day Sunday trying to change departure and/or return dates to shorten the trip, but no award tickets were available during our time frame. Our travel dates were subject to VERY minimal change as my daughter must be back in New Orleans no later than 4/18/07 to take her board exams. I even checked into purchasing tickets, but at this late date, the cost is prohibitive. So that's how we arrived at "Plan B."

As of this morning, FF tickets were available for an open jaw flight from Baton Rouge to Savannah on Good Friday, 4/6 with a return flight from Charleston on Monday, 4/16. With this itinerary, I miss only 5 days of work which is definitely manageable.

Ike, I appreciate all the fantastic hotel links you sent, but I'm hoping to find more moderately priced accommodations. The Palmetto Bluff Resort looks wonderfully relaxing, but my DD has expressed wishes for a more active trip. Since I bookmarked the hotel as a future site for an annual reunion with my college girlfriends, a scouting expedition may be in order on one of our driving days. Menus from all your recommended restaurants also look divine and will certainly be included on our traveling list of good eats!

Stumpworks, thanks for the advice on "the book." I shamefully admit to not reading this southern classic; I haven't seen the movie either but plan to rent it this weekend in hopes of getting a 2-hour crash course in some real Savannah history!

From my minimal research, HH sounds similar to Myrtle Beach which I visited a few years ago while in Wilmington, NC. Is this a realistic comparison? If so, we will pass on HH but are very interested in other less commercially developed options such as Isle of Palms, Sullivan's, Edisto, Fripp's, Folly or Kiawah Island. Any specific recommendations on any of the above or another beach locale we might enjoy for a daytrip?

We definitely plan to visit beautiful homes in Charleston. I delightfully discovered the Historic Preservation Society is offering home & garden tours during our stay; specifically,(1)Glorious Gardens Tour,(2)East Battery Homes Tour, (3)South Battery Homes Tour, and (4)History Walking Tour. Anyone with experiences on these tours, please share. How do these private homes on tour compare with the historical homes which are always open to the public?

Aileen and GoTravel, thanks for the "blooming updates." I'm sure both cities will be lovely, with or w/o azaleas. I've read many posts by both of you, as well as Starrsville, and am awed by your combined vast knowledge of this region. I welcome any suggestions for improving our tentative itinerary.

I plan to rent a car, but it seems a costly(parking fees)and unnecessary expense while exploring the historical districts of C & S. My preference is to pick up a vehicle as we leave Savannah, visit the sites which require transportation, and turn in the rental immediately upon arrival in Charleston.

Though most Fodorites don't recommend an overnight visit to Beaufort, I can't seem to reconcile myself to just a half-day visit to this beautiful town. Maybe it's a "Big Chill/Prince of Tides" attachment, but I keep coming up with reasons to stay longer in Beaufort. I was originally thinking a one-nighter which eliminates any daytrip backtracking. Last night, I woke from a restless sleep with plans for the revised itinerary below:

FRI 4/6 - Arrive Savannah airport @ 11 AM; take trolley and riverboat tours in PM; see river fireworks show in evening (sleep in Savannah)

SAT 4/7 - Savannah First Saturday River Festival and riverwalk w/shopping in AM; tour 1 or 2 historical homes in PM (sleep in Savannah)

SUN 4/8(EASTER) - visit Savannah historical museum(only historical site open on the holiday) and WALK, WALK, WALK in the historical district and Forsyth Park (sleep in Savannah)

MON 4/9 - last minute shopping and/or touring in AM; lunch @ Mrs. Wilkes before departure by rental car; PM visit to a barrier island(which one???) or another stop(???) before late afternoon arrival in Beaufort (sleep in Beaufort)

TUES 4/10 - take a carriage ride and explore Beaufort in AM; visit a nearby island (which one???) in PM (sleep in Beaufort)

WED 4/11 - early departure from Beaufort with stop @ Angel Oak before visiting 1 or 2 of Charleston's plantations in PM; early evening arrival in Charleston (sleep in Charleston)

THURS 4/12 - market and carriage ride in AM; Glorious Gardens Festival Tour @ 2-5 PM; Sunset @ waterfront park (sleep in Charleston

FRI 4/13 - Charleston History Festival Walking Tour @ 9:30 - 11:30 AM; possible visit to Citadel including 3:45 precision drill on parade grounds -- has anyone seen this? It sounds really neat, but I don't have any personal recs. (sleep in Charleston)

SAT 4/14 WALK, WALK, WALK and SHOP, SHOP, SHOP (King Street, Rainbow Row, White Point Gardens, College of Charleston)in AM; East Battery Homes Festival Tour @ 2:30-5 PM (sleep in Charleston)

SUN 4/15 AM boat ride to Fort Sumter with possible return via Patriot's Point/Mt. Pleasant (sleep in Charleston)

MON 4/16 walking, shopping, and touring one of the public historical home; flight to BR departs @ 5:55 PM

WOW -- where did the time go? When do we eat? I know, I know, this itinerary looks awfully busy, but our most enjoyable trips have usually included a varied array of choices from which to select the day's activities. We travel with lots of plans but will change at a moment's notice depending on how we feel that day or if an unknown strikes our fancy. We enjoy being in a place as much as seeing the sites.

I am open to any suggested itinerary revisions, so be as critical as need be. I've noticed decreased weekend activity on this board, but hopefully, some of you will have time to critique our tentative plans before your St. Paddy's Day celebrations begin!

I am hesitant to book flights until hotels have been confirmed. Should I be concerned about availability since we are traveling during the Easter holidays and/or spring break? I'll just wait on feedback from this board before proceeding any further.

Once again, a great big thanks. Hope everyone has a GREAT GREEN weekend!

Book the tix. You'll be able to find hotels.

Plan B sounds wonderful, have a great time!

Sounds like a reasonable plan. Go for it!!

Plan on eating one meal at the Pink House in Savannah. Elizabeth's on 37th is nice, but you won't be able to just walk there. Whichever you decide, make sure to get reservations. It's going to be crowded around Easter.

Hilton Head is entirely different from Myrtle Beach. I think I read that there are only three hotels on the beach. there is limited access for the public to the beaches. It's going to be a drive that will take you out of your way with heavy traffic. I would save that time and spend more of it in Beaufort or some of the islands around Charleston.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a highly fictionalized view of a true story that happened in Savannah. You won't get much "real history" from it. But it is a fun read. He's a good writer. Take it along to read on the plane. If you visit the mansion where the murder happened, you will find that, even though they sell the book, they won't talk about "it." It has developed a reputation as a tourist trap. You will see the house as you take your walk though the Historic District. If you have the time, visit. If you are rushed, skip it as you will get to see only a very few rooms.

It sounds like a great vacation for you and your daughter. I don't think you will be disappointed in either Savannah or Charleston.

You mentioned something more moderately priced for places to stay in Charleston and Savannah. Check the Hampton Inns there. Both are in Historical area. Also check the King Charles Inn. Think they have free parking. In the center Meeting and Church Street Inn may be in your price range.
I think you will enjoy a night in Beaufort. Stayed in a bed and breakfast there last spring.
I think the carriage rides in both Charleston and Beaufort are a great idea as I always enjoy them.
I am a native S.C. person and will be glad to answer other question.
Your itenarary looks good to me.
Sure you will enjoy this trip as these are beautiful areas of our country.
Think you would enjoy the visit to the Citadel for the dress parade.

The Hampton Inns in Charleston are not downtown but more on the outskirts and I recommend you not stay there.

The best moderately priced hotel in Charleston is the Andrew Pinckney Inn. Very charming, fantastic location, free breakfast and moderately priced.

While I like the King Charles Best Western, it is expensive.

The Doubletree is also a favorite of mine but more expensive.

The Indigo Inn and Vendue Inns are also reasonably priced and fantastic places. The rooftop bar at the Vendue Inn is one of my favorite places to have a drink and it is also a hopping place for College of Charleston students so your daughter will definitely meet people.

Do not miss Bob Ellis Shoes on King Street. Buy her a pair of Manolo Blahniks and she'll forget about Paris.

As for food, I like Poogan's Porch and Jestine's Kitchen for lunch.

For dinner my favorites are SNOB, Hanks, and Penninsula Grill.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

The Hampton Inn where I stayed is across from the visitor's center. There is one across the river also where I have stayed ,but it is too far away from the center. The one I am referring to is is maybe 5 block from the center of the Historical center,but definitely walkable. It is in the old train station and a really good one. I also like the Andrew Pickney which is near the center.
My favorite restaurants are Peninsula and Magnolias. Also like Pogan's Porch for lunch. Enjoyed Mistrals for lunch.

Tahhulahgirl, I just realized your dates are over Easter Week. You are going to have a very tough time finding any availability and probably nothing under $200 per night in Charleston.

Try the Days Inn Historic District. I'm sure the Doubletree, Andrew Pinckney, and Indigo Inn are sold out.

Why not do the 10 days in France.