As a child, I loved when our family would pack the car and head out to explore the open road. I was filled with excitement and wondrous anticipation about our upcoming journey. It was the same feeling we had on our recent road trip through Georgia and South Carolina's Lowcountry.
Bounded by the Atlantic on one side and the Savannah River on the other, the Lowcountry is flat land filled with fascinating wetlands and stunning sea islands. It's a very special place where mankind and nature seem to live in perfect harmony.
Charleston (The Holy City)
Our first stop was Charleston, located on South Carolina's southern coast. Elegant, charming and enchanting, this beautiful city is filled with well-preserved antebellum architecture and the essence of southern gentility.
Staying in the historic district is wise as Charleston is an easily walkable town. The Renaissance Charleston Historic District was in the perfect location for exploring.
Charleston Must-See Landmarks and Attractions
I often recommend that first-time visitors here hop on a historic carriage tour. There are several companies offering private and small group tours, though we really like Classic Carriage Works. As guests clippety-clop their way through the incredibly picturesque historic district, knowledgeable guides regale riders with fascinating tales of Charleston's storied past.
Other historic district not-to-be-missed sites include the Charleston City Market, built in 1804 filled with vendors selling everything from sweetgrass baskets to jewelry and food goods. A stroll through Waterfront Park is lovely with its iconic Pineapple Fountain and peer swings that invite guests to "sit a spell." Charleston churches are numerous, hence its widely-known Southern nickname "The Holy City." And their graveyards are exceptionally fascinating.
A visit to Charleston should always include an antebellum plantation - and they are magnificent. If time allows only one, head to Boone Hall Plantation in nearby Mount Pleasant, founded in 1681. As one of America's most photographed historical venues, the plantation features the picturesque Avenue of the Oaks. Its mansion and garden tour, slave history and Gullah presentations are superb.
Dining in Charleston
World-renowned for its she-crab-soup, many Charleston restaurants offer it. Our favorite is Amen Street Fish & Raw Bar's. This rich classic filled with lump crab and finished off with a generous portion of dry sherry is fabulous. Don't order the cup when you can go for the bowl.
Savannah (Hostess City of the South)
An easy two-hour drive south led to our next destination - Savannah, Georgia's oldest city and the jewel in her crown.
Once again, location is everything, and our room at the Bohemian Hotel Savannah Riverfront did just that - overlooking the river, historic riverboat and Savannah River Bridge, offering the perfect home base. The boutique hotel is a mix of charming and eclectic, fitting in perfectly with its environs.
Savannah Must-See Landmarks and Attractions
Booking a hop-on, hop-off guided tour is the ideal way to get the lay of the land and the history of Savannah, especially staying on for the entire circuit the first time around. Savannah is famous for its 22 incredibly picturesque historic squares sporting moss-draped oaks, colorful azaleas, fountains, monuments, statues and stunning architecture.
The most well-known, Chippewa Square, is located in the center of everything - famous theatres, restaurants and ice cream parlors. Even Forrest Gump sat on a park bench here waiting for a bus with his box of chocolates.
You can't miss the red and white Georgia Queen, a charming riverboat celebrating the days when paddle wheelers dotted the Savannah River landscape. This river belle offers guests a variety of cruises from brunch, lunch, dinner, gospel, sunset and moonlight. If you've never ridden a riverboat, you should.
Where To Dine in Savannah
Opened in 1753 as an inn and tavern for pirates, sailors and other seafarers, The Pirates House is now a restaurant serving Lowcountry cuisine. Guests can even walk through the restaurant's many historic (many reportedly haunted) areas.
Hilton Head Island (Home to Docks and Creeks)
Located just 20 miles from Savannah, Hilton Head Island is a Lowcountry paradise. This southernmost point of South Carolina is renowned for its pristine sugar beaches, marshlands, fishing and golf courses.
It's great to stay in a vacation club offering all the amenities of a home away from home. One of our island favorites is Marriott's Surf Watch, with two-bedroom villas nestled in natural scenic forests and wetlands teeming with wildlife, with footbridges leading to the ocean.
You can't be in Hilton Head and not rent a bike. It's one of the best ways for getting around the island, and there are more bike paths here than anywhere else I can remember, and families love it.
The most recognizable symbol of Hilton Head is the barber-striped Harbour Town Lighthouse. Visitors can climb the lighthouse and get some stunning harbor views. The surrounding picturesque town is also filled with irresistible boutique shops and restaurants.
For those into putt-putt (that includes youngsters of all ages), you won't find better-themed courses than on Hilton Head. Our favorite is Pirate's Adventure Golf where you can explore pirate lore while strolling past pirate-infested bridges, waterfalls, streams, smoking cannons and a "smoldering" volcano.
If time allows, get out to Daufuskie Island, accessible only by boat or ferry. Once on the remote barrier island, we hopped in golf carts to explore a place lost in time. There are few cars or paved roads and no sidewalks. The island lacks street lights, a town center, stores or mail delivery. But there are thousands of ancient live oaks dripping with Spanish moss. The island touts a rich Gullah culture (descendants of free slaves) who still paint their houses in 'haint blue' as a protective talisman against evil spirits.
A famous southern author and activist by the name of Pat Conroy once called the island home while teaching at the all-black Mary Field School. This two-room school now houses a small organic company called Daufuskie Blues, so named for the indigo-dyed products they create from plants still indigenous to the island.
Today, the island's wildlife highly outnumbers its 400 island residents. Sea turtles still lay their eggs on local beaches. Dolphins frolic in the waters of the bay. Alligators and egrets inhabit its teeming marshes. Rare fox squirrels race from tree to tree, and yes, there are native "rattlers" as the locals call them.
Where to Dine in Hilton Head
We loved the cuisine of each of the Lowcountry destinations, but Hilton Head was quite the surprise. Restaurants located on the island's creeks and bays tout the freshest seafood and are not the typical touristy fare. Two of our favorites are Hudson's Restaurant on the Docks and Skull Creek Boathouse. Not only do they offer incredible views, but their hushpuppies are divine, and if you're there during soft shell blue crab season, you'll be in heaven.
In his song Oh My Sweet Carolina, Ryan Adams sings: "All the sweetest winds, they blow across the South." Yep, he got that right.
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