South Carolina

South Carolina

South Carolina has a long and storied history from one of the the original plantation colonies to the 8th state to join the union as one of the 13 original colonies. Later it was the first state to secede from the union and the last to surrender in the Civil War. More than anything though, South Carolina is a study in contrasts. Strong and proud, South Carolina has been committed to a way of life based on the … [Read more...]

Charles Towne Landing (Charleston)

Charles Towne Landing (Charleston)

Charles Towne Landing is a 663-acre park located on the site where English settlers first landed in 1670, thereby establishing the birthplace of the Carolina colony and the plantation system that eventually spread throughout the American South. Checking in at the visitors center were found out there were two parts to this visit.  The first part entailed a walk/hike around the settlement and the second part … [Read more...]

The Charleston Museum (Charleston)

The Charleston Museum (Charleston)

Walking through The Charleston Museum we had a hard time wrapping our head around the fact that this indeed was America’s first museum, founded in 1773-but I guess there has to be a first of everything, right?. Sadly most of the original items, many of which were scientific in nature, were destroyed in a fire in 1778. The museum resumed collecting artifacts and was opened to the public in 1824. As we made … [Read more...]

The Citadel (Charleston)

The Citadel (Charleston)

The Citadel is one of the most famous military colleges in the country established in Charleston in 1842. Cadets go through rigorous academic, athletic and military training and the college has a long and storied history of churning out distinguished officers. There are tours available if you have the time and inclination.  You are in for a special treat if you happen by on a Friday as the "Friday Parade" is … [Read more...]

Fort Sumter (Charleston)

Fort Sumter (Charleston)

One of the highlights of our visit to Charleston and an absolute must see for anyone visiting is a tour of Fort Sumter.  We made our reservations well in advance and you should too to make sure you get a good time that works for you  as these tours do fill up quickly.  The whole tour takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes with about 1 hour spent at the Fort, the rest of the time is spent on the boat heading from the … [Read more...]

Historic District (Charleston)

Historic District (Charleston)

Charleston is a beautiful and charming city that has a long and storied history as a port city on the shores of South Carolina. The Historic District is a wonderful place to explore some of the well preserved architecture and take a peek at life during an earlier time period. Everywhere you look, restaurants, shops, hotels are all housed in these amazing old buildings oozing with decorative charm. If you want to … [Read more...]

The Kickin’ Chicken (Charleston)

Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina

The whole time we'd been driving around the region we'd seen tons of fried chicken restaurants everywhere we looked,  Popeyes, Church's, Bojangles just to name a few.  Fried Chicken is a staple of the south and clearly something we needed to try so as we were making our way from Charleston to Columbia we decided to sample the fixin’s at…The Kickin Chicken. This is a causal sit down restaurant chain with a … [Read more...]

South Carolina State Capitol Building (Columbia)

Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina

The South Carolina State Capitol Building is pretty in terms of architecture, but it doesn't stand out as memorable. in terms of aesthetics.  Inside we found some pretty stained glass pieces, a pretty dome and some bronze commemorative plaques but not much else inside. Outside, on the surface nothing seemed particularly notable until we started to notice a few things that clued us into the history and spirit of … [Read more...]

Itinerary #13: Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina

Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina

The South is wonderfully lush and beautiful. From the green Kudzu plant that covers everything, to the smoky BBQ, to the twangy accents peppered with “y’all,” you know you’re in a culturally rich, interesting, and unique place. We were very excited to explore, but really had no idea what to expect. When I think of Georgia and the Carolinas, I think of lemonade on the porch, biscuits and grits, and weeping … [Read more...]