Charleston, SC Weekend Vacation Getaway
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Things To Do
Too often people go away and stumble around trying to determine what there is to do and where to do it. What a waste of precious time! We tell you what there is to do and with whom to do it. Whether it is the best golf course, where to charter a boat, what museums not to miss, you’ll know what you want to do and where to do it before you ever get there.
Golf
There are many excellent golf course in the Charleston area and two of the country's greatest golf courses; Kiawah Island Golf Resort, The Ocean Course and Wild Dunes Resort on Isle of Palms. The Pete Dye designed Kiawah was the site of the 1991 Ryder Cup, was named "America's Toughest Resort Course" by Golf Digest and earned 5 stars in its latest "Places to Play" survey. Two miles of oceanfront dunes rating a 29 out of 30 in the Zagat Top Golf Courses. $175-$275. Wild Dunes, a Tom Fazio course, is consistently rated one of "America's Top 100" by Golf Digest and Golf Magazine. Considered to have two of the most beautiful finishing holes in golf. $100-$190. Relatively new to the area, Rivertowne, in Mt. Pleasant was designed by Arnold Palmer and is getting raves all around. $125.
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Tennis
Family Circle Tennis Center, 161 Seven Farms Dr. World class facility. Hard and clay courts. Opens 8am, 9 on Sunday. $10-$15 per hour.
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Click picture to enlarge
Walking/Running/Biking
Walking is great anywhere around town as your explore the little alleyways and streets. The Battery is a particularly nice place to walk and admire the houses and gardens. Waterfront Park is the perfect place for walking, running or biking. The Bicycle Shoppe, 280 Meeting Rd. is the place for rentals.
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Boat Rides/Rental
Isle of Palms Marina, Pegasus Boat Charters & Tours. Charleston Marine Harbor. Boats of all sizes and area tours.
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Kayaking/Canoeing
Nature Adventures Outfitters, The only place to go if you like kayaking or canoeing. Has won all kinds of awards and accolades. Tours and self-directed.
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Fishing/Crabbing/Shelling
Island Hopper Boat Charters. Fish in-shore, go shelling on Morris Island, crab for Blue Claws. This family owned business, led by Captain Randy Smith can do it all. 1/2 day fishing $250, 3 hour eco tour/shelling or crabbing $150. Sunset cruises 2 hours $125 for 4 people. Also Isle of Palm Marina fishing charters.
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Sights/Tours
See our comments on the carriage tours in the Charleston introduction. They are still worthwhile even though you don't know where you'll go. Fort Sumter Tours, see where the Civil War began. Drayton Hall, 3380 Ashly River Rd., the oldest preserved plantation house open to the public. Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens. Highway 17, Mt. Pleasant. America's most photographed plantation. Edmondston-Alston House, 21 East Battery Built in 1825 it is a wonderful example of the elegance of 19th homes in Charleston. Tommy Dew's On the Market Walking Tours are fun and informative. very popular. See Middleton Place under "Special Things"
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Galleries/Antiques
There are over 28 art galleries in the Charleston area, here are four that I have enjoyed; Charleston Harbor Galley, next to the Planter's Inn on Market Street. Ask for Danny. Waterfront Gallery, The Wells Gallery, 103 Broad at King, Smith Killian, 9 Queen Street.
Charleston, particularly on King Street, is rich with amazing antique shops. Geo. C. Birlant & Co. 191 King Street is nationally known, Queen Charlotte Antiques has some of Charleston's finest finds and the King Street Antique Mall has some 40 dealers over nearly 10,000 square feet of space.
Visit our Marketplace for complete listings.
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Shopping
The Farmer's Market, Marion Square is a fun place Saturday mornings from April-December. Food, crafts, all kinds of great things. These are some of my other favorites, although there are a lot more. Cooks! 194 East Bay Street (www.charlestoncooks.com). Calls itself the "maverick kitchen store". Great stuff, cooking demonstrations and classes. Duma's Men's Store. King Street. This is what men's stores used to be like. Not much you won't find here and much of it is unique. If Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and the City) lived here she would shop at Shooz, King Street and Bob Ellis, 332 King (www.bobellisshoes.com). Ellis carries great men's shoes as well. Stop in at the Mad Hatter, 90 N. Market Street (www.thehatter.com), for, you guessed it...hats! Check out the exclusive candle lines at Candle Lover's Delight, 58 Broad Street. (www.candleloversdelight.com). Harbor Specialties, 190 East Bay, has everything nautical. (www.harborspecialties.com)
Visit our Marketplace for complete listing of great Charleston stores.
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Baseball
Charleston RiverDogs, minor league team in the South Atlantic League.
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Museums
The Charleston Museum, 360 Meeting Street ($10) was the first museum in the country and charts the history of the low country. Gibbes Museum, 135 Meeting Street, houses a 7,000 piece collection of paintings, sculpture and drawings.($7). The Provost Dungeon, $122 E. Bay St.is the story of Charleston and pirates and the like.
Right over the bridge in Mt. Pleasant is Patriot's Point Naval & Maritime Museum. ($14). Tour a WWII aircraft carrier, a submarine, and a Coast Guard Cutter. Also the Congressional Medal of Honor Museum, the Cold War Submarine Memorial and a Vietnam Base camp.
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Theatre
Footlight Players, 20 Queen Street. South Carolina's oldest theatre company performing in an old cotton warehouse.
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Events
Annual Festival of Houses and Gardens, March and April. 150 private historic homes in 11 colonial and antebellum neighborhoods. $45 per person. (historiccharleston.org). Spoleto Festival USA, late May to early June.17 days and nights of 120 performances of opera, dance, music and theatre in venues throughout Charleston.
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