Last week I shared our family trip to Savanna Georgia and our stay on Tybee Island.
After our week’s stay in Savanna, we headed to Charleston for a week. We stayed on the Isle of Palm. A city in South Carolina situated on a slender barrier island. Oh my, was it beautiful? The Isle of Palm is known for its beautiful beaches, sea turtles, golf courses, tennis courts, bike riding, and many recreational activities. We found many restaurants along the island as well as shopping. The island is neighboring Sullivans Island. The Isle of Palm is a short 12-mile drive to Charleston.
We stayed at a beautiful condo on the ocean with a great view. Each morning we would walk the beach and collected shells. I do have to say collecting shells on Isle of Palms was pleasantly surprising. The shells were large, in great shape, and plentiful! I collected three brown grocery size bags during the week. Tybee Island had shells as well but many were very small.
For some reason, the ocean seems different in South Caroline. It was much louder and when high tide came in it was so loud and it took over the whole beach. Maybe this is why shell collecting was ample.
Touring Charleston
The drive into Charleston was not far at all. We did not drive our car around Charlton we parked it.
On our first day in Charleston, we took a trolly car to sightsee the city. On the second day, we decided to walk. Walking along the cobblestone streets was interesting. We viewed many historical sites and did some shopping. You could smell the sweet smells of jasmine, magnolia, and hydrangea throughout the city! There is so much to do in Charleston, and so many great restaurants, places to shop, and great parks!
As my family and I walked the streets of Charleston, I couldn’t help but think about all the history that took place there.
Every street we walked down had beautiful homes and landscaping.
So what are you thinking so far of the different paint colors used on the homes?
This next set of pictures are of the landscaped yard at the Calhoun Mansion.
Calhoun Mansion
On our third day, I talked my family into touring The Calhoun Mansion. It’s a gorgeous mix of eclectic decor, antiques, and century pieces of furniture. The home boast 24,000 square feet, with over 30 rooms, 23 fireplaces, and a ballroom for dancing. Upon entering the home you are told you’re not allowed to take pictures, I did ask if It was ok to take a few of the entrances and was given permission.
Most of the furnishings were from collections, antiques, and artifacts. Throughout the whole home, the woodwork was ornate and beautiful. The owner has done a wonderful job redoing the home.
After our house tour, we walked down to Battery Park and had a picnic lunch on the lawn. The day was hot and humid. Sitting at the park there was a refreshing breeze coming off the ocean.
The park was full of people just enjoying the day. We were told the homes across the street from the park had weathered a few hurricanes. If you look closely at the homes you can see some of the porches are slanted as are the homes. I read the homes along the area are now reinforced and have withstood the more recent hurricanes.
This path is so beautiful to walk down.
We also visited a plantation, it sure was an adventure. I’ll share it at another time.
The day before we left we went to visit a 500-year-old tree. The tree is kept fenced in and there’s security that keeps watch of the tree. You can only visit the tree between certain hours of the day It’s a massive size tree that seems to go on and on. I couldn’t even capture the size of the tree in the picture.
My family enjoyed Charleston just as much as Savannah. Staying on the islands we didn’t prefer one Island over the other. I do think you need more time to explore Charleston. Savannah has a slow pace laid-back small-town feel. Savannah had many more small boutiques than Charleston.
Charleston is more fast pace, busier streets, the vibe is much different than Savannah. They both feel very coastal, although you could almost forget you’re near the ocean when in Savannah. Charleston the feel of the ocean is all around you. Both cities have so much history, you can almost feel the era of civil war in Charleston. Let’s not forget all the ghost stories they share equally. Both cities have incredible restaurants with all price points and accommodations for dietary needs. With only 2 hours apart it’s a must to visit both cities!
Happy Spring!!!!
