Commando Time Is Over

Despite shivering away the days as winter rapidly approaches us in the Northeast, Team VFH remains resolute. Summer soon will come again; although not soon enough. Winter never holds much more appeal than football season and hot chili. We’re not skiers or ice skaters, and after the initial ooh and ah of a glorious autumn spiked with colorful leaves, we are left with a rapid descent into darkness and cold temperatures.  

UGH.       

I hate winter

The allure of the holiday season is short-lived. The stress of Christmas shopping and the amateur night antics of New Year’s Eve makes this year-end stretch difficult. Even toasty fireplaces lose their charm after a time and who has money to escape to warm climes for a weekend? Certainly we don’t have that latitude and so we are stuck with the winter doldrums and our only respite is of fond memories from last summer and planning summer dalliances for next year.

Ah! Last summer was wonderful and exceptional. You may remember fair reader that your favorite cheapskates went on an extended road trip through the lowcountry of South Carolina. Memories of great food, wide beaches and warm water makes facing winter all the more grim. After wonderful stops in Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, Charleston and Beaufort, we headed out to Hilton Head Island for a week with friends.

Hilton Head was so very different that the rest of South Carolina. Our hosts in Hilton Head, Sally and Dave, are charter members of Team VFH, but they are less inclined to travel on the quick as our pocketbooks dictate. We need to sniff out deals, but our hosts are star-bellied Sneetches comparatively. Thankfully Team VFH leader, Janet, is a long time bosom buddy with Sally so they gladly overlooked our relative poverty and invited us into their summer home at Hilton Head.

Hilton Head breathes affluence. It is a rich person’s golfing mecca as there are a gazillion courses to play in the area. Human forms of star-bellied Sneetches on Hilton Head Island are often represented by denizens wearing plaid pants and toting a putter everywhere, even into the supermarket. Multi-million dollar homes are often torn down by new buyers to erect better abodes in sequestered gated communities called “plantations”.

I love summer

After having traveled the length of South Carolina lowcountry, skirting the shoreline, Hilton Head was certainly a change for your intrepid explorers. Since Hilton Head is in South Carolina one would think the genteel arms of southern hospitality would embrace us while there, but those attitudes quickly dissipated. It’s not that people weren’t nice, it’s just that things were more quickly paced as visitors scurried to their tee times or meal reservations. Plus the charm and culture of the lowcountry was somewhat missing at this vacation destination. Gullah culture, like basket weaving or delicious shrimp and grits, prevalent throughout the area practically vanished on Hilton Head Island, or, when found on the plantations it had an almost “Disneyland” quality to the presentation, as if visitors needed to be reminded where they were vacationing. Of course examples of this purest form of West-African culture can be found on HHI, but one will have to get off the plantation and look for it. Here's a link that may help if you are so inclined. If you decide to travel only to Hilton Head and nowhere else in South Carolina, take a day to explore this rich and enduring history.

Gullah Culture on Hilton Head

Conversely, Team VFH's HHI vacation last summer was in two parts, two separate, completely different vacations in South Carolina. Our trip began at the Grand Strand of Myrtle Beach and Murrells Inlet and continued through the charming cities of Charleston and Beaufort and the surrounding countryside. We ate and explored the culture of the area at a leisurely though determined pace, and there was much to see. Upon our arrival on Hilton Head we settled, quickly, into relaxing mode and our exploring ended. Of course, we did get to experience a different culture in Hilton Head, but it was moneyed and tony. Most of the people we encountered were not from South Carolina. The island, off the plantations, was fast-paced. It was an expensive beach town/island with lots of shopping and golf courses, but there was no “city” or “town square”. Though it was in South Carolina, South Carolina was not necessarily found in Hilton Head. It could have been anywhere, but it just happened to be located on this beautiful sneaker-shaped South Carolinian sea island.

And, it was beautiful. Overlook all the “nuances” that made Hilton Head so very different than the rest of the lowcountry and you are left with a great place to vacation. Golf if you must, but with 12 miles of wide, sandy beaches Hilton Head was an absolute delight for this wannabe beachcomber. Although access to some of the beaches was private all of it was public, from the surf to the high water mark. There is ample parking for the day traveler as there are several areas that had meters, or you can purchase a day pass to the Sea Pine Plantation, our home for the week, for access to the south beach area and Harbor Town area.

Head Head Island beach particulars

The Atlantic here is warm and clean. Starfish and sand dollars are abundant and little sting rays frolic sometimes at the surf line. When it is low tide, the sand gets firm and flat and riding bikes is a great way to travel, although a head strong breeze makes the process a bit laborious.

There are several places to rent bikes for the day or the length of your stay on Hilton Head and I would highly recommend doing this if you decide to visit.  Our morning conversations were often about the low tide, and we would plan our daily ride along the shore accordingly. The island does cater to bikers as there are paths everywhere on Hilton Head and in Sea Pines, our vacation home for the week, trails allowed us to go anywhere without the use of a car. If not for the allure of some very good eating on HHI we would have never gotten into the car for the duration of our stay.

 

Star-bellied Sneetches we ain't

Yes, summer cannot return soon enough.

Be careful out there on New Year’s Eve…it’s amateur night

Love

Janet and greg

EXCUSES EXCUSES

If I have retained any followers of this travel blog after such a lengthy time between entries I must consider myself fortunate and I thank you all for returning to this little eddy in the wide world web. I’m actually embarrassed that I have not been more diligent in reporting on Team VFH’s antics this past summer which according to the calendar is now a distant memory.

Our time in Eden is fleeting and one must grasp each opportunity and live each day fully.  Sadly I am guilty of not abiding by this basic tenet.

‘Why!?’ You may ask.

Well, I could make up elaborate excuses. I can tell you I recently escaped from Somalian pirates after they boarded by yacht and held me for ransom for months without access to the internet.

I can tell you that as a die-hard NY Football Giants fan I have been deeply mired in a malaise throughout their six game losing streak and only now after two wins has my head begun to clear enough to consider writing.

I can tell you that work and the commuting to my jobs has been so demanding of me that I have had little time but to shit, shower, shave and eat before hurtling out the door to the next gig, even though in the past I have managed to complete two novels with the same vociferous, unabated work schedule.

I can tell you there was nothing worthy to chronicle here on the blog, that I have spent most of the past months leading effectively a hermit’s existence.

All of it is untrue…well maybe not the NY Giants part.

I will tell you that Team VFH’s expansive trip to South Carolina this past summer was so calming and relaxing that to this very day I am still in the clutches of serenity and given to sloth, which is very true.

Yes, I have been very lazy. I am embarrassed. It’s not much of an excuse, and, to simply blame it on South Carolina and the fun times we enjoyed there is an invertebrate shifting from the real culprit. To explain my laziness away and assess blame elsewhere is wrong and soon, hopefully very soon, I’ll get into the swing of things.

Come back would you? 

FAST AND FUROUS

Okay, things are slowing down a bit for your intrepid travelers. Most of the Brits have returned to England and Team VFH has started to sober up, or at least the D.T.’s aren’t so violent the past couple of days. Janet though hasn’t taken off her sunglasses for a week…

Now is a good time then to try and recollect our thoughts about this summer, before the next soiree in Delaware for the Labor Day Weekend.

I’ll try and work my way backwards!?

The two weeks that Janet’s extended family visited from England were crammed with activities. This was not their first visit to the colonies, but we were determined to show them as much as possible in the Philly area. Sadly, there’s never enough time and we were all feeling stressed with the nonstop activities over the course of the visit. We soon smartly jettisoned planned side trips to Boston or tubing on the Delaware River near my house as they were over ambitious in the time allowed. We did not want to risk making this visit unpleasant. Besides, the purpose of such trips is to commune with family and many days were spent paying visits and reconnecting with loved ones.

I know…sounds like Team VFH is getting mushy huh.

Well, between pub crawls and area excursions there were pleas to have us return to England next year. Team VFH is always thinking ahead; it’s good to have a place to stay.

We still did quite a bit. One day we introduced the Brits to the game of baseball. It was fun to explain the game when it seemed nothing was happening. (An extra bonus: The Phillies won the game, a rarity these days.) We took the SEPTA regional rail into the city, rather than drive all the way into Philadelphia. I recommend looking into a One Day “Independence Pass”. For $11.00 it allows unlimited travel on the regional rails, buses and the city’s subway system. That day we hopped on and off the subway to visit various parts of Philadelphia after the game and it saved us a lot of money. I also recommend going to the stadium early, but not to watch batting practice, but to visit the Xfinity live center. It is a confluence of bars and restaurants. Victory brewing company, a favorite of Team VFH, has a brew pub there.

We spent a number of days at the Delaware beach. Friends have a rather opulent beach house there and they graciously opened their home to us. Our mini vacation included a day of surf fishing, (We landed a small sand shark and a couple of Croakers, although I thankfully caught nothing!) and a pub crawl in Lewes, Delaware. I recommend having margaritas in the upstairs lounge at Agave.

We got flagged at the Trappe Tavern one night. This level of penalty is difficult to attain at the Trappe, which conveys a party atmosphere in its lively confines. I think it was because members of our party were dancing when there was no music being played. We did manage to steal a couple of glasses as souvenirs and play a number of spirited games of Cornhole! The food is reasonably priced and they offer a fine selection of beers. I recommend buying a beer inside in order to get a glass and then find a seat at the outside bar.

The Trappe Tavern 

Another ambitious trip was to drive to Gettysburg. This year is the 150^th anniversary of this Civil War battle and it was a nice slice of American history to experience. It was our intent to drive back to Janet’s home along route 30 to see Amish people cavorting about, but our little party spent the entire day at this historic site. For the first time we “toured” the battlefield and visited the museum and the panoramic painting that depicts the infamous Pickett’s charge on that fateful third day of the battle. We considered buying into a bus tour, but discovered cd’s were for sale in the bookstore that explained the actions of the three day affair while in the comfort of our car. The cd was just $27.50 as opposed to 30+ dollars each for the bus and we were able to stop and walk around at various sites. It is well worth the visit.

After a number of visits to local pubs and more drinking on the back deck of Chez Janet and parties thrown by friends it was time for the Brits to go home and time for us to sober up!

I'M WALKING HERE....

This has been a summer of fun, friends and family. Your glorious moochers have been non-stop in the revelry department since June and it is with sincere apologies offered for our lack of sharing our experiences with you, our fair and glorious readers. You may digress here and say that you read our blog for the deals and the cheap thrills and finds and you don’t really care about our “experiences”.

To that I say: “I’m walkin’ here…”

 

Fun & games at the Devil's Den

That has been our battle cry these past two weeks. Janet’s extended family from England has been visiting the colonies and for some unknown reason Colin and I have adapted this famous scene from the film Midnight Cowboy for all situations and we utter it at the slightest provocation and usually loud enough for all to hear. We’re walking through Philadelphia to go to a Phillies game and drivers know what we’re doing. We order a beer someplace and we say, again loudly, “We’re drinking here….”  We’re surf fishing in Delaware, poles courtesy of dear friends Carl and Jill, and over the pounding froth of the waves you could hear us cry, “We’re fishing here….”  Touring the vast battlefield of Gettysburg we’re looking down the barrels of cannon and saying…  well, you get the picture. We’re a couple of knuckleheads….

We’re having loads of fun and we are not slowing down.  

Don't worry... we are careful crossing the streets. As soon as we sober up we'll write more!

Thanks for your patience!

greg and Janet

Fear and Loathing of Hilton Head?

Okay. This sounds ridiculous, but I now have a greater appreciation of Hilton Head after a week there. Previously I held it in little regard and would NEVER have considered visiting this large Sea Island on the South Carolina coast.

After all, it’s considered a golfing mecca.  There’s like a gazillion golf courses on Hilton Head and the surrounding area.  For this humble guy who writes a travel blog about being cheap, my golfing is regulated to wind-milled courses with decaying plastic fairy tale figurines.

After all, Hilton Head is a rich person’s paradise. Though I have champagne tastes, I have a beer barrel pocketbook. Throughout our preparations for this impending trip, Janet had me worried about my wardrobe. Normally I’m a t-shirt guy who throws on an Aloha shirt to dress up (ironing not required). That would not work in Hilton Head. Plus, being a cheap SOB brings out the Napoleonic complex in me; I will never earn the money required to be a “resident” of Hilton Head and I feel those who do can see it plain as the stain on my Piggly Wiggly t-shirt. More on that later and I’m not talking about more stains.

After all, Hilton Head is a ménage of people from all over. I was concerned that our trip to South Carolina would end abruptly as soon as we crossed over to Hilton Head; that the attitudes would get sharper and the genteelness would dissipate. South Carolina had been an easy, meandering ride. There was much history and beautiful views and phenomenal food so far in our vacation. I did not expect as much from Hilton Head.

Instead, I expected people wearing ugly colored golf pants and driving everywhere in golf carts. I expected tuxedos being worn in the overpriced super markets and having to pay an arm and a leg for sub par food in the island’s restaurants.

Right about now my fair readers of Vacations From Home I hope you are metaphysically bitch-slapping me. Fer crying out loud, you’re probably thinking, they got a free vacation in of all places Hilton Head; a luxurious destination for most, and yet Greg is complaining…. Quit your griping!

I hear you… I get off on these tangents.

Without hesitation, and despite my childish worries, the week Team VFH spent on Hilton Head was a positive and fun stay with dear friends. Janet remarked more than once that she had never seen me so relaxed and I have to admit that she was correct. There were so many pluses to our visit that I would give them short shrift if I tried to enumerate them here; I shall save that for future entries! Each day I would pronounce the day as one of the Top Ten of my life, which became a running joke with us as the week progressed, but truthfully Hilton Head was a joyful experience. Indeed, the old adage of “Judge a book by its cover, and you get a paper cut,” was never truer than with Hilton Head.

  

Now, mind you I am so relaxed, that I have been lax in these entries. Sigh… I will write more about our visit and here are some of the items I will cover in future entries of Vacations From Home. Hope you’ll return.

PRE-HISTORY

SEA PINES PLANTATION

HARBOUR TOWN

BIKING

BEACH

RESTAURANTS

PIGGLY WIGGLY 

40 ACRES AND A MULE

A Sunday for Team VFH is just another day of the week. It is just another day to enjoy and imbibe and mooch. But, in South Carolina and I suspect most of the world, Sundays are reserved as a day of prayer and to give thanks. We are not church-going folk, but we're not blasphemous. Our piety runs further than a devotion to saving money. When presented with a solemn moment or artifact we are well aware of its importance and give it the attention it deserves. This will be explained later in this blog.

Because it was a Sunday, Beaufort and the environs were slow. Many area establishments were closed and so we figured we would cut our visit to Beaufort short by a day and get on to our next destination, Hilton Head Island, where we were staying with friends for a week. But, we were in Beaufort, South Carolina, a place and area of the world that I had wanted to visit for a long time. Would we ever return? We had come so far and had seen so very little here compared to the rest of our trip to South Carolina. 

‘Would we ever return’, is a ponderous thought I often have when looking out on vistas and new places. How fleeting life can be, how swift the opportunities flit by and not grasped. “Stop, look, listen”, a dear mentor used to tell me. Advice well received by Team VFH… or at least me…. Janet is more of a mindset to get to the next destination, because after all we are supposed to be going to Hilton Head. At times I think she simply tolerates my “greg’s way” approach to things, but then only when there is convenience involved. Of course I'm kidding here, but today is a perfect example of her tolerating my maniacal need to explore.

LADY’S, ST. HELENA, FRIPP AND HUNTING ISLAND

Looking at maps of the sea island chain in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, there are over 100 and all worth exploring (I think).

Across the Beaufort River are several islands:

Hunting Island State Park is a popular destination with the beach there highly rated by some travel brochures. It remains one of the last undeveloped lowcountry sea islands and there is a lighthouse erected in the 1800’s…we did not visit it.

Fripp Island is where the author Pat Conroy lives. It’s a gated community and NOT named after the guitarist Robert Fripp from the prog rock group King Crimson. It’s popular with visitors for the resort amenities and the efforts there to preserve the wildlife habit; island residents established an Audubon Club and had the entire island designated as a bird preserve.

Fripp is also evidently popular with alligators.
ALLIGATOR ATTACK!
We did not venture anywhere near there!

On both Hunting and Fripp Islands Viet Nam scenes from Forrest Gump were filmed.

Lady’s Island is directly across the beautiful Woods Memorial Bridge from Beaufort. The bridge was used in the jogging scene from Forrest Gump. It is a largely unincorporated. We HAD to drive there because we were on our way to St. Helena Island.

Janet wanted to visit St. Helena because it was another stop on the National Geographic Road Trip series for the Lowcountry. The island is the epicenter for the African Gullah culture and language of geechee. It is where the community of Frogmore is located and where the name Frogmore Stew was coined in the 60’s, although lowcountry boil has deep roots in the Gullah culture and is much older. Lowcountry boil is a way of cooking large amounts and many ingredients of food for family and friends at the same time.

We should have stopped for some boil, but, we were on our way to the Penn school.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LOWCOUNTRY DRIVE

THE PORT ROYAL EXPERIMENT

When the Civil War began in 1861 one of the objectives of the Union forces was to deny the Confederates a deep water port and Port Royal, just south of Beaufort was considered very important. The Union was successful and slaves from the area were liberated as the Union occupied the area throughout the Civil War. The Penn School was part of the Port Royal experiment to help abandoned slaves learn to cope with freedom by teaching them to read and survive economically. It was one of several such schools established on St. Helena Island. The leaders of this experiment were mostly philanthropists, abolitionists and missionaries from Pennsylvania, hence the name. The experiment worked for a while. African Americans became self-sufficient and with guidance through the Penn School thrived. There was a strong desire and a feeling with the freed people they had the moral right to claim the lands they worked. People widely expected to legally claim 40 acres and a mule with the war's end.

But in 1865, President Andrew Johnson had all lands returned to the previous owners.

We made a right off Route 21 in Frogmore when we saw the sign for the Penn School. It was midday on a Sunday and all the church parking lots we passed were filled. We knew the facility would be closed, but wanted to see it anyway. Janet is a schoolmarm and is well aware of the power of education. We got out in the heat and walked around and peered into windows and snapped a few pictures. The Penn School, now called the Penn Center, taught African Americans for 86 years and then shifted its focus to offer services like day care and health training as well as promoting and preserving the Gullah Sea Island culture. This indeed was a solemn stop for us. We walked the grounds reverently and spoke in hushed tones 

We then quietly drove the length of the road, aptly named Land's End Road to briefly visit the Fort Fremont section of St. Helena Island and to peer out at Parris Island and our next destination, Hilton Head.

Thanks for reading. 

Janet and greg

You Oughta Be In Pictures

There is an ease to South Carolina, a calm genteel way that forces one to move a little slower, smile a bit more. If one tries to fight this tide, they will only drown in the wake of this glorious place and its unbridled joy. People are pleasant and polite and courteous. No, don't fight it. Just move a little slower when visiting South Carolina. Let your own smile shine through and enjoy the ride as well as the destination.

Smiling and moving at a leisurely pace, Team VFH left the Charleston, with a plan to meander. The next stop for us was Beaufort, but he had so much to see before we arrived in this home of Joe Frazier, The Big Chill and Forrest Gump. 

THE ANGEL OAK

Speaking of a leisurely pace there is the Angel Oak. We had learned about this ancient tree from the National Geographic Road Trip Series and decided to see it for ourselves.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LOWCOUNTRY DRIVE

This beautiful oak has been growing for a very long time. Varying brochures and websites estimate this old, stately tree from 300 to 600 years old. It is said to be the oldest living thing in North America. Indeed, why rush? Located on Johns Island in Angel Oak Park it stands over 65 feet tall and 28 feet around and offers 1700 square feet of canopy. It is free, it is beautiful and it is well worth the stop.

LOGGERHEAD

EDISTO ISLAND

Another sea island, Edisto is south of Kiawah. The ride along Route 174 is lovely, lined with live oak trees draped in silver Spanish moss and past beautiful marshes and estuaries. It is quite a drive and far off the beaten path. We ignored the opportunity to visit the Serpentarium to see reptiles from the area, and made our way to the town; some call it a semi-tropical version of Mayberry. There are no traffic lights, motels or fast food franchises and the homes are relatively modest. It is quiet. Loggerhead turtles nest here from spring through the fall and the state park on Edisto Island offers a guided nighttime walk to explore this creature’s life cycle. 

LOGGERHEAD TURTLE WALK

We stopped briefly so I could collect some sand, but did not go to the south end of the island where sea shells are plentiful.

EDISTO ISLAND, SC

BEAUFORT

It is the second oldest city in South Carolina after Charleston. I had always wanted to visit this city after learning the Big Chill, Forrest Gump and The Prince of Tides, to name a few from a long list, were filmed here. Beaufort is called by some as a little Hollywood in South Carolina. Movie locations from old Southern looks to jungle scenes are the allure as well as a beautiful warm light; there is a lot of moisture in the air. Some of the jungle scenes from Forrest Gump were filmed nearby on Fripp and Hunting Islands. Also interesting is the heavyweight champion Joe Frazier was born in this bucolic little town and it is the home of the actor Tom Berenger and the author Pat Conroy. 

Beaufort has recently been ranked No.1 as the happiest seaside town by Coastal Living Magazine. But, when we first arrived we weren’t so sure. We drove through town along route 21, past mundane store fronts and gas stations. But very soon we got to see the historic area. Turning left on Bay Street just before the Woods Memorial Bridge that spans the Beaufort River (which was used in a scene where Forrest Gump was jogging), we drove through the Old Point section of town and marveled at the beautiful antebellum homes lovingly maintained. The streets are quiet and lined with live oak draped with moss. It was everything I expected from Beaufort.

The other stretch of Bay Street is lined with trendy shops and galleries and there is a small quiet park that follows the river. A number of bars and restaurants have open decks that face the park and everyone seemed to have live music being played when we walked around town after our dinner.

There is a military presence here with the Marine Corps Recruit Depot on Parris Island nearby. Evidently the town gets crowded on Family Day and graduation from boot camp, although the ceremony is not limited to family members. This and the museum on Parris Island are popular destinations.

PARRIS ISLAND GRADUATION INFO

There is a well-attended Water Festival in Beaufort. It opens tomorrow, July 19^th. Now in its 58^th year the opening ceremonies will feature the Parris Island Marine Band. The 10 day event has music, crafts, shrimp boat tours, fireworks, a parade of boats; everything to make Beaufort a destination. Each day of the festival has a different theme, like Tropical Tuesday and Lowcountry supper Thursday.

BEAUFORT WATER FESTIVAL 

There’s a shrimp festival too, held in October and a Gullah Festival, celebrating the Sea Island culture of West African and American influences in late May.

The arts are well represented here also. Operas are held at the University of South Carolina Beaufort Center For the Arts and an International Film Festival is held in February.

Beaufort seemed vibrant and artsy and trendy and still southern and stately and genteel. There seems to be so much to do, but sadly, we had limited time in Beaufort and doubly sad we missed everything! We arrived too late to take a carriage ride through the town that would have taught us some history and showed us film locations. It was not a graduation week for the Marine recruits so the town was quiet, almost deserted on this Saturday just after the Fourth of July. The yearly sailing regatta was next week and the Water Festival was still two weeks away. 

What to do?

Well, we made the best of the situation; we opted to go out to dinner!  There are several very fine restaurants in Beaufort. We had our best meal of our trip so far in South Carolina at Dockside in Port Royale, just a few miles from the center of town, where we ate Oysters Rockefeller and the best shrimp and grits slathered with Tasso ham for appetizers, potato-encrusted Grouper and crab-stuffed flounder for dinner. Dockside is evidently the place everyone eats when family comes for graduation week at Parris Island and the wait can be torturous. Our wait was just an hour, which we spent happily at the bar.

SHRIMP AND GRITS!

The other choice for dinner was The Old Bull Tavern. It is ranked No.1 on a lot of websites. The food is British Pub with a twist and very reasonably priced. After our meal at Dockside we stopped in for a drink here. It was a bit too loud, but fun. There were many delicious items on the menu, but we were glad we had eaten at Dockside. Our original thinking was to stay on Sunday, but chatting with some locals they told us the town just rolls up and there’s nothing going on, so we never ate at The Old Bull Tavern as we decided to high-tail it to our next destination point on Sunday morning. I think though I would like to return to Beaufort and spend more time exploring the town and the sea islands nearby.

Funky Beach and Seafood Dives

We had been fighting inclement weather throughout this first week of travel in South Carolina. It rained every day, sometimes a drizzle, sometimes vociferously. Brilliant blue skies would suddenly be covered by billowing clouds and the rain would come with such force that we would have to seek shelter. The rain and wind would cool the area and then the heat would come again, a strong, piercing sun.

We had seen a lot of Charleston our first three days there and now wanted to see a bit of their beach communities. Charleston is set on a peninsula at the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers. Two islands north and south of the harbor feature beaches and each have a different feel.

FOLLY BEACH

Folly Beach is a 6 mile beach located at the eastern edge of James Island and just north of Kiawah. Several people told us Folly was a “funky” beach town, more like a surfer community and the crowded area by the bridge had plenty of bars some with music already wafting out into the mid-morning air when we arrived. Parking seemed to be an issue in the center of the island. We drove slowly to the north end and then the south end, abiding by the many hand painted signs that read: “Slow Down, It’s Folly.”  There were plenty of beach access points everywhere on the island, all with paid parking. There were also plenty of others parked on the actual street for free, but we were worried this was illegal. With later research we found out that you’re able to park on the street, as long as all tires are off the road. This sounds anal I realize, but they have a website detailing these and other rules.

 PARKING ON FOLLY?

Evidently the good natured laid back atmosphere of Folly Beach had been abused in the past, hence the rules. Last  Fourth of July two bus-loads of college drinkers were dropped off at the shore town and proceeded to drink heavily and cause some problems with the local cops. The community then banned drinking on the beach.  

ARTICLE: NO DRINKING ON FOLLY BEACH

So, given all these restrictions here at Folly Beach it sort of did not sound like the laid back funky place people described. The center of the beach where the bridge came in was congested with people vying for spots. We thought it would be nice walk around town and perhaps get a drink, but all the paid parking lots seemed filled. So, not wanting to risk a ticket in parking on the street we drove to Folly Beach County Park on the extreme southern edge of the town and paid our $8.00. The beach there is worth the drive. Emptier and because of the no-drinking laws, it was clean and family oriented. The one thing about the park is they lock the gates at 7 pm. Any car inside afterwards is stuck. We thought that was odd.

FOLLY BEACH COUNTY PARK

Anyway, we arrived at low tide and there was a very shallow incline to the water, so the beach was very wide. It was not crowded, though it was a Friday afternoon. People were riding bikes on the hard-packed sand; something I had never seen before. The water was warm. It was a very pleasant time. It is worth a return visit in the future, but we had to leave in the late afternoon because we had bigger fish to fry…literally.

BOWENS ISLAND RESTAURANT

Bowens Island Restaurant has been labeled as one of the best Seafood Dives in America. When Team VFH was doing its research for places to eat in the Charleston area, Bowens Island kept coming up as a must place to visit. It has been around since the 40’s and it keeps getting mentioned by people and websites, although some of the reviews were less than kind. Some say that Bowens is a shell of what it had been and not very good. I still say it was worth the visit. Five minutes outside of Folly Beach and set high up you can enjoy incredible views as you eat your seafood, or simply read all the graffiti scrawled on the walls. Though it embraces the ‘dive’ or minimalist approach to things, it’s really not. There’s a full bar and a very impressive selection of local craft beers on tap. (I recommend the Coast Hop Art.). Some may not find that appealing and truthfully the enterprise that is Bowens Island Restaurant was more a façade than a simple approach to some good simple food.  

BOWENS ISL REST

 

BOWENS ISL REST

To get into the restaurant you have to climb a long weaving ramp that at 5 pm is in the full sun and wait in a long line. We were lucky to get there close to opening so our wait was not that bad and though we heard from others that bug spray was a vital to survival while waiting the withering sun was more a problem. 

Sadly, Bowens Island was the place we were most looking forward to eating at and though the atmosphere was fabulous we were disappointed. Janet says you have to be a fan overeating and fried food to eat here. Bowens is known for their steamed oysters and Lowcountry boil and only open from 5 till 9 Tuesday through Saturday. I had the boil, but should have tried their shrimp and grits. Janet ordered the Big Ol’ Seafood Platter which was deep fried and ponderously heavy. It was all right, but not great. Thankfully we got there early enough to get seats at the bar, but it’s a large cavernous building with rows of tables. Screens all around let a cooling breezes through. The waitstaff emerge from the kitchen shouting out names and they bring the food to you, but you have to get your condiments and unless you’re at the bar you have to get your own drinks. As we struggled through the vast amounts of food given us we watched as the line coming through the door on this Friday afternoon never dwindled.

BOWENS ISLAND RESTAURANT 

PLATTER AND BOIL

SULLIVAN’S ISLAND

Again, with fleeting time; we were leaving Charleston the next day; we decided to take a side trip over to Sullivan’s Island before returning for the evening, just to say we were there. The history of Sully’s, as called by the locals, is ominous. It was the point of entry for 40% of the slave trade in North America and it is said that half of all African Americans today have an ancestor that disembarked here, but nowhere on the 3-mile island is there a memorial. It is now a wealthy place with affluent homes. Supposedly the actor Bill Murray keeps a place there and though we did not get an invite we did drive around and were amazed at some of the real estate.

There was a strip of inviting looking restaurants and drinking establishments brimming with patrons along the main street. We drove first down to the south end of the island to Fort Moultrie. Fort Moultrie played a major part in the American Revolution and Civil War and was decommissioned after 171 years of service in 1947 and is now part of the National Park Service.

FORT MOULTRIE 

SULLIVAN'S ISLAND

Near the fort we found a small rocky beach and with a number of other people enjoying the view we watched a huge container ship slip past the twinkling skyline of Charleston. We drove around the neighborhoods and eventually found a small area of four parking spots with beach access. It was near a lighthouse. Beneath a lavender sky we walked to the beach. The waves were small, the water was warm. It was high tide and the beach was narrow, although I had read it could be very wide at low tide. Families with small children still flounced in the water.

It was the end of a good day.

A Fifth on the Fourth

We’ve had some nice experiences while in Charleston. On the day we arrived we checked into our little lovely boutique bed and breakfast on Kings St. and dodged the rain drops as we strolled down to Battery at the ogle the stately antebellum homes there and enjoy the steady breeze off the waters of the Cooper and Ashley Rivers. We learned a new anagram: SNOB. Slightly North Of Broad. The real stately areas of Charleston begin south of Broad Street. We then walked along East Bay Street past the Rainbow Row, a stretch of homes painted in soft pastel colors and one of the more popular tourist destinations.

 

Rainbow Row Charleston SC

We tried, but failed to eat at Husk, the “hot” restaurant in town; recently featured in some television show about eating in Charleston, oh, and a James Beard Award winner; but got there too late for lunch as their kitchen closed at 2:30. We settled for a comparatively meager lunch at the Bull Street Gourmet & Market, where Janet had a salad and I had a smoky pork tenderloin sandwich. We were both very satisfied.

BULLS STREET GOURMET AND MARKET

At 5 pm we were pleased to learn they serve complimentary wine and cheese at our hotel, the Kings Courtyard Inn and lingered there over adequate whites and reds until it was time for our baseball game.

The Charleston RiverDogs, Class A in the New York Yankees organization, were playing the Rome Braves in the South Atlantic League. Tickets were just $7.00 each with a $1.00 service charge, and parking was $5.00. When we walked in they gave us a couple of senior citizen vouchers for hot dogs! Can’t beat that! Who says it sucks getting old. 
Now, Janet and I like baseball. The actor Bill Murray is a part owner in the RiverDogs, but what drew us to the game this night was the opportunity to see two guys who play in the bigs work a rehab stint with the team; Alex Rodriquez and Eduardo Nunez. The place was sold out. There were fireworks afterwards. It was good night. Before the game A-Rod and Nunez played catch near home plate to allow people to see them close up. A-Rod left the game after going 0-2 and Nunez did not come back after a 45 minute rain delay. The game went into extra innings, but the crowds never dwindled.

The RiverDogs lost.

Charleston has its fine share of bars. We saw a lot of them the next day on the 4^th of July. After taking a mule drawn carriage ride through the Battery we had a drink at the rooftop bar of the Vendue Inn. It was breezy and with shade offered by umbrellas it was a pleasant place to linger for a time. Janet had something with Sweet Tea vodka and I had a bourbon based drink, which caused me to lapse into a southern drawl for a while. Though there was not much of a view afforded by the rooftops, we basically saw other rooftops, it was well worth the visit. Vendue Inn is at 19 Vendue Range. You take a little corridor and then an elevator to the roof.

The second stop for Team VFH’s Charleston’s pub crawl was the Southend Brewery and Smokehouse for a couple of their home brews and conversation with others. Locals usually ask whether you’re visiting or local. Visitors just assume you’re from somewhere else. The beers were all right, the conversations were better. The smells from the smokehouse part of Southend were outstanding, but we did not linger for food.

After a feeble attempt to make the final boat to Ft. Sumter and missing it, we had to settle for a walk through the museum. We stood on the wharf for a while looking across the Cooper River at Patriot’s Point and Sullivan’s Island. The Ravenel Bridge soared majestically off to our left and Ft. Sumter was way off in the distance.

Because we had time to kill before we reached the happiest hour of 4 pm; we had made plans to go to Pearlz; we stopped at the Charlestowne Cigar shop. We had criss-crossed in front of the shop several times throughout the day. I bought a very reasonably priced cigar and Janet got a glass of wine. We sat at a sidewalk table and did some people watching as we waited for happy hour to begin.   CHARLESTOWNE CIGAR

By the time we left Pearlz on East Bay Street it was throbbing with patrons. We could have lingered much longer; their happy hour raw bar and small plate and drink specials are that good, but we had two more stops on our Charleston pub crawl. Friends had told us about Closed For Business on King Street. With fleeting time in our visit to Charleston we decided to stop there for a beer from their very large selection of craft brews and a burger, although the burger was overpriced and not very good. Then we were off for our booze cruise on the Carolina Queen. It was a 4^th of July fireworks special. We told everyone we met on our pub crawl that we were going on this and everyone said they had tried to get tickets but it had been sold out. Leave it to Janet to plan ahead. She signed up for emails for specials and deals and this was one of them!

The Carolina Queen is a fake paddlewheel and the ride was packed with young and old. But, there was a live band downstairs and they were selling Lagunitas beer for $3.00.  It sailed into the gathering night around the battery and we watched fireworks from all around the area being fired off, but then we settled into an area across from the aircraft carrier at Patriots Point and there, with the Ravenel bridge glowing approvingly we watched a brilliant fireworks display.

Early Birds in the Holy City

As the twin spires of the Arthur Ravenel rose majestically into the air, marking our final approach to Charleston we felt a sense of awe and wonder. There was an Emerald City mystique after all to this beautiful place. I had been to the Holy City with my son about a decade ago, before the Ravenel was opened and so this new sight just added to the charm of Charleston. The city had made an indelible impression on me and my son. Team VFH was happy to return and we giggled as we soared over the wide Cooper River.

Charleston, SC

Charleston is considered to be one of the friendliest cities in the United States. It is the very essence of Southern genteel hospitality. Everyone has a grace and a patience that is rarely exhibited elsewhere.

The architecture is opulent. The post and antebellum homes, some dating to the late 1700’s are strikingly beautiful. Most feature side porches to readily catch the winds off the Ashley and Cooper Rivers that meet at the Battery at Charleston Point. The front doors that face the street are called “false doors” and only led to the side porch. Every home has a well-tended, beautiful garden with lush growth. Many have fountains. Towering church spires from several denominations, dot the city showing off the history of this city’s religious tolerance and perhaps giving Charleston its knick name, the Holy City.

The history is long in Charleston. It was one of the wealthiest cities in the early years of the United States, having first made money with rice; first cultivated by slaves from west Africa who introduced and cultivated the grain; then Sea Island Cotton. The wealth of the south and Charleston was dependent upon the slave trade with nearly half of all human trafficking at the time going through the city. South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union, and it was at Fort Sumter in the Charlotte harbor where the first shots of the civil war were fired.

The city is for foodies as well. A spirited debate over where the best shrimp and grits can be found is endless and local critics will send you huffing all over town or to the sea islands nearby, like Sullivan’s or Bowens. By the way, shrimp and grits is a tasty stew with differing ingredients depending on the cook … or is that a chef? And, another local dish Frogmore Stew, from the town of Frogmore with no adult pollywogs in the mix, is very good too. Also called Lowcountry boil it usually is shrimp and sausage and corn. And, perhaps dispelling the “Holy City” imagery a bit, an innocent query about where to find the best dive bars is answered quickly and with a broad smile. A favorite is given then one or two more are thrown into the mix. Evidently there are more pubs in Charleston than there are church spires, perhaps owed to the presence of pirates throughout Charleston’s history. Restaurants like Husk and Hall’s Chop House, the Hominy Grill and the Peninsula Grill are either featured on some Travel Channel Destination or are extremely popular through word of mouth.

It is a younger city too, uptown King Street has a vibrant crowd and there are several nightspots. Closed For Business on King Street CLOSED FOR BUSINESS, 

The Blind Tiger Pub on Broad and Poe’s Tavern on Sullivan’s Island are other notables. 

Dive bars like Big John’s and Henry’s on North Market Street and Salty Mikes at the Charleston Marina are destinations too.

There are four breweries in Charleston: Coast, which has a very good IPA called Hop Art; Holy City Brewery; Palmetto, which makes a very good amber; and Southend Brewery on East Bay Street.

So, given all these interests, tourism is big business in Charleston, and for everything there is a tour. There are harbor tours and a boat to Fort Sumter, where the Civil War began. There is a museum and tour of the slave mart on Chalmers Street where one can sigh heavily at this sorry time in our American history. There is the Charles Towne Pub Crawl tour that is highly regarded and carters to those who want to experience the seedier side of Charleston. And, as we hinted at debauchery here, there is walking tour about pirate history in Charleston, led by a pirate and his first mate, a chattering parrot on his shoulder.   PIRATE TOUR

One can take a walking culinary tour:  CULINARY CHARLESTON

The annual home and garden tour is held in April. Tickets for 2014 go on sale in November. ANNUAL GARDEN TOUR

One can tour the historical area in an enclosed van or an open carriage tour. We opted for the Palmetto Carriage Works: 

PALMETTO CARRIAGE WORKS

Our tour led by Sam, and his two co-workers, a couple of big mules, was leisurely and informative. Sam was funny and answered questions patiently as we trundled through the lower part of the town down King Street and the Battery. And, a question about dive bars was immediately answered with a knowing smile and a finger pointed in the direction of Big John’s.

Hotels are expensive in Charleston, but, thankfully Janet loves doing the research in seeking out the best deals. She triangulates her efforts, starting first with Trip Advisor, and then reading further reviews from Open Table and Urban Spoon. Only then does she make a decision over where Team VFH spends its nickels. I know I couldn’t put such an effort into the planning!

We spent a little bit more in Charleston, but the Kings Courtyard Inn on King Street was worth it. We could have gone to the outskirts of town or across one of the rivers for cheaper versions of a night’s stay, but the Kings Courtyard bed and breakfast offered so many amenities like cheaper parking, and wine every evening at 5, complimentary breakfasts and sherry later in the evening, that it proved a good choice. We were close enough to the historical areas to walk; Market Street was around the corner and the Battery was about a mile. The rooms were small, but neat. We had a four poster bed with a canopy that overlooked the commerce of King Street.

KINGS COURTYARD INN

One major piece of advice before I leave you today is get to happy hours early. Competition for bar stools can be withering. We’re bar sitters after all. We feel we get better service and we get to chat with all of humanity that way. Our pub crawl in Charleston our first day was planned to culminate with Pearlz on 153 East Bay Street. Janet had triangulated her research about their happy hour offerings. A dozen oysters went for $10 and the prices for small plates and half priced drinks were phenomenal. Mahi Tacos were just 7 and beers $2.50. The martinis were normally priced though…at $7. As we kept ordering food and drink we became more and more painfully aware of people swirling around us looking to pounce on our stools. By the time we left the place was throbbing with business and there was a line out the door for tables.

Pearlz

Everywhere we saw lines for places. People were lined up outside Toast on Meeting Street daily. Hyman’s and Sticky Fingers were also popular waiting lines. We never got into Husk, we kept missing their cut off for lunch. Dinner would have been impossible to get into without reservations.