South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina itinerary?
January 19, 2018 1:59 PM Subscribe
Let's say you had to plan 7 nights for two adults flying in and out of Charlotte in late May/early June. What would you recommend as an itinerary?
One thought is go in a circle: Arrive in Charlotte (not necessarily stay there), Savannah, Charleston, and then Raleigh/Durham at the end to visit friends and back to Charlotte.
Would like to visit some iconic landmarks, neighborhoods, or interesting parks. Maybe some Civil War stuff? No interest in night life or clubs.
What would you do?
One thought is go in a circle: Arrive in Charlotte (not necessarily stay there), Savannah, Charleston, and then Raleigh/Durham at the end to visit friends and back to Charlotte.
Would like to visit some iconic landmarks, neighborhoods, or interesting parks. Maybe some Civil War stuff? No interest in night life or clubs.
What would you do?
I'll let others take on Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham, but I would drive to Charleston right away and stay for a couple nights. To get your Civil War fix, you'll want to take the ferry out to Fort Sumter and visit the Ashley Rhett house, easily walkable from all the downtown hotels on the peninsula. You'll also want to take a self-guided walking tour of the extensive historical streets, alleyways, homes, churches, and especially graveyards. If you are in Charleston on a Saturday, go to the wonderful Saturday farmers' market in Marion Square.
Savannah is for stunning parks, fountains, antique shops, and the Savannah School of Art and Design neighborhood, and more graveyards.
Both cities have incredible restaurants, low to high--too many to list here.
posted by Elsie at 2:44 PM on January 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
Savannah is for stunning parks, fountains, antique shops, and the Savannah School of Art and Design neighborhood, and more graveyards.
Both cities have incredible restaurants, low to high--too many to list here.
posted by Elsie at 2:44 PM on January 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'd go up US 17 towards Wilmington and jut off to visit Brunswick Town ruins, and then nearby Orton Plantation, one of the few rice plantations on the coast. It's a beautiful place and should be at its flowering peak in April/May. You could then go through Wilmington and east to Carolina Beach and visit Fort Fisher. Actually, now that I think of it, you could go to Southport from Orton and take the ferry over to Fort Fisher, and then either stay over in Wilmington or go on the interstate to Raleigh.
posted by MovableBookLady at 3:16 PM on January 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by MovableBookLady at 3:16 PM on January 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
If you're at all in to outdoors, the Whitewater Center (in Charlotte) is worth it.
posted by atomicstone at 4:23 PM on January 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by atomicstone at 4:23 PM on January 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
visit the Ashley Rhett house,
For Googling purposes I think you mean the Aiken-Rhett house, and a very enthusiastic second on that.
If you are looking for a nice B&B, I stayed at the Ashley Inn...loved it. It's not right downtown but the price was reasonable and it was walkable if you're a decent walker.
posted by Preserver at 5:40 PM on January 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
For Googling purposes I think you mean the Aiken-Rhett house, and a very enthusiastic second on that.
If you are looking for a nice B&B, I stayed at the Ashley Inn...loved it. It's not right downtown but the price was reasonable and it was walkable if you're a decent walker.
posted by Preserver at 5:40 PM on January 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
Flannery O'Connor and girl scout sites in Savannah.
Roadfood for places to eat
posted by brujita at 5:53 PM on January 19, 2018
Roadfood for places to eat
posted by brujita at 5:53 PM on January 19, 2018
I would definitely recommend the White water center in Charlotte but if you’re going in late May/June I would highly recommend sticking to the water activities so aren’t a complete puddle of sweat.
posted by raccoon409 at 8:51 PM on January 19, 2018
posted by raccoon409 at 8:51 PM on January 19, 2018
Durham is a great city with an amazing food scene. The Duke Lemur Center is the only place to see some of those animals in captivity--otherwise you've got to go to Madagasgar. If you go spring through fall, the lemurs are in large outdoor habitats and you can see them playing in the trees and stuff It's pretty amazing.
I've lived in NC or Georgia all my life and never found much of the Civil War stuff very interesting. Mostly large, hot fields with flags. Near Charlotte is Kings Mountain National Military Park, commemorating an important Revolutionary War battle. It's also a cool place because Kings Mountain is part of a tiny cluster of ancient mountains completely separate from any existing mountain chain. There's good hiking and rock climbing there and at neighboring Crowders Mountain State Park.
posted by hydropsyche at 6:29 AM on January 20, 2018 [1 favorite]
I've lived in NC or Georgia all my life and never found much of the Civil War stuff very interesting. Mostly large, hot fields with flags. Near Charlotte is Kings Mountain National Military Park, commemorating an important Revolutionary War battle. It's also a cool place because Kings Mountain is part of a tiny cluster of ancient mountains completely separate from any existing mountain chain. There's good hiking and rock climbing there and at neighboring Crowders Mountain State Park.
posted by hydropsyche at 6:29 AM on January 20, 2018 [1 favorite]
Make sure you eat at Red Bridges BBQ in Shelby on your way down to South Carolina. It’s a bit of a detour but it’s the best BBQ in the Carolinas.
posted by guster4lovers at 7:30 AM on January 20, 2018
posted by guster4lovers at 7:30 AM on January 20, 2018
Charleston!? Nah, I'd go the other direction, up into the mountains, to Asheville.
posted by Rash at 9:21 AM on January 20, 2018
posted by Rash at 9:21 AM on January 20, 2018
Response by poster: How would you split the nights up, Rash?
posted by starman at 11:56 AM on January 20, 2018
posted by starman at 11:56 AM on January 20, 2018
I'd make your circle Charlotte-Asheville-Raleigh-Charlotte with a couple nights in each place.
posted by Rash at 10:00 PM on January 20, 2018
posted by Rash at 10:00 PM on January 20, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
In the RDU area I'd recommend the Carolina Tiger Rescue if you are in any way interested in that sort of thing. Honestly, even if you aren't interested in that sort of thing. It's an amazing place.
Nearby in the extremely cute town of Hillsborough is Ayr Mount, if you like a good historical home tour. Downtown Hillsborough has a number of other little historic things to see as well.
Mordecai Historic Park is very interesting and is right in the middle of downtown Raleigh.
Other things in the RDU area I've wanted to see despite living here for 13 years and not getting around to it are the Duke Lemur Center and Bennett Place.
posted by something something at 2:41 PM on January 19, 2018 [1 favorite]