News: Asheville,NC/Charleston,SC Trip April '11

[Cadillac Tech]

Charleston tours

I found this package and thought it would be a great way to experience a lot of Charleston. I will call them today. I would recommend the 1yr.Passport for $64.95 per person. It will give you more time to visit each place. The 2 day Passport for $44.95 must be used in 2 consecutive days.

http://charlestonheritagefederation.org/passport.html

 

[Cadillac Tech]

Charleston coupons

http://www.charlestoncvb.com/visitors/special_offers/coupons.html

 

[Cadillac Tech]

Charleston's Museum Mile

http://www.charlestonmuseummile.org/Home.html

 

[Cadillac Tech]

Charleston harbor tours

http://www.charlestonharbortours.com/

This looks like fun!

More Fun tours; http://www.charlestoncvb.com/visitors/tripplanner/what_to_see_do~3/tours~32/

 

[Crimson Pearl]

Additional dining recommendations

This could be a nice place to dine while in Charleston.

http://www.hanksseafoodrestaurant.com/

http://www.stickyfingers.com/Default.aspx

For many regular visitors to Charleston, no visit is complete without dining at Hyman's Seafood. It is not as upscale as Hank's, but is a perennial favorite.

http://hymanseafood.com/

Also, for the best provider of the landmark "Mustard based" BBQ, one should visit Thomas Bessingers on Savannah Highway (17 South). The Bessinger family serves the barbeque with the distinctive mustard-based sauce that South Carolina is so well known for. The Bessinger recipe can be found at Melvin's (Mt. Pleasant and James Island), Maurices (Columbia) and Thomas Bessingers (Hwy 17 South). All 3 are very simular, but Thomas Bessinger wins the "Onion Ring" competition in my opinion. Once just a drive-in known as "Piggie Park", it now features a sit-down dining room that serves the full menu. I spent many hours hanging out there as a teen in my GTO!

http://bessingersbbq.com/home/default.html

 

[Cadillac Tech]

I would recommend that you include at least one of the Gardens, and either Fort Moultrie or Fort Sumter. Of course, you can drive to Ft. Moultrie whereas Fort Sumter requires that you board a boat. The Battery and White Point Gardens are easily accessed and are just down the street from Rainbow Road.

Don't confuse the City Market and the Slave Mart, they are 2 completely different things! The Charleston Museum and the Aquarium are not very far apart. Patriots Point has the Yorktown.

Lots of good places to eat there. Hyman's Seafood is very popular. It's downtown, not far from the City Market. Thomas Bessinger's BBQ is the best example (in my humble opinion) of the mustard-based BBQ that is found in SC (and the onion rings are as big as doughnuts).

Some might even be interested in seeing the graves of the men who died on the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley. They are located in the Magnolia Cemetary.

If you are interested in a Private Walking Tour of Downtown Charleston, I can probably arrange that as I have a friend that is a tourguide there, and conducts walking tours. He would get such a kick out of seeing the XLRs!

Of course, the weather will be the ultimate factor as to what you do on any given day, but you might want to give some thought to how many things you want to schedule!

Thanks CP for the information. Your knowledge of the area will be very helpful. I think your suggestion of the private walking tour would be a great way for our group to get to know the history of this wonderful city. If you don't mind, check into that for us. We will be staying close to Patriot's Point so we will have no problem visiting there. I think most of the group would enjoy visiting Fort Sumter. There are many wonderful homes to tour. Some offer ticket discounts if you visit multiple homes...I will check this out. I know Kathy would like to get a group picture of the cars down along the Battery & Rainbow Row. http://www.sciway.net/sc-photos/charleston-county/rainbow-row.html
There are several plantation homes outside of town that are well worth visiting. It will take a couple of days to see them all. Kathy & I really enjoyed Middleton Place & Drayton Hall.http://www.charlestoncvb.com/visito...e_do~3/attractions~31/plantations_gardens~50/ Here's a link to area photos. http://www.sciway.net/sc-photos/tag/charleston/
I encourage everyone to take a look at all there is to see & do in Charleston, & decide what you would like to see.
CP, give some thought to where we could have group dinners...Thanks.

Here's a couple of posts on Charleston, SC that I thought would be helpful for planning your visit.

 

[Cadillac Tech]

Here is some info to take a look at;
Charleston,SC info
http://www.charlestoncvb.com/visitor...ay~1/hotels~5/

http://www.charlestoncvb.com/visitor...ttractions~31/

http://www.charlestoncvb.com/visitor...ttractions~31/

http://www.charlestoncvb.com/visitor...ere_to_dine~2/

http://www.charlestoncvb.com/visitor...n_beaches~119/




Charleston,SC links

 

[Photo Girl]

http://www.charlestoncvb.com/visitors/special_offers/coupons.html

Check out these discounts. There is everything from dining, shopping, tours & attractions. Print & bring them with you to Charleston.

 

[jackparker06V]

Hello to all.
Count Lynda and I in on the Charleston part of the trip. We will arrive at the Hampton (Patriots point) on Monday the 11th and be with the group until the following Sunday. We are looking forward to seeing all of you.
Jack & Lynda

 

[cubby558]

Glad to here you will be joining us, Jack. It will be great to see you and Lynda again!!

Hello to all.
Count Lynda and I in on the Charleston part of the trip. We will arrive at the Hampton (Patriots point) on Monday the 11th and be with the group until the following Sunday. We are looking forward to seeing all of you.
Jack & Lynda

 

[Cadillac Tech]

Hello to all.
Count Lynda and I in on the Charleston part of the trip. We will arrive at the Hampton (Patriots point) on Monday the 11th and be with the group until the following Sunday. We are looking forward to seeing all of you.
Jack & Lynda

Jack it will be great to see you both again in Charleston.

 

[Photo Girl]

Hello to all.
Count Lynda and I in on the Charleston part of the trip. We will arrive at the Hampton (Patriots point) on Monday the 11th and be with the group until the following Sunday. We are looking forward to seeing all of you.
Jack & Lynda

We're glad that you are planning to join us. We look forward to seeing you & Lynda again.

 

[FLVGuy]

COUNT ME IN! I FINALLY made my reservations for both Asheville (Holiday Inn) and Charleston (Hampton.) On to the next one...

 

[Cadillac Tech]

COUNT ME IN! I FINALLY made my reservations for both Asheville (Hilton) and Charleston (Hampton.) On to the next one...

That's great news George. We have 17 XLRs so far; 16 for our group picture @ Biltmore on Monday morning.

 

[Hatty]

NC /SC 2011

Folks, has anyone given any thought to an annual golf /t-shirt for the trip? I have seen some previous threads concerning golf shirts / t-shirts. I do not want to step on any toes but I organize an annual 'Tour de Bar' in Gettysburg, PA and have some connections to get this done if we had a list of sizes and firm commitments. Just a thought.

 

[Cadillac Tech]

Folks, has anyone given any thought to an annual golf /t-shirt for the trip? I have seen some previous threads concerning golf shirts / t-shirts. I do not want to step on any toes but I organize an annual 'Tour de Bar' in Gettysburg, PA and have some connections to get this done if we had a list of sizes and firm commitments. Just a thought.

The shirts are a good idea. We try to have an event shirt for each of the annual trips. I spoke with Quinn this week about the logo for the Carolinas Trip. She is going to see what she can come up with. Thanks for the offer on the shirts, I will let you know when we have something.

 

[professor]

Just asking

COUNT ME IN! I FINALLY made my reservations for both Asheville (Hilton) and Charleston (Hampton.) On to the next one...

George,
Did you mean the Holiday Inn in Asheville or are some staying at a different hotel? I was planning on the Holiday Inn for my wife and I.
Henry (professor)

 

[professor]

The shirts are a good idea. We try to have an event shirt for each of the annual trips. I spoke with Quinn this week about the logo for the Carolinas Trip. She is going to see what she can come up with. Thanks for the offer on the shirts, I will let you know when we have something.

Hi Bruce,
I would be interested in purchasing whatever shirts you come up with, for myself and my wife, for the Carolinas Trip. Do you need any money in advance for the Biltmore photos? I would like two tickets for the tours at the Biltmore. And do we buy our own tickets in Charleston, SC when we get there?
Henry (professor)

 

[FLVGuy]

George,
Did you mean the Holiday Inn in Asheville or are some staying at a different hotel? I was planning on the Holiday Inn for my wife and I.
Henry (professor)

I stand corrected! Yes, I DID mean the Holiday Inn. I will correct my post. THANK YOU. (I made quite a few reservations yesterday and got confused.)

 

[Cadillac Tech]

Hi Bruce,
I would be interested in purchasing whatever shirts you come up with, for myself and my wife, for the Carolinas Trip. Do you need any money in advance for the Biltmore photos? I would like two tickets for the tours at the Biltmore. And do we buy our own tickets in Charleston, SC when we get there?
Henry (professor)

Henry, we will let you know what we come up with on the shirts. Cubby got the shirts done for us last year with Quinn's logo.

You can pay us for your Biltmore tickets ($50 per person) when you get to Asheville.

Everyone will buy their own tickets to the tours/attractions that they are interested in doing when we get to the Charleston Visitor Center.

Let us know what things you would like to see & do while in Charleston.