Charleston's Saltwater Provides Some Of The Best Fishing Around

Some of the best fishing in the Lowcountry can be found right off the shores of our very own Charleston. Just ask Marvie Benford, a local fisherman who knows the coastal waters like the back of his hand. When not working you will find him cruising the big blue looking for the next big strike. But with today's technology finding it can be easy, the challenge is catching it. No problem for Marvie. If it lives in the ocean and has gills and scales he will find it and catch it.

When I first came to Charleston I spent three hundred dollars for a fishing charter that took us around the inner coastal waters of the Isle of Palms. It turned out to be a huge disappointment because we didn't get a single strike, not even a nibble the whole three hours. The guide even tried for some shark and we still came up empty handed. "We are going to catch something?", was the constant inquiry. Probably could have caught something right off the pier for the price of a dozen shrimp or a bucket of menhaden where the boat was moored. The disappointment was not due to the fact there wasn't any fish, there was plenty of fish. It unfortunately was our guide whom we came to find out was from Boston and new to the area.

Three years later I was invited to go on another charter. This time it was free because my friend payed for it, so if I didn't catch anything, at least I wouldn't feel like I just got my pockets picked. As we headed down to the pier the boat came into view and it looked eerily familiar. Lo and behold, it was the same guide. I didn't say a word about our previous encounter, but the look of concern on my face was evident to my friend. At least this time he looked more like a fishing guide than a salesman from Boston and we did catch alot of shark that day trailing behind the shrimp trollers combing the waters in the bay. So, the lesson learned is make sure you get a good charter with an experienced guide like Marvie, and you will not be disappointed.

Spot-tail Bass are probably one of South Carolina's most sought after fish and are plentiful in Charleston waters. Spanish Mackerel arrive in the spring and stay until fall. From spring through fall, the Flounder is a highly prized catch. King Mackerel are excellent fighters on light tackle and are caught trolling the offshore structure and wrecks. The Jack Crevalle show up in Charleston around the beginning of June. Other species are Bluefish, Bonito, Spotted Seatrout, and Sheepshead. Set the hook and keep your rod tip up. For detailed information on fishing in Charleston and a list of charters visit Charleston Fishing.-Vacation Rick Travel

Where To Dine Tonight?-Charleston's Long List Of Fine Dining

Charleston has become a favored tourist attraction and destination over the years. Rich with history, sandy beaches, walking tours, ghost tours, carriage rides, galleries, museums, shopping, and of course, fine dining. Charleston has become "one of the South's important culinary capitals."

It has a long list of restaurants and eateries offering a variety of cuisines blended with Charleston's own multicultural heritage. Bocci's has become one of my favorite and for a nice lunch and brew outside on the sidewalk, Southend Brewery. The Pavilion Bar on the rooftop of the Market Pavilion Hotel offers a scenic view of the Market and Charleston Bay at night. The night breeze, the achoholic tease, some light conversation please, are all a part of the experience. No doubt you have your own favorite, but the common fascination is Charleston.

Charleston at one time was not the bustling attraction it is today. Here are some interesting facts you may not know. The Vendue Inn and Rooftop Bar in the lengendary French Quarter was a warehouse. The Magnolias on East Bay Street was a building with its windows knocked out and full of debris before its renovation. Charleston Place and Charleston Grill on Meeting Street was a huge, sandy lot where a JCPenney once stood. Bocci's was built in 1867-1868 by the Molony family and home to Charleston’s first Irish Pub. Hurricane Hugo came calling on Sept. 21, 1989, hammering the Lowcountry with 135-mph winds and washing through downtown with 15 feet of seawater. Since Hugo, Charleston rapidly was transformed into the attraction-destination it is today. Between 1995 and 2000, some 2,600 new hotel rooms opened in Charleston County giving proof of that growth in the travel market.

Cypress, Robert's, Magnolias, SNOB, High Cotton, Grill 225 are just a small sampling from a long list of fine dining Charleston offers to its visitors. What I like is how each establishment utilized the old characteristics of its buildings interior and structure to create the feeling that its heritage was respected and thoughtfully preserved along with a balanced blend of the new. SNOB, Post and Courier's "Restaurant of the Year" 2006, did not get that name because it is uppity and presumptuous. The service is friendly and top notch. It is the acronym for Slightly North of Broad.

SNOB features an open kitchen, but don't be dissappointed if you don't get a table with a view, the food is all the same. Award-winning executive chef Frank Lee and his staff's use of local and seasonal ingredients make the Maverick brand of southern cooking what you will come to love and bring you back time and time again.

 

If you read the reviews on SNOB the majority are upbeat and positive spattered with a few negatives. C'est la vie, you can't please everyone, and let's face the facts, not all palates are the same. Oh, by-the-way, SNOB was an old 19th century warehouse. Location: 192 East Bay Street, Charleston, SC. Also, try High Cotton and Old Village Post House. Bon appetit. Suggestion, check out Pat Conroy's South of Broad Walking Tour.-Vacation Rick Travel

Isle of Palms Near Charleston, SC-Seven Miles of Beach

The first beach I went to when I visited here was on the Isle of Palms or IOP. As you approach the island via the connector you get a impressive view from the bridge of the back waters and the ocean straight ahead. Finding a parking spot on Ocean Blvd by the pier is a challenge on a sunny, warm summer day when everyone has the same idea as you, going to the beach. The park lot fills up fast also.  Suggestion, get there early.

The area by the pier near Coconut Joe's has always been my favorite. When not taking in the rays there are alot of little shops in that section to peruse and a couple of places to get a refreshment or an ice cream cone. If you desire a brew, go to the upper deck of Coconut Joe's. There is generally live music and a beautiful view of the beach and ocean. An even better time is towards the evening when the sun is going down.

IOP was originally named Hunting Island and then Long Island. It was purchased in 1899 by J.S. Lawrence, who renamed it the Isle of Palms. Seewwee Indians originally occuppied the island and the only other occupants were the pirates who buried their treasures for safekeeping in the deserted dunes and woods. It remained without permanent inhabitants until the late 19th century when the island became recognized by locals of the area as a refuge from the summer heat and tempo of Charleston. Breach Inlet, separating IOP and Sullivan's Island, was the point of departure for the CSS Hunley, the first submarine to sink an enemy vessel. Numerous ships have sunk off the shores of its beach and during Hugo the barrier island was under water. The Isle of Palms Beach and Racquet Club was built in 1975 and later renamed The Wild Dunes Beach and Racquet Club in 1984 and today is simply called Wild Dunes.

Vacation home rentals on the beach are plenty and spacious from condos to cottages, to oceanfront mansions. There are five different hotels and resorts on the island to choose from when looking for accommodations for a night or several. If you like water sports, the IOP Marina has everything you need and fishing charters too. We rented kayaks at the marina and paddled around the intercoastal waters of the island. You get a good look at the villas and mansions along the waterways and a enjoyable dose of nature.
 
Wild Dunes, Charleston's Island Resort,  is a 1,600-acre oceanfront paradise that features championship golf, nationally ranked tennis, one of the nation's top-ranked family recreation programs, over two miles of pristine beach, and four outstanding resort restaurants. Whether you are a resident or a non-resident, check out the IOP and its seven miles of beach. Map and location.-Vacation Rick Travel

A Folly Good Time-Folly Beach, SC Near Charleston

Top down, drive to the beach weather is here. Folly Beach is a favorite destination for sun bathers and surfers alike. Locals refer to it as the "Edge of America", which makes sense since it is on the coast of Eastern United States. It is more than just sand to park yourself on to get a tan or a place to catch a curl in the wild blue. It is rich with history, good food, and good times.

When we think of the word folly, foolishness comes to mind as a likely meaning. But folly actually is an English word meaning an area of dense foliage. Folly was referred to as "Coffin Land" on a 1780 map, but a map dated 1800 shows "Coffin Land" as the western end of Folly Island where the State Park is now. It was customary for ships with plague or cholera victims to leave the ill travelers on barrier islands before they entered the Charleston port and pick them up later if they were still alive.

The ship Amelia wrecked on Folly Island while sailing from New York to New Orleans in 1832. In 1930’s the new Atlantic Pavilion, Boardwalk, Pier and Oceanfront Hotel were built, but in 1957 The Oceanfront Hotel and Pavilion and Joe’s Restaurant burned. The Holiday Inn was built on the spot. The island played a part in the Civil War--first shots of the American Civil War fired by Citatel Cadets on Morris Island. The first surfboard on the island was introduced by Pat Thomas.

Now the fun begins. If you like to fish, there is a 1,045 foot fishing pier that hosts fishing tournament and you can rent everything you need at the shop on the Pier. There is plenty of sand to place your towel or chair upon to take in the rays or read a book. If you are so inclined, take a walk to the tip of the island past the state park and watch the fast moving currents flow in and out of the channel. You may catch a glimpse of a dolphin cruising the rapidly surging waters appearing as if it is stationary in the current. If you have a boat or a jet ski, beach it on the backside of the island and have a picnic. The surfing is some of the best on the east coast and Folly hosts a number of surf events throughout the year.

Looking for a place to stay for more than a day? Accommodations range from charming cottages, modern beach houses, to affordable condominiums and a luxury hotel. You can stay at Water's Edge Inn; top rated by Conde Nast Traveler, or the Tides; Charleston's only full-service oceanfront hotel. Also, plenty of ocean front vacation homes to choose from for the all-around package.

When hunger strikes you after a day on the beach there are a variety of restaurants such as Rita's Seaside Grille, Locklear's Beach City Grill, Folly Beach Crab Shack, and BLU Restaurant with an ocean view and delectable food. Folly Beach recreational activities include kayaking, jet ski rentals, parasailing, boat charters, and whatever else.

Charleston is only minutes away with one of America’s premier downtown historic districts. Angel Oak Park, just a short drive from Folly Beach, is home to "the oldest tree east of the Mississippi." Well, you get the picture. Visit Folly Beach for a day or a week. You may see me there, Vacation Rick. Please don't forget to say hello, southern style.

Cypress Gardens In Berkeley County, SC-Nature And A Movie

When I moved to the Summerville area of South Carolina and first heard the name Cypress Gardens mentioned as a place to visit, Florida automatically came to mind. Little did I know, at the time, there was a Cypress Gardens right here in the surrounding area of Charleston. So, I checked it out. No glass bottom boats will you find there and if you are also thinking the Florida connection, I have come to learn the Cypress Gardens of Florida is now closed, but the Cypress Gardens of South Carolina, is alive and doing great.

Spring is an ideal time to visit Cypress Gardens with its beautiful azaleas in bloom along with a host of other wildflowers common to the area. Birds and butterflies too numerous to mention in a blog also begin to make their presense known as the weather begins to warm in the month of March and continuing on into April when the azaleas are at their peek and the dogwoods abundant with color. Every month from there on out will bring its own steady procession of plants in bloom and new arrivals of the bird kingdom as well as butterflies and a host of other wildlife, including the earth-shaking bellowings of the territorial, breeding alligator in June.

Cypress Gardens is composed of approximately 80 acres of open swamp filled with bald cypress and water tupelo trees and 3.5 miles of beautiful nature trails for you to explore. Flat-bottom boats that hold 4-6 people are provided for your use to be paddled along a marked route through the shallow swamp. You can listen to a guide tell about the swamps history and its aquatic residents. A large greenhouse called the Butterfly House filled with flowering plants, live butterflies, birds, a pond, an arthropod exhibit, and an observation beehive is located on sight along with the Swamparium, an aquarium/reptile center, with tanks and terrariums featuring fish, amphibians, and reptiles (including venomous snakes) native to the swamp and nearby waterways. As you leisurely walk the trails you will find interpretive and plant identification signs all along their route widing around the black water swamp.

Cypress Gardens has been featured in numerous national magazines. It has hosted over 16 major movies and television series. While taking the guided tour through the swamp I learned various swamp scenes in the movie, "The Patriot", were filmed there. Other notable movies were "North and South", "Cold Mountain", and "The Notebook". On the humerous side, who would have thought "Swamp Thing" was also filmed in its swamp. Go figure. Engage yourself in a challenge. Visit Cypress Gardens and then rent the movies out to see if you can identify those particular scenes.

Beautiful Cypress Gardens in Berkeley County, South Carolina is worth your time and be sure to bring your camera. Check upcoming events, admission, and directions. Located at 3030 Cypress Gardens Rd., Moncks Corner, SC 29461. Phone: 843-553-0515.-Vacation Rick Travel