The Wild Dunes On Isle of Palms Has It All Covered

The Isle of Palms has always been one of my favorite spots in the Charleston area for beachcombing, kayaking, and just hanging out for a day. Its beach was the first I checked out while vacationing here. One spring I stayed at a beach house off of Palm Blvd. It was a memorable time. That was before all the improvements were made around the pier and Ocean Blvd between County Park and 10th St. I still like to stop for a beer on the upper deck of Coconut Joe's around sunset or an ice cream cone at one of its shops after sunning or throwing the football around on the beach. Just up the road on Sullivan's Island is Poe's Tavern, a nostalgic place to eat.

The Isle of Palm is also home to the Wild Dunes, an oceanfront resort nestled on the northern end of the island. Here are some interesting facts for the history buffs before it became a resort. It was a staging point where Lord Cornwallis commanded 2,000 British troops in an attempt to take Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island. The Confederate submarine, H.L. Hunley, rammed and sank the Union warship, USS Housatonic around the island's waterways. The Isle of Palms Beach and Racquet Club was established in 1972, a tennis resort on 1,600 acres. In 1980 came the first of its two golf courses. In early 1990, Wild Dunes Resort became part of Destination Hotels & Resorts. The 1998 opening of the Boardwalk Inn provided guests a hotel stay in AAA Four Diamond style. Early 2008 large-scale beach erosion led to the depletion of the beachfront area of Wild Dunes wiping out the 18th hole of the Links Golf Course. Not to worry, it has since been repaired by pumping approximately 900,000 cubic feet of sand from offshore.

The resort now caters to everyone and every occassion. Couples who are looking for romance, families looking for together time, tennis players and golfers, meetings, weddings and celebrations. Specials and packages are available throughout the year for your convenience and affordability. Wild Dunes offers many accommodation styles, including condo rentals and vacation homes. Choose from six different dining spots from the simple to the elegant. The Grand Pavilion Café & Bar serves sandwiches, snacks, drinks and cocktails with a panoramic view of the ocean. For a suggestion of activities ranked among the best family recreation programs in the country check out Island Adventures.

Walk It Or Ride It-Charleston's Waterfront Is Eye-Catching

The rythmic clip-clop of the horses hoofs sets the tone for an nostalgic trip back to simpler, more gential times of Charleston's past. The horse drawn carriage makes its way onto East Battery. The elevated walkway along the waterfront of East Battery stretches on ahead, a beautiful vantage point for taking in the scenery of Charleston Bay. Our attention is quickly diverted to a house on the right of us, a house with a split personality. Half is Roman architecture and the other half Greek. All listen intently as the story is told about how this unusual collaboration came about.

House with split personality

This is only a brief description of what the Charleston waterfront from The South Carolina Aquarium to White Point Gardens in Battery Park offers in the way of entertaining activity, relaxing sightseeing strolls, and historic tours. The panarama includes the Ravenal Bridge, the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown docked at Patriot's Point, Sullivan's Island and Fort Moultrie, Pinckney Castle, Fort Sumter, and on around South Battery overlooking James Island.

South Carolina Aquarium-Visitors can explore Southern aquatic life in an attraction filled with thousands of enchanting creatures and plants in amazing habitats, from five major regions of the Appalachian Watershed. Meet the Aquarium’s newest reptile resident, an albino alligator.

Fort Sumter Tours/SpiritLine Cruises-Offers a tour of Fort Sumter beginning with a museum tour detailing the history, cruises of Charleston Bay, and three-hour dinner cruises.

Waterfront Park-An eight-acre park and pier along the Charleston Harbor entry. The park masterfully combines spectacular fountains, spacious lawns, intimate garden "rooms", walking and jogging path and a long pier with picnic tables and wooden swings. The Pineapple Fountain located here represents the welcoming hospitality for which Charleston is so well known.

Battery and White Point Gardens-Provides a spectacular view of Fort Sumter and Charleston Harbor. It boasts many large oak trees, a bandstand, a few memorials, and pieces of artillery. Historical point: Scene of some famous hangings of pirates.

Edmondston-Alston House-Offers tours and a sweeping view of the harbor from its location on Charleston's High Battery. Built in 1825 by merchant Charles Edmondston, Greek revival details were added in 1838 by Charles Alston.

Two Meeting Street Inn-A Charleston bed and breakfast hotel advertised as the oldest and most recognized Charleston inn. Located in prestigious South Battery at White Point Gardens.

Charleston's Walking Tours- An Intimate Up Close Look At Its True Personality

Charleston has carriage rides, sightseeing helicopter rides, scenic harbor cruises, and a host of ghost tours. All of them are dedicated to acquainting you to the charm and wonder that is historic Charleston. But if you want to get an intimate, up close look at the Holy City, the walking tours are the best way to go. The guides are knowledgeable and entertaining.

Nathaniel Russell House

It was on a walking tour I first learned about the strange, green, bouncy rocking boards found all over Charleston called the joggling board. Also, learned some of the more intimate details of the homes and families of Charleston past that I didn't get on the carriage rides.

The Nathaniel Russell House has a self-supporting elliptical spiral staircase that ascends three floors and is an example of the ingenuity and craftmanship typical of early Charleston. There are two notable stories associated with the Edmondston-Alston House. I will only tell you one has to do with Fort Sumter and the other Robert E. Lee. Book the tour for the fine points. Both houses are part of the walking tours.

Want to learn about and sample Charleston cuisine? Schedule a culinary tour featured by Bulldog Tours. The guides will immerse you in the history of Charlestons unique southern cuisine while you walk and taste your way through local eateries, markets, bakeries, restaurants, and culinary landmarks. You will also get a behind the scenes look into top chef’s kitchens and the fine dining establishments at which they conjour up their own unique creations. Bulldog Tours offer two different culinary tours.

Ednondston-Alston House

There are tours aplenty, something for everyone. Tours designed to raise the hairs on the back of your neck from a little innocent scare and tours to raise your eyebrows as your learn about the seedier side of Charleston's history laced with stories of brothels, prostitutes, corruption, crime, scandal, and sordid affairs, an uncensored glimpse meant for adults only. Also, a tour where you can raise a glass of cold brew. All have one common thread, to inform and entertain. All tours last anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.

 

-Bulldog Tours-Savor the Flavors Tours of Downtown Charleston and Chef's Kitchen Tours of Charleston

-The Original Charleston Walks-offer the greatest variety of routes, historical themes, utter historical accuracy, and the most outstanding guides in Charleston.

-Charleston Strolls-Home to Charleston's first and finest walking tour.

-Dark Side of Charleston-Take an uncensored look at Charleston's true history.

-“Charleston – Behind The Scenes Tour” with John LaVerne - $1,000 per person-This is really decadent.

Boone Hall Plantation And Gardens-Yesterday And Today

Associated with the discriptions of many of Charleston's historical sites is the word "antebellum". The term refers to pre-Civil War America, especially the pre-Civil War culture in the southern states. Quite simply, the historical site existed before the Civil War. Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens is an antebellum plantation.

The large Colonial Revival house presently standing on the plantation is not the original, so the house is not antebellum. The original house built of wood in 1790 no longer exists, but the famous Avenue of Oaks, a 3/4 of a mile long run of live oaks on both sides from the driveway's beginning to the front house gates created in 1743, are still gracefully towering over Boone Hall's entrance like a portal to the past. NBC Daytime television says is "a must see stop on any trip to Charleston, S.C."

Avenue of Oaks

Throughout the year there is always something going on at Boone Hall besides immersing yourself in Southern culture and the history of the plantation. Festivals and special events are scheduled that include something for everyone. I have attended these events in the past and plan to attend this years upcoming scheduled events, especially the one featuring Charleston's culinary lineup. Love the mahi-mahi morsels.

Piggly Wiggly BBQ Championship & Bluegrass Festival is scheduled for Sunday Sept. 5, 2010 and starts at 12 noon with the gates opening at 11am. Headline performers for this year's event: "The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band" also featuring "The Dillards". Don't know who "The Dillards" are? Watch re-run episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show" and when you come across the episode with a hillbilly family band called the Darlings you will have the answer or click here. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the gate. For children 6-12 $8 in advance, $10 at the gate.

The Scottish Games & Highland Gathering is featured each September. Experience Olympic type competition of the heavy athletics sporting events or the mastery of Scottish music with over 25 bagpipe bands highlighting Scottish country dancing and fiddling, and Celtic rock dressed in kilts.

Finally, want to see the Lowcountry's largest snow-cone? The 30th Annual Taste of Charleston will be held on October 8-10, with the Main Event at Boone Hall on Sunday where you can see the snow-cone take shape. This yearly event showcases a sampling of culinary treats from more than 45 of Charleston's favorite casual and fine-dining restaurants. Named one of the "Top 20 events in the Southeast" by Southeastern Tourism Society. Food, wine, specialty and imported bears, and live bands. Time: 10:30am-5pm. Tickets: $12.00. Full event tickets and prices.-Vacation Rick Travel Charleston.

Charleston's Nighttime Fun Should Include a Trip To The Footlight Theatre

We all like to be entertained with a good scare once in awhile. Remember the fun times sitting in a semi-dark room on a stormy night or around a crackling campfire taking turns at telling scary stories and seeing who could come up with the most sinister plot. That was how Mary Shelley gave birth to her first novel now known as "Frankenstein".

Sorrel-Weed House

While vacationing on Lake Geneva, Switzerland, Mary and her friends amused themselves by reading German ghost stories, prompting a suggestion they each write their own supernatural tale. Mary's scary tale was conceived in a waking dream she had one night. She wrote a short story about her horrific dream and later expanded it into the famous novel. Needless to say, her story took the honor of being the scariest tale that infamous night.

Looking for inspiration for a winning scary novel? Savannah was dubbed by The American Institute of Parapsychology as "America's Most Haunted City". The Sorrel-Weed House at 6 W Harris Street at Madison Square was featured on Ghost Hunters and is one of the top ten creepiest places in America. Be sure to take the 10:30pm tour for the greatest affect, if you dare.

Charleston's darker side can most certainly fuel the imagination and inspiration for a winning frightful tale. Travel Channel designated Charleston "America's Most Haunted Places". Take an inside look at Charleston's haunted Old City Jail, enter the Provost Dungeon, or visit Poogan's Porch where Zoe makes her presence known. Walk the streets, bars, and cemeteries while the guides of Bulldog Tours amuse you with the tales and stories of the not so holy side of the Holy City.

Footlight Players Theatre

Take your search for nighttime fun and storytelling entertainment a step further and consider what the Footlight Theatre has to offer October 28, 29 30 and November 4, 5, 6 at 9pm. "The Weir" by Conor McPherson will be presented by the Footlight Players. "The Weir" takes place in a small tavern in rural Ireland where local men swap spook stories in an attempt to impress a young woman who recently moved into a nearby "haunted" house, but the tables get turned on them when she tells a tale of her own. Old-fashioned story telling guaranteed to send chills up your spine. Ticket price ranges $10-$15. Footlight Players Theatre is located at 20 Queen Street.-Vacation Rick Travel Charleston

 

Drayton Hall-Standing Triumphantly Over The Test Of Time

Drayton Hall is an example of what Charleston is all about. One of elegance, charm, and a profound connection with its past coupled with a strong resolution towards its preservation and gaining a sense of itself. After ascending the plantation home's porch stairs and entering its doors, you will experience for a brief moment the good times and bad times, the years of prosperity and tranquility as well as the tumultuous years, which is the beating heart of Charleston.

The construction of Drayton Hall was started in 1738 and took some years for its completion. It is considered one of the finest examples of Georgian-Palladian architecture in the United States, likely one of the earliest Palladian buildings in America. A unique feature of Drayton Hall's interior spaces is it grows progressively taller, meaning the ceiling heights change from the raised basement to the first floor and up to the second floor where it is the highest, which went contrary to Palladian design. Climate played a role in this diversion from the norm.

Drayton Hall has survived wars, an earthquake, hurricanes, and aging. It was taken over by the British in the American Revolution and the North in the Civil War. While other plantations were destroyed by Sherman and Union troops, Drayton Hall for some mysterious reason escaped the rampage. Although, there are several theories on the books.

You must take a tour of this magnificent example of plantation homes to appreciate the design of hand-carved poplar and mahogany reliefs found within from the spaces used for entertaining to the private family rooms. To people of antiquity, shapes and figures were more than just design, but had deeper meaning. You will also learn about that on the tour. You will hear all the fascinating details of Drayton Hall's rich history, which can only be appreciated first hand. You will be able to visually connect with what you are hearing or have heard.

Drayton Hall-3/1/2010 - 10/31/2010: Main gate opens at 8:30am; first house tour of the day at 9:00am. Tours approximately 30-60 minutes and begin every hour on the hour.
A Day on the Ashley-7/16/2010 - 12/1/2011: A package that invites groups to tour Drayton Hall and Middleton Place, and enjoy an authentic Lowcountry Lunch.
Location: 3380 Ashley River Road, Charleston, SC 29414. Phone: 843-769-2600

The Blue Ocean Waters of Folly Beach and BLU Restaurant and Bar Team Up

The locals call it "The Edge of America". Geographically they are correct because Folly Beach is on the east coast shoreline of the U.S., which would put it on the edge. But I think the reference is to more than just its proximity.

Folly Beach is six miles of sand and surf sporting the longest fishing pier on the East Coast. When it comes to surfing many consider its waves to be the best on the East Coast. You can boat, fish, swim, bicycle, jet ski, parasail, and kayak, your choice. Its quaint seaside village includes small locally owned shops and a variety of casual dining spots and watering holes featuring the best of local entertainment. Conveniently located right smack dab in the middle of all these fabulous amenities is the Folly Beach Holiday Inn.

Newly renovated and rejuvinated, the Folly Beach Holiday Inn at One Center Street has been beautifully enhanced to an island hideaway offering new rooms, meeting spaces, and dining options that include the BLU Restaurant and Bar with indoor and outdoor bar areas, a patio, and an incredible view of the oceanfront. Very few restaurants in Charleston can boast those perks. It has a breakfast, lunch, dinner and a late night menu. Sunrise to sunset your dining needs are covered quite elagantly.

BLU Restaurant and Bar won the the title of Charleston’s Next Top Cocktail in January with a concoction called the Skinny Goose. The Tru Blu Martini and the Island Mai Tai are two other popular alchoholic blends. BLU was also Awarded Platinum Status, the highest level possible by the South Carolina Aquarium's Sustainable Seafood Initiative, a program designed to promote the use of local and sustainable seafood in South Carolina restaurants. Only five other Charleston restaurants carry the certification.

So, go ahead and take a sneek peak at the full menu of fresh local seafood showcasing the finest in contemporary coastal cuisine to whet your appetite. Then imagine a relaxing stroll on the beach to wet your feet, sunrise or sunset, it doesn't matter, and chase your blues away. No pun intended.-Vacation Rick Travel

Tru Blu Martini-Grey Goose Vodka, Hypnotiq, white cranberry juice, lemon twist
Skinny Goose-Grey Goose vodka, pomegranate juice, Triple Sec, and lime; the enticing drink also features VeeV Acai Spirit.

Folly Beach Events:
Bluegrass at Folly Beach Crabshack Jam every Thursday 7-10:30 pm. Bring your instrument down to Folly Beach Crab Shack and join in for an open jam hoe-down.
Moonlight Mixers Shaggin' on the Pier August 13 at 7-11 pm. Shag the night away at the Folly Beach Edwin S. Taylor Fishing Pier, where Jim Bowers of 1340 The Boardwalk will be spinning the hottest oldies and beach music-$10.00 admission

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