Now that I'm back in town, it's time to start planning! Today is July 1st (can you believe it??!), and in 25 short days, I will be back on the road again for a Southern road trip! Lisa (of Like a Valentine and Fantabulously Frugal) and I are headed into the South at the end of July (??!) to explore Charleston, Hilton Head, Savannah, and Atlanta. We will finish up with a day or so in Nashville, visiting my good friend Jenn and her husband, Ryan. And, of course, eating at the Pancake Pantry.
SO. I need your help. I have never been to any of these places. We will only be in Charleston and Savannah for 2-3 days, and HH and Atlanta for about a day and a half. Things we plan on doing:
-eating Southern food
-going to a plantation
-eating Southern food
-going to the Margaret Mitchell museum in Atlanta
-going to the beach
-eating Southern food at Paula Deen's restaurant in Savannah
So far, we have only made one hotel reservation, at the Planters Inn in Savannah. We got a great deal and booked early.
Here is what I would love some help with:
Where should we stay? Please note, we are looking for something as cheap as possible that isn't disgusting, and we're planning on turning to Priceline for much of our reservations. Where should we eat? I have made a couple of notes for restaurants (Magnolia in Charleston, The Lady and Sons in Savannah) but I want to make sure that every meal is yum yum yum. So, any cheap holes that have amazing food that you know about? Please share!
What, in your opinion, is the best plantation to tour in either Charleston or Savannah?
Is there something in any of these cities that we absolutely CANNOT miss? A restaurant? A shop? A landmark? A certain tour? I've heard a lot about the ghost tours around Savannah. Are these worth it? And if so, which is the best one?
Okay, ladies. I'm relying on you to help plan our Southern road trip. Any help/advice/commentary you have is much appreciated!
12 comments:
No advice whatsoever, but have fun!! :)
Sounds like such a wonderful trip! I want to go to Savannah someday! :)
try shrimp & grits at some point!! and in Charleston, go to Shemp Creek - they have tons of delicious restaurants - and so does King Street (that's where all the good shopping is). And go to the market and get some cute finds!Being the nerd I am, I love the history of Charleston - so take it all in!
That sounds like such a wonderful trip! I will be in Nashville, TN for a wedding from July 31st-Aug 2nd...will you be there then??? Wouldn't that be weird!?!
Anyway, Matt and I went to a wedding in Greenville, SC last year so we extended the trip to go to Charleston and Savannah. Beautiful!
In Charleston we definitely did some shopping. There is a ton of shops on the main drag. You should stop by this place called Oops :) They have fun clothes...I bought a dress there and sometimes when I wear it I say, "Oops I bought a dress!" Anyways...
We did go to a plantation...I think it was called Boone Plantation. I'd look it up if you want to go because I can't remember where it was. It was pretty neat. They had a tour of the house and you could also go into the slave quarters that were still standing.
We went to the Lady and Sons in Savannah. It was delicious and totally worth the hassle of getting a table. We had to eat at like 9 pm but it was worth it. I recommend getting there early early for reservations. I know they explain all of this on their website so check that out.
We used Hotwire for some of our hotels and got good ones for cheap. I would check that out as well as Priceline. You won't be spending much time in your rooms anyway.
Hope that helps :)
Love Savannah, and personally, I recommend going on a ghost tour...they are awesome and fun!
Paula's is the place to eat...it won't disappoint. Also, her husband has a fish place I heard was awesome.
And there's a couple microbreweries there that give tours and tastings. Fun!
My hubs used to live in Charleston before I "made" him move to be with me. :)
In Charleston, on Meeting St. there is a little restaurant called Tropical Toast. It was delicious! A great breakfast or lunch spot. For dinner, Magnolia's is nice. I've also heard good things about Slightly North of Broad.
We stayed at the Mills House for our "mini-moon" after our wedding. It was a really nice hotel that we booked with points - but check it out on Priceline and see if you can get a good deal there. It's a great location (very close to the market).
The carriage tours are nice (it can be really hot and/or crowded though). I remember the price being reasonable - but that was about 5 years ago. If you're into history there is a trip over to Fort Sumter and you could also tour the USS Yorktown.
For beaches in Charleston - you could go to Folly Beach (very popular). But my preference is to go to Isle of Palms. Both are nice but Isle of Palms usually seems less crowded.
If you decide to just wander around the streets just be careful. If you notice that the neighborhood seems to be "going downhill fast" if you will...turn around.
Have fun!!! :)
Yo must go to the atlanta aquarium. It's not that expensive and it's super nice and fun. It's really big inside and has TONS of fish and animals...ie frogs and such. I love that place! Have fun!
Yes, we want to be as gluttonous as possible! :)
You should definitely tour Middleton Place Plantation in Charleston. Make sure you stop by the market and take a carriage tour, too. If you go early in the morning, you usually have a better chance at a carriage going along the Battery (they do it by lottery), but all three routes are great. There are also some gorgeous homes you can tour if you're into that - Nathaniel Russell House and Edmonton-Alston House are the ones that come to mind.
King Street is the place for the best shopping. There are TONS of great restaurants!
As far as hotels, the Francis Marion Hotel is my favorite in Charleston, but it can be a bit pricey. Check out the King Charles Inn... it's in a great location, and you can usually get a good rate by booking online.
My husband and I stayed in Savannah for the first two nights of our honeymoon. We weren't able to get into Paula Deen's restaurant, but we did eat at a great burger place that I believe was called B&D's Burgers.
Definitely go to the Coke Factory in Atlanta!
I've so got this- Charleston; check out King Street for awesome shopping and the Battery. You'll see amazing homes and it's absolutely beautiful down there.
Boone Plantation is actually right off of HWY. 17 between Charleston and Savannah. Definitely recommend.
In Savannah- so much to do! I do recommend a ghost tour, so fun. Lady and Sons is usually a must see to tourists (although I think there's better food to be found!), River Street is a must as is City Market. Definitely Tybee Island as well for the beach and so much more.
Did I mention I live in Savannah?! email me if you want more details, I think I've left a long enough comment!
perfectlyimperfectlife(@)gmail(dot)com
oh my - you're going to atlanta! i used to live there and it's a wonderful city to visit. i lived in buckhead and that's really the hub of where everything happens in atlanta. the problem is, i doubt you'll find a reasonably priced hotel in buckhead - it tends to be more expensive. there is a tapas restaurant that is a tiny bit off the beaten path in atlanta right off of piedmont road in atlanta. its called eclipse de luna and it is soooo good. website is below, and the one i've been to is the one considered "miami circle"
http://www.eclipsediluna.com/
also if it's nice weather you could go hang out in piedmont park. there is a ton of shopping in buckhead too. email me if you want more atlanta based suggestions :)
If you go to the Lady and Sons, go early and try to get reservations! When I went, it was like a 3 hour wait! We stayed in Tybee and drove in to Savannah (15 min drive). Staying anywhere on or around the "square" will cost you.
I'm in Atlanta-you should try to go by the Varsity in downtown-not southern food, but good diner food! Also, hit up the Virginia Highlands area for shopping. Have fun!
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