Charleston and the South Carolina Low Country

[Man in Black]

Charleston/Low Country - Part One

Charleston Harbour - The old Cooper River bridge



To say that the South Carolina low country is rich in history is quite an understatement. The Charleston area has an aura of the past that is unparalleled; and this gem of Carolina will stimulate all four senses with a flavor that is distinctly southern.

I have been traveling to the area for nearly 30 years and I haven't seen half of the sights. I will give you a few of my favorites though:

Top on my list is Patriot's Point a maritime museum that includes several historic ships headlined by the Fighting Lady - The USS Yorktown, a WWII carrier that lived to tell you about it's heroic battle scars. Do not go to Charleston and miss this, there is so much to do and see at Patriot's Point for the whole family.

Folly Beach is a great place to enjoy the Atlantic, it's clean, friendly and has a great fishing pier.

Marii rusting her bike chain at Folly Beach


James Island County Park sports a fantastic campground, but has many day activities also. I especially love the paved bike trails that wrap around and through the whole park.

Immerse yourself into the low country's plantation heritage at Middleton Place. We stayed in the inn, which is actually a modern work of art itself. Give yourself at least a couple of days here to tour the grounds, enjoy biking trails (complete with gators), and just to relax and enjoy all the extras... Just make sure you have some cash because whew, it AIN'T free

Here are a few pics of our trip to Middleton Place last year

Middleton has the most majestic live oaks I've ever seen


Mom and Hermy

[Marii]

I love charleston too. you should go to the cypres swamps.. they let you go conoeing through the cypres trees and you get to see alligators and the ruins scene from the movie the patriot...

I love going through the open air market and eating coconut shrimp or some other awesome charleston food!

you know, we've never been there and not seen dolphins, thats way cool too!!!!

[weenbeans]

This thread will make my husband all nostalgic. He grew up there. I, in pre tourist Corolla NC and Richmond VA (home base) I'll send him this link.

[weenbeans]

Yep. He loved this thread. He just emailed me this :


"It does make me homesick. Just looking at those pictures makes me realize that ages 4 to 10 looms big place in a person's heart, and what they call home. The Cooper River Bridge, the broad flat beaches, like Folly and Sullivans Island, the buggy moss (spanish moss) and live oaks -- I might have left in 1978 but those pictures are timeless. When I lived West of the Ashley, there was still a lot of old woods along the roads near my house, and we were a short drive from Magnolia Plantation. I wish we could spend a weekend there, but I am always afraid to go back, knowing how much I cried when we left. I kept saying "I want to go home" for about the first three hours in the car. "

[Man in Black]

That's awesome Weenbeans! I'd love to see any old pics you or your husband have of the Low Country. I know exactly how he feels, I too have a place that's hard for me to go back to because of the overwhelming nostalgia I get from it. You have inspired me to post part 2 of my Low Country write up.

[Man in Black]

Low Country... part two


A view of Fort Sumter from Sullivan's Island, just outside Fort Moultrie


The Low Country is also rich in Revolutionary and Civil War history. Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National monuments offer a wealth of information and artifacts from those eras. Fort Sumter is on an island in the Charleston Harbor and is accessible only by boat. Inexpensive boat tours of the Harbor and fort can be found at two departing locations- one on Calhoun Street and the other on Mount Pleasant at Patriot's Point. I highly recommend taking one of these tours, it's another of the area's can't miss opportunities.

Sullivan's Island Lighthouse


You can easily reach Fort Moultrie by visiting the uniquely beautiful Sullivan's Island. Here you will find not only the fort, but the Sullivan's Island lighthouse along with a one of a kind stretch of beach that allows a close up look at Charleston Harbor battling for position as it meets the churning Atlantic. The views from here will take your breath as you can drink in Fort Sumter, the Cooper River Bridge and the city of Charleston with out turning your head. This is also a great spot to watch dolphins.

The New Cooper River Bridge - as seen from Sullivan's Island

[Man in Black]

Here are some more great sights from the Low Country

Horses pulling carriages of tourists in Charleston's old market downtown

These next photos are from the [[Cypress Gardens (South Carolina)]]. The bridge in the first pic is the one you see in the movie The Patriot with Mel Gibson

[Man in Black]

This is [[Fort Sumter]] and a shot from inside of a massive row of Civil War cannons

This is the [[USS Yorktown]], heroine of WWII - The second pic is piece of track from one the original bomb elevators. They removed this lift to put in one for the handicapped. I was lucky enough to buy one of the last four left. That is one collectible I will always cherish because as a Boy Scout, we used to spend a weekend every year on [[The Fighting Lady]] - sleeping in the sailor's quarters.