Charleston SC

Yesterday, we left the dog at the condo and took a day trip to Charleston SC. Not enough time to see this beautiful and historic city, but enough to say "I was there" and "I want to go back". We took US 17 from Myrtle Beach, hitting Georgetown & Charleston Counties for the first time. After an uneventful hour's drive, we stopped in Georgetown for an iced tea in their historic downtown area, and drove around admiring some of the local architecture. By the way, I hit 60,000 on the Beetle's odometer as we were crossing the bridge and entering Georgetown SC. Another half-hour of driving and we started seeing suburban development on the outskirts of Charleston (Mount Pleasant SC), and lots of roadside stalls selling handmade sweetgrass baskets.

Before entering Charleston, we crossed the Arthur Ravenel Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge over the Cooper River designed by Parsons Brinckerhoff. The bridge opened in 2005 and is one of the longest cable-stayed bridges in the Western Hemisphere.

After an overwhelming visit to the Visitors Center, we took a picture of the gothic revival railroad buildings that were still standing, then drove down to the old market, where we found a spot, then walked around looking for a place to eat. We found a hidden gem down a cobblestoned alley called The Buccaneer Restaurant, that had just the right atmosphere, affordable fare and a great selection. Afterwards, we walked along the riverwalk, saw the USS Yorktown across the harbor at Patriot's Point, and saw some of the most beautiful and unique homes and mansions. We made our way back to the car, after a quick browse through the market in the middle of the street, and drove away just as it began raining. We spent the next hour driving around taking way too many photos of homes, the classic side porches that Charleston is known for, micro gardens, and my obsession - parking, in the historic French Quarter and historic downtown sections of town. With the weather not cooperating with us, we decided to leave, taking the scenic route home along SC 41, which added Berkeley and Williamsburg counties to the list. On the way home, we stopped at an Atlanta Bread Company for coffee and a snack.