Charleston, South Carolina - Day 3

We arrived at the Magnolia Plantation & Gardens by mid morning and signed up for the Plantation House Tour as well as the Slavery to Freedom tour. The Slavery to Freedom tour included a quick shuttle ride to the five former slave dwellings where an informative talk detailed what life would have been like for the slaves who lived in the houses. We were then given a few minutes to walk through each one. Once that tour concluded, we had some time before the tour of the plantation house started, so we spent some time wandering in the beautiful gardens.

Magnolia House

The gardens at the Magnolia Plantation

More of the gardens

After our time at the Magnolia Plantation we drove across the Ravenel Bridge so that Jim could tour the USS Yorktown, before heading for dinner at Red's Ice House on Mount Pleasant. It started to rain while we were eating and by the time we were finished, much of the parking lot was flooded and the rain continued to come down in sheets! It was time to call it a night!

The USS Yorktown

Charleston, South Carolina - Day 2

  Our day started off with a tour of Fort Sumter National Monument. Since the fort is an island fortification located a short distance from the Charleston port, our tickets included a 20 minute boat ride out to the fort during which a brief history of the fort was narrated over the PA system. Once we docked on the island, we were given about an hour to explore the fort and read the informational plaques. We learned that Fort Sumter was the site of the battle that signified the start of the Civil War. On April 12, 1861 the South Carolina militia fired upon the Union troops stationed at Fort Sumter cutting off the fort’s supply line. By the following day, Fort Sumter surrendered. 

Once back from the tour, we split up for awhile - I did some shopping on King Street while Jim went to a few historical buildings in town to read more plaques (a favorite pastime of his!). Afterwards we met back up and went to the Slave Mart museum before heading south of Broad Street to enjoy the architecture of the old homes and the beauty of the White Point Gardens.

The Rainbow Row Houses

A familiar stance!

Our 2nd day in Charleston was great! Tomorrow we head out of town a ways to tour the Magnolia Plantation.

Charleston, South Carolina - Day 1

Jim finished up the work he had to do in Charlotte, North Carolina and then it was time for the vacation to begin! We drove the few hours to Charleston, South Carolina arriving by early afternoon. We were very pleased with our charming hotel, The Mill House. It is centrally located within walking distance to many sights, is beautifully decorated, and has an inviting courtyard.

The Mill House Hotel

  

Jim and I in the courtyard of The Mill House

 After getting settled in the hotel, we headed out to do a little exploring. We took a horse drawn carriage through the streets of old town Charleston, followed by a walk down to Waterfront Park. Of course we had to get a picture of the pineapple fountain.

The Pineapple Fountain

The Fleet Landing Restaurant out over the water was the perfect place to stop for dinner. Then, before we ran out of daylight, we made our way to White Point Gardens to see some beautiful old trees and the palatial homes that line the park.