Two of the most beautiful and historic southern cities in America, Charleston and Savannah, could be calling you.
History comes alive in Charleston as you tour along cobblestone streets lined with antebellum homes with beautiful gardens that can be seen from behind 300 year old iron gates.
As you travel along the“Battery at the Harbor” you’ll see the “pig” house owned by the owner of the Piggly Wiggly grocery chain, as well as the house where JFK stayed with his“German” girlfriend (obviously dad, Joe, put a stop to that relationship). As you travel the park along the harbor, you can see Fort Sumter off in the distance (or you can take a narrated cruise to the fort), which was the catalyst for the Civil War. Turning the corner, all the beautiful “painted ladies” pass by as you continue towards downtown.
The Citadel is a must see, as well as, the Old Market and Exchange. There are so many wonderful places to eat in this area, it will be hard to choose. And, you can find some unique and wonderful buys in the market, including the famed sweetwater baskets.
Charleston is also a cruise port now so the city may call to you for that reason. Another fun visit is to a plantation like Middleton Place or Boone Plantation with acres of beautiful gardens as well as beautifully decorated homes. Henry Middleton, who owned Middleton Plantation, was President of the First Continental Congress and both of these homes look just what you expect a plantation to look like.
From Charleston, the next stop on your journey is Savannah. This is a fun city which I enjoy travelling to. It is inland on the Savannah River and you can take a ride on a riverboat, which gives you a history of the buildings and stores that line the riverfront. And, don’t forget to sample the seafood in the restaurants there…..yummy! Once again, too many choices.
General Sherman found this city “too beautiful to burn” during the Civil War and it has been well preserved. The town is lined with live oak trees (thus named because they are always green—as the old leaves fall off, new ones push out) and many squares contained in an historic area 2.5 square miles.
The historic area contains more than 2,300 colonial and Victorian buildings and homes, and most of them are beautifully restored. You can hop a trolley for a tour through this historic district where you’ll pass the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts. You’ll also learn about the area where such movies such as Forrest Gump and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil were filmed.
Paula Deen has her restaurant in Savannah, but to me, even better is Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House for lunch, where you can line up as early as 10:45 a.m. The bell is rung at 11:30 a.m. as you stand out on the street, waiting to get into the house to a table. And then, piled high dishes of southern cooking, including fried chicken, are served family style. The food keeps coming until you don’t think you can eat another bite. But unbelievably you don’t burst and even dessert goes down somehow. Mrs. Wilkes started her home based restaurant in 1943, and although she died in 2002, her family continues the tradition.
From Savannah there are other side trips you can take. A tour to Tybee Island is not far, where you can visit the museum at the Tybee Island Lighthouse. The lighthouse has guarded the Savannah River since 1736. You can even walk up the 154 foot tall lighthouse if you feel adventure calling you and if you make it to the top, the museum will give you a certificate that says you did it. Or you may want to spend some beach time on the Atlantic.
Georgia is known for its Golden Isles, like St. Simon’s, Hilton Head or Beaufort, but one you should visit, if not stay at, is Jekyll Island. The Jekyll Island Club was once home to America’s wealthiest families. You can take a tram tour around the island to hear the history and there is even a stop at a small chapel which has an original Tiffany window. You’ll see huge live oaks lined with Spanish moss and palmettos (the state tree). If you are not staying over, perhaps you can fit in lunch at the famed Victorian style Jekyll Island Club hotel, where the Rockefeller and Vanderbilt families once dined.
So much to see and do, this southern area should be a must on your “to visit”list. However, you might want to diet ahead of time, because part of the enjoyment is all the seafood and southern cuisine that beckons you.
A note to Chicagoland residents: Mayflower Tours has their new 2013 Value tour which goes to Beaufort as well as Savannah and Charleston. If you are interested, check it out.
Another note: I write these travel blogs to sell my travel/romance books for boomers. You can check out my webpage: www.kileenprather.com or buy kindle or book editions at Amazon. Christmas is coming. If you are or know a boomer, please consider supporting me by buying my books.
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