Friday, September 10, 2010

A Charleston Quick Trip

Two very VERY beautiful people.

I got to take a trip to Charleston with some of the most beautiful people I know.

It all started with Rosie's birthday, and wanting to do something grand. Before the discussions went very far, we had set up a quick weekend trip to Charleston and off we went - me, Steph, Ama, and the kids. We zipped down on Friday and back on Sunday and filled up every single moment we had with nothing but fun!

We stayed right in the historic district and though we all agree that we need to take a longer weekend for our next visit, staying at the corner of Market and Church streets was an excellent place to be.

Charleston is one of our favorite places and is even more wonderful when there is time to leisurely walk through the galleries, tour the old homes, examine the museums, and learn more about this place and its colorful history.

Our first day we walked down streets and looked at sites on our own. This is my beautiful family outside of the Circular Church on Meeting Street. [Later on this trip we were in this graveyard at night (yes, it WAS spooky), and we learned that the graveyard was established in 1681, making it one of the oldest cemeteries in Charleston.]

We strolled down the cobblestone streets and walked through a memorial park where the mother of Andrew Jackson was honored.


We came out on Broad Street and walked past famous shops, homes, and restaurants, and eventually turned up East Bay street, passing by the old Farmer's and Exchange Bank.



Love the interesting building designs and details!

We had lunch at Sermet's Corner on King's Street where we have eaten many times before, and were not disappointed. We did some shopping for dress-up clothes and shoes and found Steph a wonderful dress at White House Black Market. Asa was not happy with the book store, though, and so we vowed to find another one over the weekend.


The next day after a fantastic breakfast at Toast, we walked through some of this historic areas of the city on our way to The Griffen for a Butterbeer. We strolled out on the River Walk, past toddlers playing in the fountain.



We could see Fort Sumter to the right down the Cooper River, and the amazing Cooper River Bridge to the left.


While almost right across from us was Patriots' Point, where the USS Yorktown rests.


We took a break from all our walking with our scheduled Carriage Tour.


Of course, we had to agree to abide by the rules before the tour began....

Our guide was great, giving us a new perspective on Charleston with his stories and a more intimate history about the homes, people, and events of historic Charleston. We all admired unique architecture of the houses, administrative buildings, churches - and even the layout of the city.


As we came down Legare Street we approached the Cathedral of St. John - and in all my trips to Charleston I had never passed it, nor had I ever heard the story about the Cathedral's fire and reconstruction. I had; however, been by Two Meeting Street and heard the history of this lovely home that has now been transformed into an incredible Bed & Breakfast.

Two Meeting Street - a Very Fine Bed & Breakfast destination

Other architecture and sites that we saw on the Carriage Tour below....


Just like the houses in Charleston, the porch of our house is painted Haint Blue.

***

After the tour we walked back to the hotel and changed into our dress up clothes to make it to our dinner reservations at FIG. We all recommend you go there. It is fabulous!

After dinner we zipped back to the hotel AGAIN and changed clothes (again!) for our Ghosts and Graveyard Tour. Excellent and busy busy day!

Some exhausted kiddos!

We got up early Sunday and had a fabulous Happy Birthday Amanda Gift Exchange and Breakfast at Joseph's. We has to wait in line a bit for breakfast, but they gave us coffee and juice and that made everything a-ok.




After filling up and celebrating, we walked through the market and then headed to the Exchange and Provost Dungeon, taking the tour there.

Waving goodbye to Charleston from the balcony of the Old Exchange

Once done, we stopped back by the hotel for final check out and packed in the car for home - but not before stopping at Blue Bicycle Books for Asa to find something special to read on the way. :)

2 comments:

Mage said...

Oh Wonderful, wonderful. Someday I will get to go too. What fun, and what happy faces. Delightful. Thanks so much for sticking us in your pocket and taking us along.

Tabor said...

Never get tired of visiting this city. I have future goal/hope to stay at that B&B in the years to come.

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