As Bluegreen Vacation Club owners, my wife, son, and I get to travel to many terrific vacation spots. We see many fine beach resorts, but occasionally we like to see some of our nation’s most popular historical locations. We visited Charleston, South Carolina, in the late 2000s for some Colonial history. It was one of the nicest places we have seen. Since we visited during Christmas time, the town was beautifully lit, and we saw the finest light display just a few miles away.
Lodging
We stayed at the Lodge Alley Inn right in the heart of downtown Charleston. Lodge Alley Inn is within walking distance of many historical district attractions. The Inn has quaint one- and two-bedroom suites with lofts, a very friendly staff, full concierge, and valet parking. It offers complementary cookies and sherry, a comfortable lobby, and a large romantic courtyard. Each unit contains kitchenettes, cable television, and a balcony. Select units include whirlpool tubs.
During our four-night stay, we dined at Magnolias each night. This beautiful restaurant is within walking distance of the Lodge Valley Inn and has very friendly service. It features terrific seafood, steaks, pork, sandwiches, and salads, and desserts. We really enjoyed the beautiful large Christmas tree lit up for the holidays. Magnolias also features a private second-floor dining area and great specials for all major holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve.
Magnolias Uptown Down South
185 East Bay Street, Charleston, South Carolina 29401
843-577-7771
Charleston is the location of the beginning of the American Civil War. We rode the ferry from the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center to the tiny island that holds Fort Sumter in the middle of Charleston Harbor. We learned about the Confederate army opening fire on the Union-controlled fort on April 12, 1861. The fort’s original U.S. flag is still on display. We stayed on the guided tour through the fort and then explored it on our own. Admission is $3.00 for adults, $1.00 for seniors 62 and up, and free for kids 15 and under.
Fort Sumter National Monument
1214 Middle Street, St. Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482
843-888-3123
We have always enjoyed horse-drawn tours, and Charleston has one of the nicest we have tried. The Old South Carriage Tour took us through the historical district, and the hilarious driver kept us entertained with humorous hour-long narration about the town’s Colonial history. We were amazed to ride a carriage drawn by a horse that had the same name as our son. Tickets cost $22.00 for adults and $15.00 for kids 3-11.
Old South Carriage Tours
14 Anson Street, Charleston, SC 29401
843-723-9712
My wife loves Christmas lights. One main reason we visited Charleston at Christmas time was to see the Holiday Festival of Lights, just six miles from our resort at James Island County Park. We saw the most amazing Christmas lights displays we have ever seen before or since. More than 2 million lights adorn the three-mile drive. We pulled over multiple times for hot chocolate, marshmallow roasting, s’mores, gingerbread houses, carousal rides, concessions, and pictures with Santa. We took as much time as we wanted and made an entire night of it.
Holiday Festival of Lights
871 Riverland Drive, James Island County Park, SC 29412
843-795-4386
Historically Fun
We really enjoyed our visit to Charleston. We have the wonderful memories of our resort, the carriage tour, Fort Sumter, and the Holiday Festival of Lights. It was a very nice change from our daily routines, and we look forward to the opportunity to visit once again.
Source:
City of Charleston, Charleston: Where History Lives, charlestoncvb.com.
