Touring the SC Lowcountry

Charming one-room houses with piazzas overlooking lush courtyards. Churches with columns, pediments, and soaring steeples. Buildings drenched with history. All and more were on our mind when we traveled to South Carolina's Lowcountry for a self-guided tour of Charleston.

Friend and new author Shannon McNear accompanied us on the excursion. Shannon not only sets her stories in the Lowcountry, she steeps herself in historical research, going as far as visiting archeological sites to get a sense of the layout. She also holds what artifacts she's permitted to handle to feel the weight and texture of the material. Her knowledge and resources enhanced our tour, as did her sparking personality and sense of humor.

Using Shannon's worn pamphlet, we began our tour at the open-air market on Market Street. Built around 1841, the market is filled with vendors selling hats, duplications of historical prints, famous "Sweetgrass" baskets and more. After purchasing a few items, we walked down Church Street to the first stop on our list, St Philip's.

A national landmark, St Philip's dates back to 1681. It's a favorite for Church historians and those photographing quintessential Charleston. On this occasion, our goal wasn't the building itself, but the cemetery on its grounds and across the street. Charleston's cemeteries are history books. One doesn't have to walk far to see the names Alston, Pringle, Pinckney and others who did much to shape Charleston, and South Carolina's history.

Though one does need to search for headstones in places they wouldn't think to look. We found markers embedded in sidewalks and running alongside the walls.

Across the street from the church, adjacent to the auxiliary cemetery, I spotted something we'd missed on earlier visits. A sign on a tall, black wrought-iron gate that read "Pirates Courtyard". A shadowed walkway so narrow, two could not walk down it side-by-side led to a grassy area barely visible behind the building. But was it public or private? That question kept us from stepping foot on the pirates' rest. I've yet to find an explanation on the web. However, this spot is listed on at least one ghost tour, so we'll check it out during our next visit.

For information on the history of St. Philip's, go to www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/charleston/stp.htm

We continued our tour of churches and cemeteries, houses and alleys, inspecting the interior of St. Michael's and the Huguenot church. The exterior of tenement houses built in the 1600s. The restaurant on Unity Alley where George Washington ate during his visit to the Lowcountry. The oldest homes in the city, noting stucco covering brick in some places, and where visible, the straight mortar between bricks that seemed to be too small for their slots.

At lunchtime, we stopped at Carolina's Bistro where we discussed history and storyline while dining on Cauliflower soup, truffle fries and pasta. Refreshed, we took up our tour again, and were soon reminded history is on every corner of Charleston, even in the people we encountered in the streets.

On our way back to Market Street, we met a man doing repair work on one of Charleston's historic churches. He took time to explain why the mortar joints of many homes and brick fences looked so straight (leveled with a razor) and that stucco covered some walls because the soft, oyster-shell-and-limestone bricks slowly disintegrate in the Lowcountry climate. A beneficial stop not mentioned in the tour book. Minutes later, we happened on another vendor selling the famous Sweetgrass baskets. Just one of many ties that bind Charleston's history to the present.

 

Shannon chats with a basket maker

For those unfamiliar, this particular art of basketweaving originated in African. The descendants of slaves who brought the art with them continue the tradition, selling them in the market, streets, or booths along Highway 17 as previous generations had, though many now sell their baskets online. The pricetag often shocks tourists, but the process is time consuming, often taking twelve to twenty-four hours depending on the size of the basket, and all baskets are handmade. It's interesting to note that a former missionary I once worked with gave me a basket she'd purchased in Uganda. It is worked exactly as some of the baskets Charleston weavers make today.

For more information on the history and cultural importance of these baskets, click here for an abstract. I also recommend Mary Alice Monroe's novel, Sweetgrass.

Hours after beginning our tour, we said goodbye to Shannon and headed up Highway 17, taking a quick detour at the Waterfront Park near Patriot's Point for a shot of the Ravenel Bridge.

But we weren't finished yet. When traveling between Charleston and Myrtle Beach, we love to stop at two jewels in the Lowcountry's crown: Pawleys Island and Murrells Inlet. Off season is a great time to visit "The Hammock Coast". Hotel prices are lower, camping spots more likely to be available, and more sand is visible on the beach. Though it appears bars have more of a presence in Murrells Inlet than they had in previous visits, Huntington Beach State Park, Brookgreen Gardens, the Marshwalk and your choice of seafood restaurants makes Murells Inlet worth the stop.
Note: if you're on a budget, check out the restaurant's menu before walking inside. On a recommendation, we ate at Lee's Inlet Kitchen. The food is great, and their hush puppies addicting, but at this writing, entrees range from $17.95 to $36.95.

A final note: We usually avoid Myrtle Beach. I prefer trail getaways to crowds and traffic. But since it is low season, we decided to explore on this occasion, and I found I'd been suffering from a case of not seeing the forest for the kitschy trees. In addition to numerous accesses to long stretches of sandy beach, Myrtle Beach is home to a lovely state park. It's now on our To-Do list. For more information, go to South Carolina's Myrtle Beach State Park site.

Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC

Shortly after discovering Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, I decided to set my fourth novel in that charming little town. As way of researching this unfamiliar location, I contacted the Chamber of Commerce to get a list of recommended books on the area. The woman I spoke to directed me to Genevieve Chandler Peterkin's Heaven is a Beautiful Place, and that led me to Brookgreen Gardens.



A former rice plantation, the land that is now Brookgreen Gardens is a sweeping meadow accented with walled and open gardens, pools, and fabulous bronze and marble sculptures. This outdoor museum also has hiking and walking trails, an archaeological dig site, a zoo, and an arboretum which we couldn't find. A pontoon creek excursion and an off-road trek are also available for an extra price each. However, both attractions will take you to areas you won't see walking around on foot. Fortunately, the entrance ticket is good for seven consecutive days, so if you can't explore everything on your first visit (and you can't) you can return anytime within the next week to see the rest.

But spend as much time as you can at the Gardens. Picnicking is permitted in designated areas, or dine at the cafe, the small "kitchen" (dine under magnolia trees!), or the restaurant that serves lunch.

My husband and I meandered through several gardens to the Trail Behind the Gardens where one can see remnants of old rice fields. Then we strolled over to the Lowcountry Trail, stopping to take photos of sculptures, two small alligators, and a blue heron as we went. Soon after, we discovered we'd reached the Lowcountry Center. The archaeological dig was a bit further, as was the zoo. Our time was limited, so we took a trolley (which runs between the attractions) and headed back to our car.

Overall, we had a fabulous time at this Lowcountry attraction. Brookgreen Gardens is located off Highway 17 in Murrells Inlet. Ticket prices as of August 2008 are $12.00 per adult, $5.00 for children 6-12, and $10 for Seniors 65 and older. Check their website for changes before you go, and for operating hours.

For more information on Brookgreen Gardens, go to www.brookgreen.org/index.cfm or read Heaven is a Beautiful Place. For a map of Brookgreen Gardens, go to www.brookgreen.org/map.cfm

Charming Coastal Towns in SC

A reader recently found my blog while searching for charming coastal towns in SC. One would think that given the time I've spent on NC destinations, SC is now off my radar. Not so! South Carolina is my first love, and even as I type this post in my NC home, I'm looking at South Carolina books and a nice, toasty warm throw embroidered with SC's palmetto tree logo. My attention has been focused on the northern half of the Carolinas only because we recently moved here and I'm trying to get acclimated. The attempt to find info on South Carolina was the kick in the pants I needed to focus on the state I call my home.

So here it is, my picks for charming coastal towns in SC:

First pick: Charleston, hands down. Once referred to as The Holy City, this southern mecca sits on a peninsula where the Copper and Ashley Rivers meet the Atlantic Ocean. With its architecture; history (Colonial, Christian, Southern, Gullah, Revolutionary War, War Between the States, etc); Aquarium; culinary delights including Lowcounty cuisine; Sweetgrass baskets; carriage rides and walking tours; shopping and strolls around the famous Battery including the Promenade overlooking Castle Pinckney and Fort Sumpter, Charleston is the place to go for a taste of all that is good in the South Carolina Lowcountry. From there, you can travel to Mount Pleasant to visit Boone Hall Plantation; barrier island (Isle of Palms, Sullivan Island, Folly Beach); Magnolia Plantation and Gardens near Summerville; Cypress Gardens in Moncks Corner, and more. It's grand, it's beautiful, and it's a must see when visiting South Carolina.

Second on my list of charming coastal towns is the place I go when I want to unwind and get away from it all: Beaufort, SC. Pronounced "Buford" in SC (Bo-ford in NC), the tidal marshes, golden sunsets, and long, tattered moss fluttering in the sea breeze give this slightly remote island an exotic feel. Stay in one of the many historic homes, now serving as bed and breakfast inns. Take a carriage ride around the historic district. Sail along the river or kayak in the tidal marshes. If you're in the mood to explore, travel to the surrounding barrier islands including Hilton Head (not my favorite place, thank you. Too crowded), Hunting Island, Picnkney Island, Bear Island Natural Wildlife Area, Lady Island, Parris Island, and more. Beaufort is just an hour and a half from Charleston, an hour and a half from Edisto Beach, and about an hour from Savannah, GA, so it's a great place to headquarter if you plan to visit those cities during your stay.

My remaining picks for charming cities are, in order: Murrells Inlet, Georgetown, and shabby chic, Pawleys Island.

In other words, if you're looking for a place to visit this summer, South Carolina has a lot to choose from. I know. I lived there for four years and though I tried, I couldn't experience everything this wonderful state has to offer.

Murrells Inlet, Revisited

Home to the late Mickey Spillane (not to mention Lowcountry charm) and the backdrop for my book Fall in Eden/Autumn in Murrells Inlet, Murrells Inlet sits in unassuming bliss at the southern tip of Myrtle Beach's famous Grand Strand. This was our fourth visit to this overlooked city, and as in times past, we fell in love with this unique place just a little bit more.

Visitors to Murrells Inlet will notice a bevy of restaurants along Business Highway 17, and it would seem that, and a view to the inlet that provides the city with its name, is all there is to see. But hidden behind tall palm fronds and that ubiquitous Lowcountry moss are stately homes that help provide the area with a decidedly coastal flavor. Don't let that fool you--like Pawley's Island, Murrells Inlet is unpretentious and laid back. Consequently, homes for the rest of us do exist, though one wouldn't know it at first glance. The city extends west to the Horry County line, though where Murrells Inlet begins and ends, no one seems to know. I prefer it that way; it seems to add to the city's mystique.

If you find yourself in this area, you'll want to stop at one of the restaurants for a Po Boy, oysters, or a variety of other available seafood (this is after all, the Seafood Capital of South Carolina.) Hidden behind the restaurants is a scenic Marshwalk that overlooks the marshy inlet where Air Corp jump planes once flew--and sometimes crashed--and where pirates reportedly once sailed. At night, colored lights and fiery torches from the restaurants illuminate the wide walkway, and one can stroll along listening to music provided for outdoor diners as lights from Garden Point Beach shine across the dark water.

Murrells Inlet is located off Highway 17, south of Myrtle Beach, and just north of Litchfield. In addition to dining, outdoor water activities such as fishing, boat tours, and dolphin cruises are available.

If you would like to learn more about Murrells Inlet, I recommend the book Heaven is a Beautiful Place by Murrells Inlet resident, Genevieve Peterkin. She captures the flavor and history of the area with humor and love.

Just thinking about it makes me long to return.

SC's Eastern Coast (Conclusion)

By the start of the third day of our vacation, we were feeling relaxed. Knowing we would have to leave the following morning, we took our time getting back on the road. It would be a short day, with few activities, but that was okay.

First stop: Hampton Plantation, a state historical site south of Georgetown on Rutledge Road. The entrance took us to a large parking lot bordered by a tangle of tall weeds and wildflowers on the left, and large oak trees on the right. A lone chimney stood just past the parking lot next to the restrooms and vending machines. To the right of it, a small walkway built over a smaller creek led to the house.

After exiting the car, we were instantly attacked by a horde of rather large mosquitoes, and my mind immediately fled to research I did for my first novel. Plantation owners left their plantations during the hot summer months because of these same pesky bugs! We doused ourselves with deet-laced spray and continued to the house.

Originally owned by the Horry, the Pickney, and the Rutledge families, for all its grandeur on the outside, Hampton Plantation was surprising unattractive on the inside. After spotting the park ranger waiting to give the presentation, we threw down our four bucks each and took a tour of the house, marveling at the ugliness of the floors and bright colors, the angled edges of several doors and the overall feeling of small. It looked so big on the outside! I couldn't help thinking that Martin Brinegar's mountain cabin was built better than this place.

We tried to walk down to the river, located at the end of a path behind the house, to see the old rice fields on Hampton Island, but the mosquitoes in that quadrant seemed to have a taste for Deep Woods Off. Feeling confident that we knew all we wanted to know about the house, the layout of the land, and the large Oak tree George Washington saved (on the right in the photo above), we left and headed south.

The second and final stop before we went searching for a meal was Cape Romain. We couldn't go to Bulls Island this trip, but I could get a glimpse of a small portion of the Wildlife Refuge. After parking, we walked (rather, I hobbled) to the end of a wide, concrete pier that stretched over the marshes and into the channel. It was beautiful, and as I stood at the end of the pier gazing at the saltmarshes extending to the blue horizon, dolphins lazily breaking the surface of the water before disappearing again, and the seagulls and pipers flying around in slow circles, I knew without a doubt that I was in love with South Carolina. It sounded corny, even to me, and I couldn't fathom how someone could love a state, but I do and for the rest of my life I'll appreciate the time that we spent here.


We drove to Murrells Inlet for supper, and after passing by Drunken Jack's seafood buffet, we spotted Flo's New Orleans Style Seafood. One of the few things I miss about Texas is the food, both Tex-Mex and Cajun, and if a plate at Flo's cost thirty bucks a person, I didn't care, we were going in.

I'll spare you the details of my reasonably priced crabcake Po' Boy and the delicious Roux-based red beans and rice, of our view of the inlet and the live Jazz music, and the novel inspiration I had that caused me to start scribbling away on a napkin while Kelley patiently waited. Sufficed to say, it was the perfect ending and we went back to the hotel, stopping to walk along the Georgetown Marina first, and kicked back for the rest of the evening. Though I've tried, I cannot find a decent end for this trip report other than to say I wouldn't have changed a thing.

Except for the hole that dog in my pants. I'm still trying to figure out what to do about that.

SC's Eastern Coast (Day 2)

You would think suffering an injury at the beginning of a trip is a bad thing. While admittedly not preferable, this particular injury worked to our advantage. Already we'd been graced with a beautiful sunset and saved from hordes of mosquitoes, so after a light breakfast and a couple of Advils, we took off up Hwy 17 to find more treasures.

First stop: Pawleys Island. Granted, we visited the night before, but our short trip was focused on the south side of the island. This time, we wanted to explore the north point, and hopefully, find a road that would lead to other tiny islands the map claimed existed along the SC coast. We quickly learned that the north portion of the island was almost a mirror image of the south, sans public beach, and that such a road did not exist. In fact, there appeared to be only two roads on and off the island, both on the west side. If a hurricane heads toward the Carolinas, I hope the residents are give ample warning; I can't imagine everyone evacuating off those two tiny two-lane roads!

By the way, I follow the Pawleys Island PD on Twitter and just as the sign in the photo above indicates, the speed limit is strictly enforced!

Faintly frustrated, we crossed back to the mainland and jumped on Hwy 17, driving through upscale Litchfield and the cute shops along the road. Shortly after leaving that city, we saw a sign for Huntington State Park. Yes, Huntington! I cannot believe South Carolina has both a Hunting and a Huntington State Park, but they do, and fortunately, both accept the Annual State Park Pass. So we drove across the bridge over the marsh, and parked with the hopes of taking a quick sight-seeing tour.

But I couldn't do it. It was hot and humid and I hurt, and even with the help of my hiking stick, I knew I couldn't make it to the bridge, so we walked up to an overlook and looked out over the marsh. We saw flowers, marsh grass, water, big and small birds, trash, pluff mud, and oyster beds, and after taking a few pictures, we walked back to the car and drove toward the north side of the Park where we found another boardwalk and did the same thing. This time, the view included dozens of small fiddler crabs, which amused my husband.

When I realize it was past time to take another Advil, we headed back to the car, back up Hwy 17…

And found the Seafood Capital of South Carolina!

Murrells Inlet, SC (pronounced Merle's Inlet) located on the southern tip of the Grand Strand in Georgetown County, is absolutely one of the cutest little coastal places we've seen. Just south of Myrtle Beach, though unstained by that…city, Murrells Inlet is what we women refer to as "darling!" Nestled along the marshy inlet, the portion of the town that runs along Business Hwy 17 is packed with seafood restaurants which, for some reason, fail to detract from the overall atmosphere. Only later would we learned about the marshwalk, the Veterans Pier, Brookgreen Gardens and more. Despite the view, and abundance of food, we continued on and made the mistake of driving through Myrtle Beach, aka Gatlinburg by the Sea.

The only thing I'll say about that place is that it's the only city in South Carolina that I dislike. Moving on.

Our next stop was North Myrtle Beach. If you're planning a trip to this area, research restaurants before going. Granted, they have seafood restaurants galore, but most are costly buffets. If you like plate after plate of crab legs, shrimp, and scallops, this may work for you, but the only crustacean I eat is crab mixed with bread crumbs and formed into a patty, and if I'm going to pay that much for just fish, I would prefer to buy a nice pole and catch it myself. Besides, limping as I was, I needed a restaurant where the waiter would bring the food to me in exchange for a gratuity. But the walk from the entrance to our table was long, so we stayed.

Though disgusted after watching Kelley tear apart crab legs, we drove on. Consulting the map for our next destination, my eyes instinctively lifted toward the North Carolina border where I noticed several rows of faint, squiggly lines. Tilting my head to the side to read the faint print beside it, a slow smile spread across my face when I saw what was written there: Green Swamp. And we were heading toward it.

I was elated. After hearing so much about Green Swamp from my hiking group, I knew it was a place we needed to go, and here it was, just a short drive away. I didn't have to convince Kelley, and soon, Green Swamp became our final destination for the day.

I have to admit that I'm a bit confused. With a name like Green Swamp, one would think a swamp would be somewhere in the vicinity. If so, we didn't see it, nor did we see an official entrance. We found a parking lot—after passing by it, turning around, and then backing up when we passed it again. Immediately after leaving the car, we saw a venus-fly-trap looking plant, small wildflowers, and long stalks with white button heads that I think are hatpins. I wasn't surprised since it was a biological preserve. I was surprised later when Kelley pointed to a patch of yellow and said, "That looks familiar." Within minutes, we were looking at pitcher plants.

We stayed awhile, searching for botanical treasures, contemplating a hike to the other side of the preserve. But at this point, the sun was shining through the trees across the street and we knew it was time to go.