2. The Deep South: Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA

Day 5 - Saturday, May 6

Woke up at 6:30 AM to a clear sky and temperatures in the low sixties. Left at 8:30 AM after a long shower and a good breakfast. Went back to Charleston to do some sightseeing.

This is a fun city to explore - best done on foot, by bicycle, or from a horse drawn carriage. Magnificent mansions along the bay, picturesque townhouses inland, narrow cobblestone streets, impressive public buildings and churches.

Then headed for Beaufort, a lovely little city. Nearly a hundred ante-bellum houses - many with double verandahs and raised foundations - have survived occupation by British and then Union forces, plus innumerable floods and hurricanes.

For a complete change of pace, continued on to Parris Island, home of the (in)famous Marine Corps Recruit Depot. The museum is worth a visit, and if you want to appreciate the fact that you are merely a visitor, watch the drill training of the recruits from your airconditioned vehicle.

Took SR 170 to Savannah. The downtown area is simply beautiful. Colony founder James Oglethorpe laid it out in 1733 - and most of the 24 squares he planned have survived. If you have visited London, you will notice many similarities.

Got a site at Skidaway Island State Park. $16.60 buys water, electricity, cable TV, a fairly private site, and access to a spotlessly clean bathhouse with showers that deliver a rich stream of hot water. This is a lovely park - the sites are quite level, well separated, and shielded by bushes and trees. It is the closest state park to Savannah.

Drove 250 miles, was on the road for 8 1/2 hours. The evening temperature is 78F. I think I'll grill a cheeseburger for dinner.

Next or trip index