What do you think about these places?

My girlfriend and I will be driving to Charleston on Monday, and we already have most of the trip planned out. I%26#39;d like to see what some of you think about our plans.

Monday - Check-in around 4 p.m. We%26#39;re taking a dinner cruise around the harbor in the evening, and any time in between will be spent walking around the park and Broad Street.

Tuesday - Breakfast at the Boulevard Diner; I%26#39;ve read that they have excellent food at a low price. After that, we%26#39;ll be doing The Charleston Walk. Then, we%26#39;re going to Sticky Fingers. Even though it%26#39;s a chain, there are not any around here and their menu is simple. Then we%26#39;ll be going to Drayton Hall.

Wednesday - Carriage tour in the morning. Then, we%26#39;ll be going to lunch at Virginia%26#39;s on King. After that I%26#39;d like to check out the market, and from there we%26#39;re off to Charlotte, NC.

Since we have such a short stay, I tried to cram as much as possible into our time. I%26#39;d love to hear any suggestions, or opinions on what I%26#39;ve planned.

Thanks!

What do you think about these places?

hi there, try and fit in a horse and buggy ride they take you around to all the area of charleston and tell you about the history. also you might want to check out some of the mansions that you can go into. hope you have a good time

What do you think about these places?

I would pick Middleton Place or Magnolia plantation over Drayton Hall. That%26#39;s mainly because I prefer to tour historic homes that are furnished. Yes, Drayton is extremely authentic in that it%26#39;s never been restored but Middleton Place isn%26#39;t overly re-furbished and it%26#39;s the furnishings that give me a much more interesting picture of the people who lived there. In addition, the grounds at Middleton and Magnolia are far superior to Drayton. I only needed an hour to do Drayton and that included the house tour. I spent easily 3 hours at the other two. In addition, the thing I liked least about Drayton was the very heavy-handed 10 speech by the tour guide, while we were all still captive, about how we needed to join the organization that contributed to the upkeep of the Hall.

I would consider visiting another restaurant other than Sticky Fingers, food is mediocre. Just walk along Market Street and browse the menus of different places to eat.

I know there are people on this forum - is it Floski or SCBlossom or kiawahvilla- who really endorse Bessenger%26#39;s Barbecue. If you%26#39;re going to the Plantations, it%26#39;s not much out of the way. Maybe they%26#39;ll write in and let you know if it is indeed worth it (compared with Sticky Fingers).

Maurice%26#39;s BBQ is a chain. If you want to find good food, check out menus of different restaurants. There are TONS of great choices but please do not let Maurice%26#39;s be one of them.

Thanks a lot for your responses. I browsed dozens of menus online, and a lot of the most highly regarded places didn%26#39;t do anything for me. I love a nice setting, but I%26#39;d rather sit in a dark corner and eat something I like. Both of us are very picky eaters, so I went with a safe menu. We purposely did not plan all of our meals, in case we happen to see a place we may like.

Sounds like a great plan. I also suggest a Carriage Tour. You can%26#39;t come to Charleston without this. It really gives you a great overview of the history and sights that you ordinarily wouldn%26#39;t know existed. A must!

Also, you may want to travel a little down the road to Isle of Palms and eat at the Sea Biscuit restaurant on for breakfast. My favorite as it is an old beach house and has excellent pancakes, eggs benedict etc....

Have Fun!

For breakfast you might like the Saffron deli. They have a weekend breakfast buffet that is quite out of the ordinary. You will find the usual fare but some surprises as well. They have the most delicious fresh baked breads, etc. Plus you can buy some to take with you if you like.

Boone Hall is a good place to visit. It has the house, the slave cabins (with exhibits of the time period), a butterfly garden and a really nice restaurant. The restaurant is all homemade dishes. The selections are amazing and the desserts are to die for.

I think you have made great choices.

If you are interested in architectural history, etc., Drayton is an excellent choice. It is, indeed, the only remaining, original plantation home on the Ashley River. The park-like grounds along the river are wonderful for strolling. (Drayton is my personal favorite. I agree that Middleton Place is spectacular. It depends upon your interests; and it does sound as though you have done your research.)

CultureHound is correct that I am a fan of Bessinger%26#39;s Barbecue (on The Savannah Highway, Rte 17), which serves outstanding SC pulled pork and vegetable sides, as well as ribs, bbq chicken, and hamburgers. Sticky Fingers is completely different as it concentrates on ribs. SF is a local chain that was started by transplants from Memphis who missed the Menphis-style barbecue from home.

Thanks, Kiawahvilla! Do you think they should go there on the way to the plantations? It%26#39;s a teensy bit off the main road.