Budget Travel Friday: Charleston, South Carolina
Posted on February 24, 2012 5 Comments
Today’s photo inspiration comes from the East Coast: Charleston, South Carolina
Historic Houses in "Rainbow Row," Charleston
We last visited Charleston in March 2011, when Southwest first opened the new direct route from Chicago. We stayed during the off-season on the Carolina coast – on an island! – in a swanky ocean front resort for about 50 percent off per night. We were just talking the other day about how we’d like to go back there.
Because not only do you get to tour historical places like Rainbow Row and Battery Park for free while watching dolphins play in the harbor, you also get to eat things like this at Shem Creek for ridiculously cheap prices:
These used to be fresh oysters. Served in a bucket. Finished easily.
And tour historic graveyards
Headstone in Charleston graveyard.
… And go kayaking, and eat more seafood, and visit local shops, and just enjoy the people and the culture and history. I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Charleston because I used to do annual meetings there, and I can assure you that my most recent trip in 2011 won’t be my last. It’s a budget-friendly best during the off-season.
About Budget Travel Friday – Photo Inspiration
The idea is this: I am a champion budget traveler. I have traveled to beautiful places, both remote and urban, across the United States, every year since I’ve had my own job, and have never needed to dip into my savings to do so. I have this crazy wanderlust that drives me out of the city every so often and pushes me to learn about new places, explore them, and meet new people along the way.
I also happen to love photography and while I’m less great at it than budgeting, I have a collection of photos from the east coast to the west coast and everywhere in between to share with you.
You know the tactics behind budget travel: research and plan ahead, go off-season, use Hotwire or Priceline for hotels – or try camping, purchase air fare when prices are cheap (or just fly Southwest ;), shop at grocery stores and local markets instead of eating at fancy places, visit museums on free days, etc.
OK, you have the tools, but where should you go? I hope you’ll check in with me every Friday for a photo example. If I’ve been there, you know it’s on the cheap, and you’re only a few clicks away from being there yourself.
Category: Life
Tags: Travel
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5 Responses to “Budget Travel Friday: Charleston, South Carolina”
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February 24th, 2012 @ 11:58 am
That sounds like a wonderful vacation… What type of place were you staying at?.. A normal hotel, or a cottage or something? Is there anything for small kids to do in Charleston?
February 24th, 2012 @ 12:13 pm
We stayed at this super posh resort called Wild Dunes on Isle of Palms. We Pricelined it for $100 per night (I’m sure you could get somewhere cheaper if you wanted outside of the city, like in Mount Pleasant. There is TONS of stuff for kids to do if you have a rental car. For instance, swimming in the ocean, playing on the beach — the intercoastal waterway is there, too. We went kayaking at Shem Creek, you could take kids on that. We also took a Ferry to Bull Island which was pretty damn cool – we saw ALLIGATORS just hangin’ out on the hike! And giant spiders! And lots more. Also, in Charleston proper, the sightseeing is awesome -at battery park you can see these really old civil war era cannons and kids kind of hang out in the park and climb on things. Also, you can take horse-drawn carriages for a tour. There are little markets you can visit, too. You can take the kids to visit plantations and old mansions. You can even see a house where George Washington danced and dined! (They have historical reinactments there). Oh, and graveyard tours are cool. And you can hear ghost tellers. And the food is great. It’s just awesome. I’ve been to Charleston three or four times now and would go back in a heartbeat.
February 24th, 2012 @ 7:22 pm
Sounds like you know a lot about this city! We’ve never been, but love to travel. Our boys do as well. Strangely, they’re well-behaved on long road trips. Sometimes, they’re terrible while driving to the grocery store, though. Go figure. Beautiful pictures by the way.
February 24th, 2012 @ 8:06 pm
I love it there. Oh and Savannah is just a day trip from Charleston.
February 28th, 2012 @ 9:43 pm
I’ve been several times back in college. It is a must go city if you enjoy history.