Plan a girls' getaway to gracious low-country cities
Q. My girlfriends for 50-plus years take a long weekend trip each year. Every other year we travel away from the Illinois area. We are entertaining the idea of a trip to Savannah, Ga., and Charleston, S.C., for five days around the beginning of November. We have been considering the idea of a bus tour covering both of these cities, if there is such a trip. Could you give us some tips on how best to see both of these cities and what highlights you recommend in each place?
We would appreciate any help you can give us to enable us to start planning for the trip. We have dubbed this our "Medicare Trip" as we all turn 65 in 2008. Thank you in advance for any light you can shed on this area of the U.S.
A. You've picked two of my favorite destinations, Savannah and Charleston, for both cities have it all: sightseeing, history, wonderful food and gracious living. They are only a little more than 100 miles apart, so I would suggest renting a car (if your group is small enough) to get you from one city to the other and then taking city tours in both places.
I'd keep the car for the five days you're traveling; it will come in very handy while you're tooling around on your own, either shopping or scoping out special restaurants (the seafood is fabulous along the coast).
If there are too many in your group for one vehicle, look into Gray Line Tours (www.grayline.com) or local tour operators that specialize in covering both cities.
In Savannah, I'd start out at the main Visitor Center at 301 Martin Luther King Blvd., open daily, where you'll find maps, tour brochures, restrooms and refreshments. Select a city tour that offers on/off stops where you can stop to shop, sightsee and dine.
Definitely take a walking tour of the historic district and don't miss eating at Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room, Southern cooking served family-style. Celebrity TV chef Paula Deen's restaurant, The Lady and Sons, always has a line for lunch or dinner, so be prepared for a wait -- but the cheese biscuits are worth it.
Charleston personifies the Old South probably better than any city, with more than 2,000 historic buildings, plantations and magnificent gardens. See Fort Sumter where the first shots of the Civil War were fired on April 12, 1861. The trip to the fort includes a narrated tour of Charleston Harbor followed by a tour of the fort led by park rangers. Start with a carriage ride or a tour bus with on/off privileges from the Charleston Visitors Center at 375 Meeting St., where you'll find maps and brochures of the highlights.
Consider using your rental car to see Magnolia Plantation, Drayton Hall and Middleton Place, all about 10 miles out of the city. Don't miss ordering a bowl of she-crab soup, a Charleston specialty. It's wonderful.
Here's how to get your information: www.savannahvisit.com or call (877) 728-2662 and www.charlestoncvb.com or call (800) 868-8118.
You might enjoy staying in a bed-and-breakfast in the historic districts of both cities, especially Savannah.
Congratulations on turning 65. Now your group is eligible for all those senior discounts. Have a great time.
Send your questions at leastsixweeks prior to travel toMadelynMerwin in care ofTravel,Daily Herald, P.O.Box280, Arlington Heights, IL60006, or e-maildpmerwin@sbcglobal.net.