A Day in Charming Charleston

Native Charlestonians will tell you that the Ashley and Cooper Rivers join to form the Atlantic Ocean. Located at about the middle of South Carolina's coastline at the confluence of the two rivers, Charleston is the oldest city in the state and it's a gem. We discovered its charms in 2000 on our first trip up the US East Coast. We visited again in 2001, 2002 and again in 2007. It's that kind of city … it just keeps calling you back.

Founded in 1670 and originally called Charles Towne, the city was named for King Charles II. The city has enjoyed great prosperity and suffered great losses. Major battles of both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War were fought here and the city endured the occupation of invading armies. There have been numerous skirmishes with pirates and local Indians, catastrophic fires that obliterated entire blocks of the city, devastating hurricanes and the largest earthquake ever to rock the east coast of the USA. Yet it survives and thrives today.

We only had one day to enjoy the city and ourselves plus get caught up on some chores. Some things change, some things don't. We vaguely remembered our way around, but seeing certain landmarks brought it all back to us. We did laundry (free washers/dryers at the marina … wow!) and re-provisioned at nearby Harris Teeters, a wonderful supermarket. On our way to the grocery as we passed the Port Authority, we remembered the facade of the Bennett Rice Mill building, propped up and standing there behind the fence in the middle of the parking lot. I tried to get closer for a good photo through the chain link fence, but I was shooed away, rather rudely, by the security guard. Why put something so unusual and beautiful in the middle of a secured area that precludes picture-taking?

We found our favorite bakery/cafe, Saffrons, which still offered the most scrumptious pastries, breads and mid-Eastern cuisine … we took advantage. Ludens, a chandlery we'd liked back in 2000 that subsequently morphed to a sporting goods and outfitters store, was out of business. There was a Starbucks on every corner. Parks, open spaces, historic buildings and churches dominate the downtown. It's a pleasure to walk around and take it all in.

We walked up Calhoun Street, enjoying the day and our surroundings. One of South Carolina's favorite sons, John C. Calhoun's statue stands high and proud above the trees, surveying the city from his pedestal of Carolina granite in Marion Square.

We turned onto King Street, the main street for shops, boutiques and restaurants. It's changed. There are more shops, more traffic and definitely more people. We found the Blue Bicycle Bookshop, a favorite place to browse in years past. It has expanded and reorganized … all the more fun to browse.

Heading the opposite way down King Street, we saw Goorin Bros. Hats. We only found out later that Goorin is a chain of hat shops established back in 1895. What a treat to stroll through this shop. We tried on a few hats then asked about getting David's fine Panama hat blocked. After several years aboard Nine of Cups, it was looking pretty dismal … something Harpo Marx might wear. Not only did the friendly Goorin staff agree to block it, but they did it for free. Awesome! David looked pretty dapper walking down King Street with his Panama hat. He fit right in. We splurged and bought a hat box to store the hat for future use.

We caught a free trolley down to Liberty Square, adjacent to the Maritime Center. The Visitor's Center for the Fort Sumter National Monument was open and we wandered in. We had no time to take the ferry to the fort, but enjoyed the well-presented exhibits.

We had so little time to visit all our favorite places. We never did get to the Customs House nor the old slave market where ladies still gather each day to sell their finely-woven sweetgrass baskets. We didn't walk along the Battery nor stroll past Rainbow Row … all within walking distance. Then, of course, there are the places outside the city to visit. This visit was just a taste of what we'll do when we stop on the way back down the coast next season.

All too soon, it was evening and we were charting our course for tomorrow's route.

14 Free Things to Do in St. Augustine

I knew if I looked hard enough I'd uncover a bunch of free things to do in St. Augustine. It actually wasn't hard once I started looking. See for yourself …

1. Take a self-guided city walking tour.

We found we really didn't need to buy a guidebook at all. It's easy to explore the city by just wandering around. There are signs and info placards in front of places of interest throughout the city. Look for statues (Ponce de Leon, Pedro Menendez de Aviles, Henry Flagler), city landmarks (City Gate), churches and cathedrals. Don't forget to walk along the narrow streets in the residential areas for unique, picturesque gates and gardens. The trolley tours of the city are modestly priced, but if you enjoy walking and wandering … and St. Augustine is a good walking city … just check out the trolley tour route on-line in advance. It provides lots of information, as well as the main sights to see.

2. Walk over the Bridge of Lions to Anastasia Island

The Bridge of Lions is beautiful and it's a short walk across. Check out the Carrera marble lions on both sides of the bridge. If you're lucky, the bridge will open while you're walking across and you'll see sailboats or even the Black Raven, the local pirate ship, heading through on the Intracoastal Waterway. Except during the busiest traffic hours (0800/Noon/1700), the bridge opens for boats on request on the hour and half hour. You can monitor the bridge on VHF Channel 09.

3. Beaches

The beaches here are lovely and access to the public is free. Parking is at a premium, but some of the beaches are the type you can drive right up to and actually park on the beach. Come early to stake out your claim.

4. Free Distillery and Winery Tours and Tastings

The St. Augustine Distillery and the San Sebastian Winery both offer free tours and tastings (age 21 and older). They are located right in the old city, an easy walk in historic downtown St. Augustine. Additionally, if you're an olive oil or balsamic vinegar connoisseur (or would like to be), The Ancient Olive offers tastings of olive oils and balsamics.

5. Aviles Street

Brick-paved Aviles Street, named after the city's founder Pedro Menendez de Aviles, is touted as the oldest street in America. It's lined with boutiques, antique shops, bistros, cafes and historic houses. Browse, explore, window shop. It doesn't cost a penny.

6. St. George Pedestrian Mall

More touristy and crowded than Aviles Street, this pedestrian mall in the old Spanish Quarter is still interesting to explore. Multiply the offerings on Aviles Street by 10 and that's St. George Pedestrian Mall. If people watching is your thing, this is a good place for it.

7. St. Photios Shrine & the Peck-Peña House Tour

While you're on the St. George mall, you can duck into St. Photio's, a Greek Orthodox shrine, rich in Byzantine décor, statuary and historic significance. The Peck-Peña House is just up the street from the Shrine and, unlike most of the historical houses in town, offers a free historic house tour at designated times throughout the day.

8. Fort Matanzas National Monument

This small, but interesting fort, is about 14 miles from the old city on Anastasia Island. There is no admission charge for this US National Park facility and even the ferry ride to Rattlesnake Island where the fort is located is free. There's a movie and interesting displays at the Visitor's Center. The fort is small, but worth the visit and a ½ mile boardwalk trail through the beach flora is pleasant. You might even spot one of the gopher tortoises that make their home there.

9. Free exhibits at the Visitor's Center and Government House

We were pleasantly surprised by the city's Visitor's Center. There are several interesting displays and lots of information available. This is also the main parking facility for the old city area. Parking, unfortunately, is not free.

Near the Plaza is the Government House which offers free exhibits from time to time. While we visited, an interesting exhibit on Dugout Canoes was available.

10. Free concerts and movies

There are two venues for free summer concerts in the city. There's a Music by the Sea Concert Series at the St. Augustine Amphitheater and Concerts in the Plaza, right on the old city plaza in front of the Cathedral. Just Google “free concerts st augustine” or “free movies st augustine” for current scheds and movie/performance offerings. Bring your chair or blanket and your dinner if you wish, but no alcohol is allowed.

11. Davenport Park Carousel

This is a good place to bring the kids to run off some energy. Entrance to this city park is free and there's plenty of playground equipment to keep the kids occupied. The 1927 restored carousel is $1/ride … almost free.

12. Lighthouse Park

If you continue across the Bridge of Lions along A1A, you can walk to Lighthouse Park. Entrance to the lighthouse is not free, but you can easily view the lighthouse, check out the displays and shop in the Visitor's Center, view the lighthouse keeper's house and walk down to the beach without charge. Wandering the neighborhood and checking out the historic houses (19th/20th c) around the lighthouse is pleasant walking along shady, flowery streets.

13. Magnolia Street

This street, where the Fountain of Youth Park is located, is misnamed. Instead of magnolias, it is lined with magnificent live oak trees. Spanish moss, aka old man's beard, hangs from the branches and provides a great opportunity to take advantage of one of St. Augustine's most photographed streets.

14. Churches, cathedrals and old hotels

The St. Augustine Cathedral Basilica and the Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church are just two of several churches that can be visited in St. Augustine. You don't have to be religious to appreciate the architecture and detail of these buildings.

Though tours and museums are available for the old hotels, you can wander the luxurious grounds and take in the delightful decadence without admission. The old Ponce de Leon Hotel, one of Flagler's flagship hotels, is now Flagler College. Walk past Flagler's statue and through the arches and enjoy the lavish surroundings and detail. A tour is available if you're interested.

Across the street, the Lightner Museum and City Hall are located in the old Alcazar Hotel, also one of Flagler's hotels developed for the rich and famous in the 1920s. Past Pedro Menendez de Aviles' statue, again you can enter the lavish courtyard and cross the bridge to view the huge koi in the pond. There's a small bistro and several shops surrounding the gardened courtyard. The Lightner Museum, one of the city's premiere museums, is located here and, in our opinions, is well worth the admission price ($10/pp).

There are coupon books and city maps galore available at the Visitor's Center, many retail stores and the trolley/train ticket outlets. The coupon books offer discounts for restaurants, tours and most attractions allowing you to save a few bucks when you do opt to splurge. Senior discounts are offered at most attractions.

Eclectic St. Augustine

As we wandered and explored St. Augustine, I snapped photos of anything that caught my fancy and many times these pix just don't fit anywhere into a blog post. Still, I wanted to share them with you. This post is a pictorial catch-all for those photos that previously didn't have a place. Hope you enjoy.