[Sep 28, 2012] Charleston, SC DO (Charleston, SC)

Morning, all!

Would anyone be available to help gather the final headcount? I hate to ask but I'm working 12-14 hour days and really at the limit of what I can do right now. I was no anticipating this when I first started this planning but my company was purchased a few months ago and I'm absolutely overwhelmed. Ugh The good news is I just hired someone to help, the bad was the time interviews took and that I now have to somehow train her. I haven't been able to get online at all during the day and am working from home in the evenings as well.

Alrighty, gathering the headcount now. I think I am back on track. Super long day for me but it was a good one so I'm excited and ready for this meetup!

"Is that your final answer?"
I got the conversation, which was a good idea. Sounds like your year, JennB, is as tough as mine.
I think I could enjoy myself in Charleston for a weekend as long as there was no hurricane.
Fear of commitment may be a guy thing, but if there turned out to be no room at the table I'm pretty sure I could handle it.
It's just 4 weeks away. Probably a good idea to to get started.
I'm planning on spending Friday and Saturday nights out by the airport, and maybe Sunday night in the historic downtown. Driving is relaxing for me, so I expect to have a rental car; although with gas prices it may be a small rental car.
I'll put in one more plug for the charlestoncvb.com. There you can request the 2012 Official Visitors Guide.
The Visitor Center is at 375 Meeting Street. They close at 5:30 pm.

Looks like we will have a reasonable group of about 10. That should make for easy conversation and not be a huge obstacle for reservations and activities. I will also have a rental car and can easily shuttle people if needed. I will arrive on Friday afternoon and head home on Sunday evening.

Another perk of the small group is that we can do things as people like so if there is any certain activity a couple of people want to to, it won't be a problem and it won't be like herding cats to get everyone together for activities. I'm traveling today but will start making calls Monday to get us dinner reservations and see what our options are for a group tour or cruise. I'm going to see about a carriage tour of downtown or maybe a walking ghost tour in the evening. I'll read some reviews and see what sounds like the most fun.


I hired a new employee this week so I should be able to relax a little and get this all taken care of easily. Also, my SFO trip was moved up a week so I won't be flying from the west coast. This way, I can pick people up from CHS if needed and meet up for a pre-dinner drink or something. Since we are almost all traveling solo, it may be nice to meet up at one of the hotels first.. Shold be a great time.

Glad that your schedule is working out much better for you JennB. Hopefully mine will clear out so I can spend at least part of the weekend with the crew and help chauffeur folks around.

Some of the advantages of NOT riding with me are that I won't know my way around, I tend to be a free thinker, and I don't take direction particularly well.

Do you think you can find us free parking?

Haha. I suspect free parking would fall more under the catagory of wishful thinking .

Last time I was at charlestoncvb.com, I noticed that they now have information on the MOJA Arts Festival which will also be going on that weekend. This is the way I think of Charleston; hosting multiple events at the same time. Perhaps this could put some stress on the parking situation.
The information on MOJA mentions a street parade on Friday from 5:30 till 6:30pm; beginning at Hampton Park; winding down King and Market Streets, and ending at Brittlebank Park.
The 2012 Official Visitors Guide has a street map which notes the location of parking garages. They also suggest that if you come by the Visitors Center, to ask for one of the public restroom guides.

I will be arriving at CHS around 6:00PM on Friday and going to the Doubletree. Leaving on Sunday so I'll drive to the airport about 4:00PM. If anyone needs a ride either way, let me know. If you are staying anywhere downtown, I should be able to drop you off or you can walk from the DT, nothing is terribly far in downtown.

I thought about driving from ATL but that 5 hour drive is just no fun and I don't want to be completely beat that evening.

I could still use a ride from the Doubletree on Sunday out to the Hyatt Place out there by the airport where I am staying Sunday night.

Probably still need a ride Friday sometime from same Hyatt Place to Doubletree as I am staying at same HP Thursday night after late arrival.

All other nights are at DT

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I can definitely get you there Sunday.

As for Friday, I can do that as well but you may want to head to downtown earlier in the day to see the city. There is an outlet mall and some restaurants but that may only be interesting for a short time.

I have a coworker who was raised in Charleston, and he claims he makes that drive through Columbia in 4 hours. I figure that must put him in the 80 to 85mph range. While that might have been doable for me when I was young; it's a little outta my range these days.
I much prefer the drive through Savannah. But Friday morning I am considering the drive through Columbia(ugh, that's east into the sunrise). I'm interested to see what kind of time I can make, for future reference.

I've lived 90% of my life in Columbia and Atlanta and it definitely takes me 5 hours. He either hauls tail of likely lives in a different part of Atlanta. I certainly don't drive slow . A lot depends on where in Atlanta you are coming from. I live in the city so I have to first get out of Atlanta to be on my way. If I lived in Duluth, Buford, Conyers, any of the east suburbs, I certainly could shave off a lot of time. I don't even want to know how long it would take if I were in Kennesaw. Eek!To hit 4 hours, I'd have to do 83 mph average. Considering the slow down for Augusta, Columbia, around 285 and the fact that they really wouldn't like me doing 80 for the 5 miles between my home and the interstate, I don't think I can possibly pull that off. Plus, why in the world would I drive through Columbia and not stop at Rush's? Unpossible!

I'd love it if all cops took vacation from I-26 for a weekend. Give me the opportunity to open my car up on the big, relatively straight and smooth stretch on the way to Charleston and I could make it in 30 minutes. I won't be bringing my car though, even if i did drive instead of flying, the lack of passenger and baggage space makes me pretty useless for caravaning.

I wanna drive what you're driving for the 105 miles from exit 116 to 221!

Input needed -

Carriage tour... any interest? We can do a tour during the day on Saturday or a ghost tour in the evening. Tour is $20 and I'm looking for coupons and lasts 45 minutes. Another good option for touring is a walking tour. There are ghost walking tours at night.

Saturday evening - ghost tour and dinner at a restaurant or a dinner cruise? Dinner cruise may be more expensive. Dinner cruise is about 7:00PM to 10:00PM and is $55 but may have a group discount.

Saturday afternoon - Any interest in Patriots Point? Biiiiiig ships! I think our group is small enough to fit in 3 cars so going somewhere outside of downtown would not be an issue. Any other special requests for the afternoon? I think Patriots Point, Fort Sumter (requires boat ride) and a plantation our are best bets.

I'm making restaurant calls today and trying to nail down the other activities as well. Going to reserve Friday dinner, Saturday lunch, Sunday brunch.

Decisions, decisions. I wouldn't mind doing any of it. Of course, things do overlap. The afternoon PP/FS and plantation would be ok with me. I like the idea of the ghost tours too, but also like the dinner cruise idea. So, I'll go with the flow for either of those ideas. Carriage tours would be either/or. I can walk just as well, but wouldn't be against one either. Also wouldn't mind M&S condo adventure at the beach if he'd still have that option open for whenever he might consider that if he can still come. I'm pretty easy in as far as the activities.
Home from Hawaii now, can start to think more about the upcoming trip

The Battery/ White Point Gardens ... maybe that's on the carriage tour.

Aiken-Rhett House / Nathaniel Russell House

Drayton Hall

The Charleston Museum , and houses.

Old City Market and Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon

Mepkin Abbey and Gardens

Firefly Distillery

Bakehouse Charleston

and then there's King Street, too.