The Yorktown is an aircraft carrier packed with history, and for me, memory. This grand lady is on display in the Charleston Harbor and can be seen while you cross the Arthur Ravenel Bridge or while you take in some sea air from Waterfront Park in Historic Downtown Charleston. I have been to the Yorktown a few times and every time I go the sense of thankfulness, awe and sadness fill me from head to toe. My family on both sides are military and I have had many experiences with people who serve and have served our country. All of these experiences come back to me while I walk through the halls of remembrance that they have tastefully set up.
Watch our video walk through of just some of the things you will see when you visit the Yorktown!
They have several experiences available for the $22 admission fee. Beside the Yorktown low and stealthy is the submarine USS Clamagore. If you want to experience a cold war era sub, don't skip this! They also have The Vietnam Experience that gives you an idea of what our boys went through during that troublesome war. They sometimes also have the USS Laffey. This destroyer was given the nickname, "The Ship That Would Not Die", and is named after a civil war medal of honor recipient. All of these are covered under the $22 admission fee.
Something you should not skip when you go is the documentary that plays in the theater to the right of the entrance. In this movie they interview people who served on the Yorktown. In those shared experiences what stuck with me was the way the men called the ship mother. For them, it was a steady area of safety that could always be relied upon. To these men the Yorktown kept them safe and brought them home. When you go remember, as I do, the people who now sit on ships. Whose metal mother glides through the waves keeping them safe and bringing them home to us.
Important tidbits:
The Yorktown is located: 40 Patriots Point Rd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464, USA
Bathrooms are located in the gift shop.
It is wheelchair accessable, to a point.
There are no water fountians
Except for certain special occasions, pets are off limits.
It's November and every year this is the time to learn our history as a country. What keeps us free, what makes us great and the sacrifice that is required for these things. The Tuskegee Airmen are one such example of those who sacrificed and what we can accomplish when hate and bigotry are set aside for love and common sense.
Enjoy the video
While there the stillness of the air provided an atmosphere of contemplation. The plagues and information boards give a small window into the life and times of our boys. What has inspired me most about these men (and others before them) is knowing that as they fight they protect not only the lives they love, but the lives of those who would sooner see them dead.
When you fight in our armed forces you fight for not only those you love, but those who ideals are totally abhorent to you. This I think is something that is sometimes hard to remember. Our fighters, our boys; fight for us all. Never forget that these men draw lines in the sand and defend those lines. They make it possible, in a very real sense, for each of us to fight over ideals from our keyboards; rather than having to pick up weapons everyday and fight off those that would tear down the fabric of this nation. Remember to thank them for the freedom and ease that you have. It was won with bitter cost.
Granby Park has so much potential. My husband and I traveled there as a way to get out of our area after Hurricane Matthew. When we arrived it the area looked exactly as we expected a small park to be; bathrooms, resting area, water fountain for dogs and people, signs that give you information about the animals and plant life that you may see, the hours of the park and last but not least the rules of the park. What we did not expect to see there was a police call box. If you have never seen them before these boxes are typically placed in areas that are not safe. You press a button that calls the police directly and they come to you as soon as they can. We weren't sure what to expect after that, but we forged on to see for ourselves what the park had to offer.
Enjoy the video!
The first little jaunt was not long as they do not seem to have developed the walk way to the right. It ended at some very overgrown woods and it wasn't a long walk either. There were a couple of people there; one fishing from an area that appeared to be a dirt slide for personal water craft and a gentleman sitting on at a picnic table listening to music and watching the sun set. We ended up turning around and taking the concrete path to the left. Several steps in and we found a homeless man fishing for turtles. We greeted him and he told us this park had been here for a long time. I looked it up and it was started in the 1990's. We thanked him, wished him luck and kept walking. Here the trail gets very scenic and you have a few stopping points to view the river. A couple of these viewing points were rendered pointless, however, because of the overgrowth directly in front of it. You could tell by the tree and grass growth that it was not well cared for.
We continued down the way to the abandoned trussel finding broken beer bottles, graffiti and more police call boxes to the winding back end of the park. Passing a few people walking back to the front, we witnessed at least one drug deal going down and a possible deal waiting to happen as we passed. We also saw a few people using it as a spot to drink beer while sitting in their truck (a definite no-no according to the park rules) and proceeded to come down with a distinctly unsafe feeling about the whole thing.
Our final thoughts: It is unfortunate that a place with such beauty and potential is struck down with the plague of being so unkept and forgotten looking. We wish they would place a walking or riding cop in the park to help clean it up a bit. If you want to go to Granby Park, go with a buddy, some sort of weapon and not after 4 p.m., that would be our advice. It is also our sincere hope this park is cleaned up, organinzed and made safe by the people who use it.
Important tid-bits:
Granby Park is located: 100 Catawba Cir, Columbia, SC 29201
Bathrooms and water are available at the beginning of the trail area.
If you find yourself in trouble or hurt the police call boxes are everywhere and they can get to you without having to know a number or anything.
What is developed is handicap friendly, except for certain low lying areas in the development that could have water on them if it rained.
Go with a buddy and do not go there at night! If you want to go, we would not stop you. But please, do not go alone and do not go unprepared. You may find yourself in need of the police call boxes if traveling there unprepared.
I recently had the pleasure to revisit Colonial Lake Park. Before it was redone by the Charleston Park Conservancy it was basically a tidal pond with some cement around it. There were a few palm trees here and there, but to my recollection there was no seating and the area around the pond was very hot. My husband and I found it by accident one day. We could find no sign for the area and had no idea what we had really come across. With the improvements made to the area by the conservancy I now think of it as a park, rather than the cement pond we found. Images of the pond in it's different forms can be found here. This park has been around since the late 1700's and has it's history wrapped up in the changing shape and ideas of freedom that molded Charleston since it's founding.
What I most liked about the revamp of the park was the greening of it. Now you can walk around this pond, get some sun, and then rest in the gathering cool of the trees that are on the corner and sides of the pond itself. In doing research for this park I came across several articles that showed the people of the area are heavily invested in what happens to it. They have, several times, stopped different types of beautification from happening siting many reasons it should not be done. For us this means the park is dearly loved by many people. It's not a place that was changed solely to attract to visitors, but, to be agreeable to those who live around it. I have read stories that people regale about coming to this tidal pond and swimming, taking picnics and just generally enjoying themselves outdoors at the park across the street called Moultrie Playground.
I would recommend this area for a good half hour walk to stretch the legs. It has some very nice green spaces, you are surrounded on all sides by the classic Charleston homes, and when the wind is right, you have the smell of the sea with the lapping of the water making for a very relaxing area. We plan to visit it again with our dog.
Now down to the important wonderings:
Colonial Lake Park is located at 41 Ashley Ave., Charleston, South Carolina 29401 {This is actually the address to Moultrie Playground, when I put in the original address, it takes you to someones home. If you are using a different GPS system change the 41 to a 42}
This park is wheelchair accessable. The park is level and well kept so no extra planning is needed.
There are no public bathrooms available. Plan accordingly.
Although the water is said to be swimmable, we can find nothing that says it's ok and nothing that says don't do it. Swim at your own risk.
We could find two water fountains, so no worries there.
Thank you for reading and joining us on this wander! If you want to learn more about this historic Park, click here.
If walls could talk Fort Moultrie would be the story teller who gets first place by the fire. The history of this fort spans from the early 1700 to the end of World War 2. I have been to this site many times and every time I go; I can't help but wonder what it must have been like in the heydays of this very historic fort. As I stand on the grass that was once a platform for soldiers to reveille I wonder to myself what loves lost were thought of here? Did commanders wonder if they would succeed? Did they mourn each other with the foreknowledge that some may not come home? These are things this old fort makes me wonder.
Fort Moultrie is a favorite for locals and visitors alike as it has cannons from the civil war and war equipment from the world wars as well. The place is said to be haunted by soldiers who fell on the beach, however, I can't find any stories to confirm this. Along with the main fort, there is an abandoned area that you can walk around but not into. It has been deemed unsafe and has many areas that are closed off to the public. Once you leave the forts there are two access points to the beach. One walk way leads out to a rocky out cropping which can be beautiful on its own. Then you can also visit the Sullivans Island beach. Neither of these are beaches for swimming. We still recommend them as places to watch the sunrise or set. As you can see in our video that can be very beautiful. You also have a chance to watch all kinds of boats float by and have a great view of the suspension bridge.
Fort Moultrie is part of a historic trust called, "The Fort Sumter-Fort Moultrie Historic Trust". This trust actually includes four areas of historical interest: Fort Sumter, Fort Moultrie, Liberty Square and the Charles Pinckney Site. Each one has a learning area and then an area to walk around to experience a taste of southern history. Watch the video below for more details about that. Another note of interest for literary scholars or just those interested in horror/macabre: Edgar Alan Poe was stationed here during his short tour in the military. It has been recorded that the area was inspiring for many of his stories, namely: "The Gold Bug". If you get a chance visit Poe's Tavern about ten minutes away from the fort to have a great meal.
To enjoy even more photos taken at the fort check out our: Flickr Album
Now lets get down to the important tid bits:
Fort Moultrie is located at 1214 Middle Street, Sullivan's Island South Carolina 29482
It is mostly wheelchair accessible. There are many areas that are well built and others that are dirt and grass.
It cost 3$ a person to get in. They do have times when it is free. Usually after the summer time.
Bathrooms are available as well as water and souvenirs at the welcome area.
Be sure to ask the ranger on duty for any pamphlets or information for wandering this site. They should give a packet that contain the history of the area and other ways to participate in caring for the history of this area. Watch the video below for more information about that.
The angel oak tree is estimated to be anywhere between 300-500 years old. It grows silently and unassumingly down a dirt and gravel path. Guarded by a church and the denizens of the gift shop it is a sight to behold. Standing by it you are witness to a creation that is an echo of times long past. Memories of fairy tale forests where, often, the best of adventures and lessons are discovered.
This is one of those adventures you just have to go see for yourself. All the words in all the world can not describe the majesty of the age of this tree. It makes me think of how it must have been in the garden of Eden when man lived in concert with nature and God walked the Earth in the cool of evening.
Enjoy the slide show!
My reverie was soon broken by the denizens of the gift shop who come out to check and make sure no one is sitting on the old oak. Yelling at anyone who even looks like they might be about to lay their gluteus maximus upon the lower branches. Here; they are serious about conservation, no ifs ands or butts.
The tree itself has several supporting harnesses and poles. Even with that, it was a nice experience. When we went a family was there comparing their growth to the width of the tree. I have had several people tell me that it is a tradition for their family to have family portraits by this tree, a hallmark of the south.
Angel Oak is located at, 3688 Angel Oak Rd, Johns Island, SC 29455. You can call them at (843) 559-3496.
Angel Oak is wheel chair accessible but the grounds are not developed so plan accordingly
This is a free admission site
Dogs are not allowed with only service animals as an exception
You can not take pictures or video inside the gift shop
Even with some distractions this is still a good wander for your travels. You are unlikely to see anything like it again and when you see it, you'll never forget it.
The Flowertown Festival, also known as the azalea festival, is a yearly event put on by the local YMCA and several supporters. It's designed to be a fundraising event and that lets you experience everything that Summerville has to offer!
There is a lot going on at the Flowertown Festival so lets just jump into the need to know's:
The event is mostly wheelchair accessible. They have done better this year than in previous years, however, the wheel chair accessible area is limited to the main road. After that you have dirt/gravel walk laid down to facilitate wheel chairs, prams, and strollers. When it rains this walk becomes muddy and difficult to maneuver, so plan ahead.
It is hot out there! This festival takes place during the Spring. Here in South Carolina that can mean temperatures between 75-100 degrees. This area is semitropical so rain is also not out of the ordinary. Be sure to take sunscreen, plenty of water and a hat just to be sure you are covered.
Animals are not allowed at this event. Even though this is an outdoor event, they do not allow recreational animals. Service animals are welcome and should be properly tagged so everyone can see.
Friday is the best time to go. People coming from out of town are settling in and haven't made their way to the festival just yet and locals are still working. If you want a less crowded experience, this is what we suggest.
Parking can be a chore. Several churches around the festival provide all day parking for $5 a day. The free parking is vast, but can fill up quickly if you don't get there early.
There are many things to see at this annual festival. People give away free samples and it is a great way to add some southern decor to your home. This is an international festival and that means some of the vendors you see will not be from South Carolina. If you are wanting something authentically southern be sure to check with the vendor before purchasing. As locals, we continue to go for the food. Several different vendors hand out free samples and if you get your picture taken by the Summerville Journal Scene they will give you free ice cream! A little tip for staying out of the sun: if you go beyond the table set up behind the food you will notice an incline and a then a side walk. This is a great place to sit in the shade and enjoy your food. The only thing asked is; you do not go into the yards of the people who live on the street and please pick up your trash!
We suggest that you take a least two days to participate in this event because of how large it is. This is a free admission event and you are not required to purchase anything. My husband and I go and have a lot of fun just looking at everything that people have to offer. This type of festival also lends itself to great photo opportunities for families and friends a like. I like to always get a picture with the big cup of sweet tea that McAlisters Deli has sitting next to their booth. This festival sits in middle of Azalea Park for which the festival was originally named. The park includes gazebos, ponds and statues to enjoy, take pictures by and generally have a great time.
Overall this is an enjoyable event that you can attend every year and one we hope you will enjoy on your next wander!
T.I.G.E.R.S is an experience I had been waiting to attend for about a year. I went with a friend and my husband expecting to hold or pet baby tigers and interact with larger ones. This is something I expected because of the way a couple of brochures I was able to find read. However, when you get there it's not exactly what you might expect. Don't get this traveler wrong; it was still a great experience. It was simply dampened a bit by my dashed hopes of interaction.
T.I.G.E.R.S Preservation Station is located at Barefoot Landing Hwy 17 N, North Myrtle Beach, in what we unofficially dubbed, a mini Broadway at the Beach. It's a lovely area with dining, shopping and no crowds. Perfect for anyone who wants to do basically the same kind of thing, but in a low key setting. The tiger show starts at 5 p.m. and is designed to be a preview of the Myrtle Beach Safari. As a result you will be able to see and hear two adult tigers, several baby tigers, a baby wolf cub and a monkey. If you would like to hold the babies the price for the first person is $100 and any subsequent person is $25. This is where the brochure and initial website reading gets tricky. The website clearly states that holding and feeding cost a fee; however, the brochure reads little different. It can lead you to believe that you may pet said animals without a fee, but holding them and getting a picture costs money. And so, therein, lies our disappointment.
Enjoy the slideshow below of the tigers!:
Even with said disappointment, we stayed a good half hour just listening to the baby tigers mini roars and watching the adults nap, play, and generally do tigery things. You can see the baby wolf and monkey when they bring them out for pictures.
Tips for finding the tiger viewing:
there are no signs for it so the closest thing you find for a sign to indicate you are in the right area is the one for Alligator Adventure.
Once you turn there, go down the road till you hit a parking lot and your tiger destination is on the left.
Another way to know you are in the right area is to find the Longhorn Steakhouse and make the turn directly across the street from that restaurant.
This adventure is wheel chair accessible and they have plenty of parking and bathrooms. Be aware that people do bring their dogs and small children here. They also have an unofficial Facebook page that contain more reviews for the safari: Myrtle Beach Safari Wild Encounters.
My final conclusion is that I would go there again. It wasn't what I expected, but, it was awesome to see these animals as close as I was able to and to hear the babies and watch them play. You will definitely find the trip worth your time.
This beautiful resort like park is admission free and one of a just a few places for families to enjoy the view of the Cooper River and International Waterway that South Carolina is known for. Mount Pleasant Waterfront Memorial Park is located at 99 Harry M. Hallman Jr Blvd in Mt. Pleasant South Carolina. Directly across the street from Patriots Point, it's an area that boasts many different experiences for every visitor! Here you will find structured areas of play for children, grassy areas for more free form play (for adults and children alike) and a pier that gives you some amazing views.
The pictures that I have taken simply don't do it justice. Here you can find cultural events, dancing and fishing all on the same day. It is located just outside the area of Mt. Pleasant with relaxed fine dining. So, our suggestion: have a meal in any one of Mt. Pleasants' great eateries and then take your dessert on the go for a lovely breezy walk about the pier and enjoy the sites and sounds of this lovely area.
Don't forget to stop by the welcome center! They have friendly staff that can direct you to the events happening that day as well as provide you with coupons and information about the general Mt. Pleasant area. This is a stop you can not afford to skip! This park is wheel chair accessible and pet friendly. There is plenty of parking and the only downside that I could think of for this adventure was the gnats. When you go be sure to take sunscreen and some bug repellent. If you forget those things the gift shop at the pier carries all those things and more.
Take our virtual walk and learn more about this resort like park by watching the video below. You can also see more photos by taking a look at our slideshow!
Food from a food truck may not be the most exciting outing. However, here in the south, it is equal to the food stands found in other parts of the world. You can find them just about anywhere with all kinds of different foods. They are held to same standards as restaurants so you should have no fear of eating from the fabled roach coach. There were pros and cons to this festival so lets just get right into it.
Pros:
1> This was an open air festival. There were many beautiful dogs and many children. If you had a festival like this indoors it would start to get pretty nasty pretty fast.
2> The variety of food. There was everything from an all bacon truck, to a cupcake truck, a little gelato car and a greek food truck. Just about any type of food that you could want you were able to get.
Cons:
1> The lines! I was looking forward to the all bacon truck and the mac'n'cheese truck. The lines for both was almost to the entryway. I went with two other people who also were looking forward to different trucks that were there. By talking and listening to the other people around us the wait for some was thirty minutes. In the end we left without getting any food.
2> Parking. As with most of the events in Downtown Charleston the parking is not ideal. Best case scenario you pay for parking in a parking structure and were bused over in a free trolley they had running for the majority of the event. What this travel ended up doing is parking in a an empty lot down the road and walking into the area where the food trucks were staged.
3> As seen in the video below, the crush of people was also pretty bad. This con ties in with the first one. There weren't enough tables or places to stand or sit to eat so people just stood wherever they could to eat the food. Granted that food looked yummy! However most people weren't able to get through the lines to get it, if you notice most people in the video don't have food or are still waiting to get some.
If you have a day to kill and don't mind spending it in loose lines for food and listening to live music this is definitely up your alley! The only suggestions that I would have for Charleston County is to better organize it. I will go back if it gets better organized.
Sheldon church is one of the earliest churches built in the low country. Not in use today it sits about an hour and ten minutes outside of Summerville, South Carolina. Sheldon church sits directly off Highway 17. Parking can be awkward, as there is only space to parallel park in front of the church. Also, there is parking across the street in a cleared graveled area. Be careful, if you aren't looking for it, you will drive right by it because there are no clear signs to the church before you get there. Using Google maps my husband and I were able to get there with no problems, but you will still have to keep an eye out.
Once onto the grounds a strange sort of hush falls over the area. The sounds of the road fade away and you are instantly swept into, what I can only describe as, a different time. The church itself seems to whisper about the love and tragedy that it has seen. Standing still to remind us that though the names and places may change, we all still face the same challenges. Love, Loss and standing for beliefs that weave our choices into the history of mankind.
Sheldon church is wheel chair accessible onto the church grounds. The grounds are not developed so plan accordingly. Sheldon church is admission free and also has picnic tables perfect for a light lunch there. The trees and over all area provide wonderful photo ops so be sure to bring your camera or camcorder you don't want to miss out!
