Carolinas, Georgia & South Trips (Lonely Planet, 1st Edition) - Alex Leviton [92]
See also Trips 21, 23 & 25
BEAUFORT, SC
As the second-oldest city in South Carolina, Beaufort (that’s pronounced Bew-firt as opposed to North Carolina’s Bo-furt) is the quintessential day-trip town. A smorgasbord of outdoor activities is enough to fill an adventurous day, while historic museums and artsy shops provide for a lazy afternoon wander. Paddle across the Intracoastal Waterway for a kayak tour, visit the Lowcountry Estuarium to learn about the preserved marshlands or stroll through downtown’s shops and historic architecture for a full day of sightseeing. Time your arrival for the Gullah Festival at the end of May, a three-day celebration of the art, food, culture and music of Lowcountry African Americans. To learn more about Gullah heritage, continue on Hwy 21 BR 6 miles to Dr Martin Luther King Junior Dr in St Helena, home of the Penn Center, a cultural organization with a museum and library dedicated to the traditions of the Gullah/Geechee community. From Charleston, take Hwy 17 south to Hwy 21 south onto Boundary St into downtown. Beaufort is about 1½ hours from Charleston.
See also Trips 21 & 23
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC
Make the trip from Charleston or continue on from Beaufort to reach Hilton Head Island, South Carolina’s family-friendly holiday central. White sandy beaches, nature preserves, golf (miniature and full course) and more than 240 restaurants and 200 shops practically assure a day filled with vacation goodness. A list of what beach vacation activities are not available on the island would be shorter than the list of what is available. However, Hilton Head is no Myrtle Beach. Lagoons dotting the island are a feast for bird watching and turtle spotting, and it’s common to see dolphins on one of the island’s many guided Zodiac tours or on a self-guided kayaking expedition. Hilton Head is just across the border from Georgia. From Charleston, drive to Beaufort and continue on Hwy 21 to Hwy 170. Merge onto Hwy 278 east towards Hilton Head (be prepared to pay the toll). Hilton Head is less than an hour from Beaufort and 2½ hours from Charleston.
See also Trips 21 & 23
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GEORGIA & ALABAMA TRIPS
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48 Hours in Atlanta
Atlanta for Food Lovers
Athens Rocks
Hogs & Heifers: A Georgia BBQ Odyssey
Brunswick & the Golden Isles
Midnight in the Garden: Eccentric Savannah
Savannah’s Seafood & Soul Food
Georgia & Alabama Backroads
Georgia & Alabama Backroads
Thanks Hank: Hank Williams’ Alabama
Talladega & Cheaha National Forests
The Shoals: Along the Tennessee River
Old Mobile, Alabama
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Georgia and Alabama are a microcosm of the South, on one hand home to jetset cities and urban glitterati, and on the other, a slow and low lifestyle steeped in tradition and history.
Atlanta tempts visitors with its dual personality as a fast-paced metropolitan trendsetter and a leisurely metropolis. On our 48 Hours in Atlanta trip, you’ll find slick design hotels, cooler-than-thou bars and restaurants, and world-class cultural attractions, all pulled off with a drawn Southern flair well-polished during Atlanta’s 19th-century rise to hipdom. There’s prim and proper Savannah, a gorgeous Southern belle not without its dark side, explored in depth in our eccentric Savannah tour. And outings to two coastal gems: Richly traditional Mobile in Alabama, famous for music and Mardi Gras; and Georgia’s Golden Isles, a spectacular chain of barrier islands, each with its own unique character and raw natural beauty.
There is no shortage of taste bud–tempting chow along the way – Georgia peaches, tasty fried chicken, New Southern gourmet, Lowcountry cuisine and two trips planned by Southern food experts just to make sure you eat your heart out in Atlanta and leave no Georgia BBQ unturned. Spend a few weeks here and you’ll leave quipping, “We’ll be back now, ya’ll hear?”
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GEORGIA & ALABAMA’S BEST TRIPS
TRIP
32 Savannah’s Seafood