Page 14 - AAA Central Penn - AAA Now! Winter 2014

14 january/february 2014
The Grand Strand
Sample the Southeast on a leisurely 256-mile drive
through coastal North and South Carolina. The trip
starts in Charleston, a quintessentially Southern
city with cobblestone streets and preserved Ashley
River plantations. To the north, The Grand Strand is
known for year-round golfing and its endless string
of beaches. Rice plantations near Georgetown,
Murrells Inlet and a scattering of quiet villages
are just off the beaten path. In North Carolina,
Wilmington and New Bern share a common
heritage. Both were important river ports and both
served as Colonial
capitals. To truly savor
this coastal sampler,
set your cruise control
to laidback, no faster
than a slow Southern
drawl.
In square miles,
historic Charleston
is small and lends
itself to independent
exploration. Preserved residential architecture is a
source of pride among Charlestonians. Most houses
are privately owned, but the following four—once
occupied by some of the city's wealthiest families—
welcome visitors: Edmondston-Alston House,
Heyward-Washington House, Nathaniel Russell
House and Joseph Manigalt House.
With its mix of visual and performing arts,
Charleston's cultural scene thrives. Standout
museums include Charleston Museum, Gibbes
Museum of Art, and Dock Street Theatre. Boat tours
to historic Fort Sumter National Monument begin at
Patriots Point or the park service visitor center with
an orientation by the park rangers.
Golfers
While the Strand's biggest vacation draw is the
beach, there are ample outlets for recreation and
entertainment, with more than 115 emerald-green
golf courses and eight ocean fishing piers.
Grand Strand entertainment is big on family
appeal. The top four variety-show venues are
The Carolina Opry, The Palace Theatre in Myrtle
Beach, Alabama Theatre in North Myrtle Beach,
and Legends in Concert in Surfside Beach. With
a four-course, country-style meal and a lively
musical show performed in a huge indoor arena,
Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show is
something to clap about.
Heading up the coast, you enter North Carolina.
From the state border, the 50-mile drive to
Wilmington is a pleasant one.
Battleship North Carolina
On approach to Wilmington, watch for signs
directing you to the Battleship North Carolina,
berthed on the river's south bank. The riverfront
anchors one of the largest national historic districts
of record and features brick streets, a riverwalk,
architecturally interesting buildings with shops and
restaurants, and quaint bed-and-breakfast inns.
Market Street is the city's oldest residential district,
with some of Wilmington's loveliest 18th- and 19th-
century mansions – many open for tours.
Continue on US 17 toward New Bern and en
route you will pass through Jacksonville, largely
populated by military personnel attached to the
Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune.
As the state's second oldest city, New Bern
preserves outstanding vestiges of its colonial
period at Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens. The
palace served as the first capitol of North Carolina
under Royal Governor William Tryon and housed
subsequent governors until 1798.
While browsing downtown's antique shops and
boutiques, step into Caleb Bradham's preserved
Middle Street pharmacy, now known as the
Birthplace of Pepsi Cola. Bradham invented the
popular soft drink here around the turn of the 20th
century.
This road trip will leave you delighted by the
treasures and tastes of the charming south.
A Coastal Carolina Road Trip:
Charleston, S.C., to New Bern, N.C.
Middleton Place Gardens
Many of Charleston's wealthiest residents were
planters, so visiting one or more of the historic
plantations clustered along the Ashley River is an
essential part of the Charleston experience. Drive
northwest to reach Magnolia Plantation or visit the
terraced gardens at Middleton Place, which presents
a more formal perspective of plantation life.
Leave Charleston and cross the Ravenel Bridge
spanning the Cooper River. This new cable-stay
superstructure links Charleston and Mount Pleasant.
From there you can view Patriot's Point Naval and
Maritime Museum in Charleston Harbor.
The centerpiece is the decommissioned
WorldWar II aircraft carrier USS Yorktown.
RevolutionaryWar site Fort Moultrie is on
Sullivan's Island and on the way to Boone
Hall Plantation & Gardens.
While continuing north, Sweetgrass
basket makers sell their creations at
roadside stands in this area. US 17
offers more links to plantation history at
Hampton Plantation State Historic Site
and farther north at Hopsewee Plantation, as you
approach Georgetown at the southern end of The
Grand Strand.
Georgetown is a good place to pull over, stretch
your legs and have a bite to eat. To soak up more
Lowcountry ambience, continue north on US 17 to
Pawleys Island, a historic resort island with several
antebellum beach cottages built by wealthy rice
planters, and Murrells Inlet, a fishing village known
for its waterfront seafood restaurants.
Next stop, Myrtle Beach, is the nucleus of The Grand
Strand, featuring top-notch theaters, attractions,
outlet malls, clubs and enough quality restaurants to
earn it the nickname "Restaurant Row."
AAANow! TM
In square miles, historic
Charleston is small and
lends itself to independent
exploration. Preserved
residential architecture is
a source of pride among
Charlestonians.