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Sunday, August 10, 2014

Weekend Travel Inspiration: A Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC


Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel

When you go on vacation, do you like to do act like a tourist, or blend in like a local?

I'd say, it depends, but most times,
I suck it up and act like a tourist.
I mean, how could you not take a gondola ride in Venice,
or go to the top of the Empire State Building in NY,
or take a carriage ride through Charleston?

When we were vacationing in Kiawah last month,
Charleston was only about 27 miles away,
so we drove in one morning to take a tour of the city.


Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel
The Old Exchange Building and Provost Dungeon

I had read a review which said that 
Palmetto Carriage was the best, 
so that's what we booked.
Our tour guide, Jodie, was terrific
(the horse, "J," was good, too)!
She had lots of interesting information, 
and a wry sense of humor (Jodie, not the horse 😉). 

So y'all come along with me as we clomp, clomp, clomp through the streets
and look at all of the historic houses..


Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel

It's interesting how the tours work...
To keep areas of the city from getting 
too congested with carriages,
(and there are a LOT!)
there are several different tour zones
and the route of each tour is determined by lottery.
It's delightfully low tech -
a woman stands on a corner with a cage 
that looks like it has lotto balls in it,
 she spins one out, 
and the number on it tells the tour guide which route to take. 
So it's luck of the draw.

We were fortunate to get Route #1,

which included the waterfront...

Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel

and the famed Rainbow Row houses.
 We were snapping pictures from the carriage,
so this was the best I could get. 

Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel
Rainbow Row, Charleston, SC

I wish I could have hopped out of the carriage
to get a full-frontal view of this house.

Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel

Yes, it is all one house!

Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel

There were dozens of homes I could happily live in...

Charming homes... 

Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel


Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel


Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel

Stately homes...


Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel


Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel


Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel


Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel

and homes exuding Southern elegance...

Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel


Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel


Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel

Well, shut mah mouth...
I think I'll take this one, please.

Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel


Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel

Or maybe I should hold out for the Calhoun Mansion, 
with its 35 rooms.
Nah...I really don't need more than 25 rooms, LOL.

Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel

Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel

I do declare, the carriage ride was a delightful way 
to get an overview of the city! 

After our tour, 
we checked out the Charleston City Market.
I had a hankering for a Sweetgrass Basket.
This handicraft was brought to the South from Africa 
hundreds of years ago,
and passed down from generation to generation.
Oh my, they are pricey!
But I got a good deal from Brenda Manigault, and her daughter.
I chose the one she is holding.

Carriage Ride Through Charlest Charleston City Market  by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #sweetgrassbaskets

After spending the morning in Charleston,
it whet my appetite to see more.

If anything dills my pickles, 
it's feeling like I didn't have enough time 
to adequately explore a place.
In hindsight, I would have liked to have spent 
two nights in Charleston,
just to have a couple of full days to walk around.
And shop. 

The Meeting Street Inn looks like a nice place to stay...

Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel

 Maybe another time...
 
Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC...perfect way to see the city! by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes #Charleston #Travel
  
This sure was a long post.

Bless your hearts for stickin' with it. 



Linking With:
Weekend Travel Inspiration
Our World Tuesday

38 comments:

  1. I think that was my favourite virtual travelling post this summer! I've always dreamt to see more of the South after spending some time in Alabama (days spent mostly in ballet studios), so I really enjoyed the carriage ride!

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  2. Isn't Charleston just lovely? We were there a year ago and scheduled a carriage ride but after seeing how many are sometimes crowded into one carriage we decided to be our own tour guide. :) I love the history of this town. It's true Southern charm.

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    1. It was charming, Dayle! I wish we had spent a couple of nights there, in order to spend full days. We did drive in for dinner two nights, but I would have like to just walk and walk!

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  3. Beautiful post! Charleston photos are always worthy of a collage. You have to go back! You missed the most important part of Charleston--the Food.

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    1. Thanks, Shelby! We did drive in two nights to have dinner -- the food was fantastic! And we ate in some excellent restaurants just outside of the city. I'd love to go back!

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  4. One of my favorite cities. You have a good excuse to go back.....so many other things to see.

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    Replies
    1. I can see what it's one of your favorites, and I would love to see more!

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  5. I do believe you've been doing your homework with some of those southern expressions! I love Charleston. I haven't been in years. My husband and I stayed in a B&B years ago and had the best time. But, it was HOT! We went in August which was a bad time of year to go. We never took a carriage ride though. That looked fun.

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    Replies
    1. I think I'm secretly hoping to live in the south! I would have loved to stay in a B&B for a couple of nights, so we could have spent full days there. We did drive in for dinner a couple of nights -- the food was SO good! Love southern cooking!

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  6. This is a destination that has been on my bucket list for awhile, and your gorgeous photos are very enticing! Hope you find your 25-room dream home ;)

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    Replies
    1. It was on my list for a long time, too, Julie, and I'm glad I finally got there. I hope you do, too!

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  7. My favorite little city in the World. I have some of the exact same shots lol. I am sure a lot of people do. So glad you enjoyed yourself here in the South!

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    Replies
    1. I can understand why so many people say it's their favorite city, I loved it! I think I could be very happy living there!

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  8. I do declare Ms. Amy! That white house that is your favorite just might win the prize for me too! Just beautiful!

    Charleston is on my bucket list, along with Savannah. Such gorgeous architecture that sadly, you just don't see in newer homes.

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  9. Amy, Charleston sure is a pretty place! We walked and drove around the houses, but decided to take a horse-carriage ghost tour...hilarious! I loved seeing the houses and hearing some gruesome stories that went along with it! Thanks again for linking up to Weekend Travel Inspiration!

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  10. As much as I want to blend in as a local, I always ended up at the tourists' traps... Charleston is such a beautiful town:)

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    Replies
    1. Sometimes, you've just gotta be a tourist! When it comes to restaurants, though, I like to go where the locals go.

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  11. It looks like a beautiful city. I'm not familiar with anything south of NYC, except for Boca ;). Is there a beach within driving distance? Love me a good beach vacation, but those pictures make me want to check it out, y'all ;). Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Yes, Beth, there are beautiful beaches about 25 miles away, which is where we stayed (on Kiawah Island - check out my post). We drove into Charleston twice for dinner, and once for the carriage tour. I wish we would have stayed in Charleston a couple of nights, in hindsight.

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  12. Oh, what a beautiful residences.
    I like to blend in with the local everyday life, I like to come a little frequented streets, I like to do some shopping at the local market ...
    I do not like resorts with all this noise
    Regards

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    Replies
    1. I guess I like a mix of both...everything you said, I do enjoy, too, but I also like to do some of the touristy stuff.

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  13. It looks like such a beautiful place.

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    Replies
    1. I'd heard how nice it was for years, and it really was as wonderful as everyone says!

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  14. What a delight your post was. I've never done the tourist bit, well, except when we took the kids up the Empire State. Seen Venice a number of times without the gondola and Paris without going up the Eiffel tower, Salzburg without a carriage ride and Vienna ditto but dash it all, next time (if ever there is one), danged if I don't do it your way.

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    1. Thanks, Arija! I like to go off the beaten path, eat where the locals eat, but also do some of the touristy stuff, too. The carriage ride was wonderful!

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  15. I don't mind being pegged as a tourist. There are perks to being one.

    This post is wonderful. Thanks for the beautiful pictures.

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  16. what colourful photos! I love the architecture. Hello from New Zealand :-)

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  17. What a charming looking town. I generally don't do all the tourist things. We even skipped going to the top of the Empire State Building, and we walked right by it. Same in Paris, the queue was too long so we skipped the Louvre.

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    1. I think my ideal is a little bit of both. I like to do the main attractions, and then go off the beaten path, and especially, eat where the locals do.

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  18. The Saturday Market with all the wonderful handicrafts! Grasshopper Pie!Searching for broken pieces of old porcelain on the beach.The aquarium and the sea front and the shops! So many happy memories - thank you for taking me straight back!

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    Replies
    1. It sounds like I missed some good stuff! I need to go back! Glad to bring back happy memories for you!

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  19. I so love Charleston! Such a beautiful and elegant city, and great food, too.

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    1. The food was amazing! We drove in two nights and had fabulous meals, and also had some great food just outside of the city.

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