Weekend Travel Inspiration: A Carriage Ride Through Charleston, SC

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.

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..




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...

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

Rainbow Row, Charleston, SC

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

Yes, it is all one house!

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

Charming homes... 

Stately homes...

and homes exuding Southern elegance...

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

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.

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.

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...

 Maybe another time...
 

  
This sure was a long post.

Bless your hearts for stickin' with it. 

Linking With:
Weekend Travel Inspiration
Our World Tuesday