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All Things Charleston 411


ChucktownSteve
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Hi all,

 

This is a continuation of the " I live in Charleston, SC" Thread that began in 2007. There is still some good info there so here's the link if you wish to do further investigation of all the things that Charleston, SC has to offer.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=628998

 

Caution: You may not want to go back more than a year or so though since some of the information may be outdated...especially since hotels/restaurants change often.

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I "found" it!

 

Hope people come here to ask questions, several of us from the Charleston area are ready to help you!

 

Thanks ChuckTownSteve for starting the NEW Charleston thread... here's hoping it gets 100 plus pages of great info...

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Since so many people inquire about Patriots Point and I have a background with advertising companies, I thought I would try something.

 

I called their Marketing Director and explained Cruise Critic then asked if she'd be willing to offer Cruise Critic Charleston visitors a discount. She agreed.

 

Patriots Point is willing to give a $3 off each regular adult admission with a promo code used on their web site to purchase tickets. She said the code would expire Dec. 31, 2018 but the discount would not be valid on Senior, Military or Child tickets because they're already discounted.

 

Use promo code: PPCC2017. It should be working in a couple of days.

 

Other area tourist coupons can be found at the Charleston CVB web site and Traveler of Charleston Magazine.

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I "found" it!

 

Hope people come here to ask questions, several of us from the Charleston area are ready to help you!

 

Thanks ChuckTownSteve for starting the NEW Charleston thread... here's hoping it gets 100 plus pages of great info...

I just wanted to thank ChuckTownSteve for his response to me about plantations. He verified what I was thinking and appreciate his helpfulness!

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Since so many people inquire about Patriots Point and I have a background with advertising companies, I thought I would try something.

 

I called their Marketing Director and explained Cruise Critic then asked if she'd be willing to offer Cruise Critic Charleston visitors a discount. She agreed.

 

Patriots Point is willing to give a $3 off each regular adult admission with a promo code used on their web site to purchase tickets. She said the code would expire Dec. 31, 2018 but the discount would not be valid on Senior, Military or Child tickets because they're already discounted.

 

Use promo code: PPCC2017. It should be working in a couple of days.

 

Other area tourist coupons can be found at the Charleston CVB web site and Traveler of Charleston Magazine.

 

Great!

 

In the same thread if you are coming to Charleston and want to go the the beach Isle of Palms will give you a T-shirt! Yep just go to their website:

http://www.iop.net/free-t-shirt

It has a form that you download and bring with you to the Isle of Palms Town Hall where with your ID they will give you the T-Shirt just for visiting the island... you gotta be from outside of the area for the FREE T-shirt!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Chucktownsteve,

 

I am way ahead of schedule but I am taking a cruise from Baltimore down the eastern seaboard. It will stop in Charleston on January 4, 2018 from 7 am to 4 pm. Several members have shown an interest in a Historic Charleston Tour, not a walking or carriage ride tour. I really wish there was a cruise with an over night in Charleston, 8 hours is not enough time.

 

Would you have any suggestions of tour companies and tours that we can do?

 

Any help will be appreciated.

 

Thanks, Candie

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Chucktownsteve,

 

I am way ahead of schedule but I am taking a cruise from Baltimore down the eastern seaboard. It will stop in Charleston on January 4, 2018 from 7 am to 4 pm. Several members have shown an interest in a Historic Charleston Tour, not a walking or carriage ride tour. I really wish there was a cruise with an over night in Charleston, 8 hours is not enough time.

 

Would you have any suggestions of tour companies and tours that we can do? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks, Candie

 

Hi Candie,

 

I agree a partial day is not enough time. That's why a lot of people who cruise here, come back for a whole week! There was a ship not too long ago that did an overnight in Charleston. Unfortunately I don't remember which and the port authority deleted last years schedule.

 

It sounds like you want a several hour custom tour. Am I correct? What would you want included? Do you want to stay downtown or also visit plantations. Do you wish to do Historic House tours? Anything else you're interested in?

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Steve,

 

Thanks for replying so fast. I think anything historical. I was looking online and noticed Greyline has a tour and so does Adventure Tours. I think the historic city and city house tour might be what we would like but I also think a plantation tour option would be interesting too.

 

I have done Greyline and most of the time the guide is not born and raised in the city we are touring so they aren't very informative.

 

I am just getting started creating our Google Spreadsheet for this cruise and want so amazing options to offer the members of the roll call. When I saw your post I thought this is wonderful, maybe I can get great information to share with the members.

 

Candie

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Steve,

 

Thanks for replying so fast. I think anything historical. I was looking online and noticed Greyline has a tour and so does Adventure Tours. I think the historic city and city house tour might be what we would like but I also think a plantation tour option would be interesting too.

 

I have done Greyline and most of the time the guide is not born and raised in the city we are touring so they aren't very informative.

 

I am just getting started creating our Google Spreadsheet for this cruise and want so amazing options to offer the members of the roll call. When I saw your post I thought this is wonderful, maybe I can get great information to share with the members.

 

Candie

 

 

I made a couple of calls to van tour companies. I spoke with the owner of Charms of Charleston tours who only does the downtown area but if you had enough people, he would let you have one or two of his daily tours exclusively. I also put a call into the Sales Manager at Charleston Harbor Tours which also runs the Schooner Pride and Adventures in Charleston van tours. He's out of town until Thursday but asked he return my call. The later company would work if you want to do a combination of harbor and van tour so you could work with one company.

 

As you get more information what your group wants to do, how much time you want to spend and how much you want the cost, it will better to determine specifics.

 

I do know that Bubba the owner at Charms of Charleston is a Charlestonian. He only has one van. All the Charleston tour guides are licensed by the city who must pass a lengthy tourism test. I might be able to also get you a special group price at one of the house museums.

 

If you want to do a Plantation and a house museum, then Middleton Foundation owns both. Their house museum is the Edmondston Alston house, overlooking the harbor and Ft. Sumter, which has I believe 85 to 90 original furnishings from the families who lived in the house. They do a combo ticket. So you could have the Plantation/in town correlation.

 

Those are just some of the ideas depending upon y'alls interest.

Edited by ChucktownSteve
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Steve,

 

Thanks so much for all of the information. When I get everyone onboard with excursions I will write you again. Right now the Roll Call has less than 20 people but as it gets closer, it will pick up.

 

Thanks again. Candie

 

Hi Steve,

 

Just saw this blog and I am leaving on March 18, 2017 out of Baltimore with our first stop in Charleston. We arrive on March 20 and are there from 7-4. I have not visited Charleston for over 25-30 years.

 

I'm interested in seeing Fort Sumpter and anything else you think would be worth seeing in the time allotted. I would appreciate the names of tour companies that you know are reliable and would provide the best opportunity

to see Charleston.

 

Thank you in advance for the blog and your help.

 

Reeve

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Hi Steve,

 

Just saw this blog and I am leaving on March 18, 2017 out of Baltimore with our first stop in Charleston. We arrive on March 20 and are there from 7-4. I have not visited Charleston for over 25-30 years.

 

I'm interested in seeing Fort Sumpter and anything else you think would be worth seeing in the time allotted. I would appreciate the names of tour companies that you know are reliable and would provide the best opportunity

to see Charleston.

 

Thank you in advance for the blog and your help.

 

Reeve

 

Hi Reeve from FL on my way to our next cruise, :D

 

If you want to go to Fort Sumter, there is only one tour company. The first boat leaves at 9:30 from Liberty Square at the Aquarium. There is a National Parks Service building and display there.

 

https://www.nps.gov/fosu/planyourvisit/fortsumtertickets.htm

 

If time allows, I would recommend a Carriage tour from either Palmetto Carriage or Old South Carriage. Both are good companies. Then I would mill around the Market area and shop or stop in a restaurant for a Drink &/or snack. You'll be just a couple of blocks from your ship.

 

Have a great Charleston visit.

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Chucktownsteve:

 

Looks like I've got to ask a question here.

 

I wanted to do a culinary tour but the only one I see that is available on the day we are there 2/27 starts at 9:30. Might be a bit early for us.

 

I was looking at different restaurants to try one was called Husk another was Leon's Oyster Shop. I'm not sure where we dock and if they are even close to each other that we could try them both.

 

We would also like to see the pineapple at the Waterfront Park, the Charleston Place (Belmond) we stayed there 10 yrs ago and maybe walk around the City Market.

 

Are all these things possible by walking or should we Uber to a few?

 

Thank in advance for your help. We may be limited on time due to the fact that our daughter is one of the dancers on board the Grandeur and may not get off early or need to be back sooner than most.

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Chucktownsteve:

 

I was looking at different restaurants to try one was called Husk another was Leon's Oyster Shop. I'm not sure where we dock and if they are even close to each other that we could try them both.

 

We would also like to see the pineapple at the Waterfront Park, the Charleston Place (Belmond) we stayed there 10 yrs ago and maybe walk around the City Market.

 

Are all these things possible by walking or should we Uber to a few?

 

Thank in advance for your help. We may be limited on time due to the fact that our daughter is one of the dancers on board the Grandeur and may not get off early or need to be back sooner than most.

 

The market and Waterfront Park are only a couple of blocks from where you'll disembark. Continue to the far end of the market and Charleston Place sits catty corner from it. Husk is just a couple of blocks away. No need to uber to any of these places. They are easily walkable. :)

Sorry, not familiar with Leon's.

Edited by waterbug123
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Chucktownsteve:

 

Looks like I've got to ask a question here.

 

I wanted to do a culinary tour but the only one I see that is available on the day we are there 2/27 starts at 9:30. Might be a bit early for us.

 

I was looking at different restaurants to try one was called Husk another was Leon's Oyster Shop. I'm not sure where we dock and if they are even close to each other that we could try them both.

 

We would also like to see the pineapple at the Waterfront Park, the Charleston Place (Belmond) we stayed there 10 yrs ago and maybe walk around the City Market.

 

Are all these things possible by walking or should we Uber to a few?

 

Thank in advance for your help. We may be limited on time due to the fact that our daughter is one of the dancers on board the Grandeur and may not get off early or need to be back sooner than most.

 

 

Meg pretty well answered your questions. Leon's in on King Street way above the crosstown and that's not an area I'd recommend you travel to. Besides it's relatively far from the historic district and I don't know whether the cost to Uber both ways would be justified.

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Meg pretty well answered your questions. Leon's in on King Street way above the crosstown and that's not an area I'd recommend you travel to. Besides it's relatively far from the historic district and I don't know whether the cost to Uber both ways would be justified.

 

Uh, not recommended for out of towners! The area is one of those that you walk off just a bit and suddenly you are not in "Kansas" anymore Toto!

 

As others have stated plenty to do in a couple of blocks of where the ship docks, have a wonderful time downtown.

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Thank you one and all!!lol Looks like a walking tour of our own! No problem for us as we don't know if our dd the dancer will be able to go with us.

 

Think we'll walk over to take pictures, walk through the market place, see Charleston Place and then maybe hit Husk.

 

Do any of you think we will need to make a reservation there? Do you have another place in mind that maybe you like?

 

Thanks again,

Michelle

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Chucktown Steve: Hi. I'm way early. But will be in Charleston 2 nights prior to my cruise sailing 5/15/17. Staying near the airport due to such a short stay but will have a rental car. Didn't notice but Sunday 5/14/17 is Mothers Day. Do most of the tours run regular schedules on Sundays and being Mothers Day will everything likely be really busy? If yes can you make suggestions on where to park what to do on a day that could be quite busy? Thanks.

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Hi Reeve from FL on my way to our next cruise, :D

 

If you want to go to Fort Sumter, there is only one tour company. The first boat leaves at 9:30 from Liberty Square at the Aquarium. There is a National Parks Service building and display there.

 

https://www.nps.gov/fosu/planyourvisit/fortsumtertickets.htm

 

If time allows, I would recommend a Carriage tour from either Palmetto Carriage or Old South Carriage. Both are good companies. Then I would mill around the Market area and shop or stop in a restaurant for a Drink &/or snack. You'll be just a couple of blocks from your ship.

 

Have a great Charleston visit.

 

Steve, thank you for the feedback. I will get working on it right away. Is there anything else you can recommend that would be worth seeing?

 

Many thanks. Have a great cruise.

 

Reeve

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  • 4 weeks later...

SC Court of Appeals to hear cruise terminal case today.

 

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) -

The debate over a new cruise terminal in downtown Charleston will resume in court Wednesday.

The State Court of Appeals in Columbia will hear the case.

The South Carolina Ports Authority wants to replace its aging cruise terminal with a new one by renovating an old waterfront warehouse. The $35 million project is set to be built on Concord Street.

Environmental and preservation groups filed a petition to challenge the project. The groups are concerned about pollution and traffic impacting Charleston's historic district.

 

http://www.live5news.com/story/34508155/sc-court-of-appeals-to-hear-cruise-terminal-case

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Hello! Coming in on a cruise, and we have heard great things about Jestine's . How far from the cruise port ? Thanks for all of you very helpful Information!!!

~Debbie

 

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/''/Jestine's+Kitchen,+Meeting+Street,+Charleston,+SC/@32.7819092,-79.9301649,17z/am=t/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0xb200ae25b5691de0!2m2!1d-79.9238235!2d32.7814987!1m5!1m1!1s0x88fe7a12edabb41f:0x9df9f11cbed37fa5!2m2!1d-79.932129!2d32.783374

 

From Port to Front door.... about 10-15 minutes walking.... BUT plan on a 30-60 minute wait for a table at peak times

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