quote:

Hyman's was ok, but it is a tourist trap

Yea, if you have to advertise at the airport then there are probably better places to go.

I've been to Bowen's Island Restaurant.
The place is a dive, but it's right on the water with nice views and the food was awesome. I'd recommend it.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 6guns:
Is the Savannah still docked at Patriots Point? .../QUOTE]

Nope.

It was briefly operated as a museum in South Carolina before making berth at Canton Marine Terminal’s Pier 13.

Complete - and short - article:

https://www.baltimoresun.com/n...-20190516-story.html

N.S. Savannah, world's first nuclear-powered merchant ship, to be decommissioned in Baltimore

by Colin Campbell, Contact Reporter
The Baltimore Sun
May 16, 2019 5:30PM

The N.S. Savannah, the world’s first nuclear-powered merchant ship, which is docked at Canton Marine Terminal in Baltimore, will be decommissioned in the coming years, federal officials say.

The ship, christened in 1959 as part of President Dwight Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” initiative, carried passengers and cargo through national and international waters and ports for just over a decade before it was removed from service and had its reactor defueled in 1971.

It was briefly operated as a museum in South Carolina before making berth at Canton Marine Terminal’s Pier 13.

The decommissioning — a ship’s formal retirement — will remove the rest of the N.S. Savannah’s nuclear systems and allow the U.S. Maritime Administration to terminate the ship’s license. The process is expected to take more than a year and be completed between October 2023 and September 2024.

Once all the nuclear components are removed, the Maritime Administration will dispose of the ship by donating it, using it for artificial reefing or offering it for recycling.

^^^ Thanks for the info. A shame they'll dispose of it. Hopefully some organization will keep it a museum.

Once again, SIGforum has proven itself to be the best single source of great people and information on the web!! Such fantastic suggestions, and while what I have read already will keep us busy please keep it coming. And thanks again!

In case you didn't get the memo, try the shrimp and grits everywhere. You can even have it for breakfast too. I've always hated grits, I love shrimp and grits.

FIG, if you can get a reservation/feel like hanging out/eating at the bar (I've always liked that.)

167 Raw Bar - also hard to get in, but they don't take reservations

My place (Republic Ice Cream)

Lianos Dos Palmas and Kings Leaf, if you like cigars.

Belmond Place, as a bar.

Fiery Rons Home Team BBQ in West Ashley (the collards and cracklins are really good)

Duck confit salad, is different, and very good at Basil's and Rue de Jean.

The French place on George St for breakfast.

Tricera Coffee for morning coffee, Kudu for evening coffee.

Grady's for a neat assortment of outdoor clothes.

5 loaves is a good, quick lunch place, as is Ted's Butcher Block.

Butcher and Bee for late night food.

What’s the nicest beach closest to Charleston? Closer than Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head?

Folly Beach on the South side... Isle of Palms on the North...

I suggest a tour out to Fort Sumter where the war of northern aggression started.

If you get tired of seafood, and want to have/try some true S.C. Lowcountry-style bbq, go to Rodney Scott’s BBQ on King St...his family has been doing it right for generations.

And I’ll add Prohibition on King St, as a cool bar/gastropub.

You really need to plan...lots to visit, do, and eat!!!

There is a high end hotel near the market that is (or was , been a good bit since I was there)known for their Coconut Cake,
big tall slice, and for someone who hates coconut (me) it was delicious

you could access the restaurant in the hotel w/o going in the hotel IIRC

quote:

Originally posted by G-Man:
What’s the nicest beach closest to Charleston? Closer than Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head?

Folly Beach is great, very laid back, lots of neat restaurants and shops. IOP is more commercialized in my opinion, not terrible, but it’s a revolving door for tourists. Then there is Sullivan’s Isand, it’s pretty laid back, but most people there live full time on the island. They are strict on short term rentals and only a handful of restaurants.

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:
There is a high end hotel near the market that is (or was , been a good bit since I was there)known for their Coconut Cake,
big tall slice, and for someone who hates coconut (me) it was delicious

you could access the restaurant in the hotel w/o going in the hotel IIRC

The Peninsula Grill, it’s still here. The cake is delicious, the problem is saving room for it as everything else is wonderful too!

Boxcar Betty's has a good chicken sandwich. Bacon jam is a topping. They have the best fried pickle chips.

Smash Burger make it your way, pick the bun, size and number of patties, choose the cheese and other toppings. Their haystack onions is one of my favorites.

The market downtown.

Gander Outdoors and Palmetto State Armory.

If you are downtown, walk, park your car and walk. Take the back alleys, walk through the overgrown church yards, there is much to see on the secondary streets.

Everyone has to walk through the old Slave Market (they didn't sell slaves there, it is where the slaves went to sell stuff; the actual slave market is on Queen Street I believe). The thing is that there is mostly a bunch of crap there for the tourists.

The churches themselves are great, with history going back to before the constitution was adopted. St. Michaels has a nice churchyard with one of the signatories.

Unless you like national chain stores, there are few local shops left on King Street below Calhoun.

Some parts of town were off limits to the melanin challenged ten years ago, but the restaurants on upper King Street and Rutledge Avenue are great. Leon's had some of the best fried chicken and oysters. Rutledge Cab Company is another favorite. Moes Crosstown Tavern used to have some of the best bar food in town.

Jestine's Kitchen is another favorite. Calhoun and Wentworth I think.

The music scene is great as well. Check out some of the bars like the Pour House on James Island, bands most every night, the Music Farm has some great up and comers as well as more established.

If you like baseball, heck even if you don't, the RiverDogs games are always fun. You may even see a few celebrities.

Head out to Sullivans Island and see Fort Moultrie. Patriots Point and the Yorktown. Head out 61 and see some of the old plantations.

If you do find some local shops, talk to the locals. You never know what sort of personal tour or suggestion they might give.

I loved Charleston when I lived there, now I have some issues when I go back. It has become a tourist trap unless you know where to go.

If you go to Hymans Seafood, I will haunt you from the grave. That place is the worst tourist trap restaurant.

quote:

Originally posted by dlc444:
If you are downtown, walk, park your car and walk. Take the back alleys, walk through the overgrown church yards, there is much to see on the secondary streets.

.

we did this each time


went to Charleston 3 times, once for the funeral for the Hunley Crew (amazing thing to see)

each time we parked and walked the side streets thru the battery area,

lots of small shops tucked in the corners, and since my wife loves cemeteries, we hit every church with a tombstone near it,


lots of history, and good times

^^ Thank you so much for this insight!! I can’t wait for this trip!

Now a gun-related question. I have a Michigan CPL, with reciprocity in South Carolina. Am I going to be armed when I travel (drive) there? Why, yes, of course I am. My question is this: what attractions, if any, have security checkpoints or are otherwise gun free zones? I’m sure someone will say “you don’t need to be armed in Charleston” but I seldom go anywhere without at least a J Frame Smith or Glock 42 in a pocket holster.

Dear God, please don’t go to North Charleston with just a g42 or j frame.....go with a rifle...and with friends with rifles

(There is no reason to go to North Charleston. You aren’t flying in....just say no)


As an aside, the Ralph E Johnson VA medical center is the best VA hospital I’ve ever been in

quote:

Originally posted by G-Man:
Now a gun-related question. I have a Michigan CPL, with reciprocity in South Carolina. Am I going to be armed when I travel (drive) there? Why, yes, of course I am. My question is this: what attractions, if any, have security checkpoints or are otherwise gun free zones? I’m sure someone will say “you don’t need to be armed in Charleston” but I seldom go anywhere without at least a J Frame Smith or Glock 42 in a pocket holster.

I have only been to Charleston a few times but have really enjoyed it every time. One of my favorite places to visit.

The only thing I haven't really seen mentioned - if you have any interest in really fine menswear with classic Southern style, check out Ben Silver. Think Brooks Brothers of South Carolina. I got a couple of my favorite sportcoats there.

http://www.bensilver.com/

I just got back from Charleston and had a great time, in large part due to the great suggestions provided here.

I’ll start with the food. Here are some of the restaurants I visited that met or exceeded expectations:

Poogan’s Porch (I thought it was expensive until we went to Halls Chophouse)
Halls Chophouse
Acme Low Country Cuisine
The Early Bird (by far the best shrimp and grits I had in Charleston!)
Grace and Grit
Rodney Scott’s BBQ (delicious food and they have cool t-shirts)
Jestine’s Kitchen
Minero’s (not lowcountry dining but great Mexican food and a very refreshing and tasty margarita on a scalding hot day walking around the city)

Places and attractions visited:

Angel Oak tree (very impressive in person!)
Patriots Point for the Yorktown and Ft Sumter tour
Magnolia Plantation
Old Slave Market
Ghost tour at the old jail (worth it for the guide’s historical knowledge of the city)
The historic Charleston Courthouse (I’m a lawyer and love seeing old courthouses when I visit places. This one is still operational and it is a beautiful building)
Folly Beach and Isle of Palms (I preferred Isle of Palms. Less crowded and plenty of places to park free on the residential street along the beach)
We did a self-guided walking tour of the entire city. All the back streets with beautiful architecture and interesting shops, churches, and restaurants. It really is a magical city.

Thanks again to all who offered suggestions. It was invaluable information!

Here are some pics:

This message has been edited. Last edited by: G-Man,