Charleston Getaway

Well, I just got back from a weekend getaway to Charleston, and I had a wonderful time! As I have only lived in South Carolina since March of this year, this was my first time ever seeing Charleston and let me just say that I definitely want to go back!

My mother and I stayed at the Holiday Inn Historic District, and I cannot say enough wonderful things about it! This was by far the best Holiday Inn I have ever stayed in. Although the decor wasn't quite my taste, everything was spotless and the entire hotel--rooms and public areas--were beautiful and well-kept. The staff was helpful and friendly, especially the concierge Kevin McQuade. He is definitely a gem and if anyone ever stays at this hotel I would highly recommend utilizing his vast knowledge of the city.

Although the Holiday Inn was not quite as close to the Battery and the old market as many of the other historic district hotels, the price was right and the walk was not a bad one. The one thing I would suggest is avoiding their "Best 4 Breakfast" rate. This just adds $20 per person onto their regular hotel rates and (a) it is very diffucult to rack up $20 per person on their breakfast menu, and (b) you will not get back any monies that you do not use. Plus, I was not overly impressed with the breakfast itself or the service in the restaurant.

Friday night we walked down Meeting Street and ate dinner at Poogan's Porch. This has been touted as one of the best restaurants in Charleston, and has been visited by many famous people, and I now know why! The prices are reasonable and the food is delicious. Plus, they bring biscuits and special butter to your table before your meal and I could not decide which was better, the biscuits or the butter!

After dinner we did the holiday candlelight tour of the Edmonston-Alston house. It was neat seeing the house all decorated for Christmas with period appropriate decorations, and we also got to see the slave quarters and the Carriage house, which are not open for tourists on the usual day tours. Still, it was really neat to see what one of those Battery houses would have looked like pre-Civil War, furniture and all, and the tour for this house is short, sweet, and to the point, so even if you cannot do the holiday candlelight tour, I recommend it.

Saturday we rose early, as we wanted to see as much as possible during our one full day in Charleston. After breakfast, the first thing we did was talk to the concierge, Kevin, and I am so glad that we took advantage of his services! He took the time to figure out what we were looking for (we wanted to see as much as the city as possible, experience a good guide, and not have to do a ridiculous amount of walking), and paired us with the perfect tour--with Jane Thornhill, a true Charleston "society doyenne". Although the tour was twice the price of a walking tour--$40 per person, to be precise--Mrs Thornhill had access to all sorts of places that most tours do not have access to, she thoroughly impressed me with her knowledge, and I cannot express how great it was to ride around in her van and see everything versus having to walk miles and miles and still not see as much as we experienced.

We also went to the Farmer's Market in Marion Square, which operates every Saturday morning. There were a lot of wonderful crafts and food, although I was a little disappointed that there weren't more booths/tents. We also spent quite a bit of time (and I could have spent more!) at the Old City Market between East Bay and Meeting Streets. Although there was plenty of junk to be had, we also found plenty of treasures, including the art of an elderly woman who made Santa Clause statues out of Cypress knees--I fell in love with these!

The last thing we experienced in Charleston was the Holiday Progressive Dinner, and I am sad to say that I was thoroughly disappointed. The cost was $90 per person, and although the evening carriage rides between the three venues (King's Courtyard Inn, Circa 1886 Restaurant, and the John Rutledge House Inn) was neat, the food left something to be desired and I really do not feel that this dinner was worth the price we paid. I truly believe that we would have been better off talking to Kevin and getting suggestions from him on where to eat dinner!

All in all, the Christmas season is a beautiful time to experience Charleston (especially if you want to find some really neat and different gifts for friends and family), and I would certainly recommend the Holiday Inn Historic District to anyone looking for a quick getaway, a romantic weekend, a family experience, etc.!

Carnival Victory Cruise from Charleston by Ann

I had the opportunity to sail on Carnival's Victory, from Charleston to Nassau. Check in was a breeze, I checked in at 4 p.m. after my drive from Anderson to Charleston. My luggage arrived at my cabin as soon as I walked in. I had an inside cabin -- it was comfortable, but small. I usually prefer an outside cabin with a window, because I like to know what the weather is like -- and have daylight too.

The Victory is a new ship that had one sailing from Charleston before she was taken to Miami, where she started October 15 with her 7 day rotating Eastern and Western Caribbean sailing. The Victory is a beautiful ship and is huge! It has 101,509 gross tonnage. She has a 9 story main atrium with glass elevators and a spectacular sky dome made of illuminated Tiffany Glass. The Seventh Sea Bar is located in the middle of the atrium. This is a great place to meet, have a drink, and listen to music throughout the day and evening.

You can begin your day at 6:30 am with Continental Breakfast in the Mediterranean Restaurant. At 8:00 am, you can also have a regular breakfast in your assigned dining room, the Mediterranean Restaurant, or on the Lido deck by the pool. One thing is for sure; you can never get hungry on a cruise! The Pizzeria is open 24 hours a day, or you can have room service. Not forgetting the main dining room for gorgeous, formal meals.

There are scheduled activities all day, which you can participate in if you wish. The other option is to just soak up the sun by the pool, the 214 foot spiral waterslide, or the multiple whirlpools.

One of my favorite places was the South of Chins Sea Club Casino. I had a lot of fun ... even though I didn't win anything. You can dance all night long in the Adriatic Lounge.

My other favorite place was the tre-level state of the art theatre, The Caribbean Lounge. This is where the Broadway type shows and games are held, throughout the day and evening.

There is also an Internet Cafe' where you can send an receive email, or surf the net 24 hours a day. There are multiple places to go for entertainment on the ship: The Nautica Spa and Gym; gift shops; photo gallery; and video arcade. There is always something for every age group on a Carnival Cruise.