Being a Tourist in Your Own Town: Part 1

(or, "I got a new camera and my in-laws are in town, let's go on a five-mile walk")

My family and I live in Charleston, South Carolina.  While I myself have lived here for 20+ years, I still love to explore the Peninsula.  There are always new secrets to discover in this coastal city, whose history dates back as far as 1670.

As I'm sure you can imagine, being an almost-native to this city has its advantages.  I know where the free fun is, where the cheap eats are, and little secrets that you won't find in a traveler's guide.

As the alternate title implies, my in-laws are visiting from San Diego, CA, for Christmas.  The last time they were here was for our wedding, and they didn't have a chance to do much exploring of the city.  Therefore they were unaware of the many charms of Charleston.  It's easy to think Charleston is a city full of nothing but fast food restaurants and strip malls if that's all you see your first time around.  It makes me wonder how many people come here for a wedding that isn't on the Peninsula and that's all they experience, and they never choose to come back.

Anyway, enough of my pointless musing.  Let's see some photos!  (Shot with my totally sweet, brand new Nikon D3100.  Thanks husband!)

The first thing we did was park at our church.  We attend Second Presbyterian, one of the oldest churches in Charleston, and the oldest Presbyterian church in the city.  It was founded in 1809 and has withstood hurricanes, floods, an earthquake and a war.  We visited the cemetery first, as my father-in-law is interested in reading headstones and none of us (not even myself) had ever entered before. 

It's amazing what you can find in a cemetery.  Each headstone tells a story - even the small ones with little or no markings.

In the sanctuary, we went upstairs to the choir pit and got an amazing view of the entire interior of the church.  Dr. Julia Harlow is the Director of Music at the church and is a highly skilled musician.

 After a long walk from the church, we ended up at Charleston Place Hotel (which spans between Meeting and King Streets) to view its large model train display that is on exhibit in the lobby every Christmas season.  It's free to visit and photos are permitted. 

The pictures I took are embarrassingly bad so I left them out of this essay.  However, here is the obligatory photo of my husband with his stepfather and brothers:

 We soon found ourselves on Market Street, browsing rocks, gemstones, incense and beads at Black Market Minerals.  You can usually find a little something there that is a relatively inexpensive purchase.

Agate windchimes at Black Market Minerals.

 Just a thirty second walk to the corner of Market and Church Streets caused us to stumble upon a wonderful surprise:

A one-man band, playing and singing Green Day's "Good Riddance".  He had a very Bob Dylan vibe about him.

Now, there's something you might not know about Charleston:  there is limited parking, and almost all parking downtown costs money, even to park on the street.  However, they only run Monday-Saturday from 9AM to 6PM.  Outside of those hours you can park there gratis, and all day for free on Sundays.  An insider tip:  all day, every day, there is free parking on Ann Street/Wragg Square, just off of Meeting Street.  If you have kids and want to take them to the Children's Museum, this is the perfect place to park for free.  There's a beautiful park (Wragg Square) with a fountain, the Visitor's Center is directly across the street, and America's first museum, the Charleston Museum, is also on Ann Street. 

Along Church Street you can find many fascinating things.  Cobblestone alleyways, haunted theatres, cemeteries, gardens squeezed in at any and every opportunity.

(You might need to take a break while exploring.)

Church Street is also one of the many streets in Charleston that will lead you to this:

A beautiful view of the Ashley River, off of White Point Gardens (better known as the Charleston Battery).

Now, if you've gotten this far, at some point you'll have to start walking back.  I suggest doing so before it is too dark, as no city is safe at night, especially if you aren't sure of where you are going.  We decided to head up King Street to get back to Meeting Street, which is where our church is located.

This is the upper fenceline of the Miles-Brewton House on upper King Street.  It is constructed completely of wrought-iron and was installed in 1820 after the failed slave uprising.  It is said that this house is haunted by the ghosts of slaves who died trying to escape over this fence.

Sometimes there is no getting around it:  You end up staying out even when it's no longer light outside.  When there is so much to explore, you don't want the day to end, and you cling to it.

This is the original Citadel Military Academy building.  It is located in Marion Square (named so for Francis Marion, the "Swamp Fox", a Revolutionary War hero), formerly called Citadel Square.  It was founded in 1842.  The school has an excellent reputation and because of its need to accomodate a rising student population moved to Hampton Park on the other side of the Peninsula on Thanksgiving Day, 1920.

Christmastime in Charleston is a beautiful affair.  Many palmetto trees are strung with lights, such as this one in Marion Square.

If you have a moment before finally getting back to your car, enjoy a lighted fountain.  There are hundreds of them on the Peninsula alone.  This one is located on the Meeting Street side of Marion Square.  There is a larger one on the corner of King and Calhoun Streets, on the opposite side of the Square.

My in-laws are in town until December 30th, and we will be going downtown at least once more to discover more of historic Charleston.  I hope you'll come back to my blog next week and explore with us!

Things to keep in mind about Charleston:

• Most church tours are free.
• You are always invited to explore cemeteries free of charge.
• The best and least expensive way to see the city is on foot.
• Parking garages are overpriced.  Try to visit the city on an off-day where there is less tourist traffic.
• There are thousands of small pieces of history scattered across the Peninsula that don't require a ticket to be informed of them.  Look at houses and businesses for the CAROLOPOLIS medallion, or even a plaque that will have a short history of what role the building in question held at a time long ago.
• We talked to a man who maintains the exteriors of many houses in the South of Broad neighborhood of the Peninsula (near White Point Gardens).  He told us about the Great Earthquake of 1886 and how it devastated the city, and why some buildings in Charleston have huge metal stakes running the width of them - to keep them from collapsing.  My point?  If you kindly ask a local, they will happily give you directions or even a nugget of history for the small price of a "thank you".



Chimney Rock, North Carolina: September 10 - 12, 2010

After nearly three years (you heard it, three) of no camping whatsoever, my husband Chris and I decided we needed a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.  Our townhouse was starting to feel suffocating with two babies and a large dog, and the humidity of Charleston made it almost impossible to run around outside to let off some steam - even in the early mornings.  So we did some research and decided to go back to North Carolina. 

The last time we'd been to North Carolina had been Thanksgiving weekend, 2007.  We'd gone to Pisgah National Forest and went backcountry camping - at this point it was just the two of us; no kids, no pets.  So this was going to be a completely different experience for ALL of us.

Betsy, our daughter, will be two in October - and our son, Ben, will be one in October.  With this in mind, we knew backcountry camping was out of the question.  We chose Chimney Rock because it catered to families with children, even offering the option of taking an elevator to the top of the Rock - gratis.

On Chimney Rock State Park's website, we located a nearby campground for $30 a night and discovered we could rent a baby carrier pack for $8 a day from the park's gift shop, instead of purchasing a pack of our own for upwards of $150, which would have likely only been used one time.  Betsy would be hiking it, and we bought an inexpensive toddler pack with a detachable tether for her to carry. 

We also have a puppy, as mentioned earlier.  Hobo is a black lab/boxer mix and is only four months old but is over 35 lbs. and looks full-grown.  We purchased a lightweight sporting harness for him to wear and a Waterboy jug so he could stay hydrated on the four-hour drive from Charleston, SC to River Creek Campground in NC.

The campground was fantastic.  It was located less than 30 minutes from Chimney Rock, and as its name suggests, had the Broad River on one side of the property and a creek on the other.  The owners live on-site and are friendly and knowledgeable of the area.  Because we came the weekend after Labor Day, the grounds were nearly deserted, save for the permanent residents in RV bays and a total of five other camping parties. 

Our tent site was much nicer than we were expecting - we thought we'd get a patch of dirt or grass and a fire pit.  But we were pleasantly surprised to find a covered area with a small dock overlooking the Broad River, and a picnic table.  There was also a well pump and an electrical outlet.  Chris pitched our tent while I took the kids to play with some of the other children on the playground near the office.

The bathrooms and shower houses are neat and clean.  The water comes out hot almost immediately.  The owners keep complimentary bottles of shampoo and body wash for communal use on the bathroom counters just in case someone runs out or forgot to pack something.

We went to bed early the first night we were there - because it was cool we felt comfortable placing Hobo in his kennel in our Jeep's cargo bay and rolling down the windows, and we humans packed in to our two-person tent.  It was a tight squeeze, but not uncomfortably so as the babies are still so small.  However, we are already researching a larger tent for future camping trips!

Saturday morning started with shake-and-pour bottled pancakes.  It was slightly drizzling but we were sure it would clear up by late morning.  We cleaned up and packed the babies and dog into the Jeep and drove past Lake Lure - where Dirty Dancing was filmed! - and into Chimney Rock Village.  We followed a winding road into the mountains, and paid the $28 admission fee ($14 per person age 16 and up) for the park.

The rain only got worse, but we'd already paid for the day.  So we perused the gift shop and bought Ben a pocket knife (for MUCH later use), Betsy a silver NC/Chimney Rock charm for a state-to-state charm bracelet we've started for her, rented a carrier for Ben and we were off.

As it turns out, hiking to Chimney Rock is strenuous, especially if you have two babies and haven't hiked in three years - and even moreso if you're a mom of two under two and spent the last two years of your life pregnant and not permitted to exercise!  The trail to the Rock is mostly very steep stairs, which was difficult for Betsy to climb because she is little and not accustomed to so many steps.  Then as we reached the final turn before reaching the Rock, we came across a problem with the carrier - Chris had to crawl up the stairs in order to get past low points hanging over the stairs to avoid bashing Ben's head into a boulder.  All guilt about keeping Hobo in the Jeep while we hiked to the top vanished, as it would have taken us over an hour with him along and possibly may have resulted in an injury or two.  But once we reached our destination, even with the rain and the mist from the Great Smoky Mountains obscuring most of the view, it was all forgotten.

Then it started pouring, so we ran over to the Sky Lounge and Gift Shop to dry off.  We chose to take the elevator back down to the car, where an elderly and friendly attendant named Dave entertained Betsy and helped keep her from having a huge tantrum (as toddlers will do when they are cold, hungry, and overtired).

We asked a park ranger if our ticket was good for the whole day and he told us it was, so we drove down to the Village for lunch.  (We had packed supplies to make grilled cheeses while hiking, but with the cold rain we opted out.)

We parked the Jeep in free parking - there is a parking lot that offers all day parking for $1, but less than a minute's walk away is public parking, next to Duncan's Bar B Que (461 Main Street,Chimney Rock, NC, 28720, USA), a funky shack of a restaurant that bikers from all over the USA frequent.

As we walked in the misting rain, I spotted a sign for Genny's Family Restaurant (451 Main St., Chimney Rock, NC 28720, USA) .  Their marquee said "Kids Under 3 Eat Free", so we chose to eat there. 

Genny's is not a frilly, gourmet eatery.  If you want that, go to Medina's Village Bistro (430 Main Street, Chimney Rock, NC 28720, USA) across the street.  Genny's is closed on Sundays and is a very Christian establishment, but very cozy and friendly as well.  Almost all of the food options are under $10 and they will fill you up.  Chris got a cheeseburger, and I got the Carolina Burger - with chili, coleslaw and chopped onions.  It was delicious, but I only wished it had been a little bigger! 

I enjoyed a blackberry cider, plus a free refill.  The kids each had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with fries - please keep in mind, this is the ONLY free meal Genny's offers, and it only applies with every adult meal purchase of $8.99 or more.

Genny's has a great view of the Broad River and Chimney Rock on the covered back deck.  The restaurant also has a fenced area outside where you can eat with your pets.  At the register, in addition to postcards and other tchotchkes, they offer cobblers, pies, cookies, and candy.  You can get three cookies for $1.50, and a stick of rock candy for 99 cents.

After lunch we headed back to the park, to hike to Hickory Nut Falls, which on sunny days offers amazing views of Hickory Nut Gorge.  But it was still drizzling and gloomy, and the hike, again, was strenuous, full of steep stairways, and took us probably an hour to hike there, and another thirty minutes back.  Still, it was an awesome sight to see the falls so close - they are 404 feet tall!

We'd wanted to hike the Skyline Ridge, which is the highest trail in the park and site of the final scene in the epic film The Last of the Mohicans, but we were tired, the kids were tired, and poor Hobo was still in the Jeep.  The rain was still not letting up, and all we wanted to do was get back to the campground, take a shower, eat some dinner and hit the sack.

That night a huge rainstorm came through the camp.  I woke up in the middle of the night and double-checked the car in case a flash flood came through and we had to leave in a pinch.  I also let one side of our covered tarp down to keep everyone warmer and keep some of the rain out.  I checked on Hobo in the back of the Jeep and he was fine. 

The next morning was gorgeous, of course.  (As it turns out, flash flooding doesn't just "happen" - it occurs when Lake Lure begins to rise and the dam operators need to open the dam to prevent flooding in town.  We would have had a two hour warning and been completely safe!)  We broke camp and I played in the river.  Then we went back to the Village to do some sightseeing and shopping.

Some of the shops to definitely visit are Bubba O'Leary's General Store, Featherheads, Chimney Sweeps, and The Hickory Nut.  ALL shops and restaurants - except Genny's - are open on Sundays.  There were a few shops that we wanted to explore that weren't yet open until we were ready to leave, such as a quaint toy shop that offered local "Grandpa made" toys, called Turning Point Woodcrafts (828-625-9738).

Bubba O'Leary's General Store (385 Main Street, Chimney Rock, NC, 28720, USA) is a riverfront shop connected to Bubba O'Leary's Outdoors Shop.  It has regional goodies as well as items you'd find in any general store; also magnets, toys, shirts, knickknacks and home decor.

Featherheads (398 Main St., Chimney Rock, NC, 28720, USA)  is incense-laden, and a cross between a head shop and a Native American spirit store.  They offer hand-carved figurines made of minerals, rocks, and semi-precious stones; miniature birchwood canoes and tipis, antique marbles, and an antique working Coca-Cola dispenser.

Chimney Sweeps (400 Main St., Chimney Rock, NC 28720, USA) sells mostly tourist trap items, but we loved it because it was the only shop around - including the Park's gift shops - that sold Chimney Rock tee shirts (not just onesies) for small children and babies, for only $4.95.

The Hickory Nut (215 Main St., Chimney Rock, NC 28720, USA)  sells affordable and unique antiques.  It is a large shop, and it also offers live herbs and potted plants in the roadside nursery in its parking lots.  A very sweet, very old Irish Setter will come greet you more often than not when you first enter.

We ate lunch at the Riverwatch Deli (379 Main St., Chimney Rock, NC 28720, USA) .  The menu was small and simple, and the deli only uses Boar's Head meats and cheeses.  Unlimited free refills and a raised back deck with gorgeous views of the Broad River and Chimney Rock made it even better.  Try their potato salad - it's the best we've ever had, with BACON in it!  Again, very few items on the menu were over $10.

Some fun, free things to do with your children in the Village:

• Try to see how many carved wooden bears you can count.

• Explore the Broad River close-up along the Riverwalk.

        

Renzanity!

My name is Ashley Downs Renz and I am an amateur photographer.  I am currently studying photography with a concentration in photojournalism, and working toward a double major in anthropology with a minor in languages.

I enjoy traveling, most especially by car and backcountry camping.  Thanks to my hobby of globetrotting I met my husband Christopher, who shares my passion for nature and traveling.  We have two young children, one daughter and one son.  We are very blessed but having children has slowed our progress in seeing the world and limited it to only two trips a year.  However, we make the most of it and are planning something HUGE for the year of 2016 - so we hope you'll follow along with us and join us on our journey.

You can also follow me on Twitter at @Renzanity.

All photographs are copyrighted to RenzanityPhotography, Ashley Downs Renz.  Photographs are available for purchase.  Price upon request, or check out my Etsy store, RenzanityPhotography.