I hope you all had a good Summer, with interesting trips and time to relax.  We started out with an overnight in Charlotte, NC (what a great town), to see a One Republic concert, followed by a stop in Raleigh, NC, to visit the fascinating Plant Delights Nursery and take an all-day plant propagation seminar there.  We followed with our usual trip to the Low Country—Savannah, GA; Tybee Island, GA (“Savannah’s Beach”); Darien, GA; and Beaufort, SC.  The weather was great, the food was excellent, and all the hotels were comfortable--can’t ask for any more than that.

We re-visited Darien, GA, a small shrimping town about an hour south of Savannah.  Darien is lovely, with two beautiful parks, streets overhung with live oaks dripping with Spanish moss, and beautiful architecture.  The area is great for biking and water sports.  We stayed in the newly re-opened (and re-named), historic Open Gates Bed and Breakfast.  It’s right in the middle of town and the proprietors, Zach and Carrie, are warm and lovely.  (Zach is an amazing cook, too, and the breakfast is delicious).  Our favorite restaurant in Darien is Skipper’s Fish Camp, right on the river.  One side is a restaurant; the other side is a bar (where you can eat, also), and listen to live music on certain nights of the week. This is where we first heard musician Jared Wade, who is from the Savannah area.  Jared is now an up-and-coming artist in Nashville.  Skipper’s has excellent shrimp and grits, and their to-die-for collards taste like they are boiled in sweet tea.  Best collards I have ever tasted.  We’ve gotten to know the staff, too.  If we are even passing Darien on I-95, we stop at Skipper’s to eat.

I hadn’t been to Tybee Island, GA, in many years, and I was so glad we decided to return and spend the night.  It is “Savannah’s Beach”, located about 18 miles from downtown Savannah.  It still has that small, beach town feel to it…not the endless rows of condos lined up along the ocean with all the ticky-tacky shops.  Besides a nice walk on the beach, we took a long bike ride around the island and enjoyed the little shopping and dining district. The fishing pier and pavilion are big surprises.  You can walk to the end where you feel suspended over the water.  It’s beautiful.

We have to stop in our beloved Savannah, GA, once or twice a year, at least. Long walks through the moss-draped streets, Bonaventure Cemetery, and along the river are a treat.  We always discover something new.  Our favorite restaurant in Savannah, for every day, is the Crystal Beer Parlor.  More than a beer hall, it is a neighborhood place with great food.  One of my best friends just stopped there last week, on his way up I-95, and said it was wonderful.  The delightful hostess, Felicia, has a big smile waiting for you when you walk in the door, and we look forward to seeing her as much as having a craft beer and eating.

Beaufort, SC, is another beloved town.  Bigger than Darien, and not as sleepy, it has an amazing array of excellent restaurants and hotels.  The adjacent string of Sea Islands, connected to downtown Beaufort by bridge, are worth exploring for their rich Gullah heritage and beautiful beaches.  Again, every time we go, we discover so many new things.  Our favorite place to stay is the City Loft Hotel which was voted one of the 10 best boutique hotels in the U.S. on Tripadvisor.com.  They took an old motel and updated it to a chic, sophisticated place to stay. There is a gym, a coffee shop and a bike rental on the premises, and the beds may be the most comfortable beds on which I have ever slept in my life (no kidding).  Our favorite place to hang out in the evenings is Luther’s, right on Bay St., which in the main street in downtown Beaufort.  I have never seen such a vibrant small town.  From nearby Parris Island, where the Marines train their East Coast recruits, to a different festival every week, it seems, there is always something going on. I can’t imagine ever getting bored in Beaufort.

Ain’t life grand when you can hit the road, explore new places, and revisit old favorites?

Next Story: A Wedding at Woodland Cottage >