Charleston, Hilton Head & Savannah Travel Advice

[manhn]

I am back and had a great time. In case anyone is thinking of visiting this lovely region of the US, and know how to use the Search function....

A few weeks after Worlds, I will be visiting Charleston, Hilton Head & Savannah. Never been so far south and/or east. Very much looking forward to it!

As opposed to asking what I should generally see, do or eat, I tend to be very specific. So, answer as many or as few of my questions as you can. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

1. Best Coffee in Charleston and surrounding areas. This is so, so, important for me. Just give me as many options as possible. I will probably go.

Pfft on making my own coffee. Charleston, in particular, has an excellent coffee culture. Loved the following: Black Tap Coffee, Tricera Coffee, Bananas & Caviar, The Bearded Cafe, Vintage Cafe (my absolute favourite), Matto Coffee & Tea, Collective Coffee Company, Black Magic Cafe, The Orange Spot Coffeehouse.

2. Best Ice Cream in Charleston and surrounding areas.

Jenni's for me. Republican Ice Cream for Dad. The Belgian Gelato Cafe's Chocolate Banana Split is insane.

3. Best Pho in Charleston and surrounding areas.

Phuong Vietnamese Restaurant serves the biggest bowls of pho I have ever seen. The owner was very sweet and didn't quite understand why my folks and I would visit SC just for the hell of it.

4. Best BBQ in Charleston and surrounding areas.

Fiery Ron's in Sullivan's Island. The best western BBQ I have ever had. The brisket and pork cracklings are amazing.

5. Best Burger in Charleston and surrounding areas.

We liked Hardee's.

6. Best Plantation in Charleston and surrounding areas. My parents prefer manicured gardens with a lot of flowers. Not so much wild nature. I, on the other hand, would rather stay in the concrete jungle, but do want to make my folks happy. I'm thinking Middleton Place.

We went to Middleton Place. It was fine.

7. Best Bookstore in Charleston and surrounding areas.

Blue Bicycle Books is am amazing store. It's in a historic residential home, so there are different rooms, focusing on a specific subject matter. Looks small from the outside, but it's neverending once you enter. Loved it.

8. Where to see Hipsters in Charleston.

Surprisingly, stay Downtown.

Best Coffee in Hilton Head.

Java Burrito was quite good. But it's all about Maywood Davis--a new shop with an amazingly friendly owner. Also, Perk Corner Cafe in Bluffton.

10. I am staying in a hotel right next to the beach in Hilton Head. Is swimming in the Atlantic Ocean viable?

It was still pretty darn cold this time of May.

11. There have to be hipsters in Hilton Head. Tell me where.

I would have to find people under 70 first.

12. Best Coffee in Savannah and surrounding areas.

I loved Foxy Loxy Cafe near SCAD and The Sentient Bean.

13. Best Ice Cream in Savannah and surrounding areas.

Didn't have any. Paula Deen did not allow me to have any more food.

14. Best Pho in Savannah and surrounding areas.

Ha!

15. Best BBQ in Savannah and surrounding areas.

Not really BBQ-focused, but Paula Deen''s restaurant is Southern, so BBQ had its place. Paula Deen's brisket is really really good. And her corn bread is amazing. And her biscuit. And yay for Hoecakes!

16. Best Burger in Savannah and surrounding areas.

Wanted to check out Green Truck Neighborhood Pub, but getting there was too difficult. Next time.

17. Best Plantation in Savannah and surrounding areas. I was thinking Wormsloe, but it seems that all it has going for it is the driveway.

One Plantation was enough. My folks enjoyed Forsyth Park and the many park squares.

18. Best Bookstore in Savannah and surrounding areas.

Enjoyed That Book Lady Bookstore.

19. Where to see Hipsters in Savannah.

Near the SCAD campus, but not really. I saw more hipsters in Charleston.

20. Give me an outlet mall that I must check out.

Our main hotel in Charleston was across the street from the Tanger Outlet Mall. There are two outlet malls in Hilton Head. Loved them all!

21. Give me a fancy grocery store that I must check out.

The Fresh Market in Hilton Head! Bananas & Caviar in Charleston! Bi Lo everywhere! A Piggly Wiggly?!?!? Folks loved the peaches in a fruit stand on our way to Tybee Island.

22. Give me a college campus that I must check out.

My favourite was the College of Charleston. They had a graduation ceremony taking place. Seeing how Southern people dress in formal wear was quite the sight!

23. Best place for grits.

Fiery Ron's!

24. Best place for cheesecake.

None to speak of. I wanted to go to Kaminsky, but I could no longer eat.

25. Best place for pie.

The apple pie at Carolina Cherry Company, a small place along the highway between Charleston and Hilton Head.

26. Best place for fried chicken.

Paula, Paula, Paula!

Best place for seafood.

We had a tremendous time at The Crab Shack in Tybee Island. My folks' favourite place.

Best places to run

Charleston is a really excellent running town. Hilton Head is okay, Savannah even less so. My favourite places to run all took place in Charleston - Waterfront Park and Battery Park, over the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, and Shem Creek Park. A small shout out to Shelter Cove Community Park in Hilton Head.

Thank you for all of the suggestions! I had a great time.