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Charleston to Savannah: A Southern Reel 2008 - Detailed Itinerary

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Day 1 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Arrive Charleston

Make your own arrangements for travel to Charleston and the Ansonborough Inn. When you arrive, ask at the reception desk for your welcome package, which is full of useful ideas to make the most of your time in Charleston.

Hotel: Ansonborough Inn

Day 2 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Independent exploration of Charleston

Charleston is a terrific walking city. Your hotel is conveniently located for easy access to the city's highlights.

Meals: B  Hotel: Ansonborough Inn

Day 1 of BIKE TOUR Arrive Middleton Place/Warm-up ride/Welcome reception and dinner

VBT Bike Tour guests: Make your own arrangements for travel to the Inn at Middleton Place, Charleston. When you arrive, ask at the reception desk for your welcome package, which is full of useful ideas to make the most of your time on your own. You have until midafternoon to enjoy the Inn and its surroundings along the Ashley River. The inn's 55 rooms are secluded among tall pines and live oaks, and are just a short stroll from the Gardens at Middleton Place, icon of the South Carolina Low Country and home to America's oldest landscaped gardens. Several famous members of the Middleton family lived here: Henry Middleton, a president of the First Continental Congress; Arthur Middleton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence; Henry Middleton, governor of South Carolina; and Williams Middleton, a signer of the Ordinance of Secession. VBT Pre-Trip Extension guests: You have another morning to enjoy Charleston. In the early afternoon (2:00 pm), a shuttle company meets you and helps you transfer to the Inn at Middleton Place, where you start the Bike tour. Your Inn stay includes unlimited access to Middleton Place, with its gardens, house museum, and stable yards. The “Inn at Middleton Place” was recognized as one of the ‘Top 150 Hotels' in North America by National Geographic magazine in their April 2008 issue. Optional nature walks and kayaking are also available at your own expense. VBT Leaders will be ready to meet you at between 2:00 3:30 pm for a bike fitting, followed by a warm-up ride. Please contact the Inn at Middleton Place to advise them of any travel delays or changes; they will pass your message on to your VBT Trip Leaders. Tonight, get to know your fellow travelers during a welcome reception and a dinner held in one of the Inn's private dining rooms or, weather permitting, outside at the syrup shed.

Meals: D  Hotel: The Inn at Middleton Place

Day 2 of BIKE TOUR Transfer across Ashley River/Cycle through Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms

Start your day with a shuttle ride (about 40 minutes) over the Ashley River to the Fort Moultrie National Historic Monument. This fortress played a key role in both the Revolutionary and Civil wars. Your ride begins here, taking you past some of the area's most sought-after homes, and along the Intracoastal Waterway with views of and access to the beach. Ride through Sullivan's Island and over the bridge to the Isle of Palms. After lunch at a local restaurant on Isle of Palms, return to Middleton Place. Take some free time to swim in the pool or return to the gardens at Middleton Place. For tonight's dinner, walk from the Inn to the Middleton Place Restaurant. The building was designed by W. Bancel LaFarge in 1933 based on research done in Barbados. The restaurant strives to use seasonal, local and organic ingredients in preparing its dishes, which are inspired by renowned southern chef Edna Lewis. Lewis was Middleton Place Restaurant's chef-in-residence for several years.

Meals: B, L, D  Hotel: The Inn at Middleton Place

Day 3 of BIKE TOUR Shuttle to ACE Basin/Ride to Edisto Beach State Park/Shuttle to Beaufort

Today, shuttle south to Hollywood, where you ride to the Edisto Beach Interpretive Center on Edisto Island, cycling in the ACE basin. You may enjoy lunch on your own at one of the establishments in Edisto. The Edisto Beach State Park a 1,255-acre park including 1.5 miles of beach, more than four miles of boardwalks and other trails, and a maritime forest full of live oaks and many of the state's tallest palmetto trees. The park forms part of the northern edge of the ACE Basin, encompassing the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto rivers. Learn more about one of the largest estuarine preserves on the East Coast at the park's interpretive center. Some of the existing park structures were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. The beach here is known for excellent shell collecting. In the afternoon, shuttle on to Beaufort (approximately 80 minutes) and make yourself at home at the Beaufort Inn. The Inn has a wonderful in-town location with easy access to the city's waterfront and more. After a group dinner, meet back at the Inn to partake in a famous Southern tradition, a Beaufort social—in which you'll learn to spin your partner in fine Southern fashion. Make your own dinner plans in Beaufort this evening; there are some excellent restaurants from which to choose.

Meals: B, D  Hotel: The Beaufort Inn

Day 4 of BIKE TOUR St. Helena Island/Experience a Beaufort social

After breakfast, we will ride through beautiful farmland to St. Helena Island .Pass the historic Chapel of Ease. During the colonial period, chapels of ease were constructed by rice and cotton planters as houses of worship because their plantations were located so far from the churches in Beaufort. This tabby-walled church was constructed between 1742 and 1747 for the planters of St. Helena Island A forest fire destroyed most of it in 1886. All that remains today are its ruined walls, made of a mixture of sand, lime and crushed oyster shells, and an adjacent cemetery. After your ride, enjoy a visit to the Penn Center and a picnic lunch prepared by your leaders. Founded in 1862 to school the freed slaves, Penn is now a cultural center for the Sea Island African-Americans, or Gullahs. This is where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. held the annual retreat for his Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Hear about the history of the area before shuttling or cycling back to Beaufort. Later, stroll Beaufort's mix of antebellum mansions, live oaks, and 1950s storefronts with a resident guide, who will explain why the town has lured so many moviemakers to its charming streets. Dinner tonight will be on your own.

Meals: B, L  Hotel: The Beaufort Inn

Day 5 of BIKE TOUR Shuttle to Savannah/Walking tour of Savannah/Lunch and free time

After a 10:30 a.m. shuttle ride (approximately 90 minutes) to Savannah, we will spend time exploring some of the most memorable spots of this city during a trolley tour through Savannah's streets and squares, gaining an understanding of the city's history, architecture, gardens, and charm. Stop for lunch at a popular local restaurant on the historic riverfront. You have free time after lunch to discover beautiful Savannah, and to settle in at our hotel for the next two nights.

Meals: B, L  Hotel: The Marshall House Alternate Hotel: East Bay Inn .   Built in 1852, this 28-room inn is located in the heart of historic Savannah and steps away from the river. The Inn also boasts a lovely parlor and a popular underground restaurant, Skyler’s, famous for its crabcakes. Rooms feature wireless high-speed Internet access, robes, turndown service, flat-screen televisions, irons and ironing boards, hairdryers and coffee makers. Complimentary coffee and tea are provided daily.

Day 6 of BIKE TOUR Cycle Isle of Hope to Wormsloe Historic Site/Farewell dinner

Ride out of the center of Savannah towards the Isle of Hope. The Isle of Hope features a number of attractive old homes dating from the first part of the 19th century, and looks out over the Intracoastal Waterway. You're sure to recognize the entry arch into the remains of Wormsloe Plantation, now a National Historic Site. The arch frames the 1.5 mile-long live oak avenue leading to the tabby ruins, one of the most photographed sites in the south. After lunch on your own, continue riding through Savannah State University, Thunderbolt, and the moss-hung gardens of Bonaventure Cemetery, an 18th-century plantation and one of the settings to John Berendt's Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. You'll have free time to explore Savannah when we return. Tonight, celebrate with the group during a farewell dinner at one of Savannah's institutions since the 1700s, The Olde Pink House.

Meals: B, D  Hotel: The Marshall House Alternate Hotel: East Bay Inn .   Built in 1852, this 28-room inn is located in the heart of historic Savannah and steps away from the river. The Inn also boasts a lovely parlor and a popular underground restaurant, Skyler’s, famous for its crabcakes. Rooms feature wireless high-speed Internet access, robes, turndown service, flat-screen televisions, irons and ironing boards, hairdryers and coffee makers. Complimentary coffee and tea are provided daily.

Day 7 of BIKE TOUR Depart for home

The tour concludes after breakfast at our hotel. The VBT shuttle is available to take departing guests back to the Charleston airport (CHS) arriving around 11:30 am, or to their cars parked at The Inn at Middleton Place arriving around 12:15 pm. We recommend that you fly out of Savannah, but if you are flying out of Charleston, we suggest a flight no earlier than 2:00 pm. Guests with cars parked at the Ansonborough Inn in Charleston can take a taxi from the Charleston airport (cost approximately $27). Please note: VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests.

Meals: B