Itinerary

Day 1 of BIKE TOUR Arrive Ansonborough Inn / Warm-up ride / Welcome reception and dinner

Welcome to Charleston! Make your own arrangements for travel to the Ansonborough Inn, our first hotel on your Southern Reel. If you're flying in, you might meet VBT's complimentary shuttle upon your arrival at Charleston International Airport at 2 pm. Please call Mount Pleasant Shuttle at 843-971-4901 or toll-free 866-223-7226 to make a reservation, clearly stating you are a VBT guest. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance of your travel. Mount Pleasant must have your names and the airline and flight number you will be arriving on. If you are arriving after this shuttle departs or your flight is delayed, you must make your own arrangements to reach the inn. For guests who are driving to the tour, parking will be available at the Ansonborough Inn for the week at a charge of $12 plus tax per day. Parking is also available at the Charleston airport for $7 per day.

Meet your VBT Leaders at 3:30 p.m. for bike fittings, followed by a warm-up ride. Please contact the Ansonborough Inn to advise 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 at the inn, followed by dinner at a local restaurant.

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

After breakfast, cycle over the Ashley River in a dedicated bike/pedestrian lane on the dramatic Cooper River Bridge. Destination: the Fort Moultrie National Historic Monument. This fortress played a key role in both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. From here, we ride 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 the Isle of Palms, we return to the Ansonborough Inn. Take some free time to explore Charleston, perhaps visiting the Battery or strolling through the streets of this historic city. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Day 3 of BIKE TOUR Shuttle to Wadmalaw Island / Charleston Tea Plantation / Experience a Beaufort social

Today, shuttle south to Angel Oak, a Southern live oak tree located on Johns Island. The tree is estimated to be in excess of 1500 years old. It stands 65 feet tall, and measures 28 feet in circumference. Its widest crown is 180 feet, point to point, and it shades 17,000 square feet. After marveling at this amazing tree, we'll start our ride to Wadmalaw Island. Wadmalaw Island is home to the Charleston Tea Plantation, makers of American Classic Tea and the only tea grown in America. Here we'll enjoy a tour of the working tea factory, visit the tasting room, enjoy a trolley tour of the fields, and then take part in a picnic lunch provided by your leaders in the shade of the plantation's pavilion.

Continuing on, we'll cycle to Irvin House Vineyard and Firefly Distillery. Depending on the time available, choose to visit the tasting room (at your expense), meander the rows of grapes or visit the farm. We'll shuttle on to Beaufort afterwards (approximately 90 minutes), where you can 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.

Enjoy dinner at at the Inn before partaking in a famous Southern tradition, a Beaufort social—in which you'll learn to spin your partner in fine Southern fashion.

Day 4 of BIKE TOUR St. Helena Island / Walking Tour of Beaufort

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.

Make your own dinner plans in Beaufort this evening; there are some excellent restaurants from which to choose.

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

After a 9:00 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 narrated tour through Savannah's streets and squares, gaining an understanding of the city's history, architecture, gardens and charm.

You have free time after the tour to discover beautiful Savannah and to settle in at our hotel for the next two nights. Lunch and dinner are on your own today.

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

Ride out of the center of Savannah toward 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, continue riding through Savannah State University, Thunderbolt and the moss-hung gardens of Bonaventure Cemetery, an 18th-century plantation and one of the settings of 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.

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 12:30 p.m., or to their cars parked in Charleston, arriving around 1:15 p.m. 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 p.m.

Charleston to Savannah: A Southern Reel 2012

Pre and Post Trip Extensions

There are no extensions available for this tour.

Accommodations

Ansonborough Inn

The Ansonborough Inn is located within Charleston’s historic district of Ansonborough, so named when Admiral George Anson won the property in a spirited poker game. Just one block north of the Market Street area, centrally located and close to all of historic downtown Charleston.

Once a shipping warehouse, the property was transformed into a luxury hotel after a $3.5 million renovation. With just 37 rooms and on-site owners, guests are made to feel very much at home. Rooms range in size from 450 to 750 square feet and feature individual climate control, voice mail, mini-fridge and microwave, and in-room safes. Enjoy the hotel’s expanded continental breakfast and daily wine-and-cheese reception. The rooftop deck and cozy pub offer relaxing spots for a drink.

The Beaufort Inn

This Victorian inn dates to the 1890s and features elegant gables, wraparound porches and rooms with pine floors and period reproduction furniture.

Breakfast is served in two mahogany-paneled dining rooms. The Inn’s courtyard and porches offer a quiet place to relax. Only one block from the Intracoastal waterfront park, the Inn is close to all of Beaufort’s highlights.

AVIA Savannah

This sparkling new hotel prides itself on savvy local connections and the best of sophisticated Savannah. You're exactly where you want to be when staying at AVIA, in the heart of the fun and just-a-little-funky restored historic district. Across the street is Savannah's newest jewel, the recently restored Ellis Square. A short stroll down the street, and you're enjoying the breezy charm of City Market.

Rating Level

Easy

This tour offers options for easy rides throughout the trip. The trip is ideal for beginning cyclists and suitable for casual cyclists.