Charleston - off the beaten path recommendations

August %26#39;07 - First trip to Charleston. It%26#39;s my birthday present, I know it %26#39;s warm and humid, but I have to make this trip. I need peace and quiet and to put my feet into Atlantic Ocean.

Any off the beaten path areas anyone would like to share. Where to get the best fish sandwich, best place to spend the night under the stars (if not to buggy,,, we do camp though). Best scenic routes and best lancscapes for photographs, My husband take b%26amp;w 8x10.

We are also definitely going to walk through downtown Charsleston. We enjoy the local arts, and the architrecture of the city.

Best beach suggestions welcome. I just want to relax and have the sun shine upon my face. Bungalows for rent? Evening boat trips?

Charleston - off the beaten path recommendations

How long do you plan to be in the area? How would you like to divide your trip between beach/rural scenery/historic Charleston?

For beautiful lowcountry scenery and great uncrowded beach, I recommend Kiawah Island or Seabrook Island. both are a 40 minute drive from Charleston and easy access to some ';off the beaten path'; sights like the 1400-year-old Angel Oak tree (great photo op) on Johns Island and the American Tea Plantation on Wadmalaw Island. You can take sunset boat trips from the Bohicket Marina (between Kiawah and Seabrook) or from Cherry Point (on Wadmalaw.) No camping on these islands, but plenty of cottages and condos for rent.

If you just want to do a day trip out Charleston, go to Beachwalker County Park, Kiawah%26#39;s public beach access. Once you are on the beach, you can walk up the entire ten miles of Kiawah beach. You could stop at the Angel Oak along the way. There are restuarants coming and going, or you can pick up a picnic at Newton Farms, the grocery store in Freshfields Village, just before you go onto Kiawah.

Charleston - off the beaten path recommendations

I just got back from Charleston last week. We went to a some of the plantations they are worth seeing espicially Magnolia great photo opts we saw alligators and got some great pics of them. We also visited Boone Hall it%26#39;s beautful as well. We learned of the Angel Oak tree there our tour guide suggested we go see it, all I can say is AMAZING. I have never seen anything like it. It is a must see.

We stayed on Folly Beach but we went out to Sea Brook one day it was nice it%26#39;s a laid back environment. Folly was great also.

I suggest you do the riverboat dinner cruise in Charleston we enjoyed it.

You cant%26#39; go wrong visiting the Charleston area there is something for everyone. I love it and can%26#39;t wait to return.

If you want ot camp on the beach, consider Edisto Island, which is about an hour from Charleston, just south of Kiawah and Seabrook -

southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/鈥?298.aspx

There are other state park campgrounds and cabin areas that you can access from the above site.

If you want history, out door activities, relaxation and a great place for pictures try Middleton Place Inn. It is a small Inn located on the grounds of Middleton Place. The offer horse back riding, Kayak tours and as a guest you get 24 hour access to the main grounds, it is centrally located to the beach and downtown.

We live about 15 minutes from there, and that is where we go when I need to ';de-stress';

www.theinnatmiddletonplace.com/content.asp鈥?/a>

As far as camping, I have not been camping anywhere close to Charleston, but I have been to the James Island County Park. Great fun and safe park.

http://ccprc.com/index.asp?NID=274

for bungalow type close to Charleston is the Isle of Palms. It is not as ';touristy'; as the other beaches. There is a county park, pier and of course the best hang-out the Windjammer.

tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g54283-d103010-鈥?/a>

You do have to cut and paste web links

Good Luck

As a fat guy holding a fish in his photo I will answer the fish sandwich question. Last monday I had the fried grouper sandwich at blossom%26#39;s and it was very good! I would do the soup of the day...asparagus and tomato when I was there, and the grouper sandwich. If you want something more casual do the fried flouder sandwich at the griffon.

Cindy%26#39;s Seafood, on the Bohicket Road near Kiawah and Seabrook, is a very casual place that does good local fried seafood, including fish sandwiches. You can eat in or take away.

A trip to see the Angel Oak then head towards Seabrook along Bohicket Rd. - definitely great photo ops. As you head out Maybank Hwy., stop by Tropy Lakes (1/2 mile past Food Lion/River Rd. intersection on the right). It%26#39;s not a camp ground, but a little known fact - they do allow camping alongside their world record water-ski lakes. They also have a Disc Golf course. Nice place.

I seconed the recommend for stopping in Cindy%26#39;s Seafood %26amp; Rosebank Farms on the way to Seabrook. Chez Fish (also on Bohicket Rd.) is one of my all time favorite places to eat fresh fish.

Folly Beach is full of photo opportunities, starting with the abandoned boat on Folly Rd. just outside Bowen%26#39;s Island (newly painted messages weekly, sometimes daily), onto the shrimp boats at Crosby%26#39;s Seafood. There are plenty of good times to be had on Folly Beach.

Before I visited Seabrook, I had never seen deer and alligator cohabitating.