Southern Exposure

Georgia and South Carolina

This vacation began with a stop Beckley, West Virginia at the deliciously wonderful Tamarak for breakfast. The Green Brier chefs do a marvelous job at preparing the food there and it is always a treat to stop for a meal there. We arrived later that night in Georgia at our Tybee Island campground. The beach was only a short walk away and absolutely peaceful due to the lack of crowds. The next day we took an evening trip into Savannah to explore. We took a stroll down River Street and look into the artistic shops along the river. We spent my thirteenth birthday in Savannah. My mother loved me enough to wait in line for an hour and forty-five minutes to get us a reservation at Paula Dean’s restaurant. The food was delicious and buffet style so we ate our fill happily. We walked it off along the river again. The next day dad went to a train museum while mom and I explored the city a little more. I remember eating lunch with her at the Gryphon Tea Room, an adorable little café in a restored pharmacy.

Beautiful Mansions of Savannah

The following day we stayed at Tybee Island and visited the civil war fort, Fort Pulaski. We also went to the Tybee Lighthouse. The next day we left Tybee and stopped at the Mighty Eight Museum about the Eighth Airborne Division of the United States Air Force. After that tour we made our way to South Carolina. We got to tour the aircraft carrier, the Yorktown and stayed on board the vessel until 5. Mom and I spent the next day on the beach while dad returned to the Yorktown. The next day we went into Charleston to see the sites of the city. We visited both Fort Multrie and Fort Sumter the next day. It was amazing to be in the very place the first shots of the civil war were fired. While in Charleston we also toured the Magnolia Plantation which was once a functioning rice plantation. We saw alligators and also many water fowl. On my mom’s birthday we went in to Charleston to eat at Bubba Gump’s for supper. We even went to the movies and saw “License to Wed” with Robin Williams in it. On the very last day of the trip we relaxed and swam at the campground. The south was a beautiful place with the Spanish moss on the trees and sweet accents, I would be happy to return any time.

"We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment." -Hilaire Belloc