My Favorite Islands of Adventure Theme Park Rides | Orlando, FL

Riding roller-coasters (or any other ride, for that matter) has been an excitement-filled thrill that I've enjoyed since I was the proper height. Yes, I would be completely terrified about what I was getting ready to encounter, but I would only hesitate for a brief moment before taking the plunge. It didn't take long before I became a full-fledged thrill-seeking junkie that required more than what the tame rides reserved for kiddies could offer. Anyone who enjoys going for a wild ride (or two) will discover that Islands of Adventure—part of the Universal Theme Park—does not disappoint when it comes to stimulating your senses to the point of overload.

In a previous post, Preview of Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, I reminisced about the adolescent switch from Disney World to the Universal theme parks that took place when I was a teenager, and how it was my turn to introduce this familiar territory to my nephew. Over the years, my love for theme parks has never waned. I don't mind the long lines and large crowds. It is what it is. I can set aside my social anxieties and impatience for a day or two so that I can spend it in a fantasy land. After all, that's what Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios are, imagination brought to life. A place where you get to walk among cartoon characters and step into the pages of a children's book or comic strip. It's as if you become part of the story. A level of entertainment that you just can't get anywhere else!

So, starting from the beginning of our day, I'll take you on a tour of my favorite Islands of Adventure rides.

1. The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride — We started off in the opposite direction that the crowd was heading in, so our first stop was Seuss Landing. It's one of my favorite areas because I love Dr. Seuss's books, and they really did a great job of bringing them to life. It's so whimsical and colorful with tons of interesting things to grab your attention along the way. The trolley train ride was the second one we rode in Suess Landing. We walked right on without having to wait. I liked this kiddie ride because it gave you a great overview of the surrounding area, a different perspective in which to appreciate the park. It was a good one to start with because it also helped my nephew get used to the experience without being jarring like some of the other rides.

2. Poseidon's Fury — Next door to Suess Landing in the Lost Continent where we took a journey through an ancient temple. Poseidon's Fury isn't a ride as much as it is a theatrical tour that you walk through with a guide. At times, it was a little cheesy, but the seemingly scary situations you found yourself faced with were pretty intense. We hesitantly walked through a tunnel surrounded by rushing water without getting wet, and then watched in anticipation as the bad guy was defeated with fire balls and other theatrics. My nephew was so into it. It was exciting for me to see him all worked up. He was squeezing my hand while screaming as he anxiously awaited the outcome. To my surprise, Ju-ju picked Poseidon's Fury as his favorite ride of the day any time we asked.

3. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey — Ever since I found out that Islands of Adventure would be opening the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I was determined to experience it firsthand. While I haven't finished all the books, I absolutely adore the movies, so to have an opportunity to walk down the streets of Hogsmeade and shuffle through the corridors of the Hogwarts castle was an extra-special treat for me. A little overcrowded, yes, but the other onlookers weren't going to tarnish my fun time. It was chaos when you walked into the castle, utter chaos! We found a locker as quickly as we could and hopped in the long and windy line. While this did require the longest wait of the day, the line consistently kept moving, which helped a lot.

Once we finally made it inside, I was amazed at how closely they portrayed what I remembered from the movies, the moving paintings were wicked awesome. Having all those neat things to look at made the rest of our wait bearable. The actual Forbidden Journey ride was definitely worth the lengthy line. Everything happened so quickly, though, it was over in a flash. My nephew didn't do as well on this ride. It was a little scary with the enormous dragons in your face and deadly dementors attempting to suck the life out of you. He cried the entire time. We felt so horrible, but he was a trooper. I, on the other hand, thought it was so much fun, although I wished that I could have ridden it a second time. (I'll be sharing more about the WW of HP next week, so be sure to subscribe or follow postings on Facebook)

4. Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls — After spending time in the Jurassic Park area where we got soaked to the bone on a water ride, we decided to get the other water rides out of the way too, and headed over to Toon Lagoon. It was mid-day and sweltering outside, so relief came at the perfect time. This ride was probably the second longest wait we were required to endure. However, it was also one of the best rides of the day. You hop in a log and hold on as it travels through water-filled chutes. The real fun comes when it's time to take a daring drop, you know, the kind where your stomach gets left behind because you're barreling down a flume. It was awesome! And Ju-ju (my nephew) loved it. He actually wanted to ride it again, but the wait time was too extensive to do so.

5. The Incredible Hulk Coaster — I was on my own with this ride because no one else in my group wanted to go a bonafide roller-coaster that takes you upside down. With only a 5 minute wait time, I couldn't resist. It wasn't a problem for me to go alone because I didn't want to miss it and kick myself later for not going. I'm super glad I went, too. It was so exhilarating! I forgot how alive you feel when being launched through the air. This roller-coaster is no joke either, at the very beginning it catapults you from zero to 40 mph in only two seconds! It was the last thing I rode on our first day. What a ride!

I hope you enjoyed hearing about some of the Islands of Adventure rides that I relished during my recent trip to Orlando. As hard we tried, it was impossible to ride them all, even if you go during the week on a slow day like we did. Our wait times for the majority of the rides didn't exceed 20 minutes, typically, which is unheard of in those places. I've been during times where I've waited in excess of an hour for a 10 minute turn, that can suck the fun out of your day. Thankfully, we were lucky enough to not have to deal with such nonsense. It was much more enjoyable that way!

Which one of these 5 rides sounds like your speed?

Would you prefer something slow and steady like the trolley ride? 
Or would you rather go for something a little more daring like Dudley Do-Right's?
Please share in the comments or on the WW Facebook page!

Like it? Share it!

Tweet

Preview of Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure Theme Parks | Orlando, FL

I became a fan of theme parks at a very early age. Disney World was the first one that I can remember visiting, it was one of my absolute favorites growing up. Our Dad took us to the Magic Kingdom every single year until I was about 12 years old. Once my sister and I got older and outgrew the beloved cast of cartoon characters, he introduced us to Universal Studios. Disney World became a distant memory after being exposed to Universal Studios. It was vastly different from what I was accustomed to, but I recall thinking that it was so much cooler than DW.

Fast forward to the present day where I recently had the opportunity to introduce the Universal theme parks (Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure) to my 9 year old nephew, Ju-ju. It's been years (and years) since I've stepped through the gate of any theme park, so I was excited about the day we'd be spending there. However, I was more excited about experiencing these cherished places through his eyes, and making new memories that we could share for years to come.

We spent a total of two days in Orlando, the first day was spent visiting Islands of Adventure, and the second day we ventured to Universal Studios. One of the main reasons why I wanted to go to IOA was because I was dying to see the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter area they recently opened up. But I also thought that Ju-ju would enjoy Suess Landing, Jurassic Park, Toon Lagoon, & the Marvel Super Hero Island, since he's a fan of cartoons, dinosaurs, and spiderman!

We planned the perfect time to go, apparently, because our wait-time for ride lines was extremely short in most cases. That's not to say, though, that there weren't a lot of tourists there, it was still packed with people. Our plan to arrive at the gate super early, and travel in the opposite direction that the flow of foot-traffic followed helped us avoid heavy crowds. The only thing we weren't really prepared for was the fatigue that resulted after a few hours of walking around and standing in line. It was so worth it, though. Thankfully, there were plenty of opportunities to take much needed breaks throughout the day.

It was so much fun journeying through the uniquely themed Universal parks. We rode a ton of rides and shared a lot of laughs along the way. There are many highlights to showcase from our fun-filled days at Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. In the next post, I will feature some of my favorite rides, including the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, so stay tuned!

When was the last time you went to a theme park?

Like it? Share it!

Tweet

Shopping in New Orleans on Magazine Street | New Orleans, LA

 

In my research about places to visit on my trip to New Orleans, there was one road in particular that kept coming up. I searched for restaurants and unique shops along with many other places of interest before heading to the Crescent City. After adding the suggestions I found to my Google map, I realized that a trend was beginning to emerge. What I found was that the majority of businesses I was adding were all clustered together on the same stretch of road.

Little did I know at the time how serious this shopping district in New Orleans really was. While I had about 15-20 Magazine Street merchants on my New Orleans map, that was nothing compared to the collective of shops actually located on this strip, which totaled approximately 160+ retailers and restaurants. I mean, we're talking about a 6-mile stretch of “mom & pop” specialty shops filled with everything from home décor to clothing & jewelry. Magazine Street is truly a shoppers dream.

For some odd reason, I thought that my Sister and I would make our trip to Magazine St. a quick stop, but boy was I wrong! Typically, I'm not a big shopper when I've traveled such a long distance, or any time, really. Plus, my carry on was already overstuffed as it was; even my souvenirs had to be mailed back. However, despite the fact that I am not an avid shopper, I really enjoyed strolling around this beautiful neighborhood, peeking in at the places that piqued my interest.

We stopped in at many the Magazine St. shops in the Uptown area of New Orleans and oohed and ahhed over all the items that I would have loved to purchase. Cute dresses, neat jewelry & unique home decorating items were all things I could have easily went home with had I not exercised some restraint. But I fought the urge to splurge! It's wasn't easy, though, with all of the awesome stuff we kept spotting. To a seasoned shopper, the temptation would be impossible to overlook because you're bound to come in contact with many I-can't-live-without-items on display begging you to buy them. Even I don't know how I resisted & I'm not a big shopper to begin with! 

Our first order of business was to get a bite to eat, although our original plan, which was to buy a bag of boiled crawfish from Big Fisherman Seafood, was thwarted because they were all out and wouldn't get any more in for 2 weeks. Forced to improvise, we kept walking until we stumbled upon another suitable option. What we found instead was Joey K's, a popular Magazine Street restaurant among locals who are in the mood for homecooked food at reasonable prices.

This hub in the heart of Magazine Street in New Orleans has a funky flair and has been featured on the Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins & Dives. While we could have sampled any number of delicious dishes named after neighborhood streets, such as the Shrimp Magazine & the Trout Tchoupitoulas, we opted for a seafood sampler of fried fare to fill our tummies. The platter had fried shrimp, oysters, catfish and hush puppies all of which were rather tasty, although next time I might try one of the signature dishes.

Even after stuffing ourselves we were still up for exploring. We popped into the Poet's Gallery to soak up the visually stirring “A Carnival of Saints & Souls” exhibit featuring fine art dolls and photography. The display of dolls showcased were created by an array of artists and they ranged from cool to creepy, although still darling. I wanted to adopt one myself.

FunRock'N was the next place we stopped in at. It was crowded with fashion and other quirky finds, there was something for everyone to be found in this modern day five-and-dime.

A fast forward from fashion to furniture lead us to take a quick look inside Nadeau (furniture with a soul). This store housed many hardwood pieces from India and Indonesia. I was somewhat surprised by the reasonable prices most of the items were listed at, although they were still out of my range. Not entirely, though, there were a few smaller (more affordable) decorative pieces that I would have totally walked away with had they been local.

Once our full bellies had time to digest, we decided to stop in at Sucre to satisfy our sweet tooth. I was seriously delighted to be stepping foot through their doors because I've actually ordered from their store online in the past. Walking into the brick & mortar store was like stepping inside of a sweet treat with the mint green coated walls. Glass cases were overflowing with confections of all kinds from cakes to chocolates to parisian macaroons.

The mini-desserts were all magnificently presented which made making up our minds rather painstaking, they all looked scrumptious. I didn't want to pick on looks alone. I also wanted to pick one that was big on taste, too. Although I'm sure you couldn't pick a bad one no matter how hard you tried. My Sister and I decided to share the Turtle dessert, a chocolate bread pudding, chocolate mousse, salted caramel mousse concoction that was pure bliss. I'm glad that we shared because it was really rich.

Afterward, we hobbled to the car so that we could hit up another section of Magazine Street further up the road before heading back home. The next stop was GoGo Jewelry, by far one of my favorite stops along the way. Their foundry was jam-packed with necklaces, cuffs, earring & rings, you name it, they had it. The designs were uncommon and unlike any other pieces I have seen before. Very cool stuff, indeed.

Next door to GoGo was a different kind of Magazine Street boutique called, UP/ Unique Products. What caught my eye when walking by was the life-sized alligator crafted entirely out of melted green Mardi Gras beads. Inside they had a lot of other items made from recycled materials that would otherwise be discarded as well. It was wonderful to see a store dedicated to environmentally friendly retail products where items are being handmade.

Across the way, we decided to swing into Spruce. From the outside one might get the impression that this is a gallery as opposed to a home décor/design studio, the showroom was clean and contemporary with eco-conscious style in mind. I wanted everything in that posh place, it was beautiful.

While Magazine Street is a mecca for shoppers and is considered the “Best Shopping Street in New Orleans”, it's more than a mere shopping destination. With its diverse array of restaurants, shops and other businesses to keep you coming back for more, I can see why it's such a popular place for locals and tourist alike. Just make sure you take an extra suitcase for all of the wonderful goodies you're bound to find!

Related Links:

• Magazine Street Merchants Association | Website  
• Joey K's Restaurant | 3001 Magazine Street | (504) 891-0997 | Website 
• Poet's Gallery | 3113 Magazine Street | (504) 899-4100 | FB Page
• FunRock'N | 3109 Magazine Street | (504) 895-4102 | FB Page
• Nadeau Furniture | 2728 Magazine Street | (504) 891-1356 | Website
• Sucre | 3025 Magazine Street | (504) 520-8311 | Website
• GoGo Jewelry | 2036 Magazine St | (504) 529-8868 | Website
• Up/Unique Products | 2038 Magazine Street | (504) 529-2441 | Website
• Spruce Eco-Studio | 2043 Magazine Street | (504) 265-0946 | Website
  
  

Photo Essay: Bourbon Street by Night | New Orleans, Louisiana

I'm well aware of the stigma that is synonymous with Bourbon St. It has a seedy reputation for reasons that are readily apparent once you've seen so for yourself. The wacky and weird are everyday occurrences on Bourbon St., so be prepared to witness the odd and outrageous. Some things will make you laugh while others will make you gasp.

My first trip down the strip was rather alarming to say the least. A homebody like me felt extremely out-of-place with the party people at first, but I quickly came around. The electric energy was impossible to resist mingling with no matter how hard I tried.

Day or night, the streets are teeming with bead wearing, oversize drink toting pedestrians who are ready to PAR-TAY! It also seems as though no matter what day of the week you venture to this non-stop party spot, it's always Fat Tuesday. 

Strolling down the strip flanked by the blazing glow of neon lights along with the flooded streets and balconies overflowing with fellow party goers was a lot to take in at times. And I was told on many occasions that what I experienced was nothing compared to Mardi Gras. Seriously, I can't image.

It's no wonder that nightlife fanatics from all over are flocking to New Orleans to let loose. After all, the city was named the #1 destination for nightlife in the world by tripadvisor.com. Not to mention the fact that they pretty much invented the cocktail. Bourbon Street is most definitely a tourist attraction on its own with numerous bars, restaurants & night clubs to keep you occupied.

While it's wildly popular among tourists it's pretty much loathed by the locals. And I can't really blame them. Tourists can be obnoxious, especially when large quantities of alcohol are added to the mix. Bourbon St. is an anything goes kind of place with no laws regarding open containers, which allows people to walk around the streets with cocktails. Even the bars don't have specific closing times that they must adhere to. They can stay open until 2am or 5am, it just depends on whether or not people are still drinking. With barely any rules, things can get out of hand, people start acting like fools. That's why locals don't step foot on that strip.

 

I was warned, but I went against my better judgment and took my chances. And it was fun while it lasted.  Maybe even too much fun! There were only two nights during my trip that we braved Bourbon St. After the second night, I declared that I'd had enough. There is much more to New Orleans than Bourbon St. and I still had a lot left to explore. But staying up till all hours of the night made that an extremely difficult task to undertake. It was an experience that I won't soon forget even if I'm not ready to repeat it any time in the near future!

Related Links:

• Pigging Out @ The Oak St. Po-Boy Festival
• Postcard from New Orleans | Ending a Sugar Strike in Style @ Cafe du Monde

Pigging Out @ the Oak St. Po-Boy Festival | New Orleans, Louisiana

In a city that lives to eat, it's no surprise that a food festival centered around stuffing your face can pack in a crowd of people. This is especially easy to do when the superstar happens to be the quintessential staple of New Orleans culinary culture. It's nothing fancy and can consist of any combination of ingredients from seafood to cold cuts and is sandwiched between two slices of french bread, the Po-Boy.

The 30 vendors participating in this years po-boy festival lined a shut-down section of Oak St. Navigating the shoulder-to-shoulder horde of hungry sandwich seekers was trying at times, although that was the least of my worries. Bigger issues were more important, like which of the vendors we wanted to buy a po-boy from. This was no easy feat when it comes to how indecisive I can be at time when presented with an overflow of options. In this case, they were plentiful and seemingly endless. 

  

Once you have narrowed down the choice about what you'd like to devour first, your next predicament is dependent upon whether or not it's worth standing in line for. Some of the lines had upwards of 30-40 people waiting, which wouldn't have been so bad had they not been inching forward at a snails pace. Although once you set your sights on a particular po-boy it was hard to turn your back on the possibility of savoring such a tasty sandwich. Proximity and price also had a lot to do with selections we made as well.

In an attempt to taste test as many po-boys as we possibly could, my Sister and I decided to share our sandwiches. At the end of the day we tried at least 5 different ones. And who knew we would do such a good job of sniffing out the crème de la crème because I later found out that we ate many of the po-boys that were voted the best of the festival. 

One of our favorites came from Red Fish Grill who won the honor of Best Shrimp Po-Boy with their Grilled Shrimp & Blackened Avocado Po-Boy; it was packed with flavor and the shrimp were super fresh and tasty. Our second favorite came from Sammy's Deli who won the honor of Best Specialty Non-Seafood Po-Boy with their Fried Chicken with Chisesi Ham and Swiss Cheese Po-Boy, talk about a scrumptious concoction, it was amazing! Another notable po-boy we tasted was from Coquette Restaurant who won the People's Choice Award for the Homemade Hot Sausage Po-Boy, it was juicy and the least expensive one we had all day at only $5.00. 

I felt really lucky that my trip coincided with one of the many festivals that New Orleans hosts because it allowed me to try a variety of po-boys in a short period of time. There were a whole handful of other sandwiches that I would have liked to sample, however my stomach could only endure so much. Had I not had the opportunity to attend the Oak St. Po-Boy Festival, though, I wouldn't have put a dent in the plethora of po-boy options the city has available. 

 

It was an interesting and amusing experience to say the least and I hope that the next time I venture to New Orleans that my trip will include another festival where I can feast on other flavors made famous by the Crescent City.

Related Links:

• New Orleans Po-Boy Festival | Website 
• Red Fish Grill | 115 Bourbon Street New Orleans, LA 70130 | (504) 598-1200 | Website
• Sammy's Deli | 3000 Elysian Fields Avenue New Orleans, LA 70122-3627 | (504) 947-0675 | Website  
• Coquette Restaurant | 2800 Magazine Street New Orleans, LA 70115-2229 | (504) 265-0421 | Website 

 

Postcard from New Orleans | Ending a Sugar Strike in Style!

My one and only wish for the first day of exploring was to end a five week long sugar strike in style by eating a plate full of deep-fried dough doused in powdered sugar, otherwise known as beignets. Mission accomplished!

We went in with the intention of sharing a plate of 3, however, after plowing through our first few we decided that it was imperative to order yet another plate. The excitement of eating sugar for the first time in five weeks was almost as exciting as the band playing on the sidewalk just outside the cafe. A front row seat was waiting for us when we got there so we could see all of the action.

Afterward, we set out to explore more of Decatur St. by foot. It's hard to believe that I spent a total of five hours touring the city – well, a portion of the city -- and only saw a very small fraction of what this place is really made of. To give you a better idea of how little ground we actually covered, we didn't even walk the entire length of that one road. Luckily, I have plenty of time to see even more while I'm here, which I definitely intend on doing!

A Reminiscent Roundup: Oahu, Hawaii

This time last year I was gearing up for a solo journey of epic proportions. I knew before making the trek that it would undoubtedly be a life changing experience, although little did I know exactly how great of an impact it would really have when all was said and done. The islands magical influences can have quite an effect on the unsuspecting traveler who has never been that far away from home. Particularly so, when you're not used to being that far away from home alone!

Most of my time on the island of Oahu, Hawaii was spent in quiet contemplation as I embarked upon adventures on my own that consisted of many different activities. I had no specific goals or a rigid itinerary before getting on the plane. Now that I think about it, there was one specific goal I can recall having, which was to just let myself be. I felt no pressure about doing or seeing as much as I could in the 5 short days that I was there; I was more interested in taking it easy and actually relaxing on this brief respite.

A near perfect balance of tranquility and activity was how I managed to spend my days. And the jet lag helped me to make the most of my time by not letting me sleep past 6am. It was somewhat frustrating at times since I wasn't going to bed until 2 or 3am. I suppose that sleep would be on the bottom of any persons list when you have a tropical paradise waiting to be discovered right outside your door.

I already blogged about most of my trip to the island, but I'm in the mood to revisit this soulful sojourn since I'm feeling sentimental. Links to the previous posts can be found at the bottom.

In my sporty red Jeep, I covered every corner of the island. By far, the most scenic drive to take a ride I found was Highyway 83. This joyride hugged the turquoise shores of the Pacific Ocean for nearly the entire stretch. If you can imagine, I had a hard time keeping my eyes on the road! While I immensely enjoyed spending time on the islands open roads, I did make quite a few pit stops along the way.

One of the most amazing encounters led me to the Byodo-In Temple. Located in the Valley of the Temples, at the base of the 2,000 foot Ko'olau mountain range, is the replica of a 950-year-old Buddhist temple in Uji, Japan. One can't help but be overcome with an extreme sense of peacefulness while roaming the grounds of this magnificent complex. I was early and lucky enough to be one of the first visitors, so I had the temple to myself, which greatly enhanced my experience. It was very hard to leave; I could have stayed there all day had that bus of tourists not shown up.

For my actual birthday, a friend and I attended an authentic Hawaiian-style luau where we stuffed ourselves with delicious food and watched some highly entertaining performances. The four hour long feast for the senses was a rip-roaring good time that I really wish I could repeat for this year's birthday.

A trip to Hawaii wouldn't be complete without spending time in the great outdoors, and I'm not just talking about sandy white beaches either. Snorkeling, was a pastime that I found myself thoroughly enthralled by. It was my first time catching a glimpse of the aquatic life in their natural habitat. I floated along the surface in a constant state of awe as I spied on the sea creatures, it was so much fun swimming with the fishes. 

To keep from getting too waterlogged and to survey what was beyond the sea and sand, I also ventured upon other outdoor recreational activities. While on the island of Oahu, I managed to complete two pretty popular hikes to satisfy my urge to commune with nature. The hikes I did were like night and day with one tucked deep inside a lusciously verdant rainforest, while the other was situated inside an extinct volcanic crater. 

Manoa Falls was the first trek I did to see an impressive 160ft waterfall. The second one, called Diamond Head crater, was nowhere near the gentle grade I experienced earlier at Manoa Falls. Diamond Head was a lot steeper and required several staggering stair climbs to reach the top, but the long range views do their best to make up for the massive amount of sweat lost in the process. The hikes were definitely a great detour from the usual island activities and offered some awesome exercise too.

This trip down memory lane makes my heart ache as I really wish there were a birthday trip this year, too. I mean, I'm coming up on the Big 3-0 and this is the first birthday in 4 years that I won't be heading somewhere outside my usual surroundings. 

I promised Cody, though, that we would spend my birthday together this year, and I wouldn't want to let him down. It's not too much of a compromise, though, because I want to be with him as much as he wants to be with me; although that doesn't stop me from yearning for us to be somewhere new together.

At least I have these beautifully vivid memories of Hawaii to carry me through until my next journey! 

Original HAWAII Blog Posts:

• Celebrating my Birthday Hawaiin-style!
• 6 Sights to See on Highway 83 (Part 1)
• 6 Sights to See on Highway 83 (Part 2)
• A Place of Peace & Serenity: Byodo-In Temple
• Honolulu's Most Popular Hikes

A Casual Collection of Charleston Charm

 

Hope you enjoyed this silent montage of other interesting encounters we had while exploring downtown Charleston, SC. It's extremely easy to fall in love with that city as there are endless treasures to be discovered along the way. Want to read more? Visit the links below :D

Related Links:

• 20 Reasons Why I Love Charleston, SC {A list of the places we ate, drank and experienced} 
• Going Coastal in Charleston, SC (Raw Footage) {A montage of moving pictures! a.k.a. video}
• Photo Essay: Underground Art in Charleston, SC

20 Reasons Why I Love Charleston, SC

If there's one thing you can count on when it comes to visiting Charleston, SC, it's that you couldn't possibly run out of things to do. It has been named one of the Top US Destinations by many different publications many times over, and for very good reason. It's no wonder that the charm of Charleston manages to captivate so many people because it really is an amazing place to spend time. There's so much to do, in fact, you might have trouble deciding where to start! To make things a little easier, I've compiled a list of my favorites to share, so that it may help you figure out what you might like to see and do while in town.

{Eat}

• Hominy is Not Hype: Arguably the best shrimp and grits in the state, maybe even the east coast, can be found at Hominy Grill. I didn't have much to compare them to since it was my first time having this quintessential southern breakfast, but it was delicious! If you're feeling really brave you can try the super tasty Big Nasty biscuit w/ a fried chicken breast, cheddar cheese & smothered in sausage gravy. It was a scary beast, but it was awesome! 207 Rutledge Ave., 843.937.0930, hominygrill.com
  
  

• Happy Hour Hideaway: In the heart of Charleston's historic district is a great place to hideout for happy hour. Pearlz Oyster Bar offers a variety of oysters and other fresh and local seafood for those who have a penchant for shellfish. If slurping down sea creatures isn't your bag, you might like their corn fritters ($2.95). They weren't like other fritters I've had, theirs were more like hush puppies, but they were still yummy. 153 East Bay Street, 843.577.5755, http://www.pearlzoysterbar.com

• Where Seafood Reigns Supreme: This place is more of an institution than it is a restaurant with the history of this family-run business going back to 1890 when they operated a wholesale company. Over the years, that has changed and they now run Hyman's Seafood and Aaron's Deli from the same location. It is an extremely busy place, and rightly so, because it's been voted the Best Seafood in the Southeast by Southern Living Magazine for the past 9 years. The food was excellent, the prices were very reasonable and the portions were enormous. One of the owners came walking by at some point wielding a pan of the absolute BEST hush puppies I have ever tasted in my life. No joke! 215 Meeting Street, 843.723.6000, http://www.hymanseafood.com

• The Icing on the Cake: Due to a freak flood in downtown Charleston, we had to wade through knee deep water in order to get our slice of cake before saying farewell to the city. The dessert offerings change on a daily basis, but we tried the Brownie Sundae Cake, which was shamefully decadent. Kaminsky's is a tasty escape that has an entire display case of sweet treats that could keep you full for days! You don't want to miss it. 78 N. Market St., 843.853.8270, http://www.kaminskys.com

{Drink}

• Jump Start your Day: City Lights Coffee is situated in a small yet cozy little corner and is the perfect place for slipping in to fuel up with a frappe. Although, if a froufrou drink isn't your cuppa tea, they have an extensive list of other coffee related items to help power your day. 141 Market St., 843.853.7067

• Savor the Flavor: A great reprieve from the summer heat was found at Teavana. The free samples offered out front were a surefire way to get you through the front door of this unpretentious tea utopia. It would have been a lot better had there been more than two stools to pop a squat for a spot of tea, but the wall of flavors made up for the lack of seating tenfold. 304 King St, 843.723.0600, http://www.teavana.com/
  
  
• Southern Spirit: Before our trip to Charleston, I had never actually tried Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka let alone knew that it existed. It only took one drink, though, and I was hooked! 6775 Bears Bluff Road, Wadmalaw Island, SC 29487, http://www.fireflyvodka.com/
  
  
• Bar hopping with a bunch of strangers was a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Our gladsome guide was highly knowledgeable about the history of Charleston and told stories of, not only the pubs we visited, but some of the buildings we passed and the ghosts that haunted them. The Charles Towne Pub Stroll was the tour we chose to tagalong on because the price was right and the reviews were stellar. $15 per person (does not include the cost of drinks) 78 Broad Street, 843.345.9714, http://www.pubstroll.com/index.html
  
  
• Sneak a Drink: Yet another establishment dating back to the 1800's, The Blind Tiger Pub was in operation during Prohibition. Today, this former speakeasy (or “blind tiger”) is the closest thing to a dive bar you'll find in Charleston – we visited quite a few. The patio out back offers seating amidst ruins from an old building that further adds to the charm of a lovely outdoor space. 36-38 Broad Street, 843.577.0088

• Shiver me Timbers! One of the bars/restaurants we stopped at during our pub stroll, called the Buccaneer, houses one of the largest collections of authentic pirate memorabilia in the USA. Pirate tales were told during our tour of this tavern while we munched on a bowl of sweet potato chips ($5). I sipped on a Crazy Arnold ($7) made with cucumber infused lemonade and Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka, their spin on this southern cocktail will totally knock your socks off. 5 Faber Street, 843.805.5065,  http://www.thebuccaneerrestaurant.com 

.

{Stay}

• 5 Nights for the Price of 1: Conveniently located 10 minutes outside of Charleston is a great place to save money on accommodations. That is, if you're not afraid of mosquitoes and extreme heat! Ideally, campers looking to save some money won't be crazy enough to camp in the dead heat of summer like we were, but James Island County Park offers a high class camping experience at any time of year. The 643-acre recreation facility has more than any normal campground offers with a waterpark and a climbing wall on top of the other amenities.

We opted for the primitive sites at $25 a night and set up our tent in a shady alcove on a huge lawn. It was really nice to find that the bathrooms in the primitive camping area had AC, and we could pop in and cool off as needed. Needless to say, we didn't spend a whole lot of time at our campsite, because we were too busy checking out the rest of Charleston, but it was a great homebase and saved us a ton of moola! 871 Riverland Drive, 843.795.7275, http://www.ccprc.com

 

{Detour}

• Sun and Sand: Fondly referred to as the “Edge of America”, Folly Beach is a great place to kick back and relax for a day of fun in the sun. The sandy beaches are long and narrow, but there is plenty of room for beach goers to stretch out. This destination is top choice for tourists and locals because the ocean views aren't spoiled by large highrises and remains mostly undeveloped. Parking can be found at Folly Beach County Park for $7 per car (we didn't have to pay because we were staying at the state park!). They also have outdoor showers, restrooms, picnic areas and a snack bar. 1100 W. Ashley Ave., Folly Beach, 843.588.2426, http://www.follybeach.com/

• Taco Time! After a day of playing in the waves on Folly Beach, we headed over to the local taco shop affectionately known as Taco Boy. I can't say that nearly $4 per taco is a great deal, but my Grilled Fish & Carnitas Norteno Tacos were both full of flavor and they left me pretty satisfied. 15 Center Street, Folly Beach, 843.588.9761, http://www.tacoboy.net/
  
  
  
• Tree Hugging: Having survived countless catastrophes over the last 1400 year, the Angel Tree still stands tall. Actually, I take that back, it's not tall, it's stubby at a height of only 65 feet. While the height of the majestic Angel Tree might not be impressive, the 25 foot circumference and gigantic limbs stretching 160 feet are. It is thought to be one of the oldest living things east of the Mississippi. Getting there does require a short drive from downtown, but admission is free. 3688 Angel Oak Rd, Johns Island, 843.559.3496

{See & Do}

• Delightful Details: Charleston is comprised of many historic buildings and homes that are best appreciated by foot. One of the most enjoyable activities was simply wandering around in search of whatever catches your eye, which is nearly everything. Don't be afraid to stray from downtown, though, as time seems to be steadily standing still in the picturesque neighborhoods surrounding the city as well. It is well worth the effort and exercise necessary to reach them in order to get a glimpse of the well-preserved past.
  
  
• A Walk in the Park: At the edge of the city you will find a landmark promenade stretching along the shore called White Point Gardens, it is also referred to as The Battery. From the center of town, it does require a trek for those traveling on foot, but you won't be disappointed by the beauty that awaits. The shear grandeur of the Antebellum homes lined up along the river was a little alarming. Honestly, I really don't know what people do with that much house, but they sure were beautiful to observe from the outside.
  
  
  
  
• Set your Feet Free: When you think your aching feet can't take another step is when you're likely hoping that a rickshaw peddler comes your way. The modified bike has a cozy caboose perfect for two and is a great way to get across town without having to hoof it manually. Plus, it's much more humane than loading up in a carriage with 14 other people to be pulled by an overworked horse. I much rather humans suffer instead :D ($9 ask for Joey) Charleston Rickshaw Co, 843.723.5685, http://charlestonrickshaw.net/
  
  
• Open Your Eyes: Found in odd places these urban pieces of art break free from the confines of a typical brick and mortar gallery. Okay, so they're vandals, but I still think it's cool. If you are watching closely while walking around town, these fragments can be found where you least expect them, and in many different forms. We had fun hunting for the elusive OBEY stickers and spotting the many spray painted quotes stenciled on miscellaneous surfaces.
  
  
• It's raining, it's pouring: After a heavy rainfall it's common for some of the city streets to transform into canals. I never knew that an impromptu flood could be so much fun to wade through. I'm sure that the last thing in the world that should be considered a fun time would be when the streets of downtown Charleston are flooded with cars under water and wot not, but it was. I may have enjoyed it too much! The locals acted like it was normal it happens so often. For me, it was like getting a snow day. Ending our trip on a wet note was definitely one of the highlights, especially since I had never been in such a situation before.

• Tiny Tidbits: Other moments we treasured while gallivanting through Charleston included walking along the old cobblestone streets that are still in use, inspecting the intricate designs found in ironwork on fences and elsewhere, unexpectedly falling into hidden alcoves where we gladly got lost & forgetting where we parked our car (there are LOTS of parking garages, too!) on more than one occasion (It's true, we didn't learn our lesson :D).

So, there's my list of some of the things we did while on vacation in Charleston, SC. It doesn't cover everything, but it's pretty dang close! I do have more pictures to share, however, if I posted all of the ones I'd like to share, this post would be a mile long. No lie.

RELATED LINKS:

•  Going Coastal in Charleston, SC (Raw Footage) A montage of moving pictures! a.k.a. video
• Photo Essay: Underground Art in Charleston, SC
• A Casual Collection of Charleston Charm A photo montage..
• Wordful Wednesday 

Charleston