Vacation to South Carolina and more

A few weeks ago we set out for what would turn into an unforgettable "Babymoon" vacation. We decided to visit a couple major cities in South Carolina as well as a day trip to Georgia. Our trip was fleeting but we managed to pack a whole lot of tourism into every day. Here's how it went:

Our home for three nights was Hilton Head, SC where we enjoyed lovely beaches that were not overcrowded. Strangely enough we only really had one poolside day and one sunset walk on the beach.

Our first day started early with a serene dubstep alarm. We set off for Savannah, Georgia. We arrived mid-morning and immediately boarded a trolley tour that taxied us around downtown with something like 15 stops including Paula Deen's famous restaurant. The trolley left us at a waterfront shopping district where we decided to stop and check out some of the local fare. We had a great pier-front lunch complete with crawfish and marmalade beignets.

Savannah was full of really cool architecture, restaurants, parks and boutiques including the one that Alexia is standing in with the hat on. That shop had a woman sitting in a window with a typewriter and her job was to just sit there and write out poetry or whatever inspired her... we miss this sort of thing only seen in larger cities. The city is dotted with parks and seems to be a point of pride and focus for the people of Savannah along with the very Southern live oaks and Spanish moss (which is neither Spanish nor moss as we found out).

A short(ish) drive back to Hilton Head to rest for the night. We woke up and went to The Skillet for breakfast as was our new tradition. For our second day trip we went to Beufort, South Carolina. We took a horse and buggy tour through a town full of breathtaking mansions and surreal live oaks. This town is home to many movie sets and full of inspiration.

The horse that pulled us sluggishly through the streets of Beaufort is named Merlin and we are told that he has been in countless movies including the latest Pirates of the Caribbean. Strangely enough I can't imagine this horse going any faster than 5mph but who am I to argue. A quick lunch at a local favorite eatery and some shopping concluded our visit to Beufort. This town is recommended to anyone interested in seeing the historic South. This was our last night in Hilton Head as we headed North to Charleston, SC. On our way home we happened upon a totally creepy burned down church in the absolute middle of nowhere. This place had a very creepy feeling about it and so I was obviously all about it:

We found a great little restaurant that night (also in the middle of nowhere). Quite an unassuming little place until I saw a Porsche Panamara S parked in the lot.... yikes. I had grilled fresh Wahu and alexia had probably the best fried chicken she'll have for a long time. We filled up and went back to Hilton Head for our last night before heading back North (or so we thought). The next morning we woke up and headed for Charleston, SC as planned. We arrived and decided to take a self-guided tour walking miles through the historic district which proved to offer infinite photo-ops.

It was very difficult to leave... and so we didnt't. We stayed an extra night and about 12 calls later we were able to get a last minute room at King Charles IV B/B in the heart of Charleston's shopping district. This place was awesome and is definitely recommended. I was lucky enough to have to carry our suitcases up 4 flights of stairs.

As we concluded our trip I wanted to make sure and get some photos of Alexia as her stomach is ever-growing and we are getting more and more excited about Ben's debut.

A late night dessert and the next morning's breakfast started our trip to Boone Hall Plantation which is just outside of Charleston. This plantation is the oldest working plantation in the US and is really a marvel to stand in front of. The drive up is breathtaking and is the plantation's claim to fame; "The Avenue of Oaks."

All in all we had an amazing time. The South and the Low Country cuisine are things to experience in person and with plenty of time. Lex and I were lucky enough to be able to spend five slow days living the life. We hope you all enjoyed this photo tour of our vacation and are excited to keep you all updated as news comes.

A 600 year old tree!!