Miatas Doin' The Charleston - Guided & Self-Guided Tours

This is a list of the Guided & Self Guided Tours that will be available to our attendees for the weekend. Short descriptions and times will be listed so that you may plan ahead for the activities you would like to try to do while you are with us. Sign up sheets will be available upon your arrival Thursday in the Lobby. We've kept the Guided Tours to less than 5 hours, so that all attendees can be back before 5:30pm. Self-guided tour times will be left up to the individuals and how much time they decide to spend sight-seeing and shopping.

Guided Tours (led by Members of the Lowcountry Miata Club)

Friday, May 2nd, 2008
#1 - Historic Downtown Summerville & Bee City
Tour Master - Bunny & Bob McElwee

Tour will leave from Embassy Suites parking lot at 10am. This drive will take you through some of the back roads into Summerville, SC to the Historic Downtown District. We will park at the parking garage and you will have 1 1/2 hours to shop and explore as well as have lunch. A list of places will be included. Once we arrive at Bee City, you’ll have 1 hour to tour the area before we head back to the hotel. Bee City is a sight to see and they have a gift shop on site.There is a $3 fee to tour the Petting Zoo. Lots of country roads and great views.Leaving from Embassy Suites at 10am. Driving time is 2 hours and 100 miles round trip. Estimated time of return is 4pm. #2 - The Hunley
Tour Master - John & Chris DuBose

Tour will leave from Patriot's Point at 9:30am. A special behind the scenes group tour has been setup for this run for $15 per person. You'll tour the Hunley and all the artifacts that they have pulled from the wreckage. You'll get to see the hourly burial rites of the soldiers who went down with the Hunley as well. It's a very intresting and informative tour. Lunch will be in the Noisette District, an area that is currently undergoing revitalization since the leaving of the Charleston Naval Base. You'll have a choice of area restaurants including Madre Rue - an Irish Pub, Aunt B's Restaurant, Evo Pizza, Idle Hour and Johnny's Old Village Grill. Driving time for this tour (not including stops) is 1 1/2 hours and 50 miles round trip. Estimated time of return is 3pm. #3 - Irvin-House Winery, Tea Farm, Cherry Point & Angel Oak Park
Tour Master - Harry & Kitty Pardee

This tour is limited to 34 people.

#4 - Ft. Moultrie, Sullivan's Island & Isle of Palms
Tour Master- Ed & Susan Sanders

Tour will leave from Patriot's Point at 9:30am. This drive will take you to along Sullivan’s Island to Ft. Moultrie and over to Isle of Palms for lunch. Views of Intercoastal Waterway and beaches, views of beach homes, lunch at Morgan Creek Grill in the Wild Dunes Marina (beautiful views of the marina, yachts, and the Intercoastal). Return over the Isle of Palms connector and Hwy. 526 with more waterway views. Cost to tour Ft. Moultrie is $3 for Adults and $1 for over 62 years of age. National Park Cards are honored. Driving time for this tour (not including stops) is 1 hour and 40 miles round trip. Estimated time of return is 3pm.

Saturday, May 3rd, 2008

#5 - Edisto Island & Interpretive Center
Tour Master - Eddie & Karolea Lucas

Tour will leave from Embassy Suites parking lot at 8:30am. This drive will take you through the towns of Ravenel and Adams Run, and then to Edisto Island and Edisto Beach. We will go back roads as often as possible, past Prospect Hill Plantation and then to the Edisto Interpretative center. Part of this trip will include driving down dirt roads and may be extremely dusty. Lunch will be at the Plantation Grill Restaurant on Edisto Island. After lunch we will drive to the Wyndham (Fairfield) Ocean Ridge Cabana on the beach and relax for a while. The final leg of the drive will take us back towards Charleston, down Toogoodoo Road and through the town of Hollywood. Driving time for this tour (not including stops) is 2 3/4 hours and 110 miles round trip. Estimated time of return is 5pm. #6 - Historic Georgetown
Tour Master - Chris & Nancy Holtzman

Tour will leave from Embassy suites parking lot at 9am. This drive will allow you to travel back in time, up the indigo and rice plantation corridor to the historic seaport village of Georgetown. Georgetown was laid out in 1729, and contains a waterfront harbor walk, numerous museums, an historic walking or carriage tour of pre-Revolutionary and Civil War homes, shopping, art and antique shops, and many restaurants, cafes, etc. for lunch ranging from under $10.00 to fine dining. Take your camera to capture the quaint waterfront, hidden gardens, and wonderful historic ambiance of a town that made the difficult transition from Colonial Period to Industrial Revolution. Driving time for this tour (not including stops) is 3 1/2 hours and 135 miles round trip. Estimated time of return is 4pm.
#7 - Johns Island, Irvin-House Winery, Tea Farm & Angel Oak Park
Tour Master - Harry & Kitty Pardee

This tour is limited to 34 people.

Self-Guided Tours (pick up directions and go at your leisure)

#1 - Angel Oak Park

This tour will take you on some nice roads to the Historic Angel Oak Park. Angel Oak historical information is included with your run packet. Several choices for Lunch have also been included. You will pass two of the choices before and after you visit Angel Oak and the last choice will be after Angel Oak. Driving time for thsi tour (not including stops) is 1 1/2 hours and 70 miles round trip. There are no fees for visiting Angel Oak park, but donations are accepted. Driving time for this tour (not including stops) is 1 1/2 hours and 70 miles round trip.
#2 - Charlestowne Landing

This run will take you to the site of the Battle of Seccessionville, Ft. Lamar as well as Charlestowne Landing. Charlestowne Landing costs $5 to enter the park, and is well worth the trip. On site you will find the Animal Forest, The Adventure (worth the $5 by itself), Experimental Crop Gardens, Trails and the Legare-Ware House. Lunch can be found along the route at any number of fast food and sit down restaurants, within sight of the roads you’ll travel on. Driving time for this tour (not including stops) is 1 hour and 45 miles round trip.
#3 - Downtown Charleston, Ft. Moultrie & Beach

This drive will go by the Visitor’s Center and by some of Charleston’s most visited areas, museums, restaurants, historic & shopping districts. There will be stops at the Visitor Center, Ft. Moultrie/Ft. Sumter museum, the beach at the Isle of Palms and lunch at Shem Creek. There are some fees associated with some of the stops on this tour such as entrance into Ft. Moultrie - $3 per person. You can see Ft. Sumter from Ft. Moultrie, but you can not get to it from the Ft. Moultrie Site. If you are interested in going to Ft. Sumter at a later time, you can catch the Ferry from Patriots Point for $14 per person to tour Ft. Sumter. Driving time for this tour (not including stops) is 2 hours and 55 miles round trip.
#4 - Edisto Beach, Edisto Museum & Serpentarium

A nice do it yourself trip to Edisto (ED-IS-Toe) Island. A very good portion of Lowcountry scenery plus some interesting stops along the way. You will be able to stop at the Edisto Island Serpentarium, Edisto Island Museum, and see Edisto Beach. A list of Edisto Island lunch spots have been included for your choice of food and atmosphere. The Edisto Museum is $4 for Adults, $3 for Seniors and the Edisto Serpentarium is $10.95 per person, with a $2 discount included in your packet. Driving time for this tour (not including stops) is 2 1/4 hours and 100 miles round trip.
#5 - The Monks at Mepkin Abbey

This drive will take you through some of our back roads in Berkeley County out to the Mepkin Abbey Plantation where you can step back in time to see a functioning Trappist Monk Plantation as well as the Mepkin Abbey Church and the Nancy Bryan Luce Gardens. A small gift shop stands in the Reception center and if you would like to tour the Church and the gardens by guide, they offer tours at 11:30am and 3:00pm. Cost is $5 per person for the guided tours and includes a visitor’s book to take with you, but you can go and walk the grounds free (no church access) at any time of the day. Lunch can be found along your route either on your way to Mepkin Abbey or on your way back from Mepkin Abbey. Gilligan’s is a nice choice for a dock view and great seafood. Fast food restaurants abound on the main road through Moncks Corner. There are some Historical Signs along the route, and they are reference by number and the text of those signs can be found on a separate page. Driving time for this tour (not including stops) is 2 hours and 100 miles round trip.
#6 - Downtown Charleston & The Market

This drive will go to the Visitor’s Center and by some of Charleston’s most visited areas, museums, restaurants, historic, shopping districts. There will be stops at the Visitor Center and the Market downtown Charleston. Several lunch spots can be found at and around the Market area. Driving time for this tour (not including stops) is 1 hour and 30 miles round trip.
#7 - Cypress Gardens

This drive will take you out into the Goose Creek and Berkeley County areas. Cypress Gardens has a lot of interesting sites to see, including the Butterfly house, the site where some of the film “The Patriot” with Mel Gibson was shot and of course alligators and gardens. It’s a nice afternoon with trails and even a flat bottom boat to ride should you choose to explore the swamp life further. No set site for lunch has been added to this run, you will find lots of fast food places along your route to and from the Gardens to choose from. Cost to enter the Gardens is $10 per adult, 65 and older, $9. Driving time for this tour (not including stops) is 1 hour and 50 miles round trip.
#8 - Irvin-House Winery, Tea Farm Cherry Point & Angel Oak Park

This drive will take you to Gilligan’s Seafood for lunch, then on to Irvin House Vineyards (sample Muscadine Grape Wines with a $2.50 charge for tasting & Glass. Full tours of the winery with tasting & glass is available only on Saturdays at 2pm and the cost is $7 per person), the Charleston Tea Company farm - formerly Lipton Tea Farm - North American’s only commercially grown Tea operation (factory tour is free, Trolley Tour is $10 per person), Cherry Point and Angel Oak Park (if dirt road is not too muddy). Driving time for this tour (not including stops) is 2 1/2 hours and 110 miles round trip.
#9 - Historic Georgetown

This drive will allow you to travel back in time, up the indigo and rice plantation corridor to the historic seaport village of Georgetown. Georgetown was laid out in 1729, and contains a waterfront harbor walk, numerous museums, an historic walking or carriage tour of pre-Revolutionary and Civil War homes, shopping, art and antique shops, and many restaurants, cafes, etc. for lunch ranging from under $10.00 to fine dining. Take your camera to capture the quaint waterfront, hidden gardens, and wonderful historic ambiance of a town that made the difficult transition from Colonial Period to Industrial Revolution. Driving time for this tour (not including stops) is 3 1/2 hours and 135 miles round trip.
#10 - Ft. Moultrie, Sullivan's Island & Isle of Palms

This drive will take you to along Sullivan’s Island to Ft. Moultrie and over to Isle of Palms for lunch. Views of Intercoastal Waterway and beaches, views of beach homes, lunch at Morgan Creek Grill in the Wild Dunes Marina (beautiful views of the marina, yachts, and the Intercoastal). Return over the Isle of Palms connector and Hwy. 526 with more waterway views. Cost to tour Ft. Moultrie is $3 for Adults and $1 for over 62 years of age. National Park Cards are honored. Driving time for this tour (not including stops) is 1 hour and 40 miles round trip.
#11 - The Hunley

Tours are only offered on Saturday and Sunday and the cost is $12 per person.

#12 - Edisto Island & Interpretive Center

This drive will take you through the towns of Ravenel and Adams Run, and then to Edisto Island and Edisto Beach. You will go back roads as often as possible, past Prospect Hill Plantation and then to the Edisto Interpretative center. Part of this trip will include driving down dirt roads and may be extremely dusty. Lunch will be at the Plantation Grill Restaurant on Edisto Island. After lunch you will drive to the Wyndham (Fairfield) Ocean Ridge Cabana on the beach and relax for a while. The final leg of the drive will take you back towards Charleston, down Toogoodoo Road and through the town of Hollywood. Driving time for this tour (not including stops) is 2 3/4 hours and 110 miles round trip.
#13 - Historic Downtown Summerville & Bee City

This drive will take you through some of the back roads into Summerville, SC to the Historic Downtown District. You can park in the parking garage and have a chance to explore and shop in the Historic Downtown Summerville district as well as have lunch. A list of restaurants have been included. Bee City is a sight to see and they have a gift shop on site.There is a $3 fee to tour the Petting Zoo. Lots of country roads and great views. Driving time for this tour (not including stops) is 2 hours and 100 miles round trip.
#14 - Old Colonial Dorchester State park and/or Historic Gardens of Hwy. 61

This run will take you down Hwy. 61 which is a National Scenic Byway and home to 3 of the most beautiful Garden Plantations including Drayton Hall Plantation, Magnolia Gardens & Audubon Swamp Garden and Middleton Garden. You may wish to visit one or all of these gardens along the way to the Dorchester State Park, although you will want to allow lots of time for stops as there is a lot to see at the Gardens. The last stop is at Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site and is an interesting place to take a walk and stretch your legs. Information on all of the sites along the way, including pricing for each, is included in this packet. Lunch can be found after your visit to Dorchester State Historic Site, and ranges from Fast Food to full sit down meals. Driving time for this tour (not including stops) is 1 hour and 40 miles round trip.