In Our Own Backyard
Sometimes with my love for travel I can get so wrapped up in researching where I want to go and daydreaming about far away places that I lose touch with all that is beautiful and wonderful right where I am. It reminds me of those times I have sat after a wonderful meal and started planning the next, instead of savoring the one at hand.
We are so fortunate to live in an area that is surrounded by history, natural beauty and diversity. It is also a place that is ever changing. Many complain about the growth and change around them but I prefer to look at it as a shift that keeps things fresh and new. There is always a new restaurant to try. And the beauty of living near historic Charleston is you have the lower peninsula, which will always remain its quaint lovely self.
We love nothing more than to wander through the streets of downtown Charleston. One of our favorites is Church street, which will make you believe you are lost in time or that you could as easily be in Europe as South Carolina.
Another favorite are walks on the beaches. We prefer to do them off season, but lately there really is no off season! The beaches here are wide and long and make for great places to walk. Sullivan’s Island is wonderful, especially if you head to the end down by Fort Moultrie. Here you have a view of the harbor and downtown as well as the natural growth that hides the homes. Isle of Palms is also perfect - especially if you have a grandchild with you – with the county park, the local shops and a great rec department with an amazing playground, all within a short walk from the beach. Folly is the end of the world, and though we don’t go there often because we have two great beaches close by, it is a fun get-a-way because it is so eclectic. Kiawah, which is a little further, but still easy to get to, has magnificent and well protected beaches.
The other plus that we have is a wide variety of parks. I think you could easily visit a different park every day for at least a month. Each one is well maintained with great places to walk alone, with your dog or children. Just in Mount Pleasant you can choose to walk among the trails of an old plantation, several places to wander along the marsh, and if nature isn’t your thing, you can always walk the Ravenel Bridge, with some of the best views of the harbor, Mt Pleasant and Charleston.
So every once in a while I have to put down my computer, stop researching and take a moment to enjoy where I am and how blessed we are to call this our home!