2023 Spring Break Road Trip to Charleston South Carolina
Each Spring break we try to come up with a new plan to visit someplace interesting. Last year was to the Great Smokey Mountains. A few years before that during COVID we got a cabin in Westmoreland State Park. This year we decided on Charleston. We had a December road trip to Florida and drove by Charleston after a stop near Savannah, and noticed so many things to do, so it was quickly added to the list!
Route planning time!
The drive was much shorter than our trek to Florida. We saw an opportunity to stop over at Congaree National Park before settling into our Airbnb. While in Charleston, there are three main National Park Sites that were on the list, along with a host of other activities. Having a good base of operations near the free downtown buses, was a big help. It is a good (and FLAT) walking city, but it is nice to be able to get around on a bus system when you need a break. Heading back home we were able to stop in at Moores Creek National Battlefield as it was along the way. I would have ideally liked to have snuck in the Cape Lookout lighthouse, but it was just too far off and we ran out of time. Just will mean another reason the visit the Outer banks of NC sometime in the future!
| # | Park Unit Name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Congaree National Park | Hopkins, SC |
| 2 | Fort Sumter National Historical Park | Charleston, SC |
| 3 | Fort Moultrie National Historical Park | Sullivan’s Island, SC |
| 4 | Charles Pickney National Historic Site | Mt Pleasant, SC |
| 5 | Moores Creek National Battlefield | Currie, NC |
Route Map
The route we took was fairly straight forward, using a stopover in Congaree, and then taking a more eastern trek so we could see Charles Pickney and Moores Creek Battlefield on the way to Virginia.
Considerations and Advantages
The mix of sites on this trip was pretty diverse. The plan had us visiting a National park, two Civil War forts, a historic homestead and a revolutionary battle site. All in all a nice set of NPS sites. Being able to take a different route north, a little further east, only added a little bit of time.
End Result
Overall, the trip went well. As I mentioned in previous route plans, I will write up each of the trip reports and link them in the table above as they are posted. The trip reports will provide more insight and details into each unit.
Roaming Monk Tip: For our family, one thing I need to keep in mind is keeping a diverse set of activities. Especially activities, that each member is excited about. The kids were geared toward seeing the Fort, but also were looking forward to non-stamp units, like the Charleston Aquarium and the USS Yorktown Carrier.
Overall, a great spring break visit to South Carolina!
What a great spring tradition to visit somewhere new. We visited Charleston a couple of years ago as part of a longer road trip and only stayed for a day. It’s nice to see what we missed.
It certainly is! Glad you made it to Charleston, and we are thinking of going back at some point.