Planning our BRP ride this year, and wife and I decided to take a side trip to Charleston, SC since we've never been there. Looks like we are going around the end of June / first of July. Few questions:

What's a good scenic riding route to take off the BRP to get to Charleston? Any other good routes to take back to the BRP?

What's the normal riding time from BRP to Charleston?

Any good places to stay? We are planning on doing some local hotels and bike campgrounds with cabins off the BRP, and was wondering if anything like this existed in the Charleston area.

Looks like we'll stay in Charleston for two nights. Anything we shouldn't miss while there? Any place we shouldn't bother with seeing if others recommend it?

Input greatly appreciated!

 

Are you coming in from the south end of the BRP? How much total time do you have? Are you looking for historical sites? 'Cause once you get out of the foothills and head towards Charleston, the scenery "ain't so much" until you get right in to Charleston. But there are some nice back road routes to get there. It just depends on which direction you're coming from the Parkway..

 

Check with Tail of the Dragon website.. they are located near the BRP and have documented a trip to Charleston taking backroads..

 

We live in Indianapolis, and plan to come straight to the Dragon area, stay there for a couple of days, and work our way up the BRP for a few days before going back west to Indy. We can spend two nights in the Charleston area.

Civil War historical stuff interests us. Wife likes old houses. We both love good food...but would like suggestions of good places to eat that are more economical...I don't think you need to spend $50 per plate to get good food...some of the best places I've found to eat are mom-and-pops for cheaper than ten bucks.

Overall, we are looking at a max of a 10-day trip due to wife's work needs.

 

Just for information it is almost 6 hours from Robbinsville,NC to Charleston,SC and that is interstate riding. So if you were to take backroads would be a full day down and back. Just thought I would throw it out there.

Many great places to go along the way and some great roads to ride. Just be sure to bring your helmet as the NC Leo's like to write tickets...lol

 

Nabubba, thanks for the info...just what I needed to know. Day to get there, day around town, day to get back to the BRP. Two nights there, two dinners, and time to do some sightseeing for a day.

 

Glad to help and Charleston is a great place. If you have time take the tour of the aircraft carrier and take the boat ride out to Fort Sumter where thefirst shot of the Civil War was claimed to have taken place. They use to have carriage rides through the town as well always nice and take a ghost walk. Several of these for a slight charge went to one spot on the one we took and it was just eerie and I really don't believe in ghost but when the bugs stop crawling into a area and there is no sound well just causes some eerie feelings in ya....lol

 

Mastery, It sounds like you are familiar with the BRP and the Dragon area so I am going to suggest a different route to Charlston from the Dragon that will take you two days. From the Dragon bring route 28 down to route 64. Take 64 east all the way over to Brevard. You will go through a lot of small towns with many beautiful old down town areas and there is some incredible scenery along the way. Some waterfalls to see also. Once in Brevard take 276 south. When you go through Cesar's Head State Park, make sure you stop at the look out. You can see for miles and you are eye level with the hawks as they glide along looking for a meal down below. If you have time, hike to the falls. It is a relatively easy hike and the view is worth it! Once your back on the road head south on 276 again and make your way to 11 North. This is a nice two lane highway that flows out of the mountains and in to the foothills of North Carolina. Stay on 11 and once you cross I26 start looking for Strawberry Hills Farm (about 15 more miles?). Stop at the gas station for some home made ice cream and then go across the road and pick up some peaches. If they're in season they're the best you've ever had. Continue on 11 until you get to I85. jump on 85 for about 5 miles and get off at exit 100. Pick up Route 5 south and take that over to Route 321. Take 321 south to Columbia before you pick up I20 To I26 around Columbia and then head on in to Charleston on I26. When you get to Charleston, since you've never been there, spend the money to do one of the horse and carriage tours. Worth the money and that will allow you to decide if there are other places you want to see. I would give the city at least two days. Do a self guided walking tour of the Battery Park area. You can walk between the old mansions in that area (those paths are actually public streets) to see these old beauties up close. Like Nabubba says, the carrier and the fort are also worth seeing.

 

Etstrine: Thanks for the excellent, detailed ride plan. Exactly what we are looking for, to stay off the slab in that area. You wouldn't by chance recall any excellent places to grab a lunch on that path that you'd recommend, would you? We like the local diner eateries...but sometimes they can be hit or miss on the quality.

We are looking at 7-10 days total ride time...just depends on what the wife can get off. If we can grab a few extra days, we're planning on spending it in the Charleston area since there's so much to see around there. The carriage ride sounds nice...she'll like that, but she didn't like the idea of taking two separately

 

Mastery,
There are a lot of places along 64. Many sandwich shops in those old mountain vacation/resort towns. Nothing really stands out. If you are ready to eat when you get to Aunt Sues http://www.auntsues.com/ stop here for a bite. The food is nothing special but it is good. Hand dipped ice cream can be had and there are several small cabin/stores here. Motorcycle friendly and right on 11. I had mentioned Strawberry Hill farms http://www.strawberryhillusa.com/ for an ice cream stop. There is also a restaurant but we have not eaten there. If it is anything like the ice cream, it is good food also. Can you tell we like ice cream stops? When you get in to Gaffney, SC there is a place called Fatz Cafe http://www.fatzcafe.com/ that is pretty good. It is on the frontage road on the north side of I85. Right by the peach water tower.
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If, for some reason, you find you have some time to get off 11 while you are close to Spartanburg, SC I will recommend one nicer restaurant. http://cityrange.com/ the food is top notch. This place sets between the mall and I26. You enter at the second mall entrance to get to it. Prices are not too crazy and there are several close by places to stay the night.
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Man, when are you coming through? I'm getting hungry telling you about these places. Maybe we could meet for a beer