The Arq12 Nuclear Family is heading Down East to explore Old Charleston, Boone Hall, and lounge on the beaches, etc. We like dining out, and getting off the beaten path and away from a lot of the Touristy Offerings once we had a good look at it all... I especially like Civil/Revolutionary War forts, might even try to get in a little charter boat fishing, you get the idea. So what's to be recommended that only natives and veteran travellers might be privy to?

Thanks in advance,

I have been here for about nine months, it's great.  If you want to go the the beach I suggest Isle of Palm, north of downtown near Mt. Pleasant.  Speaking of downtown you should spend a day walking around or taking a horse drawn tour.

There are several good restaurants:

Slightly North of Broad(SNOB), is downtown on East Bay, kind of pricey.

The Mustard Seed, Business 17 in Mt. Pleasant.

Shemp Creek, Mt Pleasant has several sea food places

Sticky Fingers, Great BBQ Downtown or Mt. Pleasant

I also suggest the you visit the Hunnley at the old Navy Base and the USS Yorktown at Patriots Point.

Don't forget Fort Sumpter.  [url=http://www.nps.gov/fosu/home.htm]Fort Sumpter Group Official Website[/url]

You take the boat from Patriot's Point / USS Yorktown Museum.  [url=http://www.state.sc.us/patpt/]Patriot's Point Museum.[/url]

And yes, don't forget the CSS Hunley. [url=http://www.hunley.org/html/frame.htm]Friends of the Hunley Website[/url]

The Yorktown! Cool!! Thanks, JB, that's on my list now.

Dave G- Big Thanks for the referrals. I do appreciate the effort. Definitely now going to make time for the Fort!

Semper Fi.

The Yorktown is great!  In 1982, I spent two entire days on the ship.  I was chaperoning a group of 6th graders, and the other chaperones were bored to death.  I was having more fun than the kids!

My favorite restaurant in Charleston is Poogan's Porch ([url]www.poogansporch.com[/url], 843-577-2337).  It's at 72 Queen street.  Don't let the horrible web site (uses proprietary tags, JavaScript, and Flash) fool you.  It's a good place.

Dave_G, it's Sumter and not Sumpter.  We might pronounce it as Sumpter, but it's spelled Sumter [:)].z

Zoom- I've now got Poogan's on my list of "Stuff of What I Gotta See". Thank you very much!

Be sure to make a little side trip to lovely Parris Island. Drive by the rifle range & confidence cource & perhaps Elliot's Beach. Last time I was there I had my wife with me & I flirted JUST A MINOR BIT with the WM gate guard, a cute little L/Cpl. Jeez, I heard about that one for weeks!!!!

Semper Fidelis