Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Friday: (04/12) The alarm went off but I didn’t get up other than to turn it off. When we did rise, we prepared to go and then went inside our host, the Walmart and took a short walk. We wanted to see the results of the construction activity. Walmart is remodeling many(?) of their stores, eliminating their back of store pickup desk and installing a robotic delivery machine at the front of the store. This is the second Walmart location we have “camped” at where the installation occurred while we were there. We then went over to the nearby Cracker Barrel for breakfast. After breakfast we continued up Highway 17.. We stopped in Myrtle Beach for a walk.

 

 We were quite surprised at how much like our own Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk Myrtle Beach Boardwalk is. It actually seems much better.

 

They have some grande miniature golf courses around here like the one on the right above.

Then, a little after noon we were back on the road. I had wanted to get a couple of hundred miles completed today. We did complete 148 miles stopping in Jacksonville, NC at the Cracker Barrel there. Walmart here doesn’t allow overnight. So we had dinner at our host tonight, Cracker Barrel. Dawn spent some time in a bookstore near our parking location. (GPS: 34.785457, -77.399130)

Surfside Beach, SC

Thursday: (04/11) Lou fixed ham and eggs with potatoes for breakfast. We all showered and I did the tank duty with extra time spent flushing our black tank. We departed the campground about 1100. We stopped at Costco for blue towels and then visited the Magnolia Cemetery, a really beautiful place with lakes and the river beside it. We then continued on stopping at a Forest Service picnic area at Buck Hall Recreation Area and Boat Landing. We had lunch and a nap before continuing. In Myrtle beach we stopped at a Goodwill store and while Lou and Dawn looked around, I located a place to stay for the night, a Walmart store in Surfside about 12 miles further North. (GPS: 33.648642, -78.981037)

 

 

Lake Aire Campground, Hollywood, SC

Monday: (04/08) Lou and Dawn were up just after 0600. We all showered and prepared to roll. I was at the office to get LPG at 0910 just after they opened. We headed up Highway I95 stopping near Brunswick at a Cracker Barrel for breakfast. After filling the RV gas tank, we continued North. Another stop near Savannah at a Camping World to return the vent cap I didn’t need. Also a visit to a Red Lion Market. We continued North stopping at a rest area in South Carolina for a nap. While I napped, Lou made some calls to RV parks and campgrounds. We continued on to Hollywood to the the Lake Aire Campground. We have two nights here with full hookups. From here we'll visit the Charleston area. Our campground is a bit muddy due to some heavy rains yesterday.
Lake Aire Campground in Hollywood, SC (Charleston), (GPS: 32.7770639,-80.1476788


Tuesday: (04/09) I made ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch. We had leftovers for breakfast. Then we were off for the day. We headed out to the only Tea farm in the North America, the Charleston Tea Plantation. We toured the factory and sampled the teas and looked at the trees. The rows in the field look a lot like a vineyard and the harvester looks like a cotton picker. Interesting to learn how it’s made and the differences in Black, oolong and green tea is only in the processing. We then visited the Firefly distillery. They make some interesting moonshine. Then we headed over to the Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. It is the oldest public gardens in the US (having opened in 1870) and the oldest tourist site in “low country”. The plantation has been owned by the same family since 1676. We had leftovers for dinner.

 

 The Magnolia Tea Plantation, the only tea plantation in the US. It has a porch just like all the Cracker Barrel restaurants.

  

 

 Possibly the only tea harvester in the US and likely a one of a kind.

 

The dog above is quite friendly and roams the tea plantation. He has evidently been taken before so they posted the sign to say he isn't lost.

 

The Magnolia Plantation.

 

Wednesday: (04/10) Oatmeal for breakfast. We drove up to downtown Charleston. We visited the City Market area and walked the streets looking at buildings and houses. They have some grand, big, old houses. We had lunch at IHOP. Dinner at Poogan's Smokehouse. We shared one very generous sandwich and some sides. The sky was mostly clear except for some cloud cover and lighting in the afternoon. We visited the St. Philip's Church. One of the best looking church buildings inside, that we've seen. Fortunately the pipe organist practiced playing the organ while we were there. I love the pipe organ sound.