Road Scholar : Home
Historic Charleston: A Gem of a City

Program Number: 1922RJ
Start and End Dates:
3/24/2013 - 3/29/2013; 9/15/2013 - 9/20/2013; 9/22/2013 - 9/27/2013; 10/6/2013 - 10/11/2013; 11/3/2013 - 11/8/2013;
Duration: 5 nights
Location: Charleston, South Carolina
Price starting at: $928.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: History & Culture
Meals: 13; 5 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 4 Dinners    

Charleston is one of America's finest historical, cultural and architectural jewels, filled with historic homes, lovely gardens and cobblestone streets and radiating with the perfume of magnolia blossoms, tea olives, wisteria and flowering almonds. From the churchyards where lay the great men and woman who settled Carolina and founded early America to the distinct Gullah-Geechie culture that influenced early African-American leaders, artists, writers and musicians, learn how Charleston’s early history of slave plantations and rice cultivation shaped its economy and lifestyle. Through Southern art, literature and music, come to understand how religious and ethnic diversity contributed to the city’s character.




Highlights

• Discover the Battery and delve into the city’s history with local authors and journalists.
• Visit the campus of the historic College of Charleston and enjoy its lovely grounds.
• See Boone Hall Plantation, one of the oldest working plantations in America, and walk beneath the avenue of oaks as you uncover the truths of the slavery era.



Activity Particulars

Walking up to two miles per day, cobblestones and uneven sidewalks.




Date Specific Information

3-24-2013

Includes a visit to private Charleston gardens.



9-15-2013, 11-3-2013

Enjoy the latest in hearing technology — listening devices — on this date.



Coordinated by the College of Charleston.




Charleston (South Carolina)

Founded in 1670, Charleston is an old colonial city brimming with museums and historical attractions. In its early days, it was a cosmopolitan trading center whose wealth is on display today in the well-preserved architecture and cultural institutions. Picturesque tree-lined streets and a lovely coastline make it a tourist Mecca.
Accommodations
Historic hotel in the heart of Charleston.
Meals and Lodgings
   Francis Marion Hotel
  Charleston, SC 5 nights
 Francis Marion Hotel
Type: Full Service Hotel
  Contact info: 387 King Street
Charleston, SC 29403 USA
phone: 843-722-0600
web: www.francismarioncharleston.com
  Room amenities: Coffee and tea
  Smoking allowed: Yes
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior:  Participants are individually responsible for possible room availablility before or after programs. Participant rate not available.
  Check in time: 4:00 PM
  Additional nights after:  Participants are individually responsible for possible room availablility before or after programs. Participant rate not available.
  Check out time: 12:00 PM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
Check in time is 4 p.m. in hotel lobby. You will be staying at Francis Marion Hotel that night.
  End of Program:
Program ends at noon. Check out time is 12 p.m. You will be staying at Francis Marion Hotel the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required.
  Parking availability:
$16 per day (subject to increase)in public garage $17 per day -hotel valet parking RV parking not available FREE parking with handicap decal
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Charleston, SC
  Nearest highway: I-26
  Nearest airport:  Charleston International Airport, approximately 15 miles away.
  From End of Program
  Location: Charleston, SC
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
Travel Details
 

Charleston

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Taxi
Yellow Cab
phone: 843-577-6565

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

Approx. $30.
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

approx. 30 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

approx. 10 miles
   

Commercial shuttles available
 

Both to and from airport, train station

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
DBH Limo
phone: 843-303-4761
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$60 for town car; $75 for excursion each way
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

available 24 hours as long as reservations made in advance 
 

Distance:

 

15 miles
   

Contact David Hardwick Accept all major credit cards. Do not accept checks Highly recommend
 

Charleston International and Amtrak

 

To Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Taxi
Absolute Charleston Airport
phone: 843-571-7554
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$30 for 1 or 2 people, $15 for each additional person
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

all hours flight 
 

Distance:

 

15 miles
   

Service to and from Charleston International Airport and Amtrack Train Station
 

Metro Limo Taxi

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Taxi
Metro Limo Taxi
phone: 843-572-5083
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$30 for 1 or 2 passenger
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

service for any flight out of Charleston International or visitors via Amtrak 
 

Distance:

 

15 miles
   

Mr. McFadden is the person to contact. Accept all credit cards but there is a $5 process fee. Reservations in advance
 

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Public Transportation
CARTA
phone: 843-724-7420

 

Travel Time:

 

Hourly 
 

Distance:

 

approx. 10 miles
   

CARTA terminal downtown is approx. 2 blocks from the hotel
 

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle

 

Distance:

 

approx. 10 miles
 
Driving Directions
  East From I-26 Headed East: Travel on I-26 to the end ( Meeting Street Exit. DO NOT TAKE NORTH MEETING STREET EXIT). Stay on Meeting Street in the right hand lane for .6 miles. Pass the Charleston Visitor's Center on the right and turn right at the light (John Street). Take John Street one block to King Street and turn left on King Street. The Francis Marion Hotel is on the right and Marion Square Park on the left. The Marion Square Parking Garage is adjacent, but not connected to the hotel on King with Parking $14 per day, Valet Parking $19 per day. Nearby St Philips Street,George Street and Wentworth Street Garages have hourly rates. All parking fees subject to increase. FREE parking with handicap decal.
  North From US HWY 17 Headed North: Follow HWY 17 North (Savannah Hwy) and cross the Ashley River Bridge onto the peninsula. Immediately get in the right hand lane. Hwy 17 forks sharply to the left BUT STAY IN RIGHT HAND AND ONTO CANNON STREET. Continue straight on Cannon Street. Stay on Cannon Street until it ends at King Street. Turn right onto King Street. The Francis Marion Hotel is approximately 6 blocks farther on the right, with Marion Square Park on the left. The Marion Square Parking Garage is adjacent, but not connected to the hotel on King with Parking $14 per day,Valet Parking $19 per day. Nearby St Philips Street ,George Street and Wentworth Street Garages have hourly rates. All parking fees subject to increase. FREE parking with handicap decal.
  South From US Hwy 17 Headed South: Follow HWY 17 (Johhny Dodds Blvd.) South through Mount Pleasant and cross the new Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. Stay in the right hand lane and take the Meeting Street Exit. At the traffic light turn left onto Meeting Street. Stay on Meeting Street in the right hand lane for .6 miles. Pass the Charleston Visitor's Center and turn right at the light (John Street). Take John Street one block to King Street and turn left on King Street. The Francis Marion Hotel is on the right and Marion Square Park on the left. The Marion Square Parking Garage is adjacent, but not connected to the hotel on King with Parking $14 per day,Valet Parking $19 per day. Nearby St Philips Street, George Street and Wentworth Street Garages have hourly rates. All parking fees subject to increase. FREE parking with handicap decal.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Arrival & Check-in, Registration & Orientation, Welcome!
(Sunday, March 24)
   
 Afternoon: HOTEL CHECK-IN: From 4:00pm. After checking in register with the Road Scholar staff in the hotel lobby. We’ll depart from the hotel lobby at 5:00pm and walk approximately 3 blocks to the Education Center at the College of Charleston for a welcome reception, light evening meal, and orientation session.
 Dinner: Enjoy a catered light meal while getting to know one another.
 Evening: ORIENTATION: After dinner, staff will provide an overview of the program ahead. We'll review the up-to-date schedule, roles and responsibilities, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, any other administrative issues, and answer your questions. You’re about to embark on a very special learning adventure in one of America’s most historic and beautiful cities. The goal of the program is to gain an appreciation of Charleston’s extraordinary history, rich culture, and charm. You’ll be guided by experts in their respective fields. NOTE: Please be aware that local circumstances may require adjusting program elements. In the event of changes, we will notify you as quickly as possible and appreciate your understanding
   
Accommodations: Francis Marion Hotel
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Charleston’s History, Historic District Field Trip, Evening Program at the College
(Monday, March 25)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast each morning at the College of Charleston dining hall approx. 3 blocks from the hotel and across the street from classroom. Breakfast items vary but typically include choices such as scrambled eggs, omelettes, quiche, grits, biscuits, pancakes, bacon. You'll appreciate our walks to burn off some of those calories!
 Morning: Mr. Harlan Greene leads his audience through the settlement of Charles Towne into two wars fought at home, reconstruction, fires, and numerous natural disasters. He discusses the past politics which make Charleston the unique city it is today.
 Lunch: College of Charleston dining hall. Lunch items typically include a choice of soups, salad fixings, sandwiches, pasta, pizzas, and side dishes; also vegetarian options.
 Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: We’ll meet our guides in the hotel lobby and board the motorcoach for a field trip to the historic district. We’ll disembark at several stops and walk to see and learn about key sites such as Four Corners of Law, City Hall, and the Battery. The field trip will conclude at approximately 4:30pm with a return to the hotel.
 Dinner: College of Charleston dining hall. Dinner offers a variety of soups, salads and hot entrees; also vegetarian options.
 Evening: EXTRACURRICULAR: Visit the College’s unique Communication Museum for a special tour and lecture. A College performance may be available; staff will advise.
   
Accommodations: Francis Marion Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Charleston Architecture, Keeping Charleston "Charleston", Campus Excursion, Historic Site of Your Choice, Southern Cuisine
(Tuesday, March 26)
   
 Breakfast: College of Charleston's dining hall.
 Morning: PRESENTATION: Charleston is recognized as one of the most beautiful cities in the world due to it's beautiful homes and stately buildings. Learn about Charleston's unique "Single House". PRESENTATION: Keeping Charleston “Charleston". A journalist and preservation advocate will discuss the challenges facing this historic city as it enters a new era.
 Lunch: College of Charleston dining hall.
 Afternoon: EXCURSION: We’ll have a guided walk through the beautiful College of Charleston campus. Founded in 1770, the College is situated in the heart of the city and is renowned for quality education, student life, and affordability. The campus is a noted arboretum and has a number of significant historic structures. EXCURSION: You will receive a ticket (included in the program price) that gives you admission to one of three historic venues of your choice. Program staff will offer directions. The Charleston Museum was founded in 1773 and is regarded as America’s first museum. Special collections are available. In addition to its regular exhibits including an overview of Charleston’s rice cultivation and a collection of Charleston silver. The Heyward-Washington House was built in 1772 by rice planter Daniel Heyward. The City rented it for President George Washington's “Southern Tour” in 1791. There is a magnificent collection of Charleston-made furniture along with a traditional outbuilding and gardens. The Joseph Manigault House, situated near the Museum, built in 1803, is one of Charleston’s most elegant historic homes — a three-story Adam-style (Federal) architecture. The house is a fine example of a country estate originally located outside the city walls.
 Dinner: Gather together with new friends for a buffet dinner.
 Evening: PRESENTATION: Southern Cuisine. You will have a good time learning what makes Southern cooking and cuisine so special and distinctive, and finally understand the difference between grits and hominy.
   
Accommodations: Francis Marion Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Boone Hall Plantation Field Trip, Lunch at Gullah Restaurant, Free Afternoon & Evening to explore on Your Own
(Wednesday, March 27)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.
 Morning: FIELD TRIP: Assemble in the hotel lobby and depart by motorcoach to Boone Hall Plantation via the spectacular Ravenel Bridge. “America’s Most Photographed Plantation” is famous for its half-mile of Spanish moss-draped live oaks. Nine refurbished slave cabins (c. 1743) offer an insightful history into plantation slave life
 Lunch: Lunch is at a Gullah Restaurant where you will sample true southern cooking.
 Afternoon: FREE AFTERNOON: Prior to returning to the hotel for your afternoon excursions, the motorcoach will stop at Liberty Square for those wishing to visit Fort Sumter during their free time. FREE AFTERNOON FOR OTHERS: This is an opportunity to pursue more of your own personal interests. You may choose to visit historic houses such as the Aiken-Rhett House, Nathaniel Russell House, or some of the city’s many museums and churches. Or, you may wish to take a trip to one of the other nearby plantations such as Drayton Hall, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, or Middleton Place. The program staff will provide directions to the site of your choice.
 Dinner: Dinner is on your own to continue savoring your favorite flavors of Charleston.
 Evening: FREE EVENING: Program staff will let you know about local events, if available.
   
Accommodations: Francis Marion Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5: Charleston's Urban Gardens; Black History & Gullah Culture, Farewell Reception and Dinner.
(Thursday, March 28)
   
 Breakfast: College of Charleston's dining hall.
 Morning: FIELD TRIP: Following breakfast, assemble in the hotel lobby to board bus to downtown area where local residents have graciously opened their private gardens for our viewing and appreciation. Guides with horticultural expertise will identify local plant species and explain the 'room’ concept of Charleston Gardens. NOTE: Extensive walking and standing on uneven terrain.
 Lunch: College of Charleston dining hall.
 Afternoon: PRESENTATION: After lunch, we’ll assemble in the hotel lobby and walk about 2 blocks to the Emanuel AME (African Methodist Episcopal) Church. Your lecturer, a guide and local historian, will present an overview of Charleston’s black history in his unique and entertaining style. You’ll have some free time after presentation for further exploration on your own or just to relax.
 Dinner: Farewell dinner at a fine local restaurant.
 Evening: Following dinner a chance to relax and recount the week's activities with your fellow participants.
   
Accommodations: Francis Marion Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Charleston Renaissance, Program Concludes
(Friday, March 29)
   
 Breakfast: College of Charleston's dining hall.
 Morning: PRESENTATION: Charleston Renaissance. In the 1920’s, artists, writers, and poets discovered America’s “best kept secret” - a colonial city steeped in the past. An insightful lecturer will illustrate how this influenced Charlestonians.
 Lunch: The program concludes before lunch. We hope you have enjoyed this enlightening and entertaining look at one of America’s most historic cities and that you will take away many fond memories. Best wishes for all your journeys!
   
Meals Included: Breakfast
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List


A Gullah Guide to Charleston: Walking Through Black History


Author: Alphonso Brown


Description: Mr. Brown, a local tour guide reflects upon the slave importation and colonization of Africans in the city of Charles Town. He follows their history and culture as the majority population, their influence upon the landscape and white society.



A Short History of Charleston


Author: Robert Rosen


AShort History of Charleston


Author: Robert Rosen


Architecture of Charleston


Author: Samuel Stoney


Black Majority- Negroes in Colonial South Carolina


Author: Peter Wood


Bombardment of Charleston, 1863-1865


Author: Chris W. Phelps


Charleston Architecture: 1670-1860


Author: Gene Wadell


Charleston Entertains -Season by Season


Author: Ann Copenhaver Cotton


Charleston Maritime History Heritage 1670-1865


Author: Priestly C. Coker


Charleston in the Age of the Pinckneys


Author: Mrs. St. Julien Ravenel


Charleston, A Gracious Heritage


Author: Robert Molloy


Charleston, Charleston, History of a Southern City


Author: Walter Fraser


Charleston, City of Memory


Author: N. Hand Isley and Harlan Green


Charleston, Come Hell or High Water


Author: Alice E. Levkoff and Robert N. S. Whitlaw


Charleston, Historic and Romantic


Author: Harriette Kershaw Leiding


Charleston: Crossroads of History


Author: Isabella Leland and Robert Rosen


Confederate Charleston: An Illustrated History of the City and the People During the Civil War


Author: Robert N. Rosen


Economic Beginnings in Colonial South Carolina


Author: Converse Clowse


Explorations in Jewish History


Author: Soloman Briebard


Description: History of the Charleston Jewish Families dating to the colonial settlement of the town.



Gardens of Historic Charleston


Author: James Cothran


Gateways and Doorways of Charleston, South Carolina in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries


Author: Elizabeth Curtis


Mellowed by Time


Author: Elizabeth O'Neil Verner


Mrs. Whaley and Her Charleston Garden


Author: William Baldwin and Emily Whaley


Patriots, Pistols, and Petticoats


Author: Walter Fraser


Plantations of the Lowcountry


Author: Samuel Stoney


Seizing the New Day: African Americans in Post-Civil War Charleston Charleston (Blacks in Diaspora)


Author: Wilbert Jenkins


South Carolina During Reconstruction


Author: Francis B. Simkins and Robert Woody


South Carolina as a Royal Province 1719-1776


Author: Roy W. Smith


Southern Interiors of Charleston South Carolina


Author: Samuel and Narcisaa Chamberlain


Sugar and Slaves


Author: Richard S. Dunn


The British Occupation of Charleston


Author: George S. McGowen


The Buildings of Charleston: A Guide to the City's Architecture


Author: Jonathan Poston


The Charleston Interior


Author: Jane N. Isley and J. Thomas Savage


The Charleston Story, Scenes from a City's History


Author: John Francis Marion


The Culture of Early Charleston


Author: Frederick P. Bowes


The Huegenot Connection


Author: R.N. Golden


The Secret Gardens of Charleston


Author: Louisa Cameron and Lauren Chambers


The Union Is Dissolved!(SC): Charleston and Fort Sumter in the Civil War


Author: Douglas W. Bostick


This Happy Land - Jews of Colonial and Antebellum Charleston


Author: James W. Hagy




You can't find a better value than Road Scholar.


As a not-for-profit organization, we are dedicated to providing all-inclusive educational programs at great value. From lectures to gratuities to field trips to accommodations - the tuition you pay up front is all that you pay.



Specifically, this program includes:

Plus these special experiences...

View the Daily Schedule to see more

And included with all Road Scholar programs:


© Road Scholar 2013 | Call toll-free: 1-800-454-5768