South Carolina

1. Charleston

This is such a historic town, and so worth visiting if you have a nerdy side like Mike and me! It's a little bit more geared towards retired folk than Savannah is, but just as pretty in a different sort of way. It's a shame my stupid northern roots spent most of the two days we had there complaining about how sticky and humid it was, because honestly it was lovely! Must sees include the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon. A half slab of ribs at Sticky Fingers (endorsed by Colbert himself, what a little bebe he is!) and the general downtown area of the city!
I would definitely choose to retire here over Florida any day!

2. The Jasmine Inn

Go to the Indigo Inn on Pinckney street and ask if they have any free rooms in the Jasmine House! If they do, and you get a walk-in discount, you'll feel like a Queen! We stayed in Carriage House 3 and our room faced directly on the perfect cobble stone courtyard lit up entirely with white Christmas lights at night! The big Southern balcony has rocking chairs that you can enjoy during the Inn's afternoon wine and cheese, and Fitzgerald really is the perfect thing to be reading while rocking yourself on a balcony on a midsummer's night in the deep South, sipping wine and fanning myself with an authentic old wooden fan!

3. Cypress Gardens

About 20 minutes outside of Charleston itself is Cypress Gardens. We were torn between that and a plantation called Magnolia (which boasted a petting zoo and the prettiest gardens in North America)! In the end we chose Cypress Gardens for the cheesy fact that you can rent a row boat and paddle through a bunch of cypress trees in a swamp like in The Little Mermaid and The Notebook! Lucky for us, the boats are free and at the Charleston visitor's center we got a coupon so that one of us was admitted to the Park for hald price!
I don't know if anyone else is quite as cheezy as Mike and I manage to be sometimes, but if you enjoy romantic cliches and feeling as though you're in a movie, then definitely check this place out! A gator spotting while you row through the swamp might be a bonus!

4. South of the Border

If you havn't been here, you aren't missing much! It's just about the tackiest place in the world and I had already expected it to be pretty junky (in a bad way!)
When you're taking the I-95 from North Carolina to South Carolina, or vice versa, you're bound to pass it and it's just about impossible to miss! Each Mile offers a new billboard with Pedro and his crazy sombrero offering up some new reason to stop in, well do it, if for no other reason to say you've been and to take some really cheesy touristy photos...but don't expect much. Pedro's antique mall and flea market have got two tables of DVD's from the 1990's onwards....and one table of old Tommy Hilfiger knock off clothing....but there are definitely some giant chickens you can take pictures with! So that's a bonus right?

I have to admit, I'm relieved to be heading North again. I was starting to think the heat might kill me. A whole bunch of bloggers have already started talking about Fall fashion, and I have to admit I'm right up there on that same page! I'm so giddy to be able to drink hot coffee again, and walk Lola down the street without sweating! I love apple picking and raking and all things that have to do with Fall, and I especially love dark browns and plaids which are all so geared towards the back to school period. I'm lucky that I found the greatest old leather back pack for my back to school this year! Photos will be posted I'm sure!

Next stop Maryland for a third mystery blogger meetup! I have a feeling a lot of you might know just who it will be!! :D