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Routes · Americas

London to the US Lowcountry: Charleston and Savannah

London → Charleston → Savannah

Forsyth Park
"Forsyth_fountain_2019.jpeg" by Seasider53, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

Antebellum squares, oaks & Gullah culture Best season (general guide): Mar–May, Oct–Nov

The Lowcountry of South Carolina and Georgia is a region of marshes, old port cities and a strong food tradition. This route spends three nights in Charleston and three in Savannah. From London you'll fly to Charleston, usually with a connection. In Charleston's historic district, walk past the pastel houses on Rainbow Row, church spires and gas lamps. Take the boat across the harbour to Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the American Civil War were fired in 1861.

How to pace it: Spend days one to three in Charleston: day one, Rainbow Row; day two, Fort Sumter boat; day three, plantation or Gullah heritage tour. Then spend days four to six in Savannah: day four, drive to Savannah; day five, the squares and Forsyth Park; day six, Bonaventure Cemetery.

The Gullah people, descendants of enslaved Africans on the coast, have their own language and culture, and heritage tours and some plantations tell their story honestly. Lowcountry dishes such as shrimp and grits are served all over town. In Savannah, walk the grid of squares the city was laid out around, many still shaded by live oaks draped with Spanish moss. Stroll in Forsyth Park, with its fountain.

Bonaventure Cemetery, outside the centre, has sculptures among oaks and is one of the most atmospheric places in the South. Summers are hot and humid, and hurricanes are possible from June to November. In Charleston, a walking tour helps to make sense of the city's history, including its role in the slave trade. In Savannah, the squares are best explored slowly, on foot, stopping on benches in the shade. Leave time for Lowcountry seafood.

In both cities, evenings are cooler for walks.

Practical notes: a car is easiest between the cities, but both centres are walkable. Book popular restaurants ahead. In summer, plan walks for morning and evening.

If you have a car, the marsh roads between the two cities pass small towns and wetlands that are worth a stop, especially near sunset.

Safety: this is a domestic US trip with no State Department advisory.

Suggested outline

  1. London

    Start

  2. Charleston

    By air · 3 nights suggested

    Rainbow Row, Fort Sumter and Lowcountry food.

    Rainbow Row
    "Rainbow Row from northern end.jpg" by Ymblanter, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

  3. Savannah

    Overland · 3 nights suggested

    A grid of leafy squares under live oaks and Spanish moss.

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Charleston — Arrive; Rainbow Row· London → Charleston (by air) — long-haul; may arrive the next calendar day
  2. Day 2 · Charleston — Fort Sumter boat
  3. Day 3 · Charleston — Plantation or Gullah heritage tour
  4. Day 4 · Savannah — Drive to Savannah· Charleston → Savannah (overland)
  5. Day 5 · Savannah — The squares and Forsyth Park
  6. Day 6 · Savannah — Bonaventure Cemetery
  7. Day 7 · Savannah — Travel home from Savannah· Savannah → London (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

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Charleston

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Savannah

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