Charleston is such a wonderful place to visit, in and of itself. There’s more than enough to do here without ever leaving… and you may not ever want to.
After all, the well-traveled readers of Travel + Leisure Magazine voted it the Best City in the United States, as I covered in that last blog.
That being said, there’s no shortage of terrific day trips you can easily take from here. It can be fun to break up a long vacation time, by using Charleston as a home base and spoking out a bit.
Here are a couple of my favorite short day trips from Charleston, SC. Both offer a bit of peace and quiet away from the bustle of the city.
The Angel Oak
This one isn’t far to go at all, just a few bridges and few islands away. But it feels like stepping back in time. Actually, it’s timeless, somehow managing to transcend time altogether - even though it’s a living witness to centuries of history.
Yes, it’s a tree. But that single word doesn’t do it justice, and you really have to visit it in person to understand what all the fuss is about.
Angel Oak is one of the most amazing living things I’ve ever seen, and it’s free and open to the public to enjoy. It’s also a historical landmark and one of the Lowcountry’s most beloved residents.
Located on Johns Island, it takes about an hour to drive there from the Isle of Palms, depending on traffic. The easiest route is to head southwest across the Ravenel Bridge, over the Charleston peninsula and the Ashley River to James Island, across the Wappoo Creek and then over the Stono River to Johns Island. For your GPS, it’s located at 3688 Angel Oak Road on Johns Island, SC 29455.
In recent years, Angel Oak was in peril. Developers were planning to tear down surrounding woods and construct a huge complex adjacent to it, endangering its root system and very existence. There was a massive rallying of the troops, as people from all walks of life banded together – from philanthropists to politicians to young school children – in an effort to preserve the land and the tree. Thankfully, they were successful. Not only was the development stopped, but they were able to purchase the land to create a new, larger park for generations to come. Design and construction are currently underway, with some world class landscape architects involved. Read more about it in this blog.
Insider’s Tip for Dinner…
Be sure to stop at Wild Olive - a terrific restaurant that puts a “cucina italiana” spin on fresh, local ingredients. Much of they serve is sourced from the Lowcountry or nearby. Wild Olive has one of those menus where everything on it is delicious, from the house-made rosemary focaccia to the Lobster Risotto to the Pan-Seared Triggerfish. Not only are they farm to table, but they’re also table to farm - composting and recycling 85% of the restaurant’s waste.
By the way, Wild Olive is brought to you by the same creative folks who are behind the Sullivan’s Island staple, The Obstinate Daughter. Wild Olive is only about six minutes away from Angel Oak, and you’ll pass it on your way back to Charleston.
Mepkin Abbey
About an hour in a different direction – north, this time – is another peaceful gem of the Lowcountry. It’s easily one of the most spiritual places in the Lowcountry.
I try to go to Mepkin Abbey as often as I can. Each time I do, I come away feeling a special kind of peace that passes all understanding.
Abbey is a Trappist monastery on the banks of the scenic Cooper River. For your GPS, it’s located at 1098 Mepkin Abbey Road in the town of Monck’s Corner. It’s a lovely country drive up Highway 41 from Mount Pleasant, which allows you to avoid the interstate.
The monks of Mepkin have the gift of hospitality, and they welcome visitors for the day, or even for a weekend or weeklong retreat. The Abbey has a wonderful chapel with services throughout the day, a library, and a great gift shop where I always find the best things, including local artisanal products, crafts, books and art.
Mepkin’s grounds and gardens are stunning. The famed publisher Henry Luce and his wife Clare Boothe Luce bought the land, which was originally the home of Henry Laurens, who succeeded John Hancock as president of the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence. You’ll spot his son, John Laurens, in the musical, “Hamilton.” The Luces and Laurens are all buried on the grounds.
In 1949, the Luces gave much of the land to 29 monks from Gethsemani Abbey in Kentucky, who then established Mepkin Abbey on the land. The monks live a life of simplicity, work and charity, supporting themselves by raising gourmet shiitake and oyster mushrooms that are sold in local stores and served by the best restaurants in Charleston.
Mepkin Abbey hosts numerous special events, including concerts and performances during the Spoleto Festival each May/June.
Their most beloved event is their annual Crèche Festival, around Thanksgiving and Advent. Mepkin has a massive collection of crèches, or nativity scenes - in all shapes and sizes, from the head of a pin to life-sized, in all different media and from countries across the planet. Each year they display a large number of them to the public. Over 80 volunteers help out, transforming the library into a forest-like setting that makes an enchanting backdrop for the nativities, or situating them outdoors all over the grounds.
It’s grown in popularity and now hosts several thousand visitors per year. There is no charge, but you must reserve a spot in advance. The dates for 2024’s Crèche Festival are Nov. 18th - 23rd and Nov. 29th - Dec. 7th.
Insider’s Tip for Lunch…
Pack a picnic. There are benches overlooking the Cooper River. Just drive under the magestic live oaks dripping with Spanish moss and follow the signs. You can also take a stroll down a special path and trail to visit the site of the Laurens family’s final resting place.
These two places are easy day trips from Charleston, SC, but they feel like a world away.
All best,
Lowcountry Lisa
your Isle of Palms vacation blogger