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Ft Jackson, SC. What to see?

T

T Bone

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Next month we are going to Ft Jackson, SC for our son's graduation from Army Basic Combat Training.

We've never been to that part of the country and plan to spend a few days there.

Anyone have recommendations of places to see and places to eat?
 
Just kidding, when I graduated my dad and I drove over to Charleston and took in the sights. I never got a chance to explore what's around Columbia.
 
Wilmington is a charming town near there. Similar feel as Charleston but closer and less touristy. The USS North Carolina is there as a floating museum. Elijah’s is a great waterfront spot.

Also, hire a sailing tour at Cape Fear, lots to see and a great day on the water. Southport has several operators.
 
Columbia is a college town. It is "ok" but NOTHING to write home about. Charleston on the other hand is great. Fort Sumter, beautiful, walkable downtown with nice architecture. Eat at Hyman's. Drive out to Folley Beach, it is pretty nice for the Atlantic coast. You can rent kayaks and paddle around the salt flats on the way out there as well.
 
Crawdads and Gumbo with a cold one~Congrats to your son(.USCG Ret.) dirtclod AZ.
Give Em' hell! Hunt hard ,shoot straight,apologize to NO ONE... AND hunt Az.
 
SFC B said:
Columbia is a college town. It is "ok" but NOTHING to write home about. Charleston on the other hand is great. Fort Sumter, beautiful, walkable downtown with nice architecture. Eat at Hyman's. Drive out to Folley Beach, it is pretty nice for the Atlantic coast. You can rent kayaks and paddle around the salt flats on the way out there as well.
Click to expand...

This is real solid advice, I would add the Citadel as a place to visit there as well! Savannah, GA is also a really cool town, just a little ways down the coast.
 
In my opinion, you're going to have to drive at least two hours from there to see anything worth seeing. Columbia isn't much to look at. Charleston will probably be your best bet if you want some good food (i.e. shrimp and grits), or see alot of history. Charlotte is north of there, but it's a busy place, and close to where I live.

Congratulations to your son!
 
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Charleston is your best bet, along the way to there is Orangeburg which has a great botanical garden and the azaleas will be in bloom next month so it should be pretty showy. In Charleston I wouldn't miss the Straw Market and numerous watering holes in the area. Go down to the Battery, see Rainbow Row, Ft. Sumpter and across the river is Patriot's Point with USS Yorktown and numerous other naval craft available to be toured. As previously mentioned is Folly Beach, kind of a low energy, funky beach community with some good restaurants, a pier and lots of beach. Go wade in the ocean, it's very therapeutic.

Headed West out of Cola it's not too far to the Smokies and just as you're getting into the mountains is the little town of Saluda, NC which has an old store with a lunch counter that shouldn't be missed. Go on from there to Asheville, NC where you'll start seeing Subaru's on the road with the rear ends plastered with treehugger and save the whales bumper stickers; lots of progressives, but some good little breweries and scenery among other things. If you get up that way don't miss a chance to drive part of the Blueridge Parkway to see what our old worn out mountains look like. There's also the Great Smoky Mountains National Park not too far West of Asheville. Any of these venues I've listed in capitals can be Googled and will give much more info than I could impart here.

Thank that young man from an old VNV.
 
Thanks for the suggestions!

Looks like we'll spend two days in Columbia/Ft Jackson for the parents day and graduation, then we'll be heading to Charleston for two additional days.

Genuinely looking forward to seeing my son and taking in the sights.
 
And he will be very excited to see you and have gotten through the first big milestone in his military career. Congratulation to your new SOLDIER from the Ol Sarge ;)
T Bone said:
Thanks for the suggestions!

Looks like we'll spend two days in Columbia/Ft Jackson for the parents day and graduation, then we'll be heading to Charleston for two additional days.

Genuinely looking forward to seeing my son and taking in the sights.
Click to expand...
 
Wish I could point you in the right direction, but the only time I spent around Fort Jackson was going to basic there, I was D co 161. Let me tell ya, I was ready to leave when I graduated, not that I had an option haha. Though I have heard good things about Charleston! Enjoy your trip and congrats to your son!
 
Good Korean food options but I couldn't point to one. I acquired the taste for be bim bap while stationed in Japan. Good stuff.
 
If you go to Charleston, definitely eat at Hyman's. My wife's uncle has a beach house on Isle of Palms and we were able to stay for a week. I took my wife to Hyman's for dinner one night while her uncle & aunt watched our boys. WOW! Everything about it was amazing. I'm not really a fan of grits but the grits we had there were absolutely amazing. It was quite a treat for this Montana boy.
 
Have a few more recommendations for you from my daughter who spends a lot of time in Charleston.

Dining: If you want a top notch restaurant experience go to HUSK for dinner, but it is a bit pricey. Recently voted "Best restaurant in SC" by Southern Living Magazine. Daughter says it's best to go for lunch or brunch and choose the bar which has a limited menu but is priced better.

For seafood go to the Darling Oyster Bar.

For SC style BBQ go to Rodney Scott's BBQ.

For a more Texas style BBQ go to Lewis'.

For the best burger in the South go to Little Jack's Tavern.

Another point of interest is an extremely large live oak on John's Island not far out of town called the Angel Tree; very impressive, trunk is 28 feet in diameter.

I tried to attach a link but it's a no go. You can Google Angel Tree Oak Charleston if interested
 
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