Charleston and Last Days at Kiawah

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Brush Strokes from Kiawah

It took exactly one hour to drive the 21+ miles (around 34 km) from Kiawah Island to the point in Charleston where King Street ends at the edge of the water passing through the business district. This historical section of the city in the proximity of White Point Park is still a fair representation of what the town used to look when it was named Charles Town and the U.S.A. was still a British colony during the second half of the 18th Century. There is an evident pride by the owners of the properties in the area to preserve each house as it was originally built. At the edge of the water beyond Murray Boulevard and East Battery Street, there is an elevated walkway that allows nice views of both the harbor and the period houses across the street.

When my family and I arrived, we joined a sizable crowd of people promenading in the area. Many of them were part of large tour groups delivered every so often by coaches. Some other visitors were simply riding in one or two-horse carriages whose driver was also a tour guide who was constantly explaining to the passengers the facts about this or that other house in the tour route. Even without a formal tour guide of Charleston, it is possible to learn about its history from the plaques in front of many of the properties that describe when they were built, who owned them, and notable events associated with them.

We stayed in the area around a couple of hours, and after we had a little break sampling a local brew at one of the pubs on Broad Street, we drove back to our island base.

The rest of our stay at Kiawah was punctuated by frequent rain, but even with the rain, we enjoyed exploring the island’s marshes, ponds, and its 10 miles of beach. If you have patience, it is always possible to see the wildlife almost everywhere you go on the island.

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Photos

Palm Frond
These palms are ubiquitous in Kiawah's underbrush

Carriage Tour
Many visitors prefer to see Charleston in this more traditional way