Bike Tour of Charleston, South Carolina's Lowcountry

We meet at mid-day at the lovely Rhett House Inn in the heart of the historic district.  After orientation and bicycle fittings, we'll pedal Beaufort's lovely neighborhoods where quiet streets between stately antebellum homes and Live Oaks draped with Spanish moss give us our first taste of South Carolina's charms.  Pedal the Spanish Moss Trail, Beaufort's outstanding new rail trail.  You'll learn about Beaufort's and South Carolina's colorful history before biking back to the inn.  We relax before dinner as a group this evening, where we'll experience our first taste of the savory Lowcountry cuisine for which the area has become famous.

After breakfast at the inn, we enjoy some of the best biking along the South Carolina coast. Early in the ride, we pass by the Penn Center on St. Helena Island, the school established in 1862 to educate freed slaves. Just down the road, stop to see the ruins of a "Chapel of Ease," a small chapel built during the plantation era so that wealthy plantation owners could attend church without traveling to the mainland.

We picnic at Hunting Island State Park where opportunities abound to walk isolated sandy beaches, bike the enchanting park roads under at tropical tree canopy and climb the historic Hunting Island Lighthouse for a fantastic view of the SC coast.  We'll have a picnic lunch in the shadow of the lighthouse before returning to Beaufort to savor the soft sea breezes along the waterfront park. Dinner is on your own this evening, with numerous good options within walking distance.  

After breakfast, we'll shuttle and caravan north, commencing our bike ride on remote country back roads near old plantations and cypress swamps. Most of the ride is on exceptionally quiet roads lined with live oaks. We pedal near sites that have been the setting or inspiration of award winning movies such as Forest Gump, Prince of Tides, The Big Chill and countless others.  

We'll then shuttle the rest of the way to downtown Charleston, one of the most charming waterfront towns you'll ever see. Home base for the next three nights will be the Ansonborough Inn, a beautifully-appointed, all-suite inn centrally located near the Market and Aquarium Wharf in the midst of the historic downtown. Dinner is as a group this evening at one of Charleston's famous restaurants.

Today is a flexible day for you to explore Charleston in the way you see fit.  Included in your tour price is a narrated one hour carriage tour of downtown Charleston.  This is absolutely the best way to soak up a combination of history,  architecture and the overal beauty of the "Holy City."   Afterward, join us on a ride that features the thrilling bike path over the Arthur Ravenel Bridge. Completed in 2005, this beautiful structure over the Cooper River dominates the Charleston skyline.  From there, explore downtown Charleston on bike or foot on a self-guided tour.  Visit the Citadel, Magnolia Cemetery and the College of Charleston at your own pace.  Riders looking for more miles can explore Sullivan's Island, home to the oldest beach resort in the area.  At its point is Fort Moultrie where you can learn about three centuries of coastal military history.  The Fort defended Charleston's harbor from the Revolutionary War through WW II.   Contiune the ride onto Isle of Palms the next island to the north, connected by bridge across the always scenic Breach Inlet.  

Today finds us on one of the loveliest sea islands in South Carolina. We pedal our way through the shady island back roads under arching live oaks full of Spanish moss. We visit the Angel Oak, a live oak believed by many to be over 1500 years old. Our side routes today offer brief glimpses of the salt marshes which define the coastal Lowcountry landscape. We will have a picnic lunch today at America's only tea farm, and afterwards enjoy a narrated tour of the factory and tea garden grounds.

Our last day includes a meandering route near the rural community of Ravenel.  Numerous water views grace the route, as well as hobby farms with exotic animals.  After the ride we will finish the commute back to the hotel for showers, lunch and departure.  A shuttle to the Charleston airport will be available.