Georgetown Harbor
Hi y’all,
As promised, I am back to write about my favorite place, the South Carolina Lowcountry. This particular corner of the Lowcountry is my favorite since it is my hometown. If you read my story, The Sanctuary, or checked out my last post, you already know that the lowcountry is a geographical and cultural region along the South Carolina coast. Just as a reminder, this region is defined by three areas: Georgetown area, Charleston area, and Beaufort area.
Georgetown Area
I have lived here all my life and boy has it changed since I was a kid. There used to be nothing out on Winyah Bay but old fishing boats and shrimp trawlers. But nowadays sleek boats and yachts are seen more frequently than fishing boats. Georgetown is situated on the Atlantic Ocean where the Waccamaw, Black, Sampit, and Pee Dee Rivers meet to form Winyah Bay.
Hampton Plantation
Georgetown is the third oldest port in the state and is becoming one of the fastest-growing towns in South Carolina. Old warehouses have been converted into restaurants and shopping forums. Impressive housing developments are popping up at an increasing rate. The first thing that visitors from either the highway or waterway see is our Historic District. Visitors can learn more about it by taking a trolley tour or a boat tour. I think the best views are from a boat. I recommend a plantation river cruise, but there are also narrated sunset cruises around the harbor, lighthouse shelling and dolphin cruises, and a fun-filled excursion aboard a mock pirate ship. Regardless of the vessel and type of excursion, the scenic vistas remain the same–spectacular. So sit back and enjoy the cool breeze, shorebird sightings, majestic waterfront homes, and pods of dolphins. Additionally, we have lots of museums (mostly on Front Street), such as Georgetown Museum, Kaminski House Museum, SC Maritime Museum, and the Rice Museum. Two things I think are a ‘must’ are a tour of Hampton Plantation Historic Site (mentioned in my book and haunted too!) and a ghost walk. Georgetown is home to lots of ghosts!
FYI: Georgetown is thirty-six miles south of Myrtle Beach and sixty miles north of Charleston.
Lodging… the accommodations in Georgetown are quite nice and reasonably-priced, but not luxurious. I think the best options are:
Hampton Inn (420 Marina Drive, on the waterway)
Baymont Inn & Suites (120 Church Street, near marina)
Quality Inn & Suites (210 N. Church Street)
Shaw House B & B (613 Cypress Street)
Mansfield Plantation (1776 Mansfield Road)
But if you are looking for something really upscale you can go up the road to Litchfield Resort.
Restaurants…we’re pretty much a ‘down home’ group, which means we like good food but don’t like to overpay or get gussied up just to eat a meal. My picks (just head to Front Street):
River Room, Front Street Deli, Reflections Grill, Rice Paddy, Big Tuna Raw Bar , Kudzo Bakery and Sweeties Sweets, Pralines, Toffee & Homemade Ice Cream (I love their pralines!)
Well, that’s all for now. I hope you get a chance to visit Georgetown. It’s a lovely place. I’ll be back soon to talk about Charleston.
Lydia
A great publication dedicated to all things lowcountry is the Lowcountry Companion. www.lowcountrycompanion.com
Great sources for tourism information include: www.tripadvisor.com, www.visitgeorge.com, and www.discoversouthcarolina.com
Recommended reading:
