Charleston a future 'adventure' localeBy Brian Hicks (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Brad Nettles Alanna Mayernik, a native of Pittsburgh, rides a horse on a trail at Middleton Place on Monday. You don't need a national magazine — or a degree in rocket science — to know that Charleston is an outdoors kind of place. Just take a stroll on the Ravenel Bridge. "Look what happened to the bridge," said Frank Perkins, owner of Time Out Sports in Mount Pleasant. "They put in a sidewalk and bike path, and there are always people on it. We get a lot of people who come in here on vacation, and we sell a lot of kayaks, both to people from out of town and locals." Between the kayaking, the fishing, the surfing and the hiking, Perkins said, Charleston has a nice, diverse and thriving environment. Now our little secret is out. In the new issue of National Geographic Adventure magazine, Charleston is named one of "the fifty next great adventure towns" — one of five Southern cities in the east. The magazine refers to the Holy City as the "jock in the Southern belle set," and compliments the metro area on myriad outdoors activities. Ethan Fried, who does communications for the magazine, said that for the list, National Geographic Adventure selected "innovative towns that aren't just prime location spots now but also smart choices for the future." The magazine is especially impressed with Middleton Place. Earlier this year, National Geographic Traveler magazine put the Inn at Middleton Place on its "stay list" of eco-friendly hotels with great architecture and ambience. This time, National Geographic hails horseback riding at the inn, as well as kayaking the Ashley River and nature walks available at the Middleton Place Outdoor Center. Alanna Mayernik, a Pittsburgh native, rides at Middleton and said it is the Lowcountry environment that first lured her family here nearly two decades ago. "If you're going to go riding, you might as well go to one of the most beautiful places around," Mayernik said. "One of the things we like about the area is the outdoors." Of course, things have been heading in this direction for a while. Perkins said he sees a lot more people retiring here in part because they can find so many ways to spend their days outdoors, year-round. So if you think it's getting more crowded on the creeks, don't grouse — some people are real happy. Roger Warren, vice chairman of the board of governors for the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the designation is an honor. "Whether scouring historic forts, biking the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America or kitesurfing off our beautiful beaches, there are many adventures to be had in the Charleston area," Warren said. And now everybody knows it. Up and coming National Geographic Adventure magazine has named Charleston one of "the 50 next great adventure towns" in which to live and play. This is what they say: "Think of Charleston as the jock in the Southern belle set. With new offshore ecotours and surfing at nearby Folly Beach, the pretty city's outdoor action now matches its good looks. Locals kayak the Ashley River, horseback ride from the historic Inn at Middleton Place, or hike among cypresses." Population: 107,845 Median home price: $252,000 Other Southern cities that made the list: Chattanooga, Tenn.; Islamorada, Fla.; Charlottesville, Va.; Lenoir, N.C.; and Mobile, Ala. On the Web: For the full list, go to www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure. |
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Comments
This article has 18 comment(s)
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Posted by moonpie on August 12, 2008 at 6:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yeah just cover their windows when you drive them down town! Or take them on the JI connector. A dump but yes we do have these quality of life opportunities.I'm just sad the news is out.
Posted by newbattleaxe on August 12, 2008 at 7:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Moonpie & WPC,
AMEN!
Downtown Charleston is almost impossible March - October. Now, it will be.
Plus, all these tourists will be clogging up more than just downtown. They'll be on our rivers, on our hiking trails, driving 35mph up Highway 61,...
I just don't know how much longer I can be polite to some of these people!
Posted by blah_blah_blah on August 12, 2008 at 8:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Support Tourism, it Supports You.
Posted by MsPiggy on August 12, 2008 at 9:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Driving 35 MPH on Hwy 61...haha!! So true!!
My boyfriend lives in Summerville, so we've treked down 61 many times together. I always said that people just dont know where the hell they are going, which is why they drive so slow. They can't figure out if they wanted to go to Drayton Hall or Middleton Place. My car is too slow to pass people (97 Saturn) but his 07 Ion, whoo baby! I can fly past people on 61 and tell them to eat my dust! lol.
61 is the scariest road in Charleston to drive at night. I try to avoid it at all costs.
Posted by guidedbystewart on August 12, 2008 at 9:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Charleston is lucky enough to have the history and scenic beauty to become a major tourist destination. Yet, if tourist really bug you that much, you live in the wrong area, because the tourist are not going anywhere.
Posted by blah_blah_blah on August 12, 2008 at 9:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Damn this beautiful city for having too many fun things to do! LOL
Posted by hwilson48 on August 12, 2008 at 9:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
MsPiggy: Couldn't agree with you more. I can't even count the number of times I've been driving up 61 behind someone going to Middleton. They practically stop at EVERY possible entrance, even though there are signs that read "Middleton Place 1 mile", before they finally get to the right entrance. My husband works at Saturn, glad you're happy with your boyfriends dust-causing Ion!
Posted by bstairley on August 12, 2008 at 9:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe if the environment draws tourist dollars, the city will try to keep that environment cleaner. This state does not seem to worry too much about keeping the environment clean. You can log onto to www.scorecard.org and check on how some of our areas stack up.
Posted by hwilson48 on August 12, 2008 at 9:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
MsPiggy: Couldn't agree with you more. I can't even count the number of times I've been driving up 61 behind someone going to Middleton. They practically stop at EVERY possible entrance, even though there are signs that read "Middleton Place 1 mile". It's such a relief when they finally find the right one. My husband works at Saturn, glad you're happy with your boyfriend's dust-causing Ion!
Posted by hwilson48 on August 12, 2008 at 9:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
MsPiggy: Couldn't agree with you more. I can't even count the number of times I've been driving up 61 behind someone going to Middleton. They practically stop at EVERY possible entrance, even though there are signs that read "Middleton Place 1 mile". It's such a relief when they finally find the right one. My husband works at Saturn; glad you're happy with your boyfriend's dust-causing Ion!
Posted by ysillyme on August 12, 2008 at 10:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
blah_blah_blah~
"Support tourism, it supports you". Who are u trying to shyt? The wealthy tourism owners are the benefactors of tourist dollars, not the average taxpayer. Ask the service workers normally making close to min. wage. Our mayor, No. Chas. mayor, and Mt Pleasant's mayor aren't looking to decrease your taxes based on those yankee dollars; the real adventure is trying to figure out where all the revnues go now! There's the adventure ask pretty please to have the car tax paid anally (sp.) go away.
Posted by blah_blah_blah on August 12, 2008 at 11:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
ysillyme,
Ask the waitress who serves food to the tourist.
Ask the Carriage drivers who lead tours for the tourist.
Ask Shop Clerks in the Market who sells souvenirs to the tourist.
Ask the bartender, who serves drinks to the tourist.
Ask the park employees, who share this beautiful city to the tourists.
Ask the boat captains who take the tourist out fishing.
Ask yourself, if there was no one down here, would I still have a job? The majority of employees would say, no.
Quit whining about your taxes.
Posted by blah_blah_blah on August 12, 2008 at 11:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
or, go live in BFE Missouri, I am sure they don't have a lot of tourists!
Posted by STREETLAW on August 12, 2008 at 3:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's a lousy town. Tourist beware. We don't need any more traffic. The weather is terrible. Just ask Bill Walsh.
We don't need any more transplants. Go away. Stay away.
Posted by PalmettoDP on August 12, 2008 at 4:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't necessarily mind the tourists or even the people that decide to move here "from off". I do mind people who move here and constantly complain about how backwards it is - and want to change us for the worse.
Gadsden - You're right - Edisto is wonderful.
Posted by STREETLAW on August 12, 2008 at 5:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes tourist pay taxes. But it also leads to the need for a year round increase in public services and facilities that must be paid for when the tourist aren't here.
Let's ban tourist for five years and see if we are really any better or worst off. Excluding of course the people who profit from the tourist.
And another idea would be to do like the City of Charleston does at its golf course. They charge non-residents more to play golf than someone who lives in the city. So if someone cannot produce a valid SC drivers license, charge them 15% more for everything they buy, including gasoline, food, entertainment, and attractions.
Make that 30%.
Posted by rebcsc on August 12, 2008 at 6:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Whoah!!
... a lot of hostility here.
Charleston is a beautiful city frequently not appreciated by people who live here.
As far as Hwy. 61 traffic is concerned, a lot of those slow drivers have SC tags without any rental car company ID ... and you would think they never saw rain much less drove in it.
And Charleston weather ... go stay for a while in Columbia or somewhere in middle Georgia ... some city or town built in a river bottom. Then you'll appreciate the weather in Charleston.
I'm a "foreigner" from Georgia (not Atlanta, it doesn't count)who's lived here for nearly 30 years, not counting college. Everything's relative.
For those of you who resent the tourists, I can recommend a town of 2000 that's been developmentally dead for the past 150 years. You'll love it.
Where are all the people who give the South its reputation for hospitality and friendliness?
Posted by STREETLAW on August 12, 2008 at 7:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Roads in SC lowcountry were designed by idiots to be driven on by fools. Didn't you see me out there?
As to the SC tags, listen up. Half the people who live in the lowcountry, aren't from around here. And most of them would hold on to the tags in the states they came , thus avoiding paying higher property tax, if someone didn't turn them in.
Many of them come here for jobs in the medical and education fields because they can't keep a job or hold on to their certification where they use to live. This has got to be the worlds most desired destination for incompetents, whether it be doctors, nurses, cna's, teachers, or administrators.
If you don't believe that, you haven't been sick very much or tried to get a child educated here.
And no, they don't know how to drive either.