I apologize my site was having technical difficulties earlier today, and some were not able to access this site while others could not leave a comment. I am sorry! Looks like it’s been rectified…fingers crossed it stays that way!

Hi there, hope everyone had a fabulous and safe July 4th. We were at the beach (still are) and the weather despite a gloomy rainy stormy July 4th over the weekend was spectacular, couldn’t have been more beautiful! Well the southern goodness continues as I present my last post on the matter. If you missed my parts 1 and part 2, you might want to go back! From Charleston and Savannah we stopped in at Beaufort and Bluffton. Beaufort is utterly charming and I can see why so many movies have been filmed there and why it has been named as the #1 small coastal town to live in. There are the beautiful homes, lush old landscape, proximity to the water all enveloped in the most darling old fashioned feeling downtown. Really charming!

Bluffton is it’s artsier counterpart. It has a real artist vibe, a bunch of cute shops and some lovely homes as well. Then after Savannah we went to (and fell madly in love with) Palmetto Bluff. This might be the most beautiful community I have ever seen. AMAZING. I don’t think any pictures I took can truly convey just how spectacular it is, it is on about 20,000 acres and will ultimately have 400 homes. It has everything one could need, from it’s own town, world class equestrian center, boating center, shooting range, multiple gyms, tennis, nationally ranked golf course/club, and a major marina/yacht club is the works. I loved it so much that I am going back in Sept. with my husband and my brother in law and wife to look as a potential second home purchase down the road. Yes, it’s that amazing.

The Southern Living Idea House also happened to be in Palmetto Bluff and it was gawgeous!! I loved every single room and was basically ready to move right in:) Situated on a lake, decorated to lake house perfection…..it made me fall in love with Palmetto Bluff even more!

Then after Palmetto we went to Kiawah, I hadn’t been since I was a young adult, and didn’t have the appreciation for such things as I do now. Well again this was another spectacular place. Very much a resort, it is the kind of place I would love to go back to with my family. A beautiful combination of elegant seaside living with gracious southern hospitality…a winning combination!? I can see the draw for? families who go back year after year. There is once again, everything there, and it is also really beautiful.

On the final day back, we stopped briefly through Chapel Hill and Raleigh/Durham (great college towns) and indeed packed a lot of punch into our days, wouldn’t have had it any other way! It was like the ultimate road trip. Enjoy…..

 

A few highlights

Food– Ate really casual on this leg of our trip but by no means does that mean we did not enjoy every scrumptious bite, Shrimp Shack was described as being a hole in the wall but a must stop for shrimp lovers (that would be me)? The only thing fresher would have been to go into the ocean and get them yourself…sooo good! (near Beaufort) Jasmine Porch at Kiawah Resort, offers beautiful view so the Atlantic and great southern influenced food, great for lunch! The Pit (near Raleigh/Durham (if you like BBQ) you will be in heaven. Great southern cooking!

Hotels/resorts– Palmetto Bluff and Kiawah are true 5 stars in every sense of the word. Just amazing, cannot say enough.

Things to d0-Part of the fun of a road trip is just exploring along the way, loved touring through Beaufort and going to the Idea house at Palmetto Bluff, which is a must see. If you happen to be in that area, do go….so worth it! (runs through September) Visiting the plantations, Magnolia House and Middleton were a beautiful way to go back in time and wonder what it must have been like. The grounds are gorgeous and just walking where so much history took place was exhilarating.

 

So below some of our random highlights…

 

Visiting Magnolia Plantation

 

 

 

Driving en route to Savannah…..

 

A little from Bluffton and Beaufort…..

 

Arriving at Palmetto Bluff

Driving in and around and the Southern Living Idea house…..

 

Charming supermarket/gift shop…

 

This is their darling market

 

A few details on the model homes we first visited I liked (LOVED the gas lanterns everywhere)

 

 

This is the Southern Living Idea house….

The beautiful Kiawah resort……

 

 

As we were in the Raleigh/Durham area we were told we had to make a stop at the famous “The Pit”, known far and wide for their southern BBQ an since it felt sacrilegious to be in the south and not have experienced at least one BBQ, we happily obliged. It did not disappoint…good southern home cookin!

 

And upon arriving back to my sisters in Virginia, we drove out to the country the next morning where she took us to the most charming local farms to go blueberry/blackberry picking, it was such fun and a perfect way to round out a perfect trip!

And that my friends rounds out my travels as we went on our Southern road trip. It was just so much fun, I loved not having a real schedule or itinerary and just winging it, and somehow it all works out. It was one of those trips I wasn’t quite ready for it to end, but we all know, they do. We have a part 2 in mind where we will travel through Atlanta, Birmingham, Nashville, go to Blackberry Farm (always wanted to go) and eventually down to New Orleans. Maybe next year!
Thanks for stopping in and wanting to share my travels with me, if you are headed this way and have any questions feel free to drop me a line! Wishing you a fabulous day…..

Don’t forget I have an amazing current promotion going on right now with some incredible silver items….click here for the details. Until next time…….