Shirley, Savannah, and a Spectacular Beach

Magnet #16

Folks are always asking me, “Do you have any good ideas for spring break?”

If you want a fun getaway east of the Mississippi, I have two great destinations in mind with a short side trip to stretch your legs.

In April, 2012, for Henrik’s last high school spring break, we embarked on a driving trip that included exploring the coasts of South Carolina and Georgia. To get there, we decided to forge into the heart of Virginia.

Virginia is a beautiful state. Many historical figures have come from Virginia including: George Washington, Patrick Henry,Thomas Jefferson and more recently, one of my favorite relatives, my “Aunt Jean” (Matthews). When I told her we were driving near her birthplace of Richmond, Virginia, she suggested we stop at Shirley Plantation. Not having heard of it before, she explained that she played there as a girl. Intrigued, I looked to see if stopping at Shirley could be incorporated into our day's drive. It turned out to be an easy detour well worth the stop.

Shirley Plantation is the oldest plantation in Virginia, dating back to 1614. It is still noted to be the oldest family business in America today. Though the original buildings are gone, the “great house” that still stands was built in 1723. When you turn onto the driveway from the main road, you can easily imagine what it must have been like to approach by horse and buggy three hundred years ago.

Our tour of the house and grounds was fascinating. The 11th and 12th generations of the Hill-Carter family are direct descendants of the original land owner, Sir Thomas West. Yes, the plantation’s story does include unpleasant pieces of history. However, Shirley should be visited as an active living history landmark giving you a multidimensional snapshot of the earliest days of American life. Shirley is located in Charles City, Virginia off of scenic route 5, north of the James River between Richmond and Williamsburg.

Our next stop? Hilton Head, South Carolina…. an incredibly beautiful island worth visiting. Conde Nast and Travel and Leisure recently billed Hilton Head as the most beautiful island in the continental United States. And we saw why immediately.

Using the internet, I found a real treasure when trying to book a hotel for our two night stay; the Omni Island Resort. See for yourself online why this beach complex is so highly rated. Yes, the resort’s rates are on the expensive side, but worth every penny! I do believe I had the best facial ever at the onsite spa. The beach is stunningly beautiful, the pools are great and the hot tubs are “HOT”! Not meaning to sound like a glib advertisement, I can say we left “relaxed and refreshed”. If you have a choice of places on Hilton Head, I can say with confidence you can’t go wrong at the Omni. We returned five years later for a family wedding and had the same, if not better experience.

While in the area, we took a day trip to Savannah, Georgia. Because we were pinched for time, we took the Trolley Tour. As a passenger on the vintage looking mobile, you will find yourself zipping around the small city; your head turning from left to right trying to take in the plethora of gorgeous homes and landscaping. Our visit was so short, I can’t say much about Savannah except— STAY LONGER! It’s a lovely city with gardens, homes, and a vibe that screams southern charm.

magnet #17

Two months later, I found myself on a plane, its destination to one of the most incredible places on earth. This next trip was chock full of beauty, excitement, adventure, and just enough danger to make me wonder if I had made a very poor judgment call.

This short blog is perfect for adding your own recommendations for Hilton Head, Savannah, and surrounding areas. If you would like to post suggestions of where to visit, stay, dine, please feel free to post on the comment or forum page. Moving forward, you become eligible to win a gorgeous leather weekender bag handmade on the island of Crete if you subscribe, make a comment, or offer your own recommendations at any of the destinations I write about. The drawing will be held in November 2023, so you have plenty of time. I look forward to hearing from you!