Getting to Charleston and Where to Stay
So you've decided to come visit us for the wedding. Excellent! Unfortunately, getting here and staying here can be a little expensive. But, since this is a tourist destination, there are lots of places to stay.
There are some really good places to stay downtown, where you're close to everything, but those hotels tend to be a little on the expensive side. But on the other hand, you usually don't need to rent a car (and it's easier to get around downtown if you don't have one). Take advantage of the inexpensive DASH shuttlebus system to get around (50 cents/ride). Get away from downtown, and the hotels are significantly less expensive, but you'll also have to rent a car to get around. Take your pick. The main airport in Charleston is the Charleston International Airport (airport code CHS) located about 15-20 minutes north of downtown Charleston.
If you're going to fly here, we've managed to arrange a modest discount with US Airways. You can get a 5% discount on first class or the lowest published fare, and an additional 5% off if you make the reservation 60 days prior to travel. To get the discount, you need to call US Airways' Group and Meeting Reservation line at (877) 874 7687 and refer to Gold File Number 29621521. That part is important, because otherwise you won't be able to get the discount. There are a few airlines that fly to Charleston,
- US Airways
- Delta/ComAir Airlines
- Continental
- United Express
- Midway Airlines
Most flights to Charleston end up going through Atlanta GA, Charlotte NC, or Raleigh/Durham NC. Fortunately there are a growing number of direct flights to other major hubs, like Chicago and New York City.
If US Airways doesn't fly to where you're at, don't panic. I'm trying to see if I can arrange something with other airlines as well. In the meantime, call your favourite travel agent, or go to Travelocity and make your reservations.
If you're planning to drive, Charleston is located right on the coast at the end of Highway 26 East. Highway 17 also runs through Charleston as well. For detailed driving directions from where you are, I recommend consulting Mapquest. Your destination will be Charleston, SC, 29401. That will get you directions to the middle of downtown. Don't use it to get directions to our apartment though, or else you'll get lost. And forget about Expedia Maps. They don't even have our place. You'll be better off getting directions from us instead.
Charleston is a big tourist destination, thanks to the history and warm climate here. As a result, there are lots of hotels in the Charleton area to stay at. April and May are about the busiest times for the tourist season here though, so you'll probably have to call and make your reservations early. To make sure that most of you have a place to stay, we've managed to block off some rooms at a few hotels nearby. The rooms have been blocked off for Apr 19-22, 2001, since I figured people would be wanting to get back to work on Monday. Feel free to stay longer though, if you want to make a vacation out of the trip. Most of the rooms will accomodate up to 4 people, so I suggest getting together and sharing a room to make your stay more affordable. When you call to make reservations, tell them you want to reserve rooms for the Dixon/Mah wedding.
- Days Inn Historic Charleston
The Days Inn in Charleston's Historic District (155 Meeting St) is located right in the middle of downtown Charleston next to the historic Market Street area and a block away from shops on King Street. It's a 10 minute walk to the church, and just down the block from the reception site. I've been told it's been recently renovated, so it should be quite a nice place. A total of 15 rooms have been set aside at a nightly rate of $130 + 12% tax. To make reservations, call 843-722-8411. Make your reservations by Feb 19, 2001.
- Comfort Inn Riverview
The Comfort Inn Riverview (144 Bee St) is located on the west side of the Charleston penninsula near the Medical Center district. It's farther away from the church and reception site, but if you get sick, there's a hospital across the street. It has a great view of the Ashley River, one of the two rivers that forms the penninsula. There are 20 rooms set aside here, overlooking the city and the Ashley River. 10 of the rooms have two double beds, and 10 of the rooms have king sized beds. Rooms overlooking the city are $99 per night, and the river view rooms are $109 per night. To make reservations, call 843-577-2224. Make your reservations by March 19, 2001.
- Hampton Inn Patriot's Point
The Hampton Inn at Patriot's Point is located on the other side of the Charleston Penninsula in Mt. Pleasant. A short drive across the Cooper River Bridge gets you right into downtown Charleston. Take the Meeting Street exit off the bridge and follow it until you see all the tourists. 10 rooms have been set aside at $69 for the 19th, and $85 per night for the rest of the weekend.. Rooms have 2 double beds each. To make reservations, call 800-HAMPTON or 843-881-3300. Make your reservations by March 19, 2001.
You are of course free to choose other hotels in the area. One thing to be aware of is that April/May is a very busy time in the tourist season here, so hotel availability may be limited. Check out the Charleston links page for some suggestions on where to look.
If you want to stay longer, there are plenty of vacation house rentals available in the Charleston area. Most of them are right along the beach and make great vacation getaways. April is right around the end of the low season for rentals, so prices should be pretty reasonable. Most companies will rent for one week periods only and usually Sat-Sat or Sun-Sun, but call and see what they've got. If you choose this option, I recommend checking the ones in the Folly Beach area. Many of these vacation houses are right on the beach front, and it's a short 15 minute drive from downtown. Check out these companies:
- Folly Island Realty
- vacationrentals@follyislandrealty.com
19 Center St PO Box 946
Folly Beach, SC 29439
(843) 588 9653
- Fred P. Holland Realty
- fholland@charleston.net
50 Center St PO Box 270
Folly Beach, SC 29439
(843) 588 2325
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Eugene Mah - eugenem@ix.netcom.com
Last modified: Wed May 09 20:54:28 Eastern Daylight Time 2001