Charleston SC or Savanna GA? (3 Nights)

[Iggy]

OK my friends I need your assistance in deciding where to stop on the east coast on my way back to Arizona.
I will be visiting the east coast in Sept and Oct and I will be in Myrtle Beach for a few days then heading south to Jacksonville Florida to the Navy base there.


I probably will use Route 17 from Myrtle Beach south to this area.

The question I need answering is two fold.
1. Would I enjoy stopping in Charleston SC or Savannah Ga. for 3 nights.
Seafood and southern dishes will be a key factor.

2. Then the second part of the question is what is a good or even great private RV park I can enjoy my sweetened Ice Tea?


Thank you my friends.
Anyone care to join in?

[Crusadernoob]

We absolutely love Skidaway Island state park in Savannah, haven’t heard one negative thing about it

[BandJCarm]

My son lives in Savannah. We stayed in Charlotte, but AVOID Lake Aire campground. I almost got stuck there, plus lots of junky full timers. Oak Plantation was almost across the road, and looked good from the road. We stayed at Rivers End, but it's not on the way to anywhere, it's out at Tybee Island. LOTS of eateries in Savannah. Hunter Army Air Field has a campground for retired vets.

[Oaklevel]

Both are well worth visiting. Sept and Oct. are in the height of hurricane season so............. it is a toss up........


We will be in the Myrtle Beach area both in early Sept and late Oct.

[dalford]

There is a somewhat new campground off I-95 east of Savannah called CreekFire
https://www.creekfirerv.com. It is within Savannah by about 20 minutes. It is a new park so the trees are not mature and not any shade to speak of. The pool is nice and the sites are nice. We stayed in the back 40 by the lake.

Now while in Savannah you might try Belford’s (Belford's Seafood and Steaks - Savannah, GA, Restaurant) for lunch. Have their shrimp n grits or their fried chicken. Web sites looks a lot fancier than the place is. We have only had lunch here (several times).

Now a little more upscale but old school type of place where the regulars are known is Garibaldi Cafe (Garibaldi). We have only had dinner here.

We think Paula Deen’s son’s restaurant is over hyped but each to his own.

There is a campground on Tybee Island. Not much that we wanted to do in Tybee. We stayed there once. Park was friendly but it was pretty much a base and worked well for us. Still 20 minutes to Savannah.

You said private park but there is a state park called Skidaway Island. Nice shaded park. I’ve been to so many I don’t remember if it is FHU but you can research that if interested.

[A32Deuce]

If you like History and siteseeing, both city's are great to visit. Have been to both and will be going back one day.

[Jim34RL]

I have been to both cities. But, if I had to choose between them and I had too choose just one, it would be Charleston SC. Why? I think the city is cleaner and there is more things to do and see in Charleston SC. You can visit the USS Yorktown,USS Laffey DD-724 and the USS Clamagore SS-343 plus other exhibits at Patriots Point. There is also Fort Sumter to visit plus the old slave market down town. With a carriage ride of the old town of Charleston the history of the town is explained along with what transpires at Battery park at the start of the civil war.

Cuisine is excellent in both cities but with the old southern charm is more apparent in Charleston SC.

We stay at St James Island campground and drove into the city daily. One of the finest county parks I have every stayed in. We had full hook-ups, 50amps and a very long pull thru site.

[RCW]

Both cities have a lot to offer! If you decide on Savannah, I would stay at Skidaway.

[aceinspp]

Originally Posted by dalford

There is a somewhat new campground off I-95 east of Savannah called CreekFire
https://www.creekfirerv.com. It is within Savannah by about 20 minutes. It is a new park so the trees are not mature and not any shade to speak of. The pool is nice and the sites are nice. We stayed in the back 40 by the lake.

Now while in Savannah you might try Belford’s (Belford's Seafood and Steaks - Savannah, GA, Restaurant) for lunch. Have their shrimp n grits or their fried chicken. Web sites looks a lot fancier than the place is. We have only had lunch here (several times).

Now a little more upscale but old school type of place where the regulars are known is Garibaldi Cafe (Garibaldi). We have only had dinner here.

We think Paula Deen’s son’s restaurant is over hyped but each to his own.

There is a campground on Tybee Island. Not much that we wanted to do in Tybee. We stayed there once. Park was friendly but it was pretty much a base and worked well for us. Still 20 minutes to Savannah.

You said private park but there is a state park called Skidaway Island. Nice shaded park. I’ve been to so many I don’t remember if it is FHU but you can research that if interested.

X 2 on CreekFire cg resort. Lots to see as mentioned in Savannah. As for another cg ground stay on Tybee Island at Rivers Inn cg has been remodeled and really nice now. Neat things to see on the Island and not far to go to Savannah. Good sea food place to eat on the Island is Gerald's. They catch daily. A heads up is that most all restaurants on the Island do not serve fresh sea food. Also Joes crab shack on Island. Later RJD

[CaptnJohn]

We live close enough to visit both often. We both prefer Charleston. For C-ton we most often stay at the AFB but if not possible the KOA. Not a great fan of KOA but this one is nice.

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by CaptnJohn

We live close enough to visit both often. We both prefer Charleston. For C-ton we most often stay at the AFB but if not possible the KOA. Not a great fan of KOA but this one is nice.

Yes we are retired USAF and can enter the AFB. Thanks I will check the Famcamp.
Any other info?

[Jefrid]

As said previously both are worth a visit. If you have only one pass through this area, i would recommend 2 days in Charleston and one day in Savannah. We recently had a very nice but pricy meal at Husk in Charleston. Go early for a drink in the separate bar, a building straight out of the 18th century.

[rlh1957]

Creekfire RV just off I-95 at hwy 204 in Savannah.
Traveling US17 all the way to Jacksonville will take awhile... slower, towns and stops, but it's the America the interstates bypassed so if not pressed for time and you want to see what's left of rural America leave the interstates.
Creekfire has shuttle service into Savannah if you want to leave tow vehicle at campground. Great pool area, hit tub and pool for kids, private lake fire fishing, canoe & flat boat rentals.

[CampingGator]

Originally Posted by Jefrid

As said previously both are worth a visit. If you have only one pass through this area, i would recommend 2 days in Charleston and one day in Savannah. We recently had a very nice but pricy meal at Husk in Charleston. Go early for a drink in the separate bar, a building straight out of the 18th century.

I agree with Jefrid - two nights in Charleston and one in Savannah.

[randy1946]

A lot to be said about both cities but I would choose Savannah. Charleston is a larger city with more traffic. Savannah, not quite as much. Tons of places to eat, lots of things to do and see. I would recommend Creekfire although there is a KOA not far away. Couple of things I would suggest...in Midway go to the Cay Creek Nature walk. Free, handicap accessible, and takes you thru the swamp and into the marsh area. There’s a tower you can go up to see the area from above. Second, drive about 35 miles south to Eulonia and eat at Altman’s Restaurant. Friday and Saturday nights is the seafood buffet with filet mignon.
And finally, near Darien is the Altamaha River which is listed as one of the last 75 great places on earth. You can arrange a tour of the river which is well worth the price.

[F.R.O.G.]

Iggy, we've spent some time in both Charleston and Savannah, but our preference is Charleston.

As retired Air Force, you could use the Fam Camp at the Air Force Base in North Charleston. It's small, about 40 FHU spots and four W/E sites, but very highly rated. The runways are shared by AF and the civilian airport, so there will be a lot of commercial flights and well as the many C-17 takeoffs and landings, so expect some noise.

Our favorite park in the area is James Island County Park, where we hold the Holiday Festival of Lights Rally. It has 125 sites, all but about 6 are FHU. It's in the park, with lakes, six miles of paved hiking biking trails, fishing pier, store, shuttles to downtown if you don't want to drive. It's only about 15 minutes to downtown, and about the same to the Atlantic Ocean at Folly Beach.

If we're not there for a FROG event, we usually stay at Oak Plantation, on US 17 about twenty minutes south of downtown, because it's about a mile from our son's front door. It's clean, most sites spacious with a choice of shade or open to the sky, but a little bit pricey. The downside is that making a left turn to or from northbound 17 into the city can be very difficult if there's much traffic at all.

In Savannah, we've stayed at and enjoyed Skidaway Island State Park. They have some very roomy FHU sites that are parallel to the street for easy entry/exit. Tybee Island CG is near the lighthouse and a fun area, but some of the sites will be tight for your Georgetown.

[Brother Les]

imo, Charleston and stay at St. James Island Campground. Annnnd.... three days is not enough time to see all the sights...
imo.


Been there...done that... and a week was NOT enough time...enjoy.

[dalford]

X2 on St.James Island County Park

[mikes86gn]

Daughter has lived on James Island, 2 miles from James Island County Park for 15 years. We have never heard to it referred to as St James Island. The county park is awesome. There is more than just Charleston to be seen. Folly Island, Sullivans Island, Isle of Palms, Johns Island, plantations, seafood, history, and on and on. It just depends on what you are into. Enjoy.

Mike

[Iggy]

I wanted to thank everyone for your help and suggestions and I have made my decision to spend 3 days visiting Charleston. I have made reservations at James Island County Park.
Thanks