Incredible marsh views from the Hunting Island boardwalk trail (free things to do)

It’s just one mile long and you could finish it in less than 15 minutes. Do yourself a favor and take the time to take it all in. The marshes look spectacular especially late afternoon and right before the sunset. There is an abundance of colors, sounds, smells and wildlife to enjoy: from the little “Samurai crab warriors” and jelly fish stranded in the mud to ospreys, elegant egrets and brown pelicans flying high in the sky.

Bring your fishing gear, the camera, binoculars or just a book. And of course plenty of bug spray and sunscreen…can’t avoid that but is not too bad. This will be the best therapy session you will never had to pay!

The trail is conveniently located less than a mile pass the entrance to the Hunting Island State Park.

Enjoy and always cherish the marshes of the Carolina Lowcountry Sea Islands!

Just Amazing Alligator Photos from South Carolina

Alligators are truly amazing creatures. We are so blessed to still see them all around South Carolina (like the Alligator Adventure in Myrtle Beach or Charles Towne Landing in Charleston).

Just recently, Business Week published in article underscoring once more their excellent survival skills and importance to the human race. Apparently, alligators have super-potent proteins in their blood with the ability to fight off fungi, viruses and drug resistant super-bugs. Researchers unleashed these proteins on 23 different strains of disease carrying bacteria. All of them were killed – a feat unequaled by any known human blood protein!

This post is an ode to one of the most magnificent and ancient animal on Earth. “You’re alright mate! You’re alright”…

Keep watching, respecting and protecting the South Carolina alligators!

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Sesqui Park Mountain Bike Trail Details (Columbia things to do)

The Sesquicentennial Park near downtown Columbia features a very nice 4 miles long mountain bike trail that both beginners and seasoned bikers can equally enjoy. The serene, peaceful and mostly single track trail will take you through the park’s dense longleaf pine and turkey oak trees. The trail has a sandy surface that sometimes is inches deep and makes the ride quite challenging even for more experienced bicyclists.

If you go during the week there is hardly a soul around: just you, the bike and the forest. No matter the skill level, everyone will find something interesting along the trail: from wide smooth paths to rough root and stone covered patches to longleaf pine trees, so dense you can barely squeeze through, to desert like hills.

Tips to know before you go

1. Play it safe. Wear your helmet and know your limits. When in doubt just carry the bike till you feel comfortable riding again.

2. Stay on trail and follow the signs. The mountain bike trail is marked with a blue diamond and between each marker you will see the trees painted blue. It’s very easy to get disoriented and at times you feel like you’re going in circles; just follow the signs and you’ll be OK. There are no maps along the trail to tell you where you are, how far you still have to go and what’s noteworthy to see in the surrounding areas. Pretty much you’re on your own.

3. This can be a great family weekend gateway. If you go alone tell someone when and where you are going. Bring your cell-phone; there is very good signal throughout the park.

4. Carry plenty of water since there is no drinking water along the trail; I didn’t see any water fountain at the park’s facilities. The restrooms by the picnic and boat area were closed during the week. Put on sunscreen and wear long sleeves it can get really hot out there.

5. It took me 2 hours to complete the trail. I’m a beginner and I also stopped frequently to take pictures.

6. Watch out for deep patches of sand especially when going downhill. You can easily lose control; keep the bike straight and break on smoothly, same as when you’re driving the car on icy roads.

7. Uphill roots provide good grasping for tires, yet avoid the bigger ones that can kill your momentum or worse make you tip over.

8. Besides some birds I didn’t run into any wildlife.

9. To find out what other activities you can enjoy at the Sesquicentennial park see my previous post.
This is a great exercise that will you test you physically and mentally. You will enjoy fresh air and mountain like outdoors just minutes from the noisy downtown city traffic. All in all, biking at the Sesquicentennial Park it’s a guaranteed family fun activity. For only $2 per vehicle it qualifies for a “free thing to do” in Columbia.

To get a better idea of what you might run into on the mountain bike trail take a look at this slideshow:

If you’re ready to take it to the next level test your skills and nerves on the Spider Woman II or Lost Creek trails in beautiful Harbison State Forest park also close to downtown Columbia.

Keep on biking through beautiful South Carolina parks!

Folly Beach in Winter Photo Essay

Winter is so peaceful on the South Carolina beaches. Love at first sight on my first visit to Folly Beach, just a 15 minutes drive from downtown Charleston.
Come and see for yourself.

Have all year round fun at the beautiful Carolina beaches!

More free family travel attractions in Charleston area:

Isle of Palms a more family oriented beach close to Isle of Palms County Park and its awesome zip-line equipped playground. Also nearby are historic Fort Moultrie and USS Yorktown aircarft carrier.

Fort Moultrie: visit heroic Revolutionary War battles, ingenious Palmetto trees defense system, intriguing WWII radio communication and photo incredible vistas of the Ravenel bridge.

Self guided tour of Charleston’s most outrageous murders, famous ghost sightings and unsolved mysteries.

Columbia Riverfront Park photos – Free things to do outdoor

Come outside, get some fresh air, enjoy the blooming trees and the migratory birds. Riverfront Park is located in downtown Columbia minutes from State House and EdVenture museums. You can walk, jog, bike or skate for miles and miles by the peaceful Congaree river. For sportier types you can fish, canoe or kayak.

Here are some 20 or so reasons to get off the couch! If you’re visiting this is your free afternoon spa! For moms with young kids there is a very nice playground at the park’s entrance.

Still not convinced? get more enticing details and tips from this Columbia Riverfront Canal post

If time permits relive the history and be a proud South Carolinian at the magnificent SC State House. You can enjoy for free its fascinating history, outstanding architecture, remarkable sculptures, monuments and Revolutionary War paintings.

Cypress Gardens: “The Black Water Swamp” in pictures

See my previous post on Cypress Gardens for more info. Here is the swamp tour in photos

Cypress Garden – near Charleston SC

Jackson Hole: Ski Photo Essay

Here are some of the photos I took at Jackson Hole

If you want to see the captions watch my album on Picasa

Jackson Hole

Cypress Gardens – From “Carolina Gold” to Floating Hearts Family Fun (Charleston outdoor things to do with kids)

I’m at the Cypress Gardens swamp park (30 minutes drive from Charleston). The boat pulls slowly towards the dock radiating a familiar big band tune. Nice, we’re getting radio too. Nope, that was Frank, the boat guide. Even better, we will be serenaded thru the flowered bordered black water swamp meanders. Along the way I learn that Frank, besides being a guide during visiting hours, is also the foreman, a jack of all trades maintenance guy. He takes care of every boat, does the electric, plumbing, carpentry and everything else under sun that’s required to keep things smooth at the swamp. After spending 20 years working at the steel mill, being the foreman at Cypress Garden it’s “a lot of fun”.

I, along with a family group that includes grandma, mom and two young boys, get settled in one of the flat bottom boats. These were made of California redwood wine casks in 1930’s at the request of Mr. Kittredge, the swamp owner we can now all thank for the privilege to enjoy this masterpiece.

Frank tells us there are no flooding gate “‘cause the swamp was made as reservoir for the rice fields” at the Dean Hall Plantation in the 1700s. Rice was “Carolina’s Gold”, the main cash crop and undisputed queen of the Lowcountry that helped built most of Charleston’s beautiful townhouses, plantation homes and beach gateways, and even the furniture, like the city’s popular Thomas Elfe bed. “In my time, I only knew that you grow rice in China” says Frank with a wide smile.

“Look at all the floating hearts!” yells Nathaniel, the energetic little boy next to me. The “hearts” are Atamasco lilies; Cypress Garden boasts the largest concentration in the Southeast thanks to a popular inter-bellum challenge that gave young boys a penny for every lily bulb they would scour from the woods.

We are now in the middle of “Lizzie’s Garden” as Frank calls it fondly. You can tell he is very attached to the Kittredges. “These were good people, you know?…The day they built this garden they let everyone in to enjoy it…I mean everybody…like you and me…back then that was something special, you know?” Legend has it that Mr. Kittredge was mesmerized by a red maple tree striking reflection in the swamp’s famous black waters during one of his duck hunting trips. The rest is history and the garden was born.

We stroll pass the “wedding garden” a popular celebration area and site of “many lavish soirees” in the ‘40s and ‘50s. Frank gently avoids a flamboyant cypress knee. “This is my favorite spot…you can park your boat, take a nap and when the bell rings you know it’s time to go fishin’”. “You fish Frank?” I ask him politely. “Of course! Mr. Frank don’t watch no TV…with all that’s goin’ on I’ll end up like those folks on Judge Judy”. Then he points at a lone magnolia tree. “You should always plant your magnolia tree on the right side of the house. To make lots of money” chuckles he loudly…”when you go back to Charleston watch for all those trees…then you can tell who’s rich or claims [to be] so.”

On our way back it starts raining. Frank points out two shooting scenes from Mel Gibson’s movie “The Patriot”. The bridge is where the militia was hiding waiting for the Red Coats; the island is the location for the “Old Spanish mission in the black water swamp”. As we are getting out Frank is cheering us up with the “I’ll be traveling down the mountain” song. He sounds just like Elvis. We shake hands. Just like his smile, his hands are warm and familiar. Despite the dark clouds and bone chilling rain I feel great. I waive Frank good bye one more time.
He is special, you know?

Things to know before you go
• The adult ticket is only $10; seniors’ ticket is $9; children ages 6-12 is $5 and ones five and under get in for free. Berkeley county residents get free admission (from 9 to 12) on the 3rd Saturday of every month
• The guided tour lasts about half an hour give or take depending on how voluble Frank (or the other guide) is. Boats leave every hour on top of the hour. Don’t worry if you’re not Michael Phelps type swimmer. The swamp is only 3 feet deep and yes you will be provided with life vests.
• Unlike other swamps (i.e. Congaree National Park near Columbia) there are no mosquitoes at Cypress Garden, courtesy to the sap in the water that acts as a repellent.
• You can “safely lose the kids” at the Butterfly House, Aquarium, Reptile Center, Crocodile Isle and Aviary, or at the small replica of an inland rice field.
• There are 4 miles of walking paths and nature trails for outdoor enthusiasts. You should be on the lookout for alligators, the main animal attraction at the garden, although none will bother to venture out in the “freezing” 45 degrees winter temperature. Come May and is a whole different story; no “feeding or harassing” please.
• Besides “The Patriot” there were other famous movies shot here, like “North and South”, “The Notebook”, and “The Yearling”. In fact the SC State Museum in downtown Columbia is featuring an incredible exhibition about all the Hollywood movies shot in South Carolina.
• History lovers can spend more time at The Nesbitt House or the Dean Hall Plantation (just note the original is now in Beaufort SC). If time permits go visit the nearby Magnolia Plantation
• Locals eat at the Barony House few miles out in Moncks Corner, right pass Burger King

Cypress Garden
3030 Cypress Garden Road, Moncks Corner, SC 29461
For a calendar of events, passes and discounts, driving directions and more visit http://www.cypressgardens.info/ or call (843) 553-0515

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Riverbanks Botanical Gardens: things to do at the zoo (in photos)

Hosted in the same park as the zoo, the Botanical Garden it’s a horticultural delight anytime of the year. There are free shuttles to and from the zoo every 20 minutes.

Riverbanks Botanical Garden

50 feet, 10 dollars and 5 minutes of Heaven (things to do on James Island near Charleston)

Last month I had a defining moment. Got laid off with little explanation, a smile and no hand-shake. So what better way to celebrate then taking on a 50 feet rock climbing wall at James Island state park despite the fact I’m terrified of heights?

The truth is I always wanted to do this. You know we all have the “10 places to see or 10 things do before we die”. So I drove myself to the James Island County Park which claims to have the highest outdoor rock climbing wall in South Carolina. See already on my way to breaking records!

It was Tuesday afternoon and that was a very good choice. There was nobody around but 2 staffers busy laying out some new climbing routes. David – 6 feet tall, dark curly hair, boasting a slender body fit as one might expect, smiled and came to greet me. “This is a good sign” I said to myself.

I signed a waiver, filled out a short form and paid the 10 dollars fee. That’s right only 10 dollars for all you can climb! David handed me the harness and lead me to the rock were he immediately proceeded to lay out the ropes. Things were moving too fast. My heart pounded heavily and I started to regret my decision. “I’m a little nervous” I said “haven’t done this before. Any pointers?” “Keep your hands above the feet and don’t look down. Don’t worry; I put you on the kiddy run. It’s the easiest around” replied David. Great! The vote of confidence made me feel much better.

I was hoping there was some rule against an emotionally disturbed rookie climber that would have put an end to this. No luck. David brought me back to reality “When you’re ready say ‘On Belay’”. ‘On Belay’, what the heck that means? So without much of a fanfare or an audience I started my quest to bravery and self-esteem.

My plan was simple; keep moving, maintain at all times a 3 points contact with the rock (got this tip from a Romanian friend 15 years ago…finally got to put it to use) and, as my guide just advised, don’t look down. It was going unexpectedly well when my left sleeve got caught in a jug. I jerked my arm furiously few times trying to escape. All of the sudden I felt very tired. For some reason all I could think about was that famous guy who had to cut his wrist to save himself. Luckily for me and my wrist I finally managed to let go. Back on track.

Minutes later I reached the summit (yeah baby, “THE SUMMIT”!). All along I had visions of myself grandiosely declaring my victory with something profound and inspiring like “Veni, Vidi, Vici” or at least a Rocky style fists pumping. Yet all I could come up with was a pitchy “How do I get down from here?” “Grab the rope coming from your harness and lean backwards” David said “I’ll take it from there”. Easy for you to say, buddy. You know I skipped the “trust thy co-workers and let thrust thyself into their hands” team-building class. With not much of a choice I reluctantly grabbed the rope, closed my eyes and slowly squinted down at a 90 degrees angle. I’m sure was a pretty sight to see. The descend was a gentle slide down thanks to my quiet guide below.

The whole thing took little over 5 minutes. I ended up grasping for air, bruised on my knees and elbows and so exhausted that I could barely move my arms to remove the harness. But now I know what Heaven must feel like.

Did I mention they are open year around?