Gentleman and Headless Torso Ghosts at Carriage House Inn in Charleston (scary free things to do)

The Carriage House Inn, located on South Battery Street right across from the Battery Park, has been a Charleston darling for more than a century. Some of its guests are so enchanted they don't want to ever leave. As people say, in Charleston "you are almost always in spitting distance of a ghost"

There are two spirits haunting this intimate yet mysterious hotel. The Gentleman Ghost, sometimes referred to as the Gentleman Caller, usually visits room 10. "Well-dressed and groomed...he likes to lie down beside female guests. He never disturbs them knowingly." If you scream or cry he will exit quickly through the nearest wall.

Check out this spooky lion-figure on the wall outside room 10, it's just asking for specter trouble.

A lady recalls her experience "...I was restless and couldn't fall asleep...I noticed a wispy gray apparition to be floating through the close door, and through the air, entering the room...he lay down beside me on the bed. He placed his right arm around my shoulders. I didn't feel any pressure from his arm touching me...I wasn't frightened because he didn't seem threatening".

The Torso Ghost is not as docile; he hasn't harmed anyone yet is a far scarier sight to see. Clothed in wool gray Confederate uniform, it is believed this is the ghost of a soldier who lost his limbs and head during an accidental munitions explosion.

One of the less fortunate people to have seen the Headless Ghost remembers "...what I could see on my side...was this torso of a person from the waist to the neck...It was big, not necessarily tall but broad. A strong, barrel-chested man...I reached out and touched it - his overcoat was very coarse material like burlap...the breath changed into the guttural growl of an animal. He moaned, or uttered some angry sound that made it clear he didn't want me to do what I was doing...I felt like he wanted to chase me out of there".

If you would like to read more about these phantoms and many other specters haunting the ever mysterious South Carolina grab Terrance Zepke's exhilarating book "Best Ghost Tales of South Carolina".

Mountain Bike Trails at Harbison Forest park

Ready for some biking fun under the sun? At Harbison State Forest park there is a trail for everyone from the novice to the occasional bicyclist to the passionate mountain biker.

Things to know before you go
1. If this is your first visit start your biking adventure at the Education Center on the versatile 4 miles easy to moderately difficult Firebreak Trail. Pay your biking permit (I recommend getting an annual pass which pays for itself after 5 visits), get a folding biking and hiking trail map, fill up with water, use the restroom and ask the park rangers questions. As you get more comfortable on the trail you can connect to the more difficult 3.7 miles Midlands Mtn Trail; from here you have several choices: a) do the rugged loop on Harbison Bluffs and come back to the Center, or b) connect to Spider Woman II, the most difficult trail in the park, and run down to the Broad river or c) connect and stroll down scenic and educational Stewardship Trail (easier in difficulty). Stewardship Trail allows you to get back to Firebreak Trail later on and return to the Education Center after you have experienced three different trails along varied terrains. I did just that and took me 2.5 hours - I stopped frequently to take these awesome pictures :-)

2. The park provides extremely easy trail access:
You can drive and park your car to most of the biking and hiking trails; there are 6 parking lots in the park; each biking trail has multiple entrance points and connections to other trails; this way you can combine sections from different trails, with varied levels of difficulty, to make your trip to the park more interesting.

3. All biking trails are cleaned and well-maintained; there are rest benches throughout so you can stop, take a water or photo break and just enjoy the view. There are 3 restrooms in the park.

4. Each trail is color-coded and has corresponding signs throughout its course. Further each trail is divided into alphabetical sections with their distance clearly marked on the map. To make things even easier, there are overall maps at most connection points to tell you where you are inside the park and how much distance is still left. This makes it very convenient to orient yourself and to plan your time and next move as you go along.

5. Unlike the mountain bike trail at the Sesquicentennial Park (another great family outdoor getaway near downtown Columbia) you don't have to put up with the inches deep sand patches. Don't worry there are plenty other obstacles for you to conquer! For one, there are chunky stubborn tree roots everywhere; river stones, especially on Midlands Mtn and Spider Woman II trails will keep you on your toes; the trails are steeper (both uphill and downhill) and with sharper turns peppered with big logs, hidden bridges, or rocks just to make it more interesting...

6. Safety first. Wear your helmet, carry water (there is only one drinking water fountain at the Education Center), put on sunscreen and bug spray, bring your cell-phone (there is strong signal throughout the park) and travel with someone (or at least let your family and friends know your trip plans for the day).

7. Best time to ride is in the morning and if you can make it during the week. I went Friday afternoon and during my 2.5 hours adventure on 3 different trails I ran into 3 bikers, 2 joggers and one lady walking her dog.

Escape Columbia noise for relaxing outdoor fun at the Harbison Forest park

Looking for a nice, relaxing, cheap and outdoor fun family weekend getaway? Columbia residents are spoiled with a 2000 acres "playground" at the Harbison State Forest park only 9 miles from downtown. The park is one of the largest public green spaces inside the city limits of a metropolitan area in the eastern United States. 16 miles of roads and trails weave through pine and hardwood forest crossing streams and descending through leafy glades to the Broad River.

The History
Harbison Forest soil once formed one of the first ocean ridges on the coastal plain. Thousands of years ago Catawba and Cherokee tribes traversed these woodlands to reach the Broad River. European settlers followed and formed the Dutch Fork farming community. Is hard to believe this entire area was covered with cotton up until early 1900's!

Hollywood comes to South Carolina's State Museum

Carolina movie lovers come visit the State Museum downtown Columbia for a super cool exhibit on all the Hollywood and independent films shot in the Palmetto State. Did you know that over 250 movies were filmed in South Carolina? You bet! Oscar winning movies like Forrest Gump, Cold Mountain and The Abyss, as well as American classics, such as The Patriots, Days of Thunder, Prince of Tides, Renaissance Man, The Great Santini, and Die Hard With a Vengeance. Even the recently released and already award-buzzing comedy, Leatherheads, featuring George Clooney and Renee Zellweger calls Carolina "home".

The exhibit is only $3 over the regular admission price of $5. So for a price of one movie ticket you get enjoy memorabilia, props and costumes and watch adrenaline pumping clips from dozens films made over the past 100 years, right in our backyard. That's something we can all be proud about!

Interesting and Fun Facts to See

1. You will jolly up seeing some of Forrest Gump original sketches: like the scene when he carries Bubba or the one when Lt. Dan finally makes peace with himself and jumps into the ocean.

2. "Fire engine causes fire evacuation!" The 1921 fire engine from The Chiefs TV series was accidentally driven into the building last November setting off the smoke alarms and causing evacuation of the Museum and the entire Dept. of Revenue.

3. Heavy winter snow in Greenville? That's right. Portions of downtown were covered in artificial snow to convey authentic Siberian winter for The Printing movie set in pre-perestroika Russia.

4. Get a good laugh watching several edited clips depicting classic scenes actually shot in South Carolina even though the movies implies otherwise. Like the drive over "a New York bridge" you guessed it was Cooper River bridge; or the one from Renaissance Man's army post clearly shot at Fort Jackson.

5. How about seeing up close and personal some of the costumes and props from your favorite movies? Like Tom Cruise's jumpsuit from Days of Thunder, the scaffold gallows from The Patriots, a full size replica of the Hunley submarine, Eddie Murphy's fat suit, set pieces from Die Hard with a Vengeance and the football team's mascot from Radio.

6. Wanna take part in a movie? You can at the State Museum. You can drive a car pretending you're in Leatherheads. Check this out!

7. End your Hollywood tour with a look of some famos South Carolinian actors.

Where: At the State Museum through October 19, 2008. Open Tuesday - Saturday 10 AM - 5 PM; Sunday 1 - 5 PM; Open Monday between Memorial Day and Labor Day

Have fun and be proud in South Carolina!

Mice on Main Scavenger Hunt in downtown Greenville

What better way to explore downtown Greenville than through a scavenger hunt? For the past 5 years Mice on Main has become one of the city's greatest travel attraction the whole family can do for free. Hidden downtown are nine little bronze mice for kids of all ages to discover.

Based on popular children's book "Goodnight Moon" the activity is fun, educational and a great way to keep kids engaged throughout the evening.
You can pick up a hunt hints brochure at most hotels and the Visitor Center located on Main Street near the entrance to Falls Park.



During your Sherlock Holmes adventures you will enjoy some of the city's landmark hotels, banks, historic figures, business and entertainment establishments.

There is no need to rush, take your time, break for coffee, beer or even deer along the many delicious restaurants and bar the city has to offer.

Happy hunting in friendly downtown Greenville South Carolina!

Greenville Zoo Family Fun

Greenville has so many fun things to do along the Reedy river. The Greenville Zoo, one of the top small-size zoos in the country, is a must see and do family attraction. Nested in the Cleveland Park the zoo is a short drive from downtown; it can also be reached by foot following the scenic and very popular river walking trail that starts at the Falls Park off of Main Street.

Start and end your family day fun at the well-equipped playground located right in front of the zoo entrance. It has separate and age appropriate areas for both toddlers and older kids.

Inside it feels more like a park than a traditional zoo. The exhibits are "hidden" behind dense trees and bushes that provide much needed shade during the hot Carolina days. The main attractions are the elephants that like to amuze the crowds showcasing their painting skills, the majestic and always napping lions and the Siamang monkeys whose loud ear piercing territorial singing can be heard throughout the park.

Tips to know before you go:
1. If you are a Riverbanks Zoo member you can use your card to go in for free.

2. Spend the extra $2 on animal food (you can buy it at the entrance). It's plenty (not like the sorry looking grains you get at other places...) and you can use it throughout the zoo. This should keep kids busy.

3. Parents can take a well deserved break at the cute playground inside the zoo. There are rocking chairs with your name on it. You can even admire the giraffes while napping along.

4. If you must buy something to eat get the hot-dog from the snack bar.


Where
150 Cleveland Park Drive,
Greenville, SC 29601
http://www.greenvillezoo.com/ - (864) 467-4300
The zoo is open daily 10 AM - 4:30 PM.
Admission tickets: $6 for adults and $3 for children ages 3 – 15. Under age 3 is free

Columbia Sesqui Park Mountain Bike Trail Details

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.

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 fun thing to do for the entire family.

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

Keep on biking through beautiful South Carolina parks!

Fort Sumter - Family Things to Do in Charleston

Fort Sumter located in the middle of the Charleston Harbor is where "The War in Between the States" (as it is called here since was nothing "civil" about it) started on April 12, 1861, when Confederate artillery opened fire. Fort Sumter surrendered 34 hours later. Union forces would try for nearly four years to take it back.

Seven millions of pounds of metal were furiously shot at it without success. Amazingly, the Confederate losses only counted 52 killed and 267 wounded. The fort suffered major destruction with the right flank wall and the gorge wall all but vanished. For the next 100 years it remains a garrison but with limited military significance.

In 1948 Fort Sumter was transferred to the National Park Service and became a national monument and a popular family attraction.

Things to know before you go
1. Fort Sumter is open year round except for New Years, Thanksgiving and Christmas Days. The fort is open 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM from April 1st to Labor Day, at other times call (843)-883-3123. Entrance to Fort Sumter is free, however you must pay for the ferry ride to get there. For more info see: Fort Sumter accessibility and visit hours.

2. You can access Fort Sumter by ferry or privately operated boats. The concessioned ferry leaves from two locations: Liberty Square (340 Concord Street in Charleston), and Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum (40 Patriots Point Road in Mount Pleasant). Tours usually depart every 2 hours and the ride takes about 30 minutes. The ferry has a snack bar and restrooms. For ticket info call 1-800-789-3678.

3. If you depart from Liberty Square make sure to visit the Charleston Aquarium; if you depart from Patriots Point, reserve 2 hours to explore the wonderful Yorktown battleship and submarine.

4. You can't get to Fort Sumter from Fort Moultrie. Pets are not permitted at Fort Sumter or on the ferry. Pets accompanying private boaters must remain on the boat, and must not be left unattended.

5. During the ferry ride you can capture amazing photos of the Charleston's Harbor and Ravenel bridge, so make sure you bring your camera and plenty of batteries along.

6. Kids have fun checking out the big canons spread throughout the fort and chasing each other through the maze of tunnels.

7. If travelling by ferry you will have about 1 hour to wonder around. Save yourself some hustle and bustle and conveniently get loose from the "family group" by sunbathing on the grass near the flags; you will enjoy breathtaking ocean views and can quietly soak in all the history around you.

See more family day of fun at Fort Sumter on this slideshow

Enjoy your vacation in South Carolina!

Congaree National Park untainted natural wonder near Columbia

Congaree National Park is the largest and few remaining bottom land hardwood forest in North America. A short drive from Columbia the swamp park (more exactly a floodplain forest) stretches over 11,000 acres along the Congaree and Santee rivers.

With its serene cathedral like canopy it is the world's tallest deciduous forest, with trees reaching up to 170 feet (as high as a 17 stories sky-scraper!); it is taller than famous forests in Japan, Himalaya and Europe.

This natural wonder still looks as it did more than 500 hundreds years ago when early Europeans - like Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto - came to South Carolina looking for gold, silver, precious stones and natural resources.

The Congaree Indians camped, fished and hunted along the Congaree river more than 13,000 years ago. They believed the swamp was "filled with ghosts". Congaree means "dragged the bottom of the boats", an accurate description of the swamp's appearance most of the year.
During the Revolutionary War, the Congaree swamp gave refuge to Francis Marion and his patriots companions (hence his nickname: The Swamp Fox), as they repeatedly harassed and sabotaged the British troops.

For its incredible biodiversity and historic importance the Congaree National Park has been designated a Natural National Landmark, an International Biosphere Reserve and Globally Important Bird area. Scientists and outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world come year around to visit and study this natural wonder.

Tips to know before you go
At the Congaree park you can enjoy all the usual outdoor activities: camping, fishing, canoeing, biking, walking and bird watching.
Be mindful of the perennial bugs and mesquitoes so wear long sleeves shirts and plenty of repellant. If you plan to walk the 2.4 miles self-guided boardwalk that loops around the Visitor center make sure to carry some water; there is no drinking water along the trail (you can fill up at the Visitor center). The boardwalk is suitable for strollers, bring these along to avoid some drama later on.

There are about 20 stops along the trail and many have benches you can rest on.
Those more adventurous canoeing along the river bring food and supplies to last 2-3 extra hours beyond your originally planned time travel. Note that Congaree National Park offers FREE ranger guided canoe tours every other Sunday.

Attractions along the boardwalk trail

The famous Dorovan Muck, the Congaree swamp's dark mud is essential for breaking down pollutants into harmless ingredients

Hollow trees that house thousands of evening bats, which can consume up to 600 mesquitoes an hour. The swamp is home to 6 different bats varieties

A remnant of lucrative bootlegging enterprise...national champions the grand Loblolly trees...frightnening lightning marks along the pine trees...eerie and alien looking (as one might expect in this ancient forest) swamp...Paw-Paw and cabbage dwarf palmetto trees...and plenty of wildlife, in particular birds.



Where
Congaree National Park is located about 20 miles from downtown Columbia, South Carolina in the Hopkins / Gadsden community. It's open year around except on Christmas Day and is FREE.

From Interstate 77, take Exit 5, turn off onto SC Hwy 48 East (Bluff Rd.) and follow the brown directional signs. Travel southeast fourteen miles on Bluff Rd, turn right onto Mt. View Rd. and follow it 0.8 miles. Turn right onto Old Bluff Rd. and travel 0.6 miles. At the large park entrance sign, turn left onto and proceed one mile to the Harry Hampton Visitor Center. Detailed driving directions and map: http://www.nps.gov/cong/planyourvisit/directions.htm