Well-rested, we awoke on our final day in Charleston and headed back downtown, determined to track down two “secret passageways” recommended by our hotel’s well-known concierge. After parking in the same place as we did on our second day, we first walked through Waterfront Park again, checking out the famous Pineapple Fountain one last time.
We then walked along Battery Row, in search of Stoll’s Alley, which was a bit hard to find—but pretty cool.
The other passageway, Philadelphia Alley, was pretty as well, but less impressive. We were also getting a bit restless at this point, ready to get breakfast and get started out of town. We stopped at Dixie Supply for a cup o’ joe on the walk, but with the sky looking a little forebidding, we elected to skip the last visit to the market area. Instead, we headed back to the hotel to pack up and embark on the interminable checkout process.
We wanted to hit one last Charleston landmark for breakfast: the Hominy Grill.
Bolstered by some tremendous shrimp and grits from this great spot, we then set out for our last stop in South Carolina: Middleton Place plantation.
Situation about 15 miles northwest of Charleston proper, the drive was beautiful after we escaped some of the traffic surrounding the city. The winding road to the plantation area was bordered by amazing old trees that formed a tunnel canopy for speeding cars.
After arriving at Middleton Place, you enter the grounds near the Reflection Pool, and are immediately struck with the beautiful live oaks and peaceful solitude of the property.
A solitary statue greets you at one turn in the path.
Looking toward where the original plantation stood, you are taken back in time a little bit when you see a rustic carriage led by horses.
Circling the grounds, it was hard not to be somewhat overwhelmed with nature’s beauty, but there was a relative lack of color in the infamous garden. But you couldn’t argue with the view provided by looking back down toward the Ashley River.
The museum tour was interesting, the highlight being a slip of paper that essentially gave its bearer a free pass to travel from the south to the north without being harassed -- signed by none other than Abraham Lincoln himself.
The farm area included pigs and horses and cows and roosters, but the most humbling part of the tour came when you walked past the slave cemetery and toward Eliza’s House, a former slave quarters.
After an extensive and exhausting tour of Middleton Place, we were finally ready to head back home. A series of backroads eventually led us back to the interstate -- where we had plenty of time to ponder all the things we had seen and done during our amazing visit to Charleston.
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