This tour explores the beautiful and unique coast of South Carolina from Charleston down to Savannah, GA, including Hilton Head island. We start with two nights in charming Charleston and a ride from our hotel in the heart of its quaint historic district across the modern Arthur Ravenel bridge out to Sullivan's Island and Fort Sumpter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park. We'll also spend two nights at a beachfront resort on gorgeous Hilton Head Island, and end with cycling tour of and Friday night stay in lovely Savannah, GA. Oh, and along the way we'll spend a night in alluring Beaufort, SC, where Hollywood movies The Big Chill and The Prince of Tides were filmed.
Included
- 6 nights lodging
- 13 meals: 6 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 3 dinners
- Area-knowledgeable and cycling expert tour guides
- Gratuities for included meals and accommodations
- In-ride drinks and snacks
- Van support (luggage transport and sag)
- Route navigation via free use of RideWithGPS smartphone app
Itinerary
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Day 1 - Sunday - Arrive in Charleston
Arrive in Charleston early in the afternoon, bring your luggage by the hotel and request an early check-in, but plan to leave your luggage and take a walking tour of this charming and eminently walkable downtown filled with brick sidewalks, ivy-covered walls, 18th and 19th century architecture and historical markers everywhere.
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Day 2 - Monday - Charleston to Sullivan's Island & Isle of Palms
30 miles. Today we'll ride from our hotel in downtown Charleston across the Arthur Ravenel bridge out to Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms. We'll have lunch at a waterfront restaurant and then cycle back along the coast, with an optional stop along the way at Sullivan's Island Lighthouse, to visit Ft. Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park as well as the beaches.
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Day 3 - Tuesday - Beaufort
After eating breakfast and checking out, we'll van to Beaufort and ride the full 20 miles out and back on the Spanish Moss Trail, then check into our accommodations mid-afternoon: the charming Beaufort Inn. Relax and enjoy the courtyards and verandas of this historic property, or take a walking or horse-drawn carriage tour of the city.
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After breakfast and check-out, we'll load into our van for the one-hour ride down to the beach on Hilton Head Island. We'll park the rig at our beachfront hotel and set out to explore the island's award-winning 64 mile network of public trails (In 2024 the League of American Bicyclists named the town a Gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community.)
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Day 5 - Thursday - Play / Rest on Hilton Head beachfront
The day is yours to enjoy our beachfront resort -- the luxurious Beach House on Hilton Head Island, with its large oceanfront (but heated!) pool, huge stretch of sandy beach, and Tiki hut deck, or venture out to one of myriad possible activities, such as a round of golf, some pickleball, horseback riding, a fishing charter, crabbing cruise, dolphin eco-tour, standup paddleboard or kayak rental, or/and a craft brewery or distillery tour.
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Day 6 - Friday - Savannah
32 miles. After breakfast and checkout, we'll make the one-hour trip in the van to Savannah, disembarking at Forsyth Park for ride called the Montgomery Loop. We'll head south through the mid-town neighborhood, continue past the Savannah Botanical Garden and further south to Montgomery and the Vernon River. Then we'll head back north, stopping for lunch in historic Sandfly at the southern specialty Driftaway Cafe before making a visit to the Wormsloe Historic Site, featuring it's famous avenue lined with live oaks over 100 years old. Returning downtown Savannah, pedal through the residential section of the Isle of Hope with its stately homes marked by elaborate gates, and then stop at the Bonaventure Cemetery, made famous by the 1994 novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt, and the subsequent movie of the same name directed by Clint Eastwood.
Tonight we'll celebrate our week filled with new experiences and new friends at a delicious local restaurant. -
Day 7 - Saturday - Return to Charleston
After breakfast and checkout, we'll load into the van for the 2 hour return trip to Charleston, aiming for noontime arrival. We'll go straight to the airport to drop off anyone taking an afternoon flight home, then return those who drove to the tour to downtown to retrieve their cars.
Difficulty level: Intermediate Plus
While this tour of the South Carolina-Georgia "low country" features relatively flat and paved terrain, there is a substantial amount of on-road riding (albeit marked bike lane & designated bike route whenever possible, or quiet country/suburban roads when night). Riders should be comfortable riding in varying traffic conditions.
Suggested bike styles: hybrid, road, touring
Suggested tire size for this tour: 28mm – 37mm (or larger)
Pricing
- $3,050 per person (based on double occupancy)
- $790 – Single Supplement (extra price to have your own room)
- $150 – Bike Rental (helmet and bike bag included)
- 50% of the total is a required deposit due upon registration.
- The remainder is due 60 days prior to departure date.
- You will receive an email invoice for the balance due 90 days prior to departure date
Trip Insurance & Cancellation Policy
Please review Senior Cycling's Cancellation Policy here.
Please purchase Trip Insurance. Especially at our age, even though no one expects or wants it, health issues arise and accidents happen. At Travelinsurance.com you can get quotes for coverage from several different providers and get all your questions answered about different levels of coverage, such as "Cancel For Any Reason (COFR)" polices and Pre-Existing Condition waivers. Allianz Travel Insurance and TravelGuard by AIG are also well-known companies with reasonable rates. Please check it out and protect your travel investment.
Your Travel Plans
If you are flying, you fly into Charleston International Airport. While there is no complementary airport shuttle, it's an 11 mile, $18-25 Uber or Lyft ride to our downtown hotel
If you are driving we meet you at our hotel and return you there at the end of the trip. Parking at the hotel for the week will entail modest additional cost.
Your Lodging Plans
For this tour, 6 nights lodging from Sunday through Friday night are included, with the tour concluding mid-day Saturday upon our return to Charleston.
Non-Standard Bikes
If you would like to bring your own bike and it is a non-standard bike such as an E-bike, recumbent, or tandem, you must discuss transport issues with me before you register for this trip. Space in the trailer is limited and we may or may not be able to accommodate. Email: ned@seniorcycling.com
Bike rental is available at $150 for this trip (Select the Add-on option). A helmet and bike bag are included with bike rental.
