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My brother-in-law is traveling from Chicago to Hilton Head, SC later this week, stopping for one night each in Louisville, KY and Pigeon Forge, TN along the way. They'll be in Hilton Head 5 days, with possible side trips to Savannah or Charleston. On the way back, they're stopping in Charlotte, possibly back through Louisville, but the return trip route is up in the air.

He's traveling with his wife (they're both fairly adventurous eaters, but more him than her) and two kids under 10 who aren't particularly adventurous.

The kids being there would restrict their choices more than money, to an extent (and usually more expensive is less kid-friendly anyway.)

Any advice on where to stop, where not to stop? Would you recommend Savannah or Charleston? And what route would you take on the way back?

We just got back from Amelia Island (just north of Jacksonville) and drove, taking two days each way with a night time stop in Knoxville. We went I-65 to Louisville, then I-64 to Lexington, then I-75 to Knoxville, then I-40 to Asheville, then I-26 east until we picked up I-95 outside Charleston. The drive through the Smokies on I-40 is very nice; if we had more time we would have taken time to drive some of the Blue Ridge Parkway or the Cumberland Gap and Newfound Gap Tunnels. For some reason (too few lanes?) traffic on I-95 and I-26 in South Carolina is horrendous on the weekends from Columbia down to Savannah.

I've never been to Savannah myself despite having lived a long time in Atlanta. But I've been to Charleston many times and always enjoyed it. Sullivan's Island is a nice place to spend a day on the beach (pack a picnic).

Eating-wise along the way, I always liked Maurice's Piggy Park in West Columbia, SC, for BBQ, although their politics aren't my thing. If they do stop in Louisville, they should try to get to the Brown Hotel and have a Hot Brown for lunch (enough cholesterol for a family of four).

One recommendation in nearby Beaufort, SC:

Sgt White's Restaurant
1908 Boundary Street, Beaufort, SC
(843) 522-2029

This restaurant is generally open for lunch during the week and is a great example of southern cooking. It is run my a retired Marine cook whp takes great pride in his cooking.

I just returned from a road trip to Hilton Head with family and found a really good restaurant on the way down in Henderson NC called Sq1 (square one) Bistro.



They closed at nine and we arrived about five minutes after, they were very gracious and said we could eat as there were several tables still there, they just asked us to order within 10 minutes, no problem for us. We were surprised once we looked at the menu to find it was mostly locally sourced food and had the suppliers listed.


We asked for recommendations and our really wonderful waitress suggested the shrimp & grits and the in-house made sausage which apparently changes weekly. We went with her suggestions and they were both amazing. The shrimp were wild caught and the grits were truly the best I've ever had. One grit hating dining companion was even converted. They were served with a bechamel which I found a little too rich, but that's a minor quibble. The sausages were English style bangers and were not too smooth which I sometimes dislike in bangers. They were served with a leek and potato gratin, both were absolutely wonderful. Both here and at a Charleston restaurant it was the servers who really elevated the experience, I don't always recognize how a server can make or break an evening, but this one did, I'm just sorry I don"t have her name. Forgive the crappy cell phone pics.




It was a great find and the main street looked charming, they seemed to have left the older structures in place, but updated them for new businesses. There were couple of bars open and I could hear live music coming out. I'd like to go back and spend another night there.

Sq1 Bistro
111S. Main Street
Hendersonville, NC 28792
828.698.5598
http://www.square1bistro.com

_________________
For what we choose is what we are. He should not miss this second opportunity to re-create himself with food. Jim Crace "The Devil's Larder"