We have a good start for our nine day tour to Myrtle Beach. Traffic was heavy at times in the Chicago area and a warm 87 degrees at our Lafayette Indiana rest break. Tonight we stay at the Hampton Inn in Richmond Indiana.

It rained off and on throughout the day, heavy at times but very sporadic. In the afternoon we toured the Beckley West Virginia coal mine. It was an interesting tour led by some very knowledgeable guides. We railed into the mine and had a firsthand look at how tough early coal mining was. Tonight we stay in Mount Airy North Carolina at the Hampton Inn.

Already on our our 3rd day and we have a great look at the fictional town of Mayberry. The real life hometown of Andy Griffith, Mount Airey NC has many of the inspirational stores and streets used in the Andy Griffth Show. From Wally’s Service Station, to the jail and courthouse, squad cars offer tours but our tour was on our bus with a local guide. After around town and a trip to the granite quarry we ended at the Andy Griffith Museum – a neat stop. The rest of the day was on the road to Myrtle Beach where we checked into our Condo Resort on the beach. A big meal ended our night at the Giant Crab, a seafood buffet.

We have a free day with time to visit the beach or get on our shuttle bus to the Barefoot Landing Shopping Center. Shops, an alligator exhibit and food eateries it’s a great Sunday. Tonight we have another buffet before heading over to the Alabama Theater for a wonderful variety music show.

We left Myrtle Beach for Mount Pleasant South Carolina. At the Boone Hall Plantation we had a great tour starting with a tractor ride on the farm spotting alligators, the plants they grow, blueberries, strawberries and so many other crops. Wild marshes and abundant wildlife were easy to spot. Next a presentation  about slave life and finally a tour of the main plantation house and a walk through the  flower gardens. At Patriots Point we had a tour aboard the USS Yorktown Aircraft Carrier with a walk through the Vietnam Village. Our day ended as we checked into the Fairfield Inn in Charleston.

It is a perfect sunny day for a city tour of Charleston and a trip to Fort Sumter.  We saw the Hunley, a reproduction of a civil war submarine, we stopped on the campus of the Citadel and had time for shopping and lunch on Market Street. The boat trip to Fort Sumter was relaxing and the size of the cannons was quite impressive.  A restful night is again planned in Charleston.

It was a pleasant sunny day in the 80,s as we passed through the scenic Cherokee National Forest. The devastation from October’s hurricane was quite evident as many portions of I-40 were missing. Tonight in Pigeon Forge we had dinner then went to the Comedy Barn for a fun humorous show.

We had a great stop this afternoon. We stopped at Schimpffs Candy Confectionary and Museum. This family has been hand making candy in the same location since 1891. We watched a demonstration of how red cinnamon drops are made and then  a taste of a warm sample. Lots of candy was purchased and we were on our way. Tonight we stay in Lafayette Indiana at the Drury Plaza.

We are ending our tour today with a comfortable ride through Chicago with a lunch stop at the Pizza Ranch in Sun Prairie Wisconsin. Everyone should be home on schedule.