Where Myrtle Beach is chock-a-block with chain restaurants and buy-one-get-one-free shops, Charleston is the place that got the zoning laws right the first time. The downtown is a charming mix of 19th-century brick storefronts, shops, museums and antebellum homes. It's walkable and historic, like Boston, but with better weather. Hug the coast for 30 minutes south and you'll reach Kiawah Island Golf Resort, on 10 miles of virtually undeveloped beach.
Some of that is in the form of giant waterfront dunes that protect the back nine on the Ocean Course -- site of the 1991 Ryder Cup and the 2012 PGA. The dunes frame the holes, but they don't block much wind. When it's up, you'll wonder how anybody could break 100. If you're not into masochism, the resort has four other courses (and the world-class Sanctuary Spa). Gary Player's Cougar Point is the most entertaining, and you won't sprain anything playing from the 6,895-yard back tees.
The last leg of the trip was the two-hour drive from Kiawah down to Savannah. Like Charleston, Savannah has a Civil War-era architectural flavor and a thriving restaurant and nightlife culture. TV chef Paula Deen's the Lady & Sons might be the most famous foodie destination -- the macaroni and cheese is worth the two-hour wait for a table -- but dining choices in the historic district are uniformly good.
When I was leaving my downtown hotel for the airport, the valet finally gave me (and Cadillac) some validation.
"You had that hot red Cadillac, right?"
Harley Earl would have been proud.
15th hole, Ocean Course, Kiawah Island, S.C. (★★★★★)
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