How long should I stay, when do I go and how do I get there?

I%26#39;ve been reading ';tom jadg'; trip report and found it very interesting and informative.

Virtually all the package holidays I%26#39;ve seen on both UK and US websites spend a maximum of 3 nights in Charleston which seem to cover both the city itself and the plantations outside. ';Tom jadg'; spent 4 days in Charleston without going either on the river or out to the plantations so I am wondering whether I should travel independently and thus be able to spend a longer and perhaps more leisurely time.

I was planning to go in late March/early April or is that peak season and more crowded than normal?

I%26#39;d also be grateful to hear how people arrive from across the ';pond';. Do they tend to fly non-stop to Atlanta or Miami and then get connecting internal flights or is there a better way?

Finally although not really relevant to this forum but as Savannah is only a short distance away (and package holidays seem to spend even less time there) how long should I stay there for and is there any travel advantage by going to one before the other?

Many thanks

How long should I stay, when do I go and how do I get there?

If this is your first time to Charleston, I would tend to tell you to spend 4 days at least. 3-5 days would be good. If you go with a tour group, well, that%26#39;s a personal decision. Depends if you feel like you would like to be on someone else%26#39;s time schedule. It is a little confusing to get around from the city to plantations and b ack, but if are good with directions and maps, it would be a problem. But, you may need to rent a car to get to the beach or plantations. You cannot come to Charleston without going to a plantation, to me that would be ridiculous. Late March/early April is peak tourist season can can be crowded, but I wouldn%26#39;t let that turn you off. As for coming from the UK, you would have to fly into a major hub, like Atlanta, and then connect to Charleston (CHS). Usairways, United, Delta, Northwest Airlines and Continental all fly into Charleston. Savannah is about 2.5 hours from Charleston and it is worth a day or 2 visit. No advantage into going to one before the other, though that I can think of.