โญ๏ธ๐ก๐ข ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฒ- ๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ *๐๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ for ๐
๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ 7! ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ mobile home. This is an ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐ farm EXPERIENCE- ๐
๐๐๐ interaction ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ผ๐๐ฟ animals & ๐๐๐๐๐ to Charleston. This Cottage is ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ & old. It is ๐๐๐๐ 2 rooms w/a bathroom. Cottage is ๐๐บ๐ฎ๐น๐น- a bedroom, living room, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ entrance, and a ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ bathroom, which is ๐๐๐ but ๐๐๐๐๐ and works. ๐๐๐๐๐ working on upgrades & renting it for a ๐๐๐ rate per night.
๐ก๐ผ๐๐ฒ* Possible ๐๐๐๐๐ from the unit next door, there is an adjoining wall.
L-ispazju
โญ๏ธ๐ก๐ผ ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐!! ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ ๐ณ! ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐, ๐ณ ๐ด๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐น๐ผ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ! Warning thin walls!!! Can be noise from guests next door. This ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐ฟ Cottage๐. *It is usually ALWAYS BOOKED! *Guests ๐love THIS old PLACE. *Seems to be
everyoneโs FAVORITE โค๏ธ Disconnect from the world ๐ & decompress the stress ๐ in this sweet๐ง little space!!! Itโs only 2 rooms and a private full bathroom ๐. This is an old outbuilding on my farm. It is secluded, private, minimal and old. This is a farm stay- an ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐ animal and nature experience. Do as little or as much as you want. Lay in the hammock all day- hike the ๐๐๐ private ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ of the farm and itโs private and connecting farm roads. Or- spend your days at the local beaches~ Edisto๐, Kiawah๐ and Folly๐. This sweet๐ง old cottage๐ has a private living -there IS a ROKU tv ๐บ, there is high speed WiFi๐ฐ and strong cell signal. The ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐จ๐ฆ also ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ sofa ๐, which easily converts to a comfy queen bed ๐ (linens provided). A wall mounted electric fireplace.
A kitchenette ๐ณ & coffee bar โ๏ธ (no sink) with Keurig coffee maker, microwave, fridge ๐ง , a small ๐ฎ burner electric๐ hot plate, pans ๐ฅ, utensils๐ด, microwave popcorn๐ฟand oatmeal ๐ฅฃ, coffee โ๏ธ, tea ๐ต AND freshly laid eggs ๐ฅ from the hen house. *And you can collect your own eggs, yourself, if you want. ๐ธ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐,
๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ข๐๐๐ fridge, ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐, ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ญ๐ด๐ฐ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฌ๐ช๐ฆ๐ด ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ๐ด ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ข๐ณ๐ฏ- ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ช๐ฏ- ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ข๐ญ๐ญ, ๐ต๐ช๐ญ๐ฆ-๐ต๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ข๐ฃ๐ญ๐ฆ. ~๐ต๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ด ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐บ ๐ข๐ด ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ธ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ง๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ด ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐บ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ๐ด ๐ข๐ด ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ญ๐ช๐ฌ๐ฆ. ัะฝere are 30 ะฝorัeั ๐, 4 donฤธeyั๐ด, 25 cะฝฮนcฤธenั ๐, 5 goaัั ๐, 11 ะฒarn caัั ๐, oฯ
r czecะฝ ัะฝepะฝerd ๐ and oฯ
r peั deer ๐ฆ.
The bedroom has 5 twin beds ๐โค๏ธ๐โค๏ธ๐โค๏ธ๐โค๏ธ๐, a writing desk, and an air conditioning unit. Each of the 5 twin beds are made-up with าฯ
n and mismatched sheets, a ๐๐๐๐๐๐ blanket, a ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ช duvet and multiple pillows. I decorated these units as if they were for my own visiting family- with love.โค๏ธ ๐ฝ๐ช๐ฉ ๐๐ฉ ๐๐จ ๐ค๐ก๐! ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐พ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐!
The private bathroom (old) has a sink, tub/shower ๐ and commode๐ฝ.
Sheets, blankets, pillows, towels ๐งบ and paper products ๐งป are also included. Again, there is AC in the bedroom and living room. ๐๐๐๐ผ๐๐ read this ๐๐๐๐๐๐ descriptionโผ๏ธ This Cottage is ๐๐ช๐จ๐ฉ ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ง๐ค๐ค๐ข ๐ช๐ฃ๐๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ข. It is a "๐ฆ๐๐๐ข๐ฆ๐" stay- ๐๐๐ a "๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ค" stay. Please do ๐๐๐ book ๐๐ซ๐ก arrive ๐๐ซ๐ก complain that itโs ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ข, ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ก, or ๐ ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐ถ! I opened this Airbnb so people, ESPECIALLY FAMILIES, could come to a farm๐ด and enjoyโ๏ธ the animals๐ด, nature๐, the country๐ life๐ฒ ~a place where children ๐ถ๐ป can run ๐๐ผโโ๏ธ and play โฝ๏ธ outside- without traffic๐ and smog๐จ . This place is ๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐- especially for those families driving from NY๐ฝ - Florida๐ who want a fun๐งง safe place๐ก to stop for a night โจ or more, to rest ๐ . Also for those escaping the COVID ๐ท filled cities ๐! This is social distancing at a ๐จ๐ช๐ฅ๐๐ง LOW ๐ cost๐ฐ(๐๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ง ๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ). ~๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, free ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฆ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐๐๐ข ๐ป๐๐๐- BUT, ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช prefer ๐ ๐๐ค๐ฉ๐๐ก- ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ค๐ข๐ข๐๐ฃ๐- ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ค๐ช๐๐ฉ - ๐๐ค๐ฃ'๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐ค๐ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ข. โญ๏ธ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ผ ๐๐๐ผ๐พ๐ ๐๐ ๐พ๐๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ this low price ๐๐๐๐ 6 ๐ฝ๐๐ฟ๐ (๐จ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐จ 7) ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ผ๐๐.
Because Iโm still working on the decor ๐ผ and bathroom๐ upgrades (well water stains have โyellowedโ the fixtures) , I am renting it for a LOW ๐rate per night ๐ . No cleaning๐งน fee.
The adjoining unit, next door, which is the other side of the house, which is also on Airbnb, can be combined to make ONE large 3 bedroom 2 bathroom home for larger families. Each unit has its your own private entrance๐ช and private porch. Private bathroom ๐ and total privacy.
The feeling of this unit is woodsy๐ฒ and cottage like. It is smaller than the other units and has a different feeling. ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฝ- The decor ๐ is MINIMAL, just the necessities, no frills๐- the kitchen nook is TINY similar to a euro type kitchenette, there is NO sink. The Cottage has wood flooring (laminate). The ceilings are slightly vaulted so it feels airy. The Cottage is very comfortable and warm. ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ซ the ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ front door and you look out onto the green ๐ด pastures and the 110 flat acres ๐. The back of the cottage is wooded๐ฒ. Itโs tranquil ๐and serene ๐ซ all around. This unit has NO bells ๐ or whistles yet, itโs clean ๐งผ and cozy, for those who want to come and enjoy nature ๐ฒ , the simple farm ๐ฉโ๐พ life, and pet ๐ค the horses ๐ , goats ๐, chickens ๐, cats ๐ , dogs ๐ and deer ๐ฆ .
Itโs a perfect โ๏ธ place to decompress and unwind. Watch the horses ๐ graze while having coffee โ๏ธ or tea ๐ซ (provided) on the little front porch. This little unit is sweet and fresh and priced just right. This Airbnb is akin to staying on your great- grannies ๐ต๐ป farm; old, outdated, cranky and creaky. Come stay with us on the farm.
๐ถPET FEE- Yes, a fee-$25 per pet-one time fee- per stay. So, if youโre have one dog๐ถ the fee is just $25 for your entire stay. If you bring 2๐ถ๐ถ dogs itโs $50. SAME WITH CATS, rabbits or any other pet/pets you bring. Fee is In cash๐ฐ- given to the farm manager๐ง๐ผโ๐พ. It is for the EXTRA CLEANING๐งน after a ๐ถ dog has stayed- the sand and dirt they track in, the hair on all the beds and sofa, the things they chew up! Yes, it is a farm- but the animals are outside- not in the units. Hence, a small fee for your pet to vacation with you and a little extra for the MAIDโs EXTRA TIME โฐ TO DEEP CLEAN ๐งฝ AFTER YOUR PET.
This unit is priced low BECAUSE ITS OLD. Do not book it and then complain itโs old. READ THIS ENTIRE DESCRIPTION ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐๐ค๐ค๐ !! ๐๐
๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐จ๐ค ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ง๐ญ๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ง ๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐๐ฅ.
โค๏ธ๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฌ๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ๐- ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ง๐ฃ๐จ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ- ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐.
๐ผ๐๐๐๐ฃ, keep in mind that this
is our smallest Airbnb rental
~Please remember that these are farm stays. They are โuniqueโ stays not โluxuriousโ stays. This is a working farm- with animals (and bugs). It is, after all, the โlow countryโ of South Carolina which is hot, humid, and muggy. The Airbnbโs are the farmโs old out buildings converted to Airbnbโs - please do NOT have any illusions of grandeur. Please read the unit descriptions well.
โญ๏ธYOU ARE WELCOME TO VISIT THE BARN ANYTIMEโญ๏ธ
โญ๏ธCOME INTO THE BARN ANYTIMEโญ๏ธ
Also note:
Palmetto bugs are harmless. They look like big beetles or giant roaches. I usually catch them and put them outside.
It is a low country farm, there are ants, red ants, spiders, flies, gnats, mosquitoes, roaches, palmetto bugs, crickets, frogs, snakes and gators. Hopefully none of those you will encounter. There are bait traps and transonic devices to discourage all creepy crawlers in each of the Airbnbโs. Guaranteed Pest Control comes and sprays monthly.
โค๏ธCharleston Marketplace Featured us on their website, Facebook, and Instagram! Here is their write-up.
โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ
AirbNbโs are plentiful in the Charleston area, but where do you go when youโre looking for something unique? Is there a place you retreat to when you need a break from the hustle and bustle of the city life, but within a short drive from home? Is there a place that is so relaxing, you turn off your cell phone, disconnect with the world, and re-connect with the great outdoors?
โI had the pleasure of spending a weekend at East Gate Farm on the weekend of Halloween. This 100-acre farm is located in Meggett, South Carolina; just 30 minutes outside of Charleston, and offers different sized Airbnb units for rent.
Picture this: Itโs sunrise, and youโve just woken up. You pour your coffee, open your back door and look to the pastures that surround your home. You see horses grazing in the distance, so you grab the carrots your host has provided free of charge, and walk to the fence line, where 3 horses are galloping to come greet you. All they ask for in return is a snack of the ultimate delicacy, a carrot.
East Gate isnโt just any farm. I received free interaction with 32 horses (some of which are retired Carriage tour guides and Polo horses). I was able to become friends with a group of goats, who probably only liked me for the cookies that I received to feed to them; but Iโll accept that. I was also able to retrieve fresh eggs for breakfast from the chicken coop, which taste superior to what you buy at the grocery store. My cool evenings were spent with a bonfire set up just for me; complete with supplies for smores, and a hammock hanging from the encompassing trees for the ultimate wind-down of my days.
East Gate is truly a hidden gem and is an incredible get-away or a stay-cation, whether you plan on bringing your family, friends, or going solo. To learn more, or book your stay, visit East Gate Farm on Instagram @EastGateFarmStay or on AirbNb.
โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ
โญ๏ธ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ณ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ณ๐๐ป ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐
Hard to believe but our week-long stay is now over. We arrived in the rain and departed in the rain โ but, in between had several glorious sunny days and gorgeous sunsets. Our 5-year old cocker spaniel, Rudi, and the two of us thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this farm.
The bed in the master bedroom was super comfortable as was the L- shaped couch. The kitchen had most of what we needed (we brought a salad spinner and peeler with us and bought foil muffin holders). We baked muffins in the oven, grilled lamb chops and burgers on the gas grill, heated up leftovers in the microwave, etc. With the fresh chicken eggs, made deviled eggs and omelets. A real plus was the washer and dryer.
A real benefit for the location is that it is in the middle of lots of good places to eat and things to see and do.
โญ๏ธ Piggly Wiggly on 6251 Highway 162 in Hollywood sells prepared hot and cold foods, including fried chicken, baked chicken, collards (theirs is sweet), etc. as well as regional specialities like biscuits, cornbread and breading mixes, as well as local items such as jams, Blenheim ginger ale and beer.
โญ๏ธ Publix at 3642 Savannah Highway in Johns Island has fewer of the local items, but, a nice selection of produceโwe got a large tray of asparagus for $4.29 as well as gluten-free seasoned flour to bake chicken breasts.
We ventured out all but one day and feel that we just scratched the surface of what to do and see around here.
โญ๏ธOur first day out, we visited the nearby Cay Creek Interpretive center (no dogs allowed)
โญ๏ธand got carryout at Roxbury Mercantile (can recommend the grits and banana pudding; hubbie said the fried seafood was just OK).
โญ๏ธ On Wednesdays and Saturdays in the winter, Cay Creek offers bird walks for a small fee from 8:30-10:30 am. You have to reserve in advance online.
โญ๏ธAnother day, we ventured out to visit the town beach in Edisto (off-leash dogs allowed in winter), the park (leashed dogs only), and visited Botany Bay (no dogs allowed)
โญ๏ธand George and Pinkโs produce stand (pecan pie, dried black-eyed peas and field peas).
โญ๏ธA subsequent day, we went to see the 400+ year old Angel Oak (no dogs allowed)
โญ๏ธand visited Kiawah beachwalker park (off-leash dogs allowed in winter). White sand and wide beach, with picnic tables in the parking lot, and bathrooms and a place to rinse off your dog! Kiawah beachwalker park was definitely our favoriteโwe returned another day after
โญ๏ธa self-guided foodie tour that we designed using the Roadtrippers app, Roadfood website, and reviews in the Charleston city paper.
โญ๏ธFor the self-guided foodie tour,
โญ๏ธwe visited White Point Gardens in Charleston,
โญ๏ธHannibalโs Kitchen (recommend their baked turkey wing and okra stew), โญ๏ธRodney Scottโs BBQ (recommend their smoked chicken and cornbread), โญ๏ธBerthaโs Kitchen (least favorite of the 3 soul food places, but, is also the least expensive - $5 for a lunch plate),
โญ๏ธand Park Circle Creamery (M&M ice cream, since was the winter had fewer flavors than usual).
โญ๏ธYesterday, we visited the Charleston city market,
โญ๏ธ got carryout at the Glass Onion,
โญ๏ธand I had a pony ride at the farm on Lollipop with Carlosโ help.
โญ๏ธDue to the pandemic, there are few vendors at the Charleston city market โ baskets run $100 and up so expensive.
โญ๏ธ Did pick up some gluten-free biscuit mix and frozen biscuits from Callies Charleston Biscuits.
โญ๏ธCan recommend the trout, mashed potatoes, collard greens, shrimp po-boy, coleslaw, flour-less chocolate cake and peppermint ice cream at the Glass Onion. Wonderful food and can accommodate dietary restrictions (gluten-free, vegetarian). Best food we had during our stay here.
โญ๏ธIn the mornings, we would take long walks on the farm with our dog, and in the evenings return to watch beautiful sunsets and enjoy the peace and quiet. Our trailer had a great view of the horses in the paddock, as well as two red headed woodpeckers (so nice to look at while washing dishes!). The farm is also visited by many other birds including blue birds, hawks, merganser ducks etc. Carrots are in the fridge to share with the horses and goats. But, my personal favorite was visiting the donkeys in the front paddocks. They love getting scratched at the top of their heads. If you venture inside to greet or feed the goats, do wear clothes you donโt mind getting dirty since they like to climb up on you. With our busy days, we struggled to stay up late enough to experience the 9:30 pm horse/goal bedtime with cookies. We managed it once and it is great fun. The horses and goats get so excited about getting a cookie. Also take advantage of the offer to build a bonfire.
๐ดโค๏ธ๐Blog written by travel blogger Claudia Ossa about her farm stay:
โTwas the day before the Monday of winter break in White Plains, NY and nary a plan was in sight. As someone who grew up in sunny California, the notion of a winter break is not ingrained in my psyche; HOWEVER, we have two kids, ages 7 and 8, and the weather was pretty frigid. The promise of a steady diet of โNo more screen time or else!!!โ or, in reality, โHow about another season of Bunkโd?โ for a week, put some fire under my SAHM butt to figure something out.
So I hit Airbnb in search of warmth of any kind, ideally paired with a pool.
Anyone who understands East Coast winter culture knows that this search should have occurred at least two months in advance. Charleston, South Carolina has been on my radar for a while. Images of seersucker, bowls of glistening grits and a generous amount of politeness seemed like the perfect order, but there was little to no availability in Charleston for a family of four with a budget founded in reality.
I came upon a horse ranch in Meggett, SC, only 30 minutes from Charleston. I practically cry-laughed when I read the hostโs description which included, โTHIS IS NOT A HOTEL. THERE ARE BUGS, THIS IS A FARMโ and โLEAVE ANY DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR BEHIND.โ I decided to take a gander at the reviews despite Lizabethโs (the host) fervent attempts at getting us to go elsewhere, and I discovered only glowing reviews, many by repeat visitors. The photos of the farm only galvanized my resolve. I think Lizabeth may have been writing in a secret code to certain types of people because she included an inordinate amount of emojis in her descriptions. I was beguiled by the balance of harshness and whimsy. Let's just say that she had me at Palmetto bugs that look like roaches, and I am deathly afraid of chunky bugs.
I am not sure how I convinced my country-club-raised husband to stay in a converted shed with no indoor bathroom and cats, but I did. The kids were, of course, thrilled out of their gourds (farm humor) at the prospect of sleeping with cats in their own loft beds while attached to a barn full of adorable horses, goats, a miniature pony and a big black dog. Worry not. There are a plethora of lodging options on the farm that include bathrooms and even full kitchens, but we went with the most minimal, yet the most popular, space because of the proximity to the animals and the adorable absurdity of the whole thing.
There were so many โfirstsโ on this trip for our family, including a 13 hour mostly device-free car ride with a sprinkling of hotel stays that ranged from super-dingy to pretty fancy, but I wonโt get into those right now.
Iโm only writing about this visit to East Gate Farms in Meggett, South Carolina because it was one of the best vacations we have ever taken, and we were only there two nights and three days.
From the moment we rolled through the gates, a feeling of peace washed over us. Horses, open sky, moss gently waving from tree branches and a big barn/stable smack dab in the middle. Pretty perfect.
We pulled up to our designated parking spot, and I could just hear the Pioneer Woman whispering, โWelcome yโalllllll.โ One glance at the tiny converted shed, and I thought, โOh shit that IS tiny,โ but once we opened up the doors, I became 7 all over again. I wanted to claim first dibs on the bunk with the window overlooking the farm, but alas, I am almost 50 and that would have been kinda mean to the kids, not to mention another clue for my husband that he might have married Dharma from Dharma and Greg. (Google it, young people!)
We are not cat people. I mean, the kids donโt know if they are cat people, but WE, my husband and I, are not cat people. He lived with a gal who had a cat for several years, and I had the pleasure of sitting on the couch that said cat loved to mangle, but other than that, not a lot of feline action in our lives. So, to us, renting a room that came with at least two of the 13 cats that live in the barn seemed like a challenge right out of The Amazing Race.
Our kids are now officially cat people but also, horse, dog, goat and chicken people (donkeys too). We shared our space with the kitties but occasionally had to show them the door when shit got too crowded. I tried to say, โOk cats, time to goooo,โ in the sing-songy voice of a non-cat owner, but my husband reminded me that cats donโt listen so I ended up having to gently extract them physically. Donโt tell anyone, but these mfโers are soft, squishy, purring deliciousness. Weโre still not cat people but will now dabble in our neighborhood cats from time to time. P.S. The Bunk Room is the only room that includes the cat amenity.
I could go on and on about this farm stay, from the gentleness and eagerness to please of the lovely ranch hand family which included horseback rides, custom bonfires complete with sโmores to the ability to feed the animals snacks 24/7, but I wouldnโt want to give all of the magic away.
We never had the pleasure of meeting our host, Lizabeth, but she was always an Airbnb message away. Like Charlie from Charlieโs Angelsย (the original, not the remake! Was there a remake?), we never saw her, but her presence was felt in many wonderful ways. The kids were sad when we packed up, bound for Charleston. We were sad too, but we knew we would be back.
This was our second experience with Airbnb. I love the humanity around the sharing of spaces and the generosity of opening up something beautiful and intimate to anyone. The โFarm Bathingโ title of this post refers to our glamping trip to a farm in Vermont that we took last summer through HipCamp, a site similar to Airbnb that โoffers outdoor stays and camping experiences via a website and mobile app.โ There was a lot of overlap with our farm stay in that we were immersed in the farm experiences and felt a sincere connection with the humans behind the farms.
RESTAURANTS WE LOVED NEAR THE FARM
Our bunk room was not fit for cooking and that was a great thing because it forced us to explore some insane food just minutes away from the farm. Lizabeth shares lists on Airbnb for local beaches as well as restaurants, and she was spot on for both!
ANGEL OAK
You will never hear me say that any food is elevated. Simple foods that have been passed down through generations do not need to be elevated. However, I do enjoy a spin on a classic and this is what the people at Angel Oak do. I am very picky about my fried chicken. I am not a fan of super herby and overly-brined birds. This fried chicken scores a 10 on texture, juiciness and breading and a 7.8 on seasoning because someone snuck some herbs in there, but if you woke me up at 3 am and said, โthere is some fried chicken from Angel Oak outside, but it's 10 below and you have to eat it barefoot,โ I would. I am also picky about fried green tomatoes. You would think I was from the South. (Does South America count?) I have eaten a superb fried green tomato and none ever lived up to it, until now. I like straightforward food, so when I saw that the FGTs were served with a dollop of pimento cheese, I had my doubts. I donโt tend to fill my gut with just one heavy-ass-thing at the beginning of the meal only to be rendered a sad useless blob by the end, but THESE babies were oh-so-amazing. I am realizing that I am full of โdonโtsโ when it comes to dining out and this includes foofy cocktails, but I was feeling festive so I ordered the Paloma. It turns out that I have been drinking cocktails at all the wrong places because this one was special. It was balanced. Not too sweet, not too bland and just boozy enough. I ordered it somewhere else a few days later, and it was not the same. I wish we had a restaurant like Angel Oak around these parts because I would become a regular. Some wordsโฆ casual, class yet inventive, super high quality and delicious.
ROXBURY MERCANTILE
This restaurant was a teensy bit further than Angel Oak but possessed a similar vibe. I recommend hitting Driftwood Beach located in Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve for some beach and heavy photography and then an early dinner at Roxbury Mercantile. The food here was excellent. I love a wedge salad and not an elevated wedge salad, although this one was tall. It was everything a wedge salad needed to be. Each ingredient was extremely fresh, and you could taste that the blue cheese dressing did not skimp on ingredients. The other favorite here was the shrimp and grits. I like a S&G where the shrimpies are saucy and well-seasoned on a backdrop of simple but expertly executed grits. I would also eat this dish barefoot in the snow. The edge that Roxbury Mercantile had over Angel Oak was the kid factor. This place has a super cool bench that sways called a Joggling Board. This occupied the kids for a bit between dinner and tiny but heavenly key lime pie. I want a Joggling Board, and I know just where I am going to put it! They also offered cornhole and a sweet lounging area too.
SO WE DIDNโT END UP STAYING IN CHARLESTON AFTER THE FARMโฆ
After a delicious lunch at Rodney Scottโs BBQ, where the hype is well-deserved, we quickly discovered that the hotel that we could afford during winter break in historic Charleston, would surely drain our coffers of the joy we had just accumulated at the farm. ย As we all sat in the happiest part of our sad hotel room, a bed next to a window, I took to searching for resorts NEARBY and after being told that a few were SOLD OUT, the hotel Gods smiled upon us and we scored a room at The Sweetgrass Inn that is located at the Wild Dunes Resort. I am not going to go into full detail about this, but let's just say that for very little over what we were paying for a den of despair in Charleston, we landed a GORGEOUS less-than-a-year-old resort on the beautiful and pristine Isle of Palms. I highly recommend the combination of East Gate farm in Meggett, SC followed by The Sweetgrass Inn at Isle of Palms. We ate most meals on our two-day visit on the resort, but had the pleasure of having a traditional Southern Breakfast at Seabiscuit, a charming and delicious family-owned restaurant only few miles down the road on Isle of Palms.
-Published by travel blogger Claudia Ossa New York 2022
โญ๏ธYou can see more photos on our Airbnb listings - all the animals. Search Airbnb for Meggett, SC stays.
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