Brinkley Takeover & Charleston Charm (With a Side of “Saved by the Bell”)
- Apr 27
- 4 min read
Week one in Charleston, and let me tell you…we rolled into what can only be described as Brinkley Headquarters: Coastal Edition. Our destination: James Island County Park Campground - just a quick and easy two-hour haul that felt like a warm-up lap compared to some of our longer travel days.
Monday: Brinkley Convention + Grocery Olympics
Pulling into the campground, we immediately spotted our people - no fewer than six other Brinkley rigs sprinkled around like we’d stumbled into a secret club meeting. No password required…just excellent taste in RVs.
After setup, we hopped on the bikes for a casual “let’s grab a few things” ride that turned into an 8-mile round trip to Aldi. Because nothing says “we’ve arrived” like sweating your way through a grocery run.
The ride back through nearby neighborhoods? Absolutely charming. Spanish moss, coastal vibes, and just enough “ooh, look at that house” moments to keep things interesting.
We quickly realized that James Island County Park Campground is way more than just a place to park your rig—it’s basically a full-on adventure park.
The park sits along the marshy edges of the Stono River, with spots for kayaking, crabbing, or just soaking in those classic Lowcountry views.
For the more adventurous crowd, there’s a ropes/challenge course and a massive outdoor climbing wall—perfect if you’re feeling strong…or just want to test that theory.
Between all that, the bike trails, and everything else going on, you could easily spend a few days here without ever leaving the park.
Tuesday: History, Horses & Bloody Mary’s
We kicked off the day by hopping the campground shuttle into downtown Charleston - because parking a truck and camper down there would be…let’s not even think about that.
Once in the historic district, we climbed aboard a horse-drawn carriage tour and let me tell you - Buddy the horse and Mike the guide delivered. Charleston history is equal parts fascinating and slightly unhinged.
A few highlights:
Charleston was named after King Charles (keeping it simple, I see you, history).
A wealthy man named Williams built his daughter a casual 24,000 sq ft home…only for her to say “nah, I’d rather have Paris.” Imagine scrapping a 95%-complete mansion like it’s a Pinterest fail.
Back when indoor plumbing debuted, people proudly displayed toilets in the middle of rooms. Because nothing says luxury like a centerpiece commode.
And then…yellow fever. With so much uncertainty, people feared being buried alive - so they rigged coffins with bells. If you woke up underground, you rang for help…hence the phrase “saved by the bell.” 😳
After all that learning (and mild existential dread), we rewarded ourselves with lunch at Hyman's Seafood.
Let’s review the important details:
Deluxe Bloody Mary: 10/10, would hydrate again 🍹
Free appetizer coupon = Carolina Delight (again, no regrets)
My Reuben from Aaron’s Deli side: chef’s kiss
Darren’s Boom Boom Shrimp over hand-cut chips: gone in record time
Wednesday: Down for the Count (Mostly)
Apparently, Charleston history hit me harder than expected, because Wednesday, I got absolutely leveled by a head cold. Down. For. The. Count.
But in true Darren fashion, he gently (read: persistently) convinced me to at least get outside. So, we did a mellow bike ride around the park - which, honestly, helped more than I expected. Fresh air for the win.
Thursday: Pedals, Paths & Price Tags
Feeling human again, we debated doing a plantation tour but ultimately chose bikes (shocking, I know). We drove into Charleston and found part of the West Ashley Greenway.
It’s not the longest trail, but it’s a great jumping-off point - and naturally, we veered off into nearby neighborhoods because curiosity > directions.
And that’s when things got…pricey.
We found a charming little 1,100 sq ft, 3-bed, 2-bath home listed for a cool $1.2 million. I mean…it was nice, but for that price, I expect it to come with a personal chef, a dock, and maybe Buddy the horse.
Location, location, location, indeed.
Friday: Narrow Escapes & Navigation Fails
Travel day again! We got rolling early (well…RV early), aiming for an 11am departure. Since our next stop was only two hours away with a 3pm check-in, we briefly considered killing time in the overflow lot.
Instead, we opted for the “drive slow and pretend we planned it this way” strategy. Bonus: Darren called ahead and scored us a 2pm arrival. Efficiency!
Then came the plot twist…
Our RV-safe GPS refused to cooperate, so we defaulted to Google Maps. Rookie move. Next thing we know, we are towing our entire home straight through the historic heart of Charleston.
If you’ve never seen those streets—imagine:
Narrow
Then narrower
Then add parked cars
Then add mild panic
I’m pretty sure I held my breath for a solid 12 minutes. But somehow, we made it through without redecorating anyone’s 1800s brickwork and arrived safely at our next destination.
Where did we land? Ohhh, you’ll have to stick around for next week.
Charleston gave us a little bit of everything this week - community, history, great food, unexpected illness, stunning neighborhoods, and a gentle reminder that maybe…just maybe…we should double-check our GPS settings before towing 40 feet of home through colonial streets.
Would we do it again? Absolutely. (Maybe with better navigation.)
Cheers!
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