The wildly popular book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil has inspired any number of pilgrimages to the coastal South. But our journey digs deeper than the guidebook landmarks. Of course, we walk our fair share of moss-draped lanes—but instead of admiring fine restorations of prosperous homes from the outside, we go in for private tours and even dinner under the chandelier. We meet up with the Gullah culture, too, with its strong West African traditions and visit the country's most unique living history museums. On the sea islands and in the tidal estuaries, nature has always nibbled at the edge of civilization down here. And you'll see just how close it is on our forays onto barrier islands and lazy floats on streams populated by dolphins and woodstorks. To our mind, there's just no other region in America with such a distinctive meld of history, climate and way of life, and we'll share it all with you in gracious style on our walking tour of Charleston & Savannah.

DAYS 1-3 - CHARLESTON
We meet in Charleston for an afternoon promenade around the city and its beautiful harbor before settling into our historic inn, built around 1800.

Moss-draped live oaks shade the riverside footpath to Drayton Hall where a National Trust guide gives us a private tour of the fine plantation house. At Middleton Place, we wander in the country's oldest landscaped gardens. Then you can visit one of Charleston's historic museums or get in some shopping before dinner in one of the Historic District's acclaimed restaurants.

DAYS 4-5 - SAVANNAH
Leaving Charleston behind, we'll stop at the ruins of Old Sheldon Church and explore Beaufort's downtown. The Gullah culture—based on African traditions—flourished nearby, and we'll get a fascinating glimpse into this unique way of life. Then a beautiful island walk along the dunes and seagrass rewards us with a beachside oyster roast.

We arrive in Savannah to a hospitable lunch in a private historic home. Our rambles here include a guided exploration of Fort Pulaski, site of an important Civil War battle. To make the most of the near tropical climate, we head for Tybee Island to spot wildlife as we kayak through tidal creeks and marshes.

On our final morning we tour the landmarks featured in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil before parting company.