Travel ROAD TRIP
Mammoth Lakes, CA
PLANNING A SKI trip this winter? If you have snow tires and a little extra time on your hands, the drive up to Mammoth Lakes is the stuff of winter road-trip dreams. Take the scenic Route 395 and you’ll have a view of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountain range for most of your drive. When you hit Big Pine, stop for a bite at
Copper Top BBQ (310 N Main St; 760-970- 5577,
coppertopbbq.com), a bright red smoke shack that serves piping-hot ribs and tri-tips. You may end up befriending some hungry alpine climbers headed to or from Mount Whitney (the highest point in the contiguous United States at 14,505 feet!). Once you’re fueled up, take a small detour
east to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest (White Mountain Rd, Verenigde Staten, CA; 760-873-2400), home to the oldest trees in the world; some of these twisted and intricately colored beauties have been around for more than 4,000 years. A tip: Rent snowshoes and
throw them in the trunk in case the forest roads are closed—you can still hike in on foot. Farther north, stop in Bishop for some
fresh-baked loaves or pastries at Erick Schat’s Bakery (763 N Main St; 760-873-7156, schats .com), a quaint European-style spot with monster-size sandwiches and tasty tear- away breads. Drive up the road to Mahogany Smoked Meats (2345 N Sierra Hwy; 760- 873-5311,
smokedmeats.com), and choose some road snacks from a huge selection of gourmet beef, turkey, elk, buffalo, boar and
fish jerkies, all smoked with—you guessed it—mahogany. Samples are free, if you’re not ready to commit. Though there’s no formal address, if
you’re determined (or willing to ask a local), you can find a group of easily accessible hot springs right off the 395, just south of Mammoth Yosemite Airport. These natural tubs are often crowded, but it’s worth stripping down for a relaxing, steamy soak overlooking the mountains you’ll soon be skiing. ■ Kate Wertheimer
IN SEASON
Charleston, SC
THE BUZZ AROUND Charleston is almost deafening: Nary a week goes by without the Holy City being named one of the country’s best tourist destinations. And there’s no better time than now—when the sun is showing mercy—to head there.
Much of the excitement centers on the food-and-drink scene, and it’s easy to see why. You’ll want to book far in advance to score a table at Husk (76 Queen St; 843- 577-2500,
huskrestaurant.com), Sean Brock’s ode to Southern cooking, sung to a locavore’s tune. Order one of his much- loved cheeseburgers; the key is the patties, for which the kitchen blends hickory-smoked bacon and sustainably raised beef. But where Charleston really
excels is at the culinary gems you’ll discover by eating like the locals. Off the beaten path
The French Quarter
in Mount Pleasant, overlooking Shem Creek (where you’ll often see fishermen bringing in their hauls), you’ll find the Wreck of the Richard & Charlene (106 Haddrell St, Mount Pleasant, SC; 843-884-0052,
wreckrc.com). They do low-country classics here—be sure to order a plate of stone crab claws—accompanied by down-home charm. (Don’t fret if you hear purring by your feet; it’s just the neighborhood cat.) Tourist central is on the other
Time Out Los Angeles January–March 2017 70
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side of the harbor, around the French Quarter, which balances postcard-worthy Southern vistas (walk the Battery to see Fort Sumter in the distance or just spend an afternoon losing yourself among the backstreets’ historic homes) and a killer bar scene. We like the Gin Joint (182 E Bay St; 843-577- 6111,
theginjoint.com), one of Charleston’s first craft cocktail bars, where you can sip a world- class gin drink in one of the prettiest little courtyards in the South. If you’re willing to venture out of town, James Island has plenty of inventive bars too. That’s another part of
Gin Joint
Charleston’s appeal: It’s a gateway to many other destinations just a short drive away, from bike trails around old plantations to turtle- and dolphin-spotting on Folly Island. Nature, history, good food and great booze? Yes, we get the buzz. ■ Joel Meares
PHOTOGRAPHS (FROM TOP): COURTESY RICK GOLDWASER/CC/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; SHUTTERSTOCK; CC/FLICKR/CORY MCN
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