By China Williams

Spring break, the traditional antidote to winter's persistent gray and cold, usually means a pilgrimage to a Florida beach. But as you head south, peeling off your parka and snow boots, you'll find that sun worshipping is a crowded and popular affair. Steer clear of the traffic and co-eds by exiting off of I-95 to these Carolina destinations.

Charleston, S.C.

Although Charleston is known as a romantic getaway, kids who have been cooped up all winter will find freedom of movement and a bit of historical education in this walking city. The weather is just right for rambling along the cobblestone streets and peeping at the blooming gardens of yellow forsythias and fragrant wisteria through wrought-iron fences.

Battery Streat houses, Charleston.
© John Elk III. Lonely Planet Images.

Charleston has many fine Federal-style house museums, horse-drawn carriage rides through the old quarter, retired submarines and battleships, and Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired in 1861. The city also boasts a children's museum, aquarium and a historic building where pirates were imprisoned. Nearby beaches will provide enough tanning opportunities to disguise your family's scholarly leanings.

Low Country cuisine is approachable for those who are cautious in culinary respects. Specialties include she-crab soup, shrimp and grits, and other local seafood concoctions that usually involve deep frying, often considered its own food category in the South. Downtown provides many convenient dining options, but for a more "salty" setting, visit Bowens Island Restaurant (843-795-2757, Folly Beach Causeway), a grubby seafood shack tucked beside a marshy creek.

Asheville, N.C.

This bohemian mountain town can banish cabin fever with its eclectic shopping and mountain scenery. Although it's still too crisp for most outdoor activities, locals swear that February and March are underappreciated because of the reduced tourist load.

East Fork Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville.
© Richard Cummins. Lonely Planet Images.

Start with an introduction to the folk ways of Appalachia at the Folk Art Center and the affiliated Allanstand Craft Shop, which has been fostering traditional crafts, like quilts, dolls and hand-blown glass, since 1895. The independent spirit that shaped mountain culture has infused modern Asheville with unique and locally owned shops and galleries that specialize in funky toys, New Age paraphernalia and contemporary crafts. The national trend of eating local has found fertile ground here and since you don't have to squeeze into a bathing suit until June, check out the hungry-gal breakfasts at Early Girl Eatery (828-259-9292, 8 Wall St.) and consult the local "pig smoker" at 12 Bones (828-253-4499, 5 Riverside Drive) for Carolina-style pulled pork sandwiches.

The mountain curves can by enjoyed from the comfort of your car on a scenic drive through the Blue Ridge Parkway. Rocky overhangs are often festooned with beard-like icicles. With a few extra layers or a warm spell, many hikers tackle the parkway trails for vistas that would otherwise be shielded by the forest canopy.

Pawleys Island, S.C.

Venture onto Pawleys Island for an old plantation-era retreat with enough personality to qualify as a "state of mind." Often described as shabby chic, Pawleys is populated by hurricane-scarred cabins with generous sleeping porches and spare interiors to hold big extended families. And the tight-knit community that lives on or vacations at Pawleys likes it that way. The beach is their slice of heaven: simple and relaxed. A day's demanding schedule might include some fishing, swimming, snacking and lots of resting. With all this unstructured time, kids inventively entertain themselves by exploring the unspoiled beach or going in search of the Gray Man, Pawleys Island's resident ghost who appears to warn of approaching hurricanes.

Bio: China Williams is a freelance writer who grew up in South Carolina and now spends her unofficial spring breaks in Southeast Asia.

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