Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge — Attraction in Mount Pleasant

Disappointed. My husband became obsessed with this bridge. We traveled here on vacation for our anniversary. Our hotel was just over the bridge from Charleston. He was driving and forced me to photograph him pointing at the arches while driving which is dangerous. He did this each time we crossed the bridge (often). He set early alarms for each morning of our vacation so he could run across the bridge. He parked the car in the middle of the bridge to step out and get a photo. He took more pictures of the bridge than us and would not stop talking about the bridge our entire vacation. I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't find him. I almost reported him missing but I figured I better check the bridge first. He was there with no clothes on singing our wedding song to the bridge. He would not get in the car and I had to convince him by saying we were going to go back in the morning. I got him clothes and in bed. But it is really sturdy (it didn't collapse as I drove him over the last time while he...

This summer we had the pleasure of seeing this bridge in person for the first time. As a retired Flatiron Construction worker I had heard about this bridge for the 12 years I worked for Flatiron but had never had the privilege of going to it. We got the chance this summer, 2019, and again I am impressed by the bridges that Flatiron has been privileged to construct. To us this was called the Arthur Ravenel Bridge (Cooper River) and when constructed it was the longest cable stay bridge in North America. Flatiron has built the 3 longest of these bridges in NA. What a beautiful site as you drive across to watch the cable reach for the deck of the bridge. They just seem pop out of the deck and transport you toward the top of the piers. It can be mesmerizing so make sure you are a passenger as you are transported up, not the driver. Take a look at the John J Audubon Bridge over the Mississippi in Louisiana. That is another great cable...

One of my best experiences during my visit to Charleston. The bridge itself is magnificent and an engineering marvel. If I lived here, I'd want to walk across it daily. Here are a few observations if you're planning to visit:

Parking: I did a search for Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park on Google. There are a lot of parking spots located right under the bridge giving you easy access to the path. This is on the Mount pleasant side.

Timing: The bridge is 2.5 miles long in one direction. There is an incline as you go up. Plan your timing accordingly based on your level of fitness and if you want to take a lot of photos.

Weather: Three miles into the five mile trek, a massive storm blew in and I was soaked. There is nowhere to shelter (not a complaint...... This isn't something you'd expect on a bridge crossing). Check the weather before.

The wind picks up very strongly at times so don't wear loose...