The Ravenel
If you've ever explored Charleston, SC, chances are you've come across the striking Arthur Ravenel Bridge, a 2 1/2-mile-long suspension marvel that has become an emblem of the area since its unveiling in 2005.
Affectionately dubbed "The Ravenel" by locals, this architectural gem links Charleston to Mount Pleasant, named after Arthur Ravenel, the influential figure behind its construction. Living in close proximity to Charleston, frequent trips to Mount Pleasant meant countless drives across The Ravenel – a routine that sparked a recurring thought: "We should walk this someday."
Well, that "someday" finally arrived, and we took the opportunity to experience a leisurely stroll across The Ravenel, discovering the bridge beyond the confines of a vehicle.
Walking The Ravenel
Saturday's forecast painted a picture-perfect scene with a pleasant 66º morning and a daytime high soaring to 77º – ideal conditions for a leisurely bridge walk! Choosing the delightful weather as our cue, we made plans to get an early start and headed to Mount Pleasant. Opting to park on that side of the bridge, our intention was a refreshing walk to the top (halfway) and back, rather than tackling the entire span.
The Parking
This was our first walk up the bridge, so we weren't certain where to park. We are familiar with the area, so once we came down Coleman Blvd. we took a left and swung around into a realty building parking lot which connects to the pedestrian path.
I can't say for sure if where we parked was okay. There weren't any signs saying we couldn't park there and when we returned, there was no parking ticket and we hadn't been towed. So, for a Saturday morning, I'm calling it good.
I found out after that the Mount Pleasant Waterfront Park offers plenty of parking and an easy on to the pedestrian path.
The Path
From our parking spot, we were able to walk right onto the pedestrian path and start making our way up. It was a busy morning! The weather was perfection, so we weren't surprised to see many people walking, running, and biking.
The path is clearly marked to show where people should walk and bike.
The walk to the top part of the bridge isn't hard. I took my time and didn't break a sweat. It wasn't a huge incline.
The Distance
To walk the entire Ravenel Bridge, you would walk 2.5 miles from one end to the other for a total of 5 miles to go from one side and then back. Many people (like us) who walk the Ravenel only go halfway and then turn around and go back.
Walking leisurely, it only took us about 30-45 minutes to walk up and back. We ended up only going to the first tower and turning around. We were good with that.
Our Thoughts
We've lived in this area for almost two years now and have always talked about walking the Ravenel. We're glad we finally did it. But we had just a couple thoughts.
It's loud! This isn't a surprise because it's a multi-lane bridge that some 80,000 cars travel daily. This made the experience a little less enjoyable. We just prefer quieter walks. If we go again, it will be with earphones... which defeats the purpose of why we like to go on walks.
There are other paths around the bridge that were less busy and quieter. We're going to explore more of those paths in the future.
This was definitely worth doing. If you're in the Charleston area, it's a memorable experience. The views are pretty great. If we do this again, it will be in the very early hours when the traffic isn't quite as active.
Have you ever walked The Ravenel? What did you think of it? Let us know in the comments!
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