HARVIN COLUMN: 'Make off' with spring, get out, enjoy city

Playing hooky. Now how did that phrase come into being?

The Urban Dictionary says the origin may come from the old term "hook it," which means "to escape, run away, make off." And that's what spring in Charleston surely makes us want to do.

Everywhere there is something that beckons. It's time to visit the public gardens, to take out the boat, go to the beach or just sunbathe in our own backyard.

For a few glorious weeks, before the gnats remind us that sunsets are prettier in winter because there are no bugs in our hair, it's time to enjoy all the pleasures that our town has to offer.

And if we "make off" with a weekday afternoon, so much the better.

If your life is too planned, then some serendipity is the order of the day. Take an hour at lunch and wander around Hampton Park. The roses are about to come out, the azaleas and dogwoods are blooming, and there isn't a quieter way to spend some time in the city.

Or you could stroll through Azalea Park in Summerville for the same peaceful idyll. Plus both are free and there is convenient parking nearby.

Or maybe an hour spent daydreaming while you look at the water will satisfy your soul.

Take a walk out to the end of the pier at Folly Beach and listen to the pounding surf. If you look to the horizon, you will feel like you are on a sailboat without the constant rocking. Pelicans are sure to glide by.

Or stroll along at Riverfront Park in North Charleston. It's surprisingly quiet out there unless a ship slides by. Take off your shoes and feel the grass between your toes.

Or in Mount Pleasant stroll out to the end of the new public park on Shem Creek. It's really no more than a boardwalk, but you will see little crabs in the marsh. Just don't get the temptation to veer off the path. You might sink into the soft, squishy pluff mud that doesn't seem to have a bottom.

Or take a fishing rod out to the end of Pitt Street in Mount Pleasant. The roadway has been long abandoned, but a stroll out to the end will let you see egrets up close and personal. They seem to have little fear of humans, so they fish nearby.

Or head up to Bonneau Beach in Berkeley County, where a little sand spit is at the edge of the parking lot, and you can see across Lake Moultrie. There's usually a fisherman or two headed in or out and the breeze is usually steady.

If urban busyness is more your speed, then head for the Charleston City Market and try treats from the vendors. Or stroll down Church Street and listen for the sounds of St. Michael's chiming every 15 minutes. It's especially nice in the late evening, when lights are coming on in historic houses and the sounds and smells of cooking float out into the night.

There are so many great reasons why we live in Charleston, and why the world is beating a path to our door. Your phone is probably starting to ring with all those people who feel the magic of Charleston and spring combined.

Just don't spend all spring putting out the welcome mat. It's time to remember why you live here in the first place, and why it is such a special place to be.

Who knows? Maybe the boss is playing hooky, too.

Reach Stephanie Harvin at 937-5557 or sharvin@postandcourier.com.