Crew Cuts

RETURNING TO HIS ROOTS

AirTran Airways Customer Service Station Manager Billy Heron shares his thoughts on the historic city of Charleston.

Often called “The Holy City” due to all the church steeples around town, Charleston offers an abundance of historic and natural beauty. An avid history buff, AirTran Airways Customer Service Station Manager Billy Heron enjoys simply walking the streets lined with architectural marvels from a bygone era.

“There is a multitude of different things—walking tours, carriage tours or ghost tours at night—that you can do in the downtown area,” Heron says. “I enjoy going to different places, learning the history and discovering what made each place unique.”

Though native to upstate New York, Heron quickly fell in love with his adopted Southern home, thanks in part to having a mother with local roots.

“Ma is a native [South] Carolinian from Myrtle Beach,” he says. “Since I was one month old, I’ve been on numerous trips to the South, visiting friends and family spread out along the coast.”

Outdoor Activity

During baseball season, Heron loves to grab a seat in Joseph P. Riley Jr.

Park and watch the Charleston RiverDogs (www.riverdogs.com), an affiliate of the New York Yankees, play ball. “It’s always fun to go enjoy a game,” he says. Between games, Heron likes to visit Aquarium Wharf, where the South Carolina Aquarium (www.scaquarium.org) is located. “It’s geared toward all ages,” he says. “From there, you can go on a harbor tour out to Fort Sumter.”

Good Eats

Charleston, a coastal city, has plenty to offer in terms of seafood. “The first restaurant I hit when I came down here was Hyman’s Seafood (www.hymanseafood.com; 843-723-6000),” Heron says. “My brother told me that was one that you have to try.” Heron later discovered the Southern pleasure known as shrimp and grits at Fleet Landing (www.fleetlanding.net; 843-722-8100). “I’ve been deprived my whole life,” he says of his late discovery of the dish. “It has become one of my favorite things to eat.”

Around Town

Outside the Charleston peninsula, Heron recommends a stroll through history at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens (www.magnoliaplantation.com).

“It’s interesting to see what life was like in days gone by,” he says. “And you have to see all the flowers when the plants are in bloom.”

Nature lovers will not want to miss the opportunity to take the ferry to the beautiful Bull Island (www.coastalexpeditions.com/ferry.htm). “It’s worth it to see what an untouched natural shore looks like,” Heron says.

“There is also a multitude of dolphins you can see in the water, a red wolf, sea turtles and the best shell hunting I’ve ever had. There are more shells than you could ever carry.” —Jason A. Zwiker