Come Aboard the USS Yorktown!

As we head into our third featured attraction we have already discovered that Charleston has a lot of hidden jewels. This month's featured attraction is for all you history buffs. This is the well known USS Yorktown docked at Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant.

If you’re like me, you have driven past this a million times without stopping, but this may motivate you to visit. This attraction called for the whole family to test it out to see if it was blog worthy for all our faithful readers. So, with my husband and two little boys in hand we set off to see what the big deal was. The day did not start off as planned it was rainy and cold but the boys had been talking about seeing the big ship and airplanes all day! Come rain or shine, this experience turned out to be a fun filled adventure.
The ship is huge and has all sorts of different tours you can take. Be prepared to spend at least two to three hours. Don't worry, though, there is a food stand in there in case you need fuel. There is a Congressional Medal of Honors where you can go and listen to different stories of the people who went above and beyond for our country, you can stand before actual WWII fighter & bomber aircraft, take a ride on a flight simulator, go down below deck and explore the ship and feel like one of the crew members, and much more.

Out of it all, though, Gabriel & Devin’s favorite was the “stage” - yes, you heard right. See picture below:

The end result was an awesome experience and I was able to have a peaceful car ride home!

Facts about the USS Yorktown:
The USS Yorktown (CV-10) was the tenth aircraft carrier to serve in the United States Navy. Under construction as Bon Homme Richard, this new Essex-class carrier was renamed "Yorktown" in honor of Yorktown (CV-5), sunk at the epic Battle of Midway (June 1942). Built in an amazing 16 ½ months at Newport News, Virginia, Yorktown was commissioned on April 15, 1943. Yorktown participated significantly in the Pacific Offensive that began in late 1943 and ended with the defeat of Japan in 1945. Yorktown received the Presidential Unit Citation and earned 11 battle stars for service in World War II. Much of the Academy Award-winning (1944)documentary "The Fighting Lady" was filmed aboard. In the 1950’s, Yorktown was modified with the addition of an angled deck to better operate jet aircraft in her role as an attack carrier (CVA). In 1958, Yorktown was designated an anti-submarine aircraft carrier (CVS), and would later earn 5 battle stars for service off Vietnam (1965-1968). The ship also recovered the Apollo 8 astronauts and capsule (December 1968). Yorktown was decommissioned in 1970 and placed in reserve. In 1975, Yorktown was towed from Bayonne, NJ to Charleston to become the centerpiece of Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum. Another fun fact is you can actually camp out on the Yorktown! Come experience the patriotism, honor and character of Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum.

Thanks for Exploring Charleston with Hobson Group Realty. Remember, all you have to do is just leave a comment and you are automatically entered to win two tickets to explore the USS Yorktown for yourself.

Don’t forget - YOU will need to check back March 1st to claim your prize. You will have 15 days to claim your prize at info@hobsongrouprealty.com We don't have your contact information, so it will be up to you to contact us to let us know who you are.