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Parris
Island Hotel in Beaufort SC
Today, visitors to
Parris Island can marvel at the island’s history, and are welcome to
tour areas of the still-active facility free with a pass issued with
display of a driver’s license at the entrance gate.
The Parris Island Museum showcases
a variety of entertaining exhibits of the weapons, uniforms and events
detailing the proud service of the Marine Corps from the Revolutionary
War to the present, with more than 8,000 square feet of galleries.
Displays include a variety of memorable items, including Russian-made
tanks, Japanese samurai swords, World War I howitzers, as well as
detailed stories behind the meaning of the Marine nickname
“leatherneck”, the Corps motto “simper fidelis”, and the inspiring
Marine Corps hymn.
A driving tour offers a flavor of
the depot, passing impressive monuments to the flag raising over Iwo
Jima and the Marine Corps mascot Iron Mike, as well as Leatherneck
Square, where recruit platoons can be observed performing hand-to-hand
combat training.
The island also features the Douglas Visitor Center and the Santa
Elena History trail, where visitors can stroll along scenic marsh and
estuary vistas past monuments to the ill-fated French and Spanish
settlements, where archeologists have found remains of fortifications
and dwellings dating to the 16th century.
One of the great Parris Island
traditions is the Graduation Day ceremony for recruits and their
families. Presented with colorful ceremony on the famous Peatross
Parade Deck and accompanied by the Parris Island Marine Band, the gala
event honors new marines proudly wearing their dress uniforms for the
first time. The full-day ceremony includes tours of barracks and an
address to relatives and friends from the training battalion
commander, welcoming all into the Marine Corps family.
A
favorite among families attending Graduation Day ceremonies is the
City Loft Hotel only minutes away in historic Beaufort. The staff at
Beaufort's City Loft Hotel
offers exceptional hospitality, and honors those who serve our
country. The City Loft Hotel is a great accommodation for
exploring Parris Island as a tourist or to attend the Marine Corps
Boot Camp Graduation.
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