There
are those who say Charleston is the most picturesque city in America,
and anyone who disagrees should get their eyes checked immediately.
Located on the South Carolina coast where the Ashley and Cooper
rivers converge, as the local joke goes, to form the Atlantic Ocean,
Charleston is a town unlike any other, where fierce local pride
is not only a cultural landmark but also a beacon of southern brilliance
to the world.
It’s this pride that makes Charleston a wonderfully preserved
historic treasure, with a lush, 300-year past just waiting to be
discovered. Hundreds of lovingly preserved structures line its narrow
streets, where church bells and wrought iron balconies welcome you
warmly until you swear that the buildings are smiling at you as
you walk by.
Surrounded
on three sides by water and shaded by palm trees and hanging Spanish
moss, Charleston possesses an exotic flavor that sinuously embraces
its historical architecture. Add the surrounding areas—filled
with world-famous plantations, championship-caliber golf courses
and resort-like beaches—and South Carolina’s best-kept
secret becomes an ideal vacation spot for the whole family.
An experienced travel agent will help you plot an exciting course
in and around Charleston, whether you plan to stay close to the
Historic District, charter a fishing boat to drop anchor in the
Gulf Stream or shop for sweet grass baskets and handmade crafts
at the famous open-air market.
With any trip to this southern capital of charm, you must walk
the streets of the Historic District on the southeastern tip of
the peninsula. Within a few square blocks stand 2,000 historic homes,
churches and museums, each with more stories than the complete works
of Shakespeare.
There
are few places in America where you will find so many antique homes
side by side, each painstakingly preserved with love and callous-handed
dedication. During the spring, many of the private homes are open
to the public, where a tour will win you a glass of sweet tea and
a long chat with the owner. Other restored houses are run as museums
all year. Strolling past these brightly painted houses and their
windswept piazzas (Charlestonese for porches) is enough to thicken
the air around you with History’s warm breath, teaching you
to slowly inhale the life around you.
Charleston’s history lesson does not stop at the front stoop
of these residences. Spires and steeples from 181 churches punctuate
the skyline like an open box of giant crayons. Outside of God’s
walls and into the footprints of past wars, Charleston's military
significance comes alive in nearby historic forts. These crumbling
monuments to America’s bravery pinpoint the defining moments
of some of the nation's most important campaigns, including Ft.
Moultrie, the site of the first decisive patriot victory of the
American Revolution, and Ft. Sumter, where the first shots of the
Civil War still echo.
But
this historical town is not merely a museum, as many relaxing beaches
are just a stone’s throw away. In the West Islands, Folly
Beach is a revitalized amusement park area akin to Coney Island.
In the East Cooper area, both the Isle of Palms and Sullivan's Island
offer miles of public beaches, where windsurfers and jet skiers
master the waves like playful dolphins. As for the area’s
most pristine beach, the silky sand of Kiawah Island wins that title.
If beaches remind of you giant sand bunkers, then don’t forget
your irons. Charleston was the site of America’s first golf
club in 1786, with 19 local courses now wrangling players from around
the globe. Players find the relaxing pace at these courses ideal,
for with fewer golfers than in golf-specific destinations, players
find choice tee times and an easygoing environment.
For those who believe that golf courses are just not green enough,
then you’ll enjoy Charleston’s abundance of plantations
and gardens. These horticultural delights offer a fascinating glimpse
into the history and natural beauty of the low country, as the area
around Charleston is known. One of the most palatial gardens can
be found at Middleton Place, where 65 acres of landscaped terraces,
ornamental ponds and garden rooms are laid out with precise symmetry
and balance, making this fabled land the most unique and grand garden
of its time. 
With so much to see and do around Charleston, contacting a travel
agent is the best way to see and do it all. Historical sites and
antebellum plantations next to resort-like beaches and championship
golf courses—Charleston is two vacations in one.
Click here to find a travel agent
that will show you the best of Charleston.
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