Enjoy a Weekend in Coastal Charleston by Kathryn Lively

If we had to pick any city on the Eastern seaboard for a relaxing weekend getaway, hands down we will select Charleston, South Carolina every time. Nestled against the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, situated almost dead center on the state’s coastline border, Charleston is great little town rich in antebellum history, colorful architecture, and fine lowcountry cuisine.

The downtown area provides visitors with many opportunities to enjoy individual or guided walking tours, taking in the beauty of a city immortalized as Rhett Butler’s home and a true survivor of the Civil War.

Here follows just a brief primer of personal favorites - from food to fun to relaxation. Once in the city be sure to pick up a downtown map, as you will need it to wind through the many mews and avenues that conceal delightful hidden treasures.

Where to Stay

Staying in the downtown area is a must, as it allows for maximum walking time and close-up enjoyment of Charleston. As you compare prices on Internet travel sites and searches, you may find rates fluctuate according to the season. The Spoleto Festival, held annually in the early summer, tends to bring large crowds, so it is important to book early if you plan to soak up the sun. Otherwise, here are a few favorite accommodations which offer the location and amenities to guarantee a relaxing weekend:

The Ansonborough Inn - 21 Hasell St, Charleston, SC 29401

Planters Inn - 112 N Market St, Charleston, SC 29401

Fulton Lane Inn - 202 King St, Charleston, SC 29401

What to See

The more often you visit Charleston, the more acquainted you will become with the names of the short streets that bisect the downtown area - Market, Meeting, King and Queen. Along the way you are certain to enjoy some of the most beautiful homes in the South, preserved antebellum structures that hearken back to another time, and the delightful pastels of Rainbow Row, a series of eye-catching townhomes situated along the battery.

The Market Street outdoor market offers a bounty of local and regional goods, from delicious preserves to the intricate palm weavings of the Gullah women. Here are just a few favorite sites to see in and around the city as well.

The Citadel - the famed military school allows visitors to stroll the grounds and witness the weekly afternoon parades

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum - Location on Charleston Harbor, visitors can explore the USS Yorktown and take in Charleston’s storied military history

Fort Sumter National Monument - The scene of struggle between Confederate and Union forces, visitors may take a ferry from Patriot’s Point to tour this preserved war monument

Charleston Walking Tour - One of the best ways to know the city is with a guided tour. Various themes apply, from spooky twilight ghost walks to a lively pub crawl, knowledgeable and friendly guides further enhance your visit

What to Eat

Lowcountry cuisine is the order of the day in Charleston, from succulent shrimp with grits and tasso gravy, to savory pork dishes. Dining in Charleston ranges from casual fare at Aaron’s Deli to elegant at the 82 Queen. It’s nearly impossible to have a bad meal in downtown Charleston, and if you are looking for cozy and quaint you cannot go wrong with these favorite haunts:

Poogan’s Porch - 72 Queen St, Charleston, SC 29401 - a great place to enjoy a late sitting or Sunday brunch.

The Wreck of the Richard and Charlene - 106 Haddrell St, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 - A local recommendation for seafood, this is literally a hidden treasure, and you will have to ask for directions.

Kaminsky’s - 78 N. Market Street, Charleston, SC - a great place for a late night coffee and dessert in the heart of downtown.

For a weekend fling or an extended vacation, Charleston is one spot on the map to visit. Family friendly and a romantic backdrop for honeymoons, this city is full of Southern charm.

Kathryn Lively writes for FlowCushion, the seat cushion for travel, and the Camellia Rose Inn, Gainesville bed and breakfast.

Article Source: ArticleRich.com

Charleston is a port city in the state of South Carolina in the United States of America. Its historic center is located on a peninsula formed by two rivers, and Ashley Cooper, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean and protected by the surrounding islands. Charleston was captured in the Civil War, no major property damage if the historical part of town has buildings that are hundreds of years. The center of the city today, virtually no large buildings in order of height restrictions in the city, is dominated by church towers and the impressive Arthur Ravenel cable-stayed bridge completed in 2005 on the Cooper River. The city is an important port on the east coast of the United States and a popular destination for domestic and international tourists looking for Charleston Tours

Charles Towne, since it was called, was founded in 1670 Anthony Ashley Cooper, the west bank of the Ashley River, Charles Towne Landing, a few kilometers north-west of the existing. In 1680, settlement had grown up and moved to its present location on the peninsula. Around 1690, English colonists built a wall around the fortress small settlement in support of his defense. Wall protected area, here the French Quarter at Cumberland St. South Water St., at the Meeting St. East Bay St. to the east wall was destroyed around 1720. cobbled streets and ruins of a colonial building that English Walled Town: Powder, where the city was stored supply of gunpowder. Remnants of the colonial Wall fell on the old Exchange Building.

Fortunately, Charleston has again been caught in civil war, without much property was damaged, and was the first U.S. city to pass a historic preservation review. Thus many of the beautiful architecture of the early Colonial, Georgia, Federal, Greek Revival and Italian continue in Victoria for generations to see and enjoy. Charleston is also known as the Holy City because of the many steeples that dot the city skyline, low-rise, and the fact that he was one of the few places in the original thirteen colonies to provide religious tolerance French Huguenots and Jews.

Charleston is in general a laid-back, but sophisticated, city and has an old-South feel, just like its neighbor, Savannah. Most people in Charleston are helpful when approached in a polite manner. If a traveler speaks little English, Charlestonians are still generally willing to help as best they can. It is advisable, however, to at least learn a few key English phrases, and perhaps carry a traveler's phrasebook.Charleston Tours Charleston Tours

Living in Charleston, SC: A City with Plenty of Things to Do

Author: Lee Keadle

Approximately 5 million tourists visit Charleston, SC each year. Since tourism is one of the biggest industries in the area, Charleston offers a wide range of things to do for tourists and locals alike. Whether you like educational activities, shopping, or sports, Charleston offers something for everyone! Even in the (more than) ten years I have lived in Charleston, I still have a long list of places I still want to visit. This list includes only the most popular sites in Charleston, in case you are planning to visit the area or are looking to relocate to a city with lots to offer.

Museums: The Gibbes Museum of Art is the main art museum in Charleston. It focuses on regional artists ranging from the 1700s to today. Patriots Point Naval Maritime Museum is one of the most visited sites in Charleston. Located just over the Ravenel Bridge in Mt. Pleasant, this aircraft carrier offers incredible views of the Charleston Harbor and downtown Charleston. The World War II ship has a good collection of war planes and offers a unique glimpse into the everyday life of soldiers on an aircraft carrier. (You can also tour the Cold War submarine Clagamore, which is located adjacent to the ship.) The Charleston Museum is the oldest museum in the United States. It was established in 1773 and displays jewelry, war artifacts, Egyptian relics, and also has a natural history section. The South Carolina Aquarium is one of the most kid-friendly museums in Charleston. You'll see thousands of marine animals, like sharks, eels, seahorses, and loggerhead sea turtles.

Plantations and Historic Homes: You may recognize Middleton Place from the movie The Patriot. This rice plantation dates back 300 years, and it is one of the most visited in Charleston. Drayton Hall is hailed as a preservation icon, and the home is in near-original condition. Construction of the house began in 1738, and it housed seven generations of the Drayton family. This plantation focuses on details of the home itself, so visitors are often surprised to see that many of its rooms are actually empty. Boone Hall Plantation (located in Mt. Pleasant) is popular year round, but it sees a surge of visitors around Halloween each year for its Fright Nights (a haunted house event) and its Corn Maze. This is one of the oldest working plantations in the United States, and its fields have grown crops for almost 330 years. In addition to its plantations, Charleston also has quite a few historic homes that are located in downtown Charleston and are open to the public. One of the most popular is the Edmondston-Alston House, and this is one of the only homes on the Battery open to visitors. The house offers fantastic views of the Charleston Harbor and is a good example of the Greek Revival home style that is prevalent in downtown Charleston. The Heyward-Washington House is a Georgian style house that was home to Thomas Heyward, Jr., who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. George Washington also stayed there during his tour of the nation in 1791.

Sports: The Charleston Riverdogs is the city's minor league baseball team. The stadium is located downtown and faces the Ashley River, offering great water views. After weekend night games, there is often a fireworks show for the kids. The professional hockey team, the Stingrays, plays at the North Charleston Coliseum. Since the team was founded in 1993, they have won the Kelly Cup Championship three times. If you enjoy professional soccer, be sure to check out the Charleston Battery. Its home stadium on Daniel Island, the Blackbaud Stadium, was the first privately funded soccer stadium in the U.S. Or, if you prefer watching college sports, you will find most college sports to attend, between the College of Charleston and The Citadel.

Shopping: Last year, Charleston was ranked as a Best Shopping District in the United States. You will find independently owned shops and large commercial shopping centers sprinkled throughout the tri county area, but some of the most popular places to shop in Charleston tend to be King Street in downtown, Towne Centre in Mt. Pleasant, and the Tanger Outlets in North Charleston. On King Street you will find everything from Pottery Barn to Williams Sonoma, from the Gap to Gucci, from antique stores to the Apple store, coffee shops, and lots of bars and restaurants. This street is one of the most visited in all of the Charleston because of the sheer range of shops and restaurants (not the mention the classic Charleston architecture). Towne Centre is an outdoor shopping mall with more than 65 stores, from Barnes and Noble to Belk. There you will also find the Regal Cinema with sixteen stadium style theaters. The Tanger Outlets offers over 90 stores, including Banana Republic, Nine West, Bass, and Old Navy, just to name a few. This section of North Charleston surrounding the outlets has seen enormous growth in the past five or so years since the outlet stores were built, so you can now find plenty of other shopping and restaurants in this general vicinity.

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About the Author

On Lee's website you can learn more about Charleston SC real estate and search all Charleston SC homes for sale by area, including Mt Pleasant real estate! You will also find more things to do in Charleston, including pictures!