You may wish to visit the Islands of Charleston. Kiawah, Isle of Palms, Seabrook, Jame's Island and Johns Island are all an easy drive. Click the picture below to view the Islands of Charleston.
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The Cooper River Bridge is North America's longest cable stay span, and features eight lanes of north-s
outh traffic, including a bicycle /pedestrian lane. Click the pictures to enlarge!
White Point Gardens near the famous Battery. This large grassy area is shaded by massive moss-covered oaks and fringed with cannons, monuments, and historical statues.
Click thepictures below to enlarge. My
friend Bonnie shows off a large Magnolia! That's Bonnie again
by the cannon, and I'm standing near the monument.
Memorial - USS Hobson
and USS Wasp.
Charleston City Market/ Daughters of the Confederacy Museum.
The City Market is a must to see. You'll find hundreds of vendors, Sweet Grass baskets weavers, local jewelry, art, candles, cookies and much more. 
Click each picture below to show Sweet Grass basket and Roses sold in the Historic District.
St. Philip's Episcopal Church is an historic Episcopal church in Charleston, South Carolina. It is a National Historic Landmark, built in 1836. 1860-65 St. Philip's steeple was targeted for shelling by the invading Union Army. One shell exploded in the churchyard during a Sunday service.
St. Michael's Church was built in 1751, and is the oldest church in Charleston today. It towers above other historic buildings along Broad Street in Charleston. George Washington once worshipped in this church abd General Robert E. Lee worshipped in the same pew. Click both churches to enlarge.
Fountains are abundant in Charleston. Click the two below to enlarge.
Above: Beautiful old Marble Steps.
Below:
The two black bolts that you see on the house below are earthquake bolts. Charleston suffered two major hurricanes in 1885 and an earthquake in 1886. During repairs, workmen inserted long iron rods through the houses and tightened them with bolts against the outside surfaces to bring the buildings back into alignment. These houses and the ones below are part of Charleston's famous Rainbow Row.
Today's Charleston has much to offer her tourists. We've discovered that one one of the best ways to get acquainted with Charleston is on foot. It's not only good for your mind, it's good for your body. You can plot your own course with a map and good guide book. This is the best way to learn about the Confederate Homes and how the Civil War affected Charleston. You could also join a guided group with Charleston Walks. Plan on about 3.5 miles to cover the Historic District. It's not strenuous, and you will be stopping often to view monuments, houses, historical markers, etc.
Charleston was founded in 1670 by English colonists and prospered as the seaport serving the area's planters. The Civil War quashed the plantation economy, but by the 1920s, the city had revived enough to inspire the dance craze named after it.
The art of basket making (see photos on left) was introduced to the Lowcountry in the 17th Century by Africans, Today, Sweet Grass basketmaking is centered in the Mt. Pleasant community. Basket stands along Hwy 17 North allow basket makers to compete with retail markets, establish a direct contact between themselves and their patrons and develop new shapes from traditional baskets forms and ordinary objects. Basket makers living east of the Cooper River can also be found downtown Charleston, along Market, Broad, and Meeting Streets.
Folly Beach, whose name comes from an old English word meaning "heavily wooded" is a short drive from Charleston. It offers good restaurants and bars and it's a delight for beachcombers.
My Folly Beach photos
Charleston Guides and Local Information:
The Post and Courier
Historic Charleston Foundation
Charleston Convention & Visitors' Bureau
City of Charleston, SC
Cooper River Bridge
Some of our favorite Charleston restaurants
(See link to coupons at the bottom of this page):
A.W. Shuck's - Seafood Warehouse Restaurant and Raw Bar
Charleston Crab House - Wonderful Southern Seafood
Tommy Condon's Restaurant and Pub - Historic Downtown
Peninsula Grill - Historic Downtown Area
Charleston Grill - in the Charleston Place Hotel
Bubba Gump - Historic Downtown Area
East Bay Crab Shack - Historic Downtown Area
Pavilion Bar & Cafe - Rooftop dining!
Hank's Seafood - Corner Church and Haynes
Circa 1886 - 149 Wentworth St.
Robert's of Charleston - 182 E. Bay St. (Hear Robert sing!)
Charleston's Famous Plantations:
Middleton Plantation
Magnolia Plantation (View our photos )
Take a Carriage Ride through Historic Charleston and the Battery!
Palmetto Carriage Tour - coupons on this site
Old South Carriage Company - coupons on this site
Visit Charleston's major attractions:
South Carolina Aquarium at Charleston
Historic Charleston Foundation
Visit Fort Sumter and take a Harbor Tour
HL Hunley - Watch history unfold!
Nathaniel Russell House
Cypress Gardens
Spoleto Festival (May 23 - June 8, 2008)
Shopping in Charleston
Be sure to visit the City Market in the heart of the Historic District. Here's where you'll find the famous handmade Sweetgrass Baskets (sewn with longleaf pine needles and strips of palmetto leaf) as well as a multitude of crafts, souvenirs, jewelry, art, etc. on display inside the covered Market area. You'll also find many small specialty shops and restaurants. Charleston Place is located on the first floor of the Charleston Hotel in the Historic District. If you like shopping in style, then the Shops at Charleston Place are for you. Even if you buy nothing in the many boutique shops, you'll love the polished marble floors, columns, grand staircases and mammoth chandelier. There's something here for everyone including your most discriminating Aunt Tillie!
More Good Shopping
Citadel Mall
Northwoods Mall
Millennium Music
Earth Fare - The Healthy Supermarket
Hurricane Hugo:
My sister-in-law Sara (see photo on left) was living in Myrtle Beach when Hurricane Hugo made its visit in Sept. 1989. If you came here looking for information about Hugo's impact on Charleston, here's a link!
Looking For Free Coupons?
Tourist Pack of Charleston offers free coupons for Ghosts & Legends, Charleston Walk, the SC Aquarium, as well as plantations, restaurants and tours. Tourist Pack Free Coupons.
Charleston Photos - (May 2005)
Charleston Photos - (March 2006)
Photographs are the property of Patricia Blackstock and bear embedded watermarks. Taken with Canon Rebel XTi (EOS 400D) Digital. Thanks for visiting!