Do the Charleston

Wherever you’re from, you’ll feel at home in Charleston.

Images courtesy of The Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, www.CharlestonCVB.com; 1.800.868.8118.

A carefully preserved 18th-century plantation and National Historic Landmark, Middleton Place encompasses America’s oldest landscaped gardens.

Imagine Annapolis. Now multiply that several times, add a few helpings of warmer weather and southern charm, and you’ve got Charleston, South Carolina. If it’s a craving for the taste of the south, there’s no better place to satisfy it.

Though it’s nine hours of interstate driving away, almost all of it on I-95, you may want to bring your car along to experience as much of Charleston as you can. Still, it’s only a short flight to the local airport, and this refined city will keep you busy regardless. Treat yourself to an indulgent seafood lunch at one of the local eateries before taking in the sights. Visit Fort Sumter in the middle of the harbor or make an afternoon jaunt to the Battery and take in the beautiful array of homes at the tip of the peninsula. You can even attend a service at one of the city’s many historic churches. Finish a lovely weekend with a little Sunday afternoon shopping, strolling down the strip at King Street and up through Meeting Street’s open air market. Above all, put your feet up, relax, and enjoy a little sweet tea.

A Place to Lay Your Hat

Charleston is full of places to pull off your jacket and kick off your shoes, and they run the gamut from quaint bed-and-breakfasts to posh, top-flight hotels. Aside from your personal taste—and the depth of your pocketbook—there is virtually no limit to the city’s wealth of accommodations.

If your pleasure happens to be southern, down-home feel with a touch of history, look to The Jasmine House, a bed-and-breakfast on Hasell Street. It features 14-foot ceilings, marble bathrooms, and other charming architectural details typical of Charleston’s grand old houses.

On the other side of the spectrum lies the luxuriant Market Pavilion Hotel on East Bay Street. Its rooms are decorated lavishly and furnished with wood pieces of the finest mahogany. The four posts of each room’s plush bed rise to the ceiling, an elegant crown for the centerpiece. Renting one of the hotel’s 66 rooms is costly, but comfort couldn’t be more guaranteed.

Staying on the outskirts expands your options considerably. With available rentals spread throughout many of the outlying areas, such as Folly Beach, Mount Pleasant, and the Sea Island resorts, you can headquarter a vacation to Charleston most anywhere you please.

Delicious Victuals

Not surprisingly, seafood is king in this port city, but the sheer volume of restaurants stands as a testimony to how many different ways it can be enjoyed.

Whether it’s a romantic dinner for two or a night out during a family vacation, you won’t want to pass up the opportunity to dine at Magnolia’s Uptown/Down South, located at 185 East Bay Street. Well-known for its American-Lowcountry take on sea fare, the menu features dishes such as spicy shrimp and sausage with tasso gravy over grits. Those averse to seafood can rest easy—there’s plenty for the landlubbers as well, and each dish is prepared exquisitely. Reservations are not only recommended; they’re a virtual necessity.

For an early afternoon brunch and the finest Bloody Mary in town, look no further than 82 Queen. Located fittingly at 82 Queen Street, it’s a wonderful place to enjoy a perfectly prepared, after-church Eggs Benedict—or to regain a little vim and vigor after that night on the town.

Other favorites are Fish, a little seafood place on King Street and Hank’s Seafood Restaurant on Hayne Street. High Cotton on East Bay Street offers some delectable South Carolina specialties such as squab, rabbit, and venison. Locals take frequent meals at the Shem Creek Bar & Grill in Mount Pleasant, where oysters on the half shell and a view of boats combine to provide a slow-paced serenity that just feels natural in the south.

The Old South

Charleston has so many historical buildings that it often feels like a movie set, and indeed, it has been. Many movies have been filmed here—including scenes from The Patriot on the campus of the College of Charleston. Like a crew filming a movie, without a little bit of direction it’s hard to know where to begin. If you’re new to Charleston and its history, here are a couple of items you should push to the top of your agenda.

Drop in to The Frances R. Edmunds Center for Historic Preservation at 108 Meeting Street or The Preservation Society of Charleston at 147 King Street for a little much-needed—and more importantly, free—tourist information. Both locations also boast a healthy supply of historical literature and reference material, and you’re sure to leave with something that will put you on the right track. As for the service, everyone seems deep-fried with friendly—in true southern fashion—and eager to please.

Next, take in an overview of the city and its history by enjoying one of Charleston’s famous horse-drawn carriage tours. They won’t be able to go everywhere, and the carriage driver’s narration will gloss over many points that are well worth exploring, but there’s something irreplaceable about riding through one of our nation’s oldest cities to the clickety-clack of horse hooves.

From there you’ll be able to investigate whichever parts of Charleston interest you the most: the aged forts, the pre-Revolutionary War era houses, the venerable churches, or even some of the most renowned warships in our nation’s history. No little boy or girl should grow up without running across the deck of the USS Yorktown, witnessing first-hand the majesty of the aircraft carrier known as World War II’s “Fighting Lady.”

People to Go, Places to See

It’s not necessary to leave your lodging to enjoy your time in Charleston, but with so many things to do, it would be a shame if you didn’t.

As with most places in South Carolina, golf is everywhere—whether in the form of inexpensive public courses or of costly, highly groomed tracks at the luxury golf resorts on the nearby Sea Islands. The Ocean Course of Kiawah, which hosted the 1991 Ryder Cup, marks a pinnacle of challenge in the sport. Be prepared to sacrifice a small army of golf balls if you try your hand against it.

The fishing is among the best along the East Coast, and it’s only a few minutes away—just be sure to contact the S.C. Marine Resources Division to pick up a license before you go. You can catch sea trout and largemouth bass from the fresh waters of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, all within sight of downtown. Up the Wando River, redfish can be caught on fly rods in the tidal creeks. For those hankering for a greater challenge, luxury charter boats are readily available to take you out to the deep waters where you can test your mettle against dolphin, marlin, or tuna.

If you’re looking to spend a little less energy—but perhaps a little more money—Charleston has several unique venues for your shopping pleasure. The Upper King Street strip, enjoying a resurgence in popularity, currently rules over the rest of Charleston’s shopping culture, but it has been a commercial presence for more than a century. Walking down King can easily give the impression of being in an outdoor mall: most every fashion chain maintains a presence, and antique dealers dot the streetscape.

Of particular interest is that Upper King’s recent rebirth has given way to a number of shops and outlets focused on home décor. In fact, it is fast becoming known as the spot for trendy home furnishings and designs in Charleston.

If you can manage to escape from the consumer paradise that is Upper King Street, be sure to wander down Meeting Street into the historic Market, which is likely one of the oldest true shopping malls in the United States.

With such a variety of rich areas to explore, it’s hardly possible to do Charleston justice. Like a diamond, it would take a lot to even scratch the surface of this elegant southern gem, and time for that can be hard to find. Still, as with a wonderful friend whom you just don’t see often enough, Charleston is worth every moment spent.