Rainbow Road, Historic Downtown
and more...a blogger's view:
Rainbow Row - Patriot's Point - Battery Park - Ft. Sumter - Folly Beach - Festivals - Sweet Grass Baskets - The Aquarium of S.C.
More Best Things to do in Charleston: Rstaurants, Planttions, Horse-drawn
Carriage Rides, Free rides on the DASH
Sweetgrass Baskets, Ft. Sumter, plus many photos!
12/23 - 12/25 - 2017: Over the Christmas Holiday we stayed at the Francis Marion Hotel, took the Old South Horse Carriage ride, ate excellent meals at Coast Bar & Grill, Hall's Chophouse, and the Swamp Fox Restaurant & Bar. Our transportation to "all things Charleston" was the FREE DASH Trolley. SWe hopped on and hopped off many times all over the city, while our car stayed safely at the Francis Marion Hotel. We walked through The Battery, White Point Gardens, and the waterfront, and Charleston City Market. We visited the Apple Store where I bought a new band for my Apple Watch. We also spent time at Belmond Charleston Place with beautiful store decorations inside and out. What a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas!
Here's our photo gallery from our long Christmas weekend! The photos include the Christmas Lights at Johns Island, something we've talked about doing for several years. We finally had the time and opportunity! If you're wondering about a long-weekend getaway, Charleston was the perfect place for us.
More Best Things to do in Charleston:
Best Charleston Restaurants, Plantations, Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides, Folly Beach, Shopping in the Historic District, Patriots Point - Sweet Grass Basket Weaving - Ft. Sumter- South Carolina Aquarium - Charleston History - Charleston Culinary Tours and more, including popular attractions and the best things to do
Spoleto Festival, Piccolo Spoleto, LowCountry Oyster Festival, MOJA Arts Festival. And don't miss the islands surrounding Charleston where you'll find the Angel Oak on James Island
Photos by Patricia Blackstock
All photos enlarge when clicked
Charleston voted #2 of 15 "Cities of the World"
by Readers' Choice Awards Condé Naste Trveler
* Map of the Historic District, Charleston S.C.*
I hope you will enjoy our suggestions for the
best things to do in Charleston, S.C.
Please view the Charleston cam page for webcams, videos and drones of the Holy City
On April 12, 1861, the Confederate artillery opened fire on Ft. Sumter in the Charleston Harbor. Ft. Sumter was the scene of the opening engagement of the Civil War. (Photos above.) After Sherman forced the evacuation of Charleston, the United States once again raised over Ft. Sumter on Apr. 14, 1865 Fort Sumter became a National Monument in 1948. This large grassy aqrea houses the monuments and historic statues. My friend Bonnie shows off a huge Platter Magnolia, and I'm standing near the monument. Charleston City Market / Daughters of the Confederacy Museum. The City Market is a must for anyone visiting Charleston. You'll find hundreds of vendors selling baskets and other sweetgrass designs, southern-style candies, crafts, food items , local jewelry, painting, photography and much more.
Best of Charleston Shopping - The Historic District
For your best shopping experience in Charleston, be sure to spend some time at the City Market located in the Historic District. This is where you will find the famous hand-made Sweetgrass Baskets (sewn with long leaf pine needles and strips of Palmetto leaves as well as a multiture of crafts souvenirs ,jewelry, local candies, on display inside the covered Market area You'll find the best of Charleston at Belmond Charleston Place If you like shopping in style, you will love the Shops at Charleston Place! Even if you don't purchase anything, you'll love the polished marble floors, columns, grand staircase and the mammoth chandelier. There is something for everyone, including your most discriminating Aunt Tillie! t
Be sure to check Groupon.com for money-saving Charleston deals secrets of Charleston!
Guide to Shopping! It is still one of the best things to do in Charleston. After you leave the Historic area, you'll find plenty of good shopping in Charleston.
Citadel Mall
Northwoods Mall
Earth Fare - The Healthy Spermarkett
Trader Joe's -Mt. Pleasant. Sometimes we drive from Myrtle Beach just to shop at Trader Joe's
Whole Foods - Mt. Pleasant
Freshfields Village Shops and restaurant crossroads of Kiawah, Seabrook and Johns Island
Mr. Pleasant Towne Center - check the link for hours of of happy shopping!
Tanger Outlets Charleston, S.C.
I often tell people one of the best things to do in Charleston is to check out the Islands of Charleston. Kiawah, Isle of Palms, Seabrook, James Island and Johns Island are all an easy drive - and in many cases just a few minuttes from Charleston. Each island has something beautiful and unique to offer visitors, and is one of the best things to do in the Charleston area.
The art of basket weaving was itroduced to the Carolina Lowcountry in the 17th Century. Today, Sweet Grass basket making is centered in the Mt. Pleasant community area. you'll ee basket stands along Hwy 17 North, allowing backet makers to compete with retail markets and establish direct contact between themselves and their patrons. Watching as these baskets are made is one of the most interesting things to do. You can watch baskets as they develope new shapes, such as roses and picture frames. The basket weavers can be found in the downtown area of Charleston, along Market, and Meeting Streets, and even on 17 Business leading to Charleston..
Charleston in has so many things to do! Stop by the Visitors' Bureau to see the best things to do in Charleston. Orient yourself and learn about the best tours of Charleston that are available to you. Or just start walking! We have discovered that one of the best ways to get acquainted with Charleston is on foot! It's not only good for your mind, it's also good for your body! It's one of the the best things to do in Charleston! You can plot your own course with a guidenbook and a map. This is the best way to learn about the Confederate Homes and how the Civil War affectd Charleston.
Let your feet be your guide! You can join a guide for the Charleston Walks. Plan on about 3.5 miles to cover the best of Charleston - the Historic District. It's not strenuous, and you wukk be stopping often to view the many Charleston monuments, Rainbow Row, historic markers and much more!
Another option for walking is the Free Tours by Foot. They provide a platform for licensed, professional, freelance tour guides to lead you at no up-front cost so you can enjoy a quality sightseeing experience, no matter your budget. Everyone should be able to take a guided tour that you feel is worth it - even free!
Charleston Guide for Savings, Discounts and Coupons
Savings, locations, and complete information available at Tourist Pack
Discounts coupons to the best local restaurant and attractions Charleston Coupons and Discounts
Charleston, SC Discounts for Attrations and Dining....Charleston Coupons
Charleston's Museum Mile is located along Meeting Street and runs from the Charleston Visitor Center to the Nathaniel Russell House. The Mile is easy to navagate on foot or with public transportation. You can use the DASH trolleys and CARTA buses to traverse the downtown area, travel to variouis sites and link with the tourist busses at the information center.
Take a Carriage Tour through Historic Charleston and the Battery, or hop on the Gray Line!
TIP: If you do a carriage your FIRST, you cn park your car free (included in carriage ride price) in the lots of various carriage companies without paying a parking meter while on the carriage.
Palmetto Carriage Tour - Charleston Guide discount coupons on the website.
Old South Carriage Company - Charleston Guide discount coupons on the website
The Gray Line of Charleston offers a chiocxe of Charleston guided mini-bus tour guides of the historic, charming city of Charleston, designed to give you an informative look at the city and its well-preserved past.
Click here to view my short photo gallery of Folly Beach!
Tour some of the best Historic Homes ins Carleston
| South Carolina Aquarium at Charleston |
Historic Charleston Foundation |
| Fort Sumter and take a Harbor Tour |
Cypress Gardens |
| HL Hunley (limited dates/times) |
Spoleto Festival (dates on website) |
| Middleton Place | Magnolia Plantation |
A Few of Charleston's Best Restaurants:
You will not run out of excellent restaurants, no matter how often you visit Charleston.
Hereare aq few that we think are the best restaurants in Charleston, in no particular order.
Be dure to check out the link a ove for Charleston discounts and Coupons)
Cooking Channel: Hook, Line & Dinner (Charleston, S.C.)
Ben discovers the foundations for Charle4ston''s current renaissance is the region's rustic Lowcountry cuisine, and its seemingly timeless union with all things fresh and aquatic. The host of Hook, Line & Dinner Experiences first hand the essence of the union in rustic institutions like Bowens Island Restaurant, a local marsh-side oyster house where there is a monumental understatement to say the amenities are sparse. Whether pan-searing sheepshead fish at Husk in histgoric downtown Charleston or preparing stuffed Blue Crab at T.W. Graham & Company in nearby McClellanville, Ben's ingredients are nothing if not local.
| Charleston Crab House - Wonderful Southern Seafood |
Tommy Condon's Restaurant and Pub - Historic Downtown |
| Peninsula Grill - Historic Downtown |
Bubba Gump Historic Charleston area |
| The Crab Shack Historic Downtown |
Wild Olive John's Island |
| Pavilion Bar & Grill Roof top diing |
Circa 1886 149 Wentworth St. |
| FIG 232 Meeting Street, Downtown |
Slightly North of Broad Voted Best of the Year |
| Hank's Seafood Restaurant corner Hayne and Churchh |
Cypress Lowcountry Grille 185 E. Bay Street |
| Hominy Grill 207 Rutledge Ave. Charleston |
Caviar & Bananas 41 George St. Charleston, SC |
| Cru Cafe 18 Pinkney St., Charleston |
Poogan's Porch 2 Queen St., Charleston, SC |
| Hyman's Seafood 215 Meeting St. Charleston |
Coast 39-D Charleston, S,C. |
| Boathouse 101 Palm Blvd. Isle of Palms |
Fish 422 Kings St. |
| The Macintosh 479B King St.t |
McCrady's 2 Unity Alley |
| The Ordinary 544 Kings Street |
Five Loaves Cafe 43 Cannon St. |
St. Philip's Episcopal Church is an Historical Episcopal church. It is a National Historic Landmark, built in 1836. Between 1860 and 1865, St. Philip's steeple was targeted for shelling by the invading Union Army. One shell exploded in the church during Sunday service.
St. Michael's Church was built in 1751, and is the oldest church in Charleston today. It towers above other historic scenes in Charleston. George Washington once worshipped in this church and General Robert E. Lee worshiped in the same pew. The two churches are one of the best landmarks in Charleston.
The two black bolts pictured on the house to the left 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. The houses are part of Charleston's famous Rainbow Row. Rainbow Row is the name for a series of colorful historic houses in Charleston, S.C. The houses are located north of Trade St. and south of Elliot St. on East Bay Street. It is referred to as Rainbow Row for the pastel colors used to paint all of the houses. It is a common tourist attraction and is one of the most photographed parts of Charleston.
Don't miss: Sweetgrass Baskets at the Charleston Market! Arthur Ravenel Bridge, inside and outside of the Charleston City Market, our brunch at the Palmetto Cafe, tours of Charleston carriage rides, churches and cemeteries, cobblestone streets, fountains, historic homes, and more! Charleston is known as The Holy City, due to the prominence of churches and steeples which dot the city's skyline. I've added some new photos of both churches and cemeteries.
I've recently discovered one of the Best Kept Secrets of Charleston - Consignment Shops! I could spend days in these consignment stores which offer amazing bargains for the savvy shopper!
Butterfly Consignment Shop
Consign Charleston
Low Country Consignments
Second Hand Love
Yoogi's Closet
Below, left to right row 1: Marble staircase: Charlestonm Daughters of the Confederacy, St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Bubba Gump's in Charleston for lunch with my sister-in-law, Granddaughter.
Below, left to right row 2: Charleston's public fountains are free and open all summer long. Cobblestone Street, Historic Charleston harbor, Paula and Wally look at the bark of a Crepe Myrtle
Below, left to right row 3: Be sure to visit some Charleston's historic cemeteries. Wally at the Charleston Aquarium of North Carolina, ancient moss covered oaks at the Battery
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The Aquarium of SC
We often stop at Seewee before returning home to Myrtle Beach. Great prices and good seafood! Click the link above to learn more.
Blessing of the Fleet!
2015
Blessing of the Fleet! 4/20/2014
Blessing of the Fleet! 4/2012
Platter Magnolia
it has received awqards for "Best Sothern City."
There is so much to do - and don't forget Ft. Sumter!
