Charleston offers romantic images of the Old South and is home to a sprawling historic district full of beautiful old buildings, charming cobblestone streets and centuries-old tourist attractions. South Carolina's oldest and largest city was founded in 1670 and is located on a peninsula between the Ashley and Cooper Rivers in the interior of the Atlantic.
Eng For its city, Charleston is rich in history, heritage and culture and attracts many visitors eager to experience the attractive antebellum architecture and explore the extensive plantations and gardens. While visiting historic homes and museums is certainly one of Charleston's top attractions, the city is also known for its Southern hospitality, which only adds to the charm of its atmospheric old streets.
BEST Places to Visit in Charleston
Drayton Hall
Just twenty minutes' drive north-west of the town center is Drayton Hall, the oldest working farm survivor of the United States. Very well preserved, but unrestored and unfurnished, it was built in 1738 and features exceptional Palladian architecture.
As its interior has remained untouched for centuries, it is fascinating to explore the vast mansion and its elegant halls and chambers. The tours and visitor center provide an interesting insight into the lives of plantation owners and the African Americans they enslaved. As well as learning more about its history, you can wander through the extensive grounds and gardens of this sprawling property.
Aiken-Rhett House
If you want to delve into plantation life, the Aiken-Rhett House, located in the center of town, is worth a visit. Now a museum, the historic house, its slave quarters, stables and kitchen are great for tours and, like Drayton Hall, have been preserved but not restored.
Considered one of the best-preserved antebellum urban developments in the country, the property shows how cities like Richmond, Savannah, and Charleston were home to huge slave populations. Along with all of its artifacts and artwork, visitors can admire the beautiful features of the house, built in 1820.
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The Citadel
The large Citadel campus, home to many interesting monuments and landmarks, is located just a ten-minute drive northwest of the city center. It is a historic and very prestigious military school, founded in 1842, whose tours will take you to the magnificent Hispano-Arab style schools, barracks and parade grounds.
Not In addition to strolling the colorful checkerboard quadrangle of Padgett-Thomas Barracks, you can also stop by the charming Summerall Chapel and the impressive Howie Bell Tower. Scattered here and there are also memorial stones and tombstones dedicated to campaigns and the military. Once a week, visitors can watch a gala parade where the regimental band and bagpipers put on a lively show.
Charleston City Marketplace
Right in the historic heart of the city is the colorful and chaotic Charleston City Marketplace, popular with locals and tourists alike. This vast market with around three hundred stalls was created around the 1841 Greek Revival Great Market.
Enjoy the huge open market and its many vendors. sell everything from food and fresh produce to clothes, toys and souvenirs. You can also taste local snacks, have a coffee or buy one of the precious traditional baskets. At night, it is replaced by a night market where local artists sell their crafts and artwork.
South Carolina Aquarium
Since Opening in 2010 The South Carolina Aquarium, located in the historic Charleston Harbor, has been popular with families, and it's easy to see why. The massive aquariums are home to a wide variety of fish and marine life, from alligators and otters to sharks, starfish and sea turtles.
Plus, you can learn it all. what visitors can do about the state's underwater ecosystems, coastal climate and salt marshes in its amazing contact tank with crabs, rays and even sharks. With the deepest pool in North America, plus birds and reptiles, you won't want to miss the incredible aquarium.
Nathaniel Russell House
Another of the city's many historic homes worth visiting is the elegant Nathaniel Russell House, located just south of the city center. Today it is a National Historic Landmark and museum and is widely considered one of the finest examples of Neoclassical architecture in the United States.
Built in 1808 by a wealthy slave. Shopkeeper and trader Nathaniel Russell has a beautiful interior with fine details and fabulous furnishings everywhere you go. While its antique pieces and intricate plaster work are impressive, the magnificent property is best known for its incredible cantilevered spiral staircase that winds through the building.
Charleston Museum
If you want to learn more about the city's rich history and heritage, don't miss the Charleston Museum. Considered the oldest museum in the country, it opened its doors in 1773 and today contains a fascinating collection of objects, works of art and archaeological finds.
The main objective is in Charleston. and South Carolina. The numerous artifacts describing local and natural history, as well as furniture, firearms, and fossils, are fascinating to see. While some sections deal with life during the Revolution or Charleston's role in the Civil War, others include unusual items such as an Egyptian mummy and the complete skeleton of a whale.
Folly Beach
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Although most people visit Charleston for its interesting historic tourist attractions, stunning architecture, and old-world charm, the city it's not too far either. some beautiful beaches. After a few days walking around the city, it's worth heading to nearby Folly Beach, where you can relax, soak up the sun and enjoy the waves.
Folly Beach is one beach twenty minutes drive south of the city center and has a vast stretch of Atlantic coast where guests can sunbathe, swim and surf. While it can get crowded because it's popular with Charleston locals and tourists alike, there's more than enough sand for everyone, and there are beach bars and restaurants to try as well.
Middleton Place
Another large plantation in the area that people visit is the sprawling Middleton Place, located a half hour northwest from the city center. Today it is a very peaceful and picturesque place, home to the oldest landscaped gardens in the United States, with countless forests and trails, beautiful lakes and flower beds to explore.
The vast estate and its magnificent manor were founded in the late 1730s and are now protected as a museum. As you tour the estate, learn about the generations of Middletonians who lived here and the slaves who spent years tending and perfecting the gardens and grounds.
Angelica Oak
Simply breathtaking: The towering Angelica Oak is considered one of the largest and oldest living organisms east of the Mississippi . While some estimate the majestic tree and all its thick branches to be more than 1,500 years old, most estimates place it between 4 and 500 years old, still significant.
Thanks to its imposing height and impressive canopy, the Old Oak is now one of Charleston's most famous and photographed attractions. Angel Oak is located just a thirty-minute drive southwest of the city, and its fascinating mess of tangled and twisted twigs and twigs make Angel Oak a sight to behold.
Fort Sumter National Monument
Famous as the site of the first firing of the American Civil War, Fort Sumter is now protected as a national monument. Located on a small pentagonal island at the entrance to Charleston Harbor, it can be reached by ferry in just half an hour from downtown.
April 12 In December 1861, the Confederacy attacked the strong sea fortress, marking the beginning of the Civil War. Visitors can learn about the role it played in the war as they explore its fortifications and museum, and enjoy stunning views of the harbor and the Atlantic Ocean from atop its walls.