Guide to Charleston: how to get there and where to stay, what to see and where to go in the evening. The best things to do in Charleston: fresh reviews and photos, places to see, branded entertainment and shopping.
According to toppharmacyschools, Charleston is the second largest city in South Carolina and the first oldest city in South Carolina. The historic center of the city is located on a peninsula formed by two rivers, Ashley and Cooper, flowing into the Atlantic. During the Civil War, the city was captured without noticeable damage, so the century-old buildings, beautiful churches, the spiers of which rise above the low city buildings, and the colorful harbor have been preserved in old Charleston. With the atmosphere of the good old south, Charleston resembles its neighbor Savannah.
The charming and ancient French Quarter is one of the most ancient and picturesque in the city. Just here at one time there was a wall built by the English colonists.
A bit of history
Charles Town, as the city was first called, was founded in 1670 by Anthony Ashley Cooper on the west bank of the river – a few kilometers northwest of present-day Charleston. In the 90s. In the same century, English colonists erected fortified walls around the settlement, and although the walls were destroyed thirty years later, the area bordered by them with cobbled streets and old houses is still preserved in the city. As well as remarkable neighborhoods built in Colonial, Georgian, Federal, Italian, Victorian and Greek styles.
Charleston was nicknamed the holy city due to its many churches, and also due to the fact that it became one of the few places in the first 13 colonies that was tolerant of French Huguenots and Jews.
How to get to Charleston
Charleston International Airport is located about 12 miles (19 km) northwest of the city center and is accessible from the city center by shuttle or city bus. The city is located almost in the middle of the Atlantic coast of South Carolina and is easily accessible by highway, Amtrak train or Greyhound bus.
Entertainment and attractions in Charleston
The Charleston Museum on Meeting Street is located directly across from the visitor center. But perhaps even more interesting is the Gibbs Museum of Art, which was opened in 1905 and has an amazing collection of over 10,000 pieces of fine art. Mostly these are the works of American authors, and a special emphasis in the expositions is placed on the masterpieces of the Charlestonians and southerners in general.
Fort Sumter National Monument is where the Civil War began. The fort is located on the island, and ferries go here from Liberty Square in downtown or from Patriots Point at Mount Pleasant. The ferry goes to the fort for about half an hour. The fort itself is actually in ruins, but there are signs and signs everywhere describing what was located and where. In addition, there is a museum on site.
Patriots Point is to the right of the Ravenel Bridge. Here is the Naval Museum with an impressive display of weapons, including the aircraft carrier Yorktown and the submarine Clagamore. In addition, the museum has an airplane and a restored camp from the Vietnam War. And on Sullivan’s Island, not far from the city, there is a second old fort – Moultrie, which was actively used during the revolution and the Civil War.
The Citadel is an old military school founded in 1842. Usually on Friday afternoons, a parade is held here in full combat uniform, and everyone can watch it.
The charming and ancient French Quarter is one of the most ancient and picturesque in the city. It is located between Market and Tradd streets, Meeting and the waterfront. Just here at one time there was a wall built by the English colonists. The French Quarter is home to many art galleries, as well as St. Philips Church, the French Huguenot Church and many beautiful historic houses.
3 things to do in Charleston:
- Be sure to see the amazing Angel Oak, which is over 1000 years old.
- Walk along the cobbled Longitude Lane, an old colonial alley that was laid exactly along the meridian line.
- Admire the Arthur Ravenel Bridge, completed in 2005, the longest cable bridge in the United States.
Another interesting city attraction is the fireproof building on Meeting Street. It was built in 1827 and is believed to be the oldest refractory structure in the United States today. The building was designed by Robert Mills, the first native American (Charlestonian) to train as an architect. The building was built predominantly of solid stone in a simple Greek style with Doric columns. Today, the house is home to the South Carolina Historical Society.
White Point Garden is a beautiful park located at the southern end of the peninsula. There are wonderful views from here, especially the Battery Boardwalk along the Cooper River. The boardwalk was lined with elegant mansions, terribly expensive. Another pretty green place to stay is Waterfront Park, which stretches from Vendue Range to Water Street along the Cooper River. And from the shipyard in Vendue Range you have a good view of the Ravenel Bridge.
The College of Charleston was founded in 1770 and it will be interesting to see its campus. Here is Randolph Hall, built in 1828 and which became a popular location for filming films about the Civil War.
A special place to visit in Charleston is the Market, an old shopping area at the start of Market Street. According to a popular urban legend, slaves were never traded in this market (the remains of a slave market can be seen in the neighborhood, a few blocks away). One way or another, today it is more than a fertile place for tourists, where anything is sold: from sweets and cotton candy to crocodile skin wallets.
The city has several good beaches. The most convenient, simple tourist one is Folly Beach. More sophisticated options are the beaches of Sullivan’s Island and Palm Island. Warm water and soft surf without wind and waves attract many vacationers here, especially in late spring and early autumn.
Churches of Charleston
While in Charleston, one cannot ignore the numerous city churches. The beautiful white-washed French Protestant Church is one of only two surviving Huguenot churches in the United States. It was built in 1844 in the Gothic Revival style, and a year later a unique organ, made in New York, was bought for the church, in the same tone as the classical baroque instruments. The Lutheran Church of St. Matthew was built in 1840 with the participation of 50 townspeople with German roots who wanted to pray in their native language. It is distinguished by a typical Gothic sharp spire 78 m high, wonderful stained glass windows and an organ.
The First Presbyterian Church on Meeting Street is known as the “Silent Church” because during the war its bells were melted down for Confederate cannons. St. Philips Episcopal Church was built in 1836, and acquired a beautiful multi-tiered spire in 1850. The city also has one of the oldest synagogues in the United States: its building in the Greek Revival style was built in the 1740s.
Charleston events
The Spoleto Festival in June is considered one of the best art festivals in the US. It was organized “based on” the festival in the Italian town of the same name by the composer Giancarlo Menotti. The festival also has a “younger brother” – Piccolo Spoleto, which takes place at the same time.
The autumn pumpkin festival of St. James takes place on the eponymous avenue, on Goose Creek. This annual October event features a pumpkin charity sale on weekdays and various festival events on the weekends, with music and street food. Also in October, the Taste of Charleston festival is held, which is definitely worth a look – the city is known for its excellent cuisine, especially seafood. And in January, the city hosts the Lowcountry Oyster Festival.
