As a tour guide I am frequently asked "What should I do while I am here?"  I believe the objective of a tourist should be to walk the streets and savor the charm of downtown.  What makes Charleston special is her vast and remarkably preserved historic district.  You can spend many days and nights wandering and discovering.

There are numerous museums and houses to dot your itinerary.  I particularly like the Aiken-Rhett house and I consider the boat to Fort Sumter a must.  Middleton is my favorite Plantation.  It takes about ½ hour to get there and once you've toured the gardens, the house and eaten lunch, you will have used up a half a day.  It is quite elegant and educational, but if you have limited time, I would not make it a priority.  Charleston is full of fantastic restaurants so plan on breaking up your days with great meals.

One easy way to visualize Charleston is to pretend it is a miniature Manhattan.  Five miles of land between two rivers - the Ashley River to the west (Hudson River) and the Cooper River to the east (East River.)  There is a grid system in place with the streets running North and South down the length of the Peninsula and East and West between the rivers.  As a tourist you should first focus on the lower east side because the city was founded on  the banks of the Cooper River in 1680.  It is the oldest and most charming part of the city

Charleston is clean, safe, friendly and cultural...you are going to love it!  I hope to take you on a tour when you come.

Tommy Dew

 

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Charleston Area Links

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