Charleston, Southern port city in South Carolina, United States
Description
Charleston sits between the Ashley and Cooper rivers and contains mansions from the 1700s, cobblestone streets, and church steeples that shape the skyline. Horse-drawn carriages move through narrow lanes while waterfront parks provide access to harbor installations and coastal paths.
History
The settlement was founded in 1670 as Charles Town and grew into a major colonial port for rice, indigo, and cotton exports until the American Civil War. Trade routes brought wealth that funded construction of grand residences still standing today.
Culture
Local restaurants serve Lowcountry dishes like shrimp and grits or she-crab soup that visitors can sample at family-run establishments throughout downtown. Public markets feature artisans weaving sweetgrass baskets using West African traditions passed down through generations of Gullah families.
Practical
Mild weather from March through November works well for walking through historic districts, beaches, and harbor areas on foot. Water and sun protection are helpful for daytime outings since many streets offer little shade.
Did you know?
The city holds the oldest landscaped gardens in North America at Magnolia Plantation, established in 1676 and featuring year-round flowering plants. European garden design and native swamp environments were combined here into a composition still maintained today.
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South Carolina combines American history with coastal landscapes and urban parks. Charleston preserves colonial architecture from the 18th century, including the Nathaniel Russell House and Drayton Hall. Plantations such as Magnolia, Middleton Place, and Boone Hall show the agricultural past and the...
Charleston has a nice tradition of rooftop bars where you can sit above the city to enjoy a drink or a meal. From these high terraces, you look towards the old town, the harbor, and the roofs of the old buildings. Some places focus on creative cocktails, others on local beers, and a few serve full...
Fort Sumter
6.4 km
USS Yorktown
2.3 km
H. L. Hunley
8.5 km
Angel Oak
15.7 km
College of Charleston
579 m
USS Laffey
2.4 km
Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge
2.7 km
Boone Hall
12.9 km
Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church
465 m
Fort Moultrie
7.4 km
Patriots Point
2.6 km
Isaac Jenkins Mikell House
988 m
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
17.6 km
Old Slave Mart
704 m
Drayton Hall
16.7 km
City Market
344 m
Middleton Place
23.3 km
Castle Pinckney
2.2 km
Charleston Naval Shipyard
9.1 km
American Civil War Museum
293 m
McLeod Plantation
4.4 km
Pink House
709 m
Silas N. Pearman Bridge
2.1 km
Nathaniel Russell House
1.1 km
Charles Towne Landing
5.8 km
Morris Island Light
10.8 km
Waterfront Park
852 m
White Point Gardens
1.5 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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