by Loretta Berry

When I travel I love to learn about the history of a place and about its people. What made ordinary people seek new lands? What daring adventures did they have and what struggles did they experience to get there? What was life like in this place hundreds of years ago?

As a girl I read a lot of historical novels including those set in Charleston. I dreamed I was there – Women wearing beautiful lace, hoop-skirt dresses and dashing men in coattails and top hats strolling arm in arm down cobblestone avenues or sipping tea in the parlor of a grand mansion by the waterfront. It was all so romantic.

Charleston is full of history. The oldest city in South Carolina, founded in 1670, it is the epitome of southern charm and hospitality. History and romance ooze on every street in the historic district, like something out of one of the novels I used to read.

Charleston is also one of the most remarkably well-preserved cities in America. The restoration efforts by local groups to preserve this great American city is noticeable and is what keeps Charleston’s grand old buildings and homes, and their rich history, intact, restored, and preserved for many more generations to enjoy.

Here is my list of how to enjoy the history and find romance in Charleston:

Take a Walking Tour

We found that the best way to see Charleston is by walking around. We grabbed our tour book and headed out. You can stop by the Visitor’s Center for a free map or pick one up in your hotel lobby. If you prefer a guided tour, there are many Walking Tours available.

Must see points of interest: St. Phillip’s Episcopal Church and Graveyard, the Dock Street Theatre built in 1736, and the Gothic Revival style French Huguenot Church all on Church Street.

Nearby is Chalmer’s Street – Walk on the original cobblestone street paved in 1760. There you will find the famous Pink House, the Old Slave Mart (now a museum), and the German Fire Steam Engine Co. (a fire house used from 1851-’88).

At the end of Broad Street, on East Bay Street, stands the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon (now a museum). East Bay street is also where you’ll find the iconic Rainbow Row houses.

Be sure to visit the Pineapple Fountain in Waterfront Park and White Point Park at the end of Battery Street to see its 160-year-old oak trees, civil war cannons, and monuments.

Enjoy a Horse-drawn Carriage Ride or Tour

What could be more romantic than riding in a carriage down centuries old cobblestone streets? Whether its just the two of you or you’re enjoying a family vacation, one of the best ways to experience Charleston is relaxing in an open carriage ride – feel the sunshine on your skin, smell the sweet fragrances of the many gardens throughout the city, hear the clippity-clop of the horses hooves all while listening to the driver’s tales of a by-gone era as he points out various historical landmarks.

There are several companies that offer horse-drawn carriage tours including Charleston Carriage Works, Classic Carriage Works, Old South Carriage Co, and Palmetto Carriage Tours.

Admire Historical Antebellum Mansions

Nothing speaks romance louder in Charleston than its historic, grandiose, antebellum mansions. You can’t miss them as you walk or drive around.

Get a glimpse into the lives of past Charleston elite and most prominent residents. Take a tour of these mansions and their magnificent English gardens. If only the walls could talk.

A few notable homes that offer tours are the Heyward-Washington House, built in 1772 by Thomas Heyward, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and where President George Washington once stayed. The three-story Federal-style Edmondston-Alston House built by a notable shipping merchant in 1825.

Williams Mansion, a fine, Gilded Age, 24,000 square foot home of business tycoon George W. Williams. One of my favorites, with its three-story “flying” staircase, is the Nathaniel Russell House. And there’s the iconic Aiken-Rhett House and Museum.

Mansion tour times, information and tickets are available online. Prices vary for each house with discounts available for multiple tours.

Visit Historic Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

All the fun and romance doesn’t just happen in the historic district of Charleston. Just 12 miles away on SC-61 you’ll find the Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. This impressive 500-acre estate was acquired by the Drayton family in 1676. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is one of the oldest plantations in the South. Once a rice plantation, Magnolia is now known for it’s 60-acres of romantic gardens. Visit anytime of year and you will find hundreds of fragrant, colorful blooms.

The estate also includes a reconstructed and restored pre-Revolutionary mansion, horticultural maze, nature trails, petting zoo, biblical herb garden, nature boat, nature train, and a swamp garden.

Hours of operation vary throughout the year. Allow 2 hours for a tour, although you might want to stay all day. Prices vary depending on tour. For information and to buy tickets, click here.

Take a Harbor Tour and Visit Fort Sumter

Cruise out to Charleston’s most popular attraction, Fort Sumter. Spend an hour exploring the small island and fortress, now a National Historic Park, where the first shots of the Civil War rang out. While cruising you’ll see the city wall, Battery Park, the skyline with its many church steeples, and the stately Rainbow Row and Battery homes along the waterfront.

Boat Tours depart from two locations: Liberty Square and Patriots Point. Tour times vary throughout the year. Ticket prices also vary with discounts for kids, seniors, and active military.

Other Harbor Tours include a 90-minute, narrated Charleston Harbor Cruise with a certified tour guide and for even a bit more romance, enjoy a multi-course dinner and drinks aboard a SpiritLine Dinner Cruise.

Be Awed by Historic Churches

Nicknamed “Holy City” for its many churches, no visit would be complete without checking out these historic places of worship. Admiring the architecture alone is worth the stop. Many still hold services. Some provide tours.

Stop and listen to the bells ringing from the bell tower of St. Phillip’s Episcopal Church (c.1836) at noon.

Admire the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church (c.1907 the original 1854 church was lost in a fire).

Visit St. Michael’s Church (c.1761). Sit in the very same pew as President George Washington and Gen. Robert E. Lee when they worshiped here.

Shop ‘Til You Drop

Believe it or not, not everyone who visits Charleston is a history buff or romantic. The good news is that there is so much more to see and do here – something for everyone. For instance, Charleston is a shoppers paradise.

The Shops of Historic Charleston on Meeting Street is where you’ll find bookstores, boutiques, reproduction furnishings, jewelry, and artwork.

Upper-crust retailers like Gucci and Louis Vuitton alongside mid-range shops can be found at The Shops at Belmond Charleston Place, also on Meeting Street.

As you stroll through the French Quarter, look for the many eclectic shops and galleries in Cabbage Row/Catfish Row (89-91 Church Street).

Upper King Street is home to the “designer district” with a bohemian atmosphere. Innovative furniture shops, home décor, and designer jewelry along with trendy restaurants and lively nightspots. While Lower King is home to Antique Row, “hip” boutiques, and art galleries.

Over 200 years old, the City Market is a “must-see” and the best place to find souvenirs. The four-block long open-air market hosts dozens of vendors with everything from spices, South Carolina treats, and hand-crafted trinkets, hats, and artwork. A must-have souvenir is a traditional African sweetgrass basket hand made by local Galluh women.

Museums And Other Interests

Charleston has its fair share of history museums, but there are others. The Gibbes Museum of Art, Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry, Postal Museum, Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, and the Mace Brown Museum of Natural History.

South Carolina Aquarium is home to more than 5000 animals, from the ocean and coastal region to the forest and mountains.

For military buffs is Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum Just north of the historic district across the Cooper River. Home to the USS Yorktown, destroyer USS Laffey, submarine USS Clamagore, and 28 historic aircraft.

Nearby historic Fort Moultrie was prominent in the Revolutionary War. A palmetto-log fort, it was first attacked by nine British ships in 1776.

There is so much to see and do in Charleston. One thing is for sure, one trip is not enough – You will want to go back time and again.

How To Get There

Getting there is easy. To drive is less than five hours from Atlanta and three from Charlotte. Most major airlines fly into Charleston International Airport (CHS), 12 miles west on I-526.

Where To Eat

After a day of sightseeing or shopping you’ll want to grab some lowcountry cuisine at the many dozens of restaurants in Charleston’s historic district. Most of them serve fresh seafood as well as lowcountry favorites – shrimp and grits, lowcountry boil (sausage, shrimp, potatoes, and corn-on-the-cob), she-crab soup, crab cakes and oysters.

Some favorites are SNOBS – Slightly North of Broad Street, housed in a renovated 18th century warehouse. You’ll find upscale and refined southern cooking at Magnolias. One of my favorites, housed in an old church (of course), 5th Church Charleston. And Amen Street Fish and Raw Bar. Best she-crab soup ever. The staff is great and even the manager came out to tell us the fantastic history of the building.

Restaurants in the historic district tend to be somewhat expensive, although many have moderately priced items on their menus as well as dishes to share.

Where to Stay

There are several amazing hotels in the historic district, although somewhat pricey. More moderately priced and budget friendly hotels can be found north of the historic district as well as just across the Ashley River to the south and the Cooper River to the north.

The moderately priced Charleston Harbor and Marina Hotel to the north, next to Patriot’s Point, is what I’d consider a grand hotel. It has spacious room with balconies, a swimming pool, jacuzzi, gift shop, and Fish House Restaurant all on site. The Marina here is where you take the cruise to Ft Sumter or a fishing charter. This hotel also has a convenient, 365 days a year, hourly shuttle bus to and from the heart of the historic downtown district.

For younger travelers or anyone dealing with age restrictions, there are resources that highlight hotels open to 18+ guests, making booking simpler.

About the author:

Loretta Berry is a freelance travel writer and photographer. She loves discovering new places and experiencing the local history, food, and drink. She has traveled extensively throughout the United States. She loves traveling with her kids and grandkids, sharing with them her passion for fun and adventure. She is a member of ITWPA and TraveMedia. You can find her on both Facebook and Instagram to follow her travels.

Photo credits:

First horse and carriage photo by Palmetto Carriage Works
All other photos are by Loretta Berry

by Susmita Sengupta 

The city of Charleston, South Carolina has an extensive and storied history. In 1663, King Charles II of England gave this land to eight of his closest friends who started the first settlement in 1670 and called it “Charles Town”, a name that would shorten to Charleston eventually. The first location of Charleston was across the Ashley River opposite the present day city. Envisioned as a flourishing port town, the original settlement faced continuous attacks by the French and the Spanish who took issue with England’s right to the region.

Reading about the history of Charleston, I discovered that in the colonial era, Boston and Charleston were considered sister cities as the moneyed class spent their summers in Boston and winters in Charleston. Although the original colonists were English, the growing city attracted people of all ethnic and religious groups. There was trade with Bermuda and the Caribbean that brought in migrants from those places. There were other European settlers such as the Germans, French, Scottish and Irish. It is also known as the “Holy City” due to a profusion of church steeples.

By 1770, Charleston had grown to be the fourth largest port in the colonies. There were massive plantations where rice and indigo were the main crops. The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 made cotton the primary crop and made it South Carolina and Charleston’s chief export. All these cash crops at the plantations were heavily dependent on slave labor. As most of us know, the history of slavery in the South makes for a very uncomfortable reading. Nevertheless, the account of slavery in America starts at Charleston. About forty percent of the enslaved Africans who were brought into the country passed through the port of Charleston. While most of them were sent to various plantations around the South, a sizable number of them stayed behind in South Carolina. The largest number of these bonded people worked or rather toiled in miserable conditions at the plantations dotted around Charleston.

For better or worse, today these plantations attract a large number of tourists. Preserved as national historic sites they offer a fascinating if overwhelming and uncomfortable glimpse of life in colonial times and beyond. There are four plantations near Charleston: Middleton Place, Boone Hall, Drayton Hall and the one that we visited, Magnolia Plantation.

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

Magnolia Plantation is one of the only plantations still owned by the direct descendants of the original owners, the Drayton family, and is open to the public at large. I learnt that the house we were in was actually the third house built just before the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Thomas Drayton and his wife founded the plantation in 1676 when they arrived from Barbados to the new English settlement of Charles Towne. It has the oldest public gardens in America, open to public since 1870 and is the oldest tourist site in the South Carolina Low country. The house tour took us about 40 minutes and we walked through rooms opulently furnished with Early American antiques and heirlooms. Tour guides related the history of the house – the first two houses burned down and the current one was built in the 1890s over the foundation of the second home to which rooms were added intermittently.

The star attraction at Magnolia is unquestionably its gardens and grounds. To that end, visitors can tour the far-flung sites by boat and a nature train. We did not do the boat tour but yes, the Nature Train tour was superb. The wildlife viewing of water birds such as herons and egrets mesmerized my daughter. The tour took us through marshes, wetlands, lakes and forests and naturalist guides were at hand to bring the scenes to life. All of us in the tram craned our necks this way and that to catch the incredible picture of alligators sunning themselves in the plantation’s marshes.

The tram also glided past the slave cabins thus immediately bringing into focus the reason how such opulence could be maintained. A separate tour is devoted to experiencing the role that Gullah culture played in shaping the Low country history. Just viewing these one room shacks from afar was a hard to forget and an incredibly moving experience.

Another major point of attraction in Charleston is the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum. The centerpiece attraction, USS Yorktown, a National Historic Landmark, is a remarkable sight for anyone who has never stepped on an aircraft carrier. Yorktown began its service in World War II followed by the Vietnam War and then in 1968 recovered the Apollo 8 astronauts and their capsule after it splashed down into the Northern Pacific Ocean. The displays in the museum consisted of exhibits covering numerous time periods of naval history. Kids all around us were climbing into the cockpits of various aircrafts having the time of their lives. We took a while exploring the destroyer USS Laffey and the submarine USS Clamagore and came away with a renewed understanding of what it means when nations go to war.

At this point, we were eager for a bit of lull in our sightseeing and decided to make a trip to the beach the next day. We were enticed by Hunting Island State Park, which not only had pristine beaches and nature trails but also had a stunning lighthouse. Built in the 1870s, the Hunting Island Lighthouse is the only publicly accessible historic lighthouse in South Carolina. The State Park was nearly a two-hour drive from our hotel but we were glad we went. One can climb up to the top of the lighthouse (167 steps) but we were not that energetic! The lighthouse is unusual because it is constructed of cast iron plate sections that can be dismantled if needed. As luck would have it, in 1889 due to beach erosion, the lighthouse was relocated about two miles inland where it stands even now. As we approached the structure, we were struck by the impressive view of the jet black painted top part of the tower peeking out from behind the trees, shiny under the sunny blue skies. The drive to the lighthouse was equally picturesque as we drove through a maritime forest, a dense canopy of trees and shrubs with intermittent glimpses of dunes and the ocean.

The following day we went back to exploring the city of Charleston. Our first stop was the Charleston City Market, one of the oldest markets in US. The history of the market begins in 1788 when Charles Pinckney provided the land to the city of Charleston to be used specifically as a public market, with the clause that the space remain a market forever. Thus, the market began as a row of sheds that were built between 1804 to the 1830s. Butchers, fish and vegetable vendors sold their wares from these sheds. The present-day Market hall was built in 1841 after the original hall was destroyed in a fire. While the exterior reflects the Greek Revival style with gorgeous ironwork, stucco and red sandstone, the interior is now completely modernized with gleaming glass doors and micro boutiques dotting the Grand Hall selling jewelry, crafts and collectibles, pottery, sweet grass baskets food items and other such handmade treasures.

Not too far away, we got a glimpse of the U.S. Custom House, an imposing Classical design with Corinthian columns that was completed in 1879 after a hiatus of few years due to the start of the Civil War. At a few minutes walking distance was the Old Slave Mart Museum, a former slave auction building that details the role of Charleston and South Carolina in the slave trade. We walked past cobblestone streets and beautiful pastel colored houses in hues of pink, yellow, blue, and felt ourselves move back in time. Soon our walk took us to the Waterfront Park, a broad, gorgeous swath of parkland along the Cooper River, with a pier extending far out into the river. Portions of the park overlooked into restored marshy lands and the floating dock provided a magnificent unimpeded view of another of Charleston’s key attraction, the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. Our trip to Charleston showed how the modern and the old could exist harmoniously side by side.

If You Go:

Charleston Visitors Bureau

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

Hunting Island State Park

Half-Day Magnolia Plantation Tour with Transportation

About the author:

Susmita Sengupta is a freelance writer who loves to travel. She and her family have traveled to various parts of the USA, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, Middle East, Southeast Asia and India.

All photos are by Susmita Sengupta:

A view of the city from the hotel room
The house at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
An alligator in the sun with water birds in the marsh at Magnolia Plantation.
The row of slave cabins at Magnolia Plantation.
Navy planes on display aboard USS Yorktown at Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum.
The Hunting island lighthouse.
An exterior view of Charleston City Market.
Cannon at Patriots Point with the cable stayed Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge in the background.

Boone Hall Plantation, South Carolina

by Hannah Murray

As a British person travelling in the Deep South, a new world of history, food and adventure lay before me. I wanted to see as many historical sites as possible within my six-week trip, and Boone Hall Plantation was in my top five places to see. Unfortunately, I arrived in the pouring rain. Some Americans think that it rains constantly in Britain, but I have never seen anything like the torrential downpours of the Carolina coast. For when it rains, the heavens open, and rivers form within roughly three minutes.

“Have you got an umbrella?” the ticket man asked me as I pulled up at the entrance. Having driven from Myrtle Beach, where it was very hot and sunny. I was wearing a maxi dress and sunglasses and must have looked a prize idiot. “Um, no I don’t. I’m hoping it’s going to stop soon,” My voice trailed away as the man looked at me pitifully. “Enjoy your visit.”

So the infamous drive I had been waiting for, the alley of oak trees leading to a spectacular mansion, took place in heavy rain. Not exactly what I had in mind. After a quick change in the back of my car (classy) I ran to the house and sat on the porch waiting for the rain to stop, which thankfully it did after an hour or so. I booked a house tour and a place on the Gullah presentation, and to kill time I read about the property and explored the slave cabins. Boone Hall began its colourful history in 1681 when Major John Boone, an Englishman, decided to settle in Charleston. The house has seen many different owners, including a German family that began a brick business, but since 1955 the McRae family have owned the estate, and it was their decision to open up the house for guided tours.

I walked over the waterlogged ground to the nine slave cabins that were in the front yard. The cabins are made from brick, which is incredibly unusual for the time because most were made out of wood. Visitors would have seen these cabins first before the main house, and the reasoning was that if the slave cabins were made from brick, you knew you were entering a wealthy plantation. Each cabin would have housed between 6-12 people, mainly house slaves as the field slaves would have lived in wooden cabins in the fields. (There was a hierarchy among the enslaved, and you were considered ‘higher up’ on the scale if you worked in the house.)

On this particular plantation, long grain rice was grown and produced by the enslaved population. This area of South Carolina was famous for rice and cotton, and many plantation owners earned thousands by selling their goods across the country, and beyond. For example, in Liverpool, England, 90% of imported cotton came from the South. Depending on the crop and the plantation owner (or overseer if the owner was away on business), the slaves would work from dawn until dusk in the sweltering heat. A slave was seen as property, and often a slave in their 30s with a particular skill (for example, a carpenter) could reach $1800 on the auction block. If a plantation owned 100 slaves…well you do the math. Slaves were allowed one set of clothes per year, and one day off a week or sometimes once a month; again this varied from plantation to plantation.

In each cabin, there was a small exhibition on the life of a slave and what happened to them after the Civil War. Quotes by Frederick Douglass, the fiery abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison and former slave Harriet Tubman adorned the walls. Tubman, my personal heroine, declared “there is either liberty or death, and if I can’t have one, I will have the other.” Standing in those slave cabins was the most surreal moment of my life so far. I had read about slavery for five years, imagined what life must have been like for a slave living in the heart of South Carolina, or in the humidity of Louisiana, but nothing came close to standing in that cabin, feeling the marks of fingerprints on the walls, and looking out of the window to stare at the alley of oak trees. Feeling the dust beneath my feet and staring at the broken pieces of glass, animal bone and metal. What would the enslaved have experienced within these walls? Loss and sacrifice. Heartbreak and death. Love and defiance. Survival. These slave cabins bridge the gap between two completely different worlds. We may never be able to recover the memories or the stories that scream to be heard, but the cabins stand as strong and silent testimony to those that lived and worked here. It was an incredibly moving experience, and one that I shall never forget.

I became so enthralled by the cabins I very nearly missed the Gullah presentation, led by an fascinating man and his small grandson, who played the drums for us. The Gullah are descendants from African slaves, and their language has influenced society for generations. The Gullah culture focuses on ancestors, and whereas we might say “our guardian angel was looking out for me today” someone who believed in the Gullah way of life would say “my great grandfather was protecting me today.” In the Gullah culture, no one dies per se: they merely ‘pass on’ to the next life (which is why we say somebody has “passed away.”) The Gullah people in South Carolina have preserved their religion, culture, and skills, passed down through the generations. Basket weaving is particularly important, and I found so many beautiful and colourful examples later on in Charleston.

After the presentation I rushed to the ‘Big House’ for my tour, an elegant home that is still lived in. Unfortunately, you were not allowed to take photographs, and the tour was confined to the library, the study and the dining room. Little was mentioned about the role of the slaves within the house, but the tour was interesting nonetheless. It was beautiful, although not as grand as some of the plantations you will find in Louisiana. Perhaps that is a good thing, depending on your taste. And so concluded my powerful trip to Boone Hall. I made my way to the car park, which now resembled a small river, and carefully drove down the alley of oak trees, this time in the sunshine. The best destinations are those that stir the soul, pull at the heartstrings or blow us away with their beauty. For me, Boone Hall managed to do all three.

Boone Hall Plantation Tour from Charleston

If You Go:

Boone Hall is located roughly 10 miles from downtown Charleston, so if you’re travelling towards the city from the North it’s a great place to stop.

Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens
1235 Long Point Road
Mt. Pleasant, S.C. 29464
Phone (843) 884-4371

Adults – $20; Children (6-12) $10
Senior citizens 65+/Military/AAA Members – $18

Make sure you book a house tour and a ticket for the Gullah Presentation in the Information Office (around 30-45 minutes each). Talks at the slave cabin occur hourly. If mobility is a problem, the house organises a coach tour to take you around the site (lasting 40 minutes).

Visit their website for upcoming events
Charleston Tourism

Lost Stories of Black Charleston Walking Tour

All photos are by Hannah Murray:
The plantation house
Slave cabin
A bed inside one of the cabins

About the author:
Hannah graduated with a Masters Degree from the University of London last year, and since then she has been researching the life of former African American slave Frederick Douglass. In the summer of 2013, she travelled solo through the Deep South for six weeks. She drove over four thousand miles and visited roughly 80 historic sites, sampling the gorgeous Southern cuisine as she went. Hannah would love to take people on the same trip and share with them the weird and wonderful places she came across. Hannah has created a website on Frederick Douglass in Britain – sites.google.com/site/frederickdouglassinbritain and has written about some of her travels on her blog, astudentofclio.blogspot.co.uk