Charleston
You’ll find a new high in South Carolina’s low country.
When you close your eyes and envision the Old South there’s a good chance you’re picturing the city of Charleston, South Carolina. One of the most intact civil war cities, Charleston is seeping with charm and history.
The mansions, the romantic and precisely manicured gardens, the grand piazzas… the entire atmosphere of this city has it commonly referred to as a "living museum." The city boasts 73 pre-Revolutionary buildings, 136 late-18th century structures and over 600 others built before the 1840s. Visitors can wander cobblestone streets lined with antique shops and boutiques, browse the Old City Market where Gullah basket ladies are among the vendors that peddle their wares, and peek at private gardens tucked serenely behind iron gates. House museums and monuments to wealthy Colonial merchants are open to visitors, as are the plantations and gardens that line the Ashley River. It really is easy to get lost in time here, which is one of several reasons why Condé Nast Traveler magazine named Charleston the number-three city to visit in America.
Great fires, earthquakes, pirates, civil war and hurricanes — nothing can tarnish Charleston’s grace and dignity. No matter how many upheavals this city faces it never seems to loose one ounce of its mild-mannered, southern hospitality.
Charleston Transportation
Charleston lends itself to walking, and many visitors find this to be a convenient way to see everything the city has to offer. Beautiful homes, churches and public buildings line the streets and beg to be explored one-by-one. Magnificent formal gardens grace much of the Historic District, adding to the need to be on foot. However, if you're all tuckered out from schlepping around the mansions, the Downtown Area Shuttle (DASH) has faux streetcars doing four loop routes from the visitor's centre.
Airports
Charleston International Airport
Rail
Amtrak
Local Transportation
Absolutely Charleston
CARTA - Charleston Regional Transportation Authority
Charleston Executive
Mount Pleasant Shuttle
Primetime Charleston Transport Services, LLC
Royal Limousine Service
Water Taxis
Charleston Water Taxi
Car Rentals
AVIS
Thirfty Car Rental
Triangle Rent a Car
Budget
Dollar
Enterprise
Hertz
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Charleston Attractions
The historic city of Charleston has an ambiance that you really want to ease into and get acquainted with and one of the best ways to do this is to take a carriage ride. You’ll naturally feel the old world charm as you make your way down the cobblestone streets past the pastel antebellum town houses and historic building. From there you can saunter over to the Battery and White Point Gardens. It's right on the end of the peninsula, facing the Cooper River and the harbor. It has a landscaped park, shaded by palmettos and live oaks, with walkways lined with old monuments and other war relics. Once you’re really feeling the spirit of the city there’s a whole list of things to see and do.
Drayton Hall
The Charleston Museum
Aiken Rhett House
Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture
Boone Hall Plantation
Cabbage Row
Old Slave Mart Museum
Cypress Gardens
Charles Town Landing
South Carolina Aquarium
Caw Caw Interpretive Center
Charles Pinckney National Historic Site
Battery Park/Whitepoint Gardens
Edmondston-Alston House
Fort Moultrie
The Powder Magazine
Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon
Nathaniel Russell House
Morris Island Lighthouse
Middleton Place House Museum
Joseph Manigault House
Heyward-Washignton House
Charleston Tea Plantation
Magnolia Plantation and Its Gardens
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Charleston Shopping
The fact that Charleston is walking city makes it a natural for shopping too. Its history also adds to the character and detail of shops and boutiques creating a delightfully different experience. Throughout this charming area you’ll find local crafts, unique specialty stores, and antiques galore. Of course, if the shop-a-holic in you is craving some department store spoiling Charleston will have you covered here too with such brands as Saks, Ralph Lauren, Gucci, etc.
Buster’s Lowcountry Baskets
B’Zar
Charleston Cooks! Maverick Kitchen Store
Classic Charleston
Drayton Hall Museum Shop
Folbot
Fresh Fields Village
Global Awakening
Historic Charleston Reproduction Shop
Lesesne
Mary Norton
McKevlin’s Surf Shop
Plum Elements
Rhett Butler’s
The Brass Pirate
The French Hare
Upper King Street Merchants Association
Utopia
Wonderland
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Charleston Nightlife
Given the southern charm and history that surrounds this city you might not take it for much of a party town. But Charleston does have its share of entertainment and hot spots… it’s just a little more refined. Instead of loud clubs and bars this city offers graceful rooftop retreats that beckon with soulful jazz and water views. In fact, even the pubs have some type of past life, like the Blind Tiger that has been in operation since 1803.
Charleston Symphony Orchestra
Blind Tiger Pub
Cumberland’s
Dock Street Theater
Henry’s on the Market
Rooftop at the Vendue Inn
Charleston Legends & Lore Ghost Theater
Torch Velvet Lounge
McCrady’s
Pavilion Bar and Café
Music Farm
The Have Nots! Comedy Improv
Charleston Ballet Theatre
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Charleston Healthcare Facilities
Charleston’s impressive healthcare system plays a significant role in the continued economic development of the region. As one of the fastest growing sectors in the area, the healthcare industry employs an estimated 32,000 people locally. The Charleston region has more than 2,000 physicians and 10 hospitals that provide the highest level of patient care in areas as diverse as neonatal care and liver transplants.
Roper St. Francis Hospital
Charleston Memorial Hospital
Summerville Medical Center
Trident Medical Center
East Cooper Regional Medical Center
The Medical University of South Carolina
U.S. Naval Regional Medical Center
The Veterans Administration Medical Center
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Charleston Nursing Resources
American Nurses Association
South Carolina State Board of Nursing
International Council of Nurses
South Carolina Nursing Association Career Center
Care Plans
The Luminary Project
South Carolina Nurses Foundation
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Charleston Weather
Charleston’s climate is typical of the Old South. The winters are mild with not much humidity (with an average temperature of around 14°C/57°F), perfect to walk the city and work up a little sweat. The summers, on the other hand, are hot and balmy – the kind of weather that lends itself to nothing but sitting on a front porch with an ice-cold glass of lemonade.
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