Charleston, SC

It's that time again...to review another great southern city.

This one is perhaps the most SOUTHERN of all cities below the Mason-Dixon. Charleston, or Charles Towne if you really wanna go back, the accent here is a regal one, with a lovely drawl and pride that makes it proper.

It is one of the oldest continually occupied cities in the country, founded in 1670, and was one of the largest cities in the nation until surpassed in the post civil war era. It's in the first state to secede and last to rejoin the union before and after the Civil War. The capitol of the old south is also the capitol of a region which reaches up to Wilmington, NC and down to Savannah, GA, known as the "Lowcountry".

To do--Charleston is all about history. Due to the military significance of the area since before the Revolutionary war there is much to see in that genre. There is Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie where the civil war began, and also a cool exhibit of the Hunley submarine which was a part of the civil war, and the oldest surviving Aircraft Carrier is a museum in Patriot Park, the U.S.S. Yorktown. Most people come here for the history, culture, and scenery, so sports is definitely a background noise, but if you like minor league baseball you can get your fix watching the Charleston RiverDogs a NY Yankees affiliate. For family fun, there is a good aquarium and you can never go wrong with a trip to one of the area beaches from Folly to Edisto. Since this is the "Holy" city, it's worth a walk to see some of the many old churches and while you're at it you will see some of the oldest buildings in the new world. Walking tours are a popular way to see the downtown and french quarter areas including Battery park and Rainbow Row. If you're a fisherman there are many expedition options available and for shopping the downtown area has a vast array of shops from high end to low brow. Hit Market Street for a good variety, where they have been trading things since before America was a country, you can also get a great picture of the U.S. Customs House here. Of course, being in coastal South Carolina means that there are PLENTY of good Golf options as well. If you get tired of walking downtown, take a bicycle taxi.

To Eat--This is a world class food city, with everything you could want, but the specialties are seafood and "Lowcountry" originals like Shrimp and Grits and Seafood al a Wando. It's really tough to get a bad meal in downtown Charleston, but some of my favorites are the World Famous Hyman's seafood where you can get a sampler with up to 7 different items! They have the best crabcakes in town and the fried grouper might be the best fish in the world. There are many great seafood places including Hank's and Fleet Landing (has some nice views), but if you're in the mood for something that grazes, Oak is a first class steakhouse and Peninsula Grille is another great choice. As for Lowcountry, Cypress, 82 Queen, Magnolia's, and Circa 1886 all do this genre at a level not seen in other cities except for possibly Savannah, GA. When you come to Charleston, make sure you walk Battery Park and make sure you have some local cuisine!

To Stay--The picture accompanying this post is of a former military building and original home to The Citadel college, which is now an Embassy Suites hotel...if you have boys under 15 (Or act like one yourself) this is their ultimate hotel! A little closer to the heart of the action is one of America's great independent hotels, The Planters Inn and on the other end of the block is my usual launching point, the Doubletree Suites. There are also a variety of small inns and B&B's in the downtown area and if this is your first trip you should definitely stay as close to the action as possible so you can walk it all! Possibly the best hotel experience of my life was had in Summerville at The Woodlands, it's first class all the way and also home to a PHENOMENAL restaurant, it's worth the trip!

There you have it, all you need to get started enjoying one of the best cities around. Don't stay too long...you might not leave.