South Carolina Carleston

Charleston, SC is a beautiful place for a number of different reasons. Being a city on the coast, it is located in the low country of South Carolina. Originally, Charleston was built between the Cooper and Ashley rivers, but has now expanded to include these rivers as well as marches and the Atlantic Ocean.
Because Charleston, SC is located on the beach, this is what draws many tourists,visitors, and why it's a popular place to live. There are many beaches in Charleston which include Isle of Palms, Sullivan's Island, Kiawah Island, Seabrook, Wild Dunes, Seabrook and St. Johns. Kiawah Island is a private Island which contains beautiful expensive beach houses and a couple of golf courses. Isle of Palms is located right outside of Charleston.
Besides the beaches, the city of Charleston chimes with history. The historic houses and downtown bring to memory the rich historic past of Charleston. Many of the older building and storefronts are still preserved today.
Add a family oriented atmosphere to the beaches and historic downtown of Charleston and you end up with a perfect city to live in. The schools as well as the educational places Charleston has to offer are second to none.
Charleston is also a beautiful place to get married and take a honeymoon or anniversary to. There are many bed n' breakfast places that are rich in history along with the downtown of Chareleston. By visiting downtown and the beautiful beaches, Charleston will make a romantic place to visit.

 Kiawah

 Charleston

There are several sites and attractions that should be on your list of things to do.
The Battery has some of the most photographed homes in Charleston.  You can walk along the raised sidewalk, which has great views of the Charleston Harbor on one side and historic mansions on the other!

  Charleston historic The Battery

 The Battery

 The Battery charleston

Waterfront Park is within a short walk of the Battery and has benches with green spaces that are ideal for resting.  There is also a large public pier with swings, but these swings are usually in high demand, especially during the tourist season.  This is a fun place to watch barges come in and out of the harbor.

 Waterfront Park

 Waterfront Park Charleston

Fort Sumter is near the top of the list for 2 reasons.  First, you can see where the Civil War began in 1861.  This site makes Charleston one of the most historic cities in the country, and you'll learn a lot of history on this educational field trip.  Second, you'll take a boat over to Fort Sumter, which has great views of the Charleston Harbor!  Fort Sumter is one of the most popular sites in Charleston for these 2 reasons.

fort sumter1

 Fort Sumter  monument

 Fort Sumter
Tired of walking?  Take a Charleston carriage tour to see some of the most historic places in downtown Charleston.  These guided, horse-drawn tours are very popular with tourists because they're a great way to see the city.

Charleston  tours
Charleston is known for its support of the arts.  You'll find art galleries scattered throughout the city that you can visit.  Or, if you want to see a lot of local artwork in one place, I recommend the Gibbes Museum of Art.  They usually have several circulating exhibitions throughout the year.

Charleston has a range of sports teams to choose from.  If you like college sports, I'd recommend looking into College of Charleston or the Citadel's schedules.  Charleston also has the Riverdogs minor league baseball team downtown, the Battery professional soccer team on Daniel Island, and the Stingrays professional hockey team in North Charleston.
King Street has some of the best shopping in Charleston.  You'll find clothing and accessory stores like Banana Republic, J. Crew, Saks, and Guicci.  There are also a lot of specialty stores, like Le Creuset, and a plethora of shoe stores.  The Apple store just opened in the past month or two, and it's always full of customers.  You'll also find lots of coffee shops and restaurants.
If you enjoy playing golf, then Charleston is going to be a great place to vacation!  Some of the nicest courses are in Kiawah Island, Daniel Island, Wild Dunes, and Daniel Island.  You'll also find good options in Mt. Pleasant.  Charleston hosts many big tournaments throughout the year, and a lot of the courses are designed by big names such as Tom Fazio.
One of Charleston's many plantation homes should also be on your list of things to see.  The most popular are Boone Hall, Drayton Hall, Magnolia Plantation, and Middleton Place.  Middleton Place, for example, appeared several times in the movie The Patriot, and it's just one of four of plantations in the area that show Charleston's long history.

 Charleston's  plantation

The SC Aquarium is located in downtown Charleston.  This is a very kid-friendly place, and the aquarium focuses on aquatic life that you'll find along the southeast coast.  Be sure to check out what exhibition is currently at the aquarium, because they have some cool exhibits!

 Aquarium in downtown Charleston
Also, keep in mind that Charleston hosts a variety of festivals and annual events throughout the year.  So, for example, if you're planning on coming at the end of May, check to see you'll be here during the Spoleto Festival (since it's one of the biggest events in Charleston).  Or, in December there is a spectacular holiday lights display at James Island County Park.  You'll find special events almost every month of the year, so be sure to check those out!