United Statescharleston
Discover routes, attractions, and guides in Charleston.
4 routes
Charleston R4: Angel Oak Johns Island (400-500 years old 8.5m trunk live oak, Spanish moss bromeliad absorbs nutrients from air, Francis Beidler Forest 1000-year-old virgin bald cypress), Sea Islands Gullah heritage (Penn Center St. Helena Island 1862 first school for freed people, MLK SCLC meeting place 1960s, Port Royal Experiment 1861 first test of African American freedom, Hunting Island pristine dark sand beach), Columbia and SC interior (Congaree National Park old-growth bottomland firefly synchronization May-June, SC Aquarium sea turtle rehabilitation, Cowpens Battlefield 1781 Revolutionary War turning point), Francis Marion National Forest (longleaf pine ecosystem 3% remaining, red-cockaded woodpecker, Sewee Visitor Center Cape Romain, Wambaw Creek wilderness canoe trail), New Charleston food (Rodney Scott BBQ 2018 James Beard first Black pitmaster Outstanding SE, whole-hog live oak pits, Leon's Oyster Shop Upper King fried chicken oyster bar, craft cocktail Husk Bar Gin Joint), Ghost tours (most haunted US city top 3, Unitarian churchyard Annabel Lee grave, Old City Jail 1802 Lavinia Fisher first US female serial killer Denmark Vesey 1822 rebellion, Dock Street Theatre ghost Juanita)
Charleston R4: live oak and Angel Oak (400-500-year-old Johns Island 8.5m trunk, Spanish moss bromeliad no roots absorbs from air, Francis Beidler Forest 1000-year virgin bald cypress world largest), Sea Islands (Penn Center St. Helena 1862 first freed-people school MLK SCLC meetings 1960s, Port Royal Experiment 1861 freedom land ownership test, Hunting Island pristine beach), SC interior (Congaree old-growth bottomland champion trees firefly synchronization May-June, SC Aquarium sea turtle rehab, Cowpens 1781 Revolutionary War turning point), Francis Marion National Forest (Swamp Fox Marion irregular warfare inspiration, longleaf pine 3% remaining, red-cockaded woodpecker threatened, Cape Romain 66,000 acres, Wambaw Creek wilderness canoe trail), new Charleston food (Rodney Scott BBQ 2018 James Beard first Black pitmaster whole-hog live oak pits, Leon's Oyster Shop Upper King model for casual fine dining, craft cocktail Husk Bar Gin Joint, restaurant week January September), ghost tours (top 3 most haunted US, Unitarian churchyard Annabel Lee Poe inspiration, Old City Jail 1802 Lavinia Fisher first US female serial killer 1820 Denmark Vesey 34 rebels hanged 1822, Dock Street Juanita ghost).
Charleston R2: Ashley River plantations (Middleton Place oldest US landscaped gardens 1741, Drayton Hall 1738 unaltered Palladian most significant US plantation house, Magnolia 1676 oldest US gardens Audubon Swamp Garden, Boone Hall Avenue of Oaks 1743), Plantation tourism ethics and Gullah tours (Slave Street brick cabins Gullah Theater, Sea Islands Johns Wadmalaw Edisto tours), Charleston Earthquake 1886 (magnitude 7.0-7.3 most powerful East Coast historical, 100 dead 2,000 buildings destroyed, Hurricane Hugo 1989 Category 4 USD 7B 27 dead, seawall flood infrastructure), Holy City churches (St. Michael's 1752 oldest SC building, Circular Congregational 1681 oldest congregation graves to 1695, Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim 1749 oldest active Reform Jewish US, Mother Emanuel 1816 AME shooting June 17 2015 9 killed Confederate flag removed), Outdoor kayaking ACE Basin (350,000 acres largest undeveloped East Coast estuary, Hunting Island Lighthouse 1875 climbable, Congaree National Park old-growth bottomland), Day trips (Columbia USC Gamecocks Dawn Staley, Beaufort Big Chill Prince of Tides Forrest Gump filming, Port Royal Sound Civil War 1861, Hilton Head 24 golf courses)
Charleston R2: Ashley River plantations (Middleton Place oldest US landscaped gardens 1741 Continental Congress signer, Drayton Hall 1738 unaltered Palladian NTH most significant US plantation house, Magnolia 1676 oldest US gardens Audubon Swamp alligators, Boone Hall Avenue Oaks 1743 Slave Street brick cabins Gullah Theater), plantation tourism ethics and Gullah tours (Sea Islands Johns Wadmalaw Edisto), earthquake 1886 (7.0-7.3 most powerful East Coast historical 100 dead 2,000 buildings, Hugo 1989 Category 4 220kmh USD 7B, seawall flood USD 100M investment), churches (St. Michael's 1752 56m steeple navigational landmark 260 years, Circular Congregational 1681 oldest congregation oldest burial ground 1695, Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim 1749 oldest active Reform Jewish US largest Jewish community early America, Mother Emanuel 1816 oldest AME South shooting June 17 2015 9 killed including Pinckney Confederate flag removed State House), kayaking ACE Basin (350,000 acres largest undeveloped East Coast estuary, Hunting Island Lighthouse 1875 climbable, Congaree old-growth bottomland champion trees), day trips (Columbia USC Dawn Staley 2022 2024 titles, Beaufort Big Chill Prince of Tides Forrest Gump filming, Port Royal Civil War 1861 Union naval victory, Hilton Head 24 golf courses Harbour Town).
Charleston: Antebellum architecture (Holy City 400 churches, Charleston single house 300 surviving, Rainbow Row 1740s 13 pastel houses, Battery and White Point Garden Fort Sumter views), Fort Sumter (Civil War opened April 12 1861, 34-hour bombardment, 54th Massachusetts Infantry Glory film, H.L. Hunley first combat submarine sank USS Housatonic 1864 recovered 2000), Gullah Geechee culture (creole language rice cultivation sweetgrass baskets, International African American Museum January 2023 Gadsden's Wharf 40% all enslaved Africans imported, Lowcountry rice made Charleston wealthiest colonial city), Lowcountry food (FIG 2003 Lata James Beard 2009, Husk Sean Brock all-Southern-sourced menu, shrimp grits she-crab soup Lowcountry boil, Charleston City Market 1804 sweetgrass weavers), Spoleto Festival USA (largest US performing arts festival 17 days 150 performances 80,000 attendees, first US historic preservation ordinance 1931), Practical (Sullivan's Island Folly Beach Isle of Palms Kiawah Ocean Course 1991 Ryder Cup, ACE Basin largest undeveloped estuary East Coast, spring and fall best seasons CHS airport)
Charleston highlights: antebellum architecture (1670 founding Holy City 400 churches, Charleston single house set perpendicular to street with piazza, Rainbow Row 1740s 13 pastel Georgian houses, Battery White Point Garden Fort Sumter harbor views), Fort Sumter (Civil War April 12 1861 34-hour bombardment, 54th Massachusetts Battery Wagner 1863 Glory 1989, H.L. Hunley first combat submarine sank Housatonic February 17 1864 recovered 2000), Gullah Geechee (creole language from West African Mende Mandinka, rice cultivation from Senegambia, sweetgrass baskets Sierra Leone technique, IAAM January 2023 Gadsden's Wharf 40% all enslaved Africans North America landed, Lowcountry rice wealthiest colonial American city), food (FIG Mike Lata 2003 James Beard 2009 launched Charleston dining, Husk Sean Brock all-Southern-sourced, shrimp grits she-crab soup Lowcountry boil, City Market 1804 sweetgrass weavers), Spoleto Festival (17 days 150 performances 80,000 USD 100M, first US historic preservation ordinance 1931 Board Architectural Review, Gibbes Museum Southern portraits), practical (Sullivan's Island Folly Isle of Palms Kiawah Ryder Cup 1991, ACE Basin largest undeveloped East Coast estuary, spring-fall best, CHS airport).
Charleston R3: Colonial history (1670 founded Charles Town, fourth largest British colonial city, rice indigo planters wealthiest colonial Americans, Provost Dungeon Old Exchange 1771, British capture 1780 5,000 prisoners longest occupation Revolutionary War), City Market and French Quarter (sweetgrass basket weavers 300-year continuous tradition Sierra Leone, Dock Street Theatre 1736 first US theater building, French Huguenot Church only active US, Cabbage Row Porgy Heyward 1925 Gershwin opera 1935 most performed US opera), King Street shopping (antique district Middle King fashion FIG Husk, Upper King design craft cocktail, Preservation Society 1920 first US historic preservation org, Russell House flying staircase 1808, Heyward-Washington House Washington 1791), Nightlife and music (Lowcountry blues gospel roots, The Ordinary seafood 1927 bank building, Charleston Food and Wine Festival March, Charleston Symphony Dock Street Theatre), Morris Island and Folly Beach (1876 lighthouse standing in ocean, Battery Wagner 54th Massachusetts Glory 1989 Denzel Washington Oscar, Folly Beach Pier loggerhead sea turtle nesting May-August), Gentrification (Conde Nast #1 US city, median home USD 250K to USD 550-600K 2015-2023, Gullah community displacement, Walter Scott shooting April 4 2015 North Charleston, sea level rise climate existential threat)
Charleston R3: colonial history (1670 Charles Town founded, fourth largest British colonial city, rice indigo planters 7x wealthier than New England, Provost Dungeon 1771 three Declaration signers imprisoned, British capture May 12 1780 5,000 prisoners largest Continental surrender), City Market French Quarter (sweetgrass basket weavers 300 years Sierra Leone technique, Dock Street Theatre 1736 first US purpose-built theater, French Huguenot Church only active US Huguenot congregation, Cabbage Row Porgy Heyward 1925 Gershwin 1935 most performed US opera worldwide), King Street (antique district Lower King, FIG Husk Middle King dining, Upper King craft cocktail design, Preservation Society 1920 first US historic preservation org, Russell House flying staircase 1808, Heyward-Washington Washington 1791 stay), nightlife (Lowcountry blues Sea Islands gospel roots, The Ordinary 1927 bank building best seafood, Charleston Food Wine Festival March, Charleston Symphony Charleston Stage Dock Street), Morris Island Folly Beach (Morris Island Lighthouse 1876 standing in ocean, Battery Wagner July 18 1863 54th Massachusetts Glory 1989 Denzel Washington Oscar Best Supporting, Folly Beach Pier loggerhead nesting May-August), gentrification (Conde Nast #1 US city multiple years, median home USD 250K to USD 550-600K 2015-2023, Gullah displacement, Walter Scott shooting April 4 2015 officer convicted 2017, sea level rise portions flooded by 2050).