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Image of Middleton Place Gardens in Charleston
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Image of a horse drawn carriage
A top U.S. destination with plenty of kicks—and Southern comforts.
By Michelle Salater
Buttered stone-ground grits, salty country ham, scrambled eggs and a fluffy biscuit topped with thick gravy: There’s nothing better than a hearty Southern breakfast. Top that off with a heap of Southern hospitality, a sunny day and a glass of sweet tea, and life doesn’t get any better, especially when you’re in Charleston, S.C. The city has maintained its old-world charm with antebellum homes, historic churches and lush parks filled with live oaks. In its 2005 “World’s Best” poll, Travel + Leisure readers ranked Charleston one of the six most appealing destinations in the United States. Here’s a quick must-see-and-do list to make your stay unforgettable.
1. For Southern comfort food, the Hominy Grill takes the cake (or, rather, the biscuit). Housed in a 19th-century home, with original pine floors, a pounded-tin ceiling and tables draped in white butcher paper, the Hominy Grill’s not fancy, but the food’s outstanding.
2. Climb into a Horse-Drawn Carriage for a tour of historical Charleston. You’ll ride past stately homes with exquisite formal gardens and learn the secrets of the city.
3. You haven’t seen a garden until you’ve visited Middleton Place, a 65-acre historic plantation with the oldest landscape gardens in the country. Wander magnificent grounds filled with magnolia trees, camellias and reflecting pools. The main house is a museum, and the guesthouse is a restaurant. Try a Low Country favorite: she-crab soup.
4. Lace up your tennis shoes, grab your camera and explore the city up close. Walk the Battery and take in the pink, orange, green and yellow homes along the famous Rainbow Row. Stroll through downtown’s bustling open-air market, where artists and craftspeople display their work.
5. Boutiques, antique shops and galleries line King Street, a shopping district that has it all, from Saks Fifth Avenue to Moo Roo, a boutique that carries handbags designed by Charlestonian Mary Norton.
6. Spend a day at the beach. Folly Beach is great for surfing; the beaches on the Isle of Palms and Sullivan's Island are more serene. More water? Try Shem Creek.
7. Cool yourself off at the South Carolina Aquarium, which hosts everything from gentle river otters to sharks.
8. Visit Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired. The ferry ride provides a panoramic view of the Battery and Rainbow Row.
9. Dine on fried green tomato–and–goat cheese towers and shellfish over grits at elegant, authentic Magnolias in the heart of the historic district.
10. In 2002, AmericanStyle Magazine named Charleston one of the top 10 art destinations in the country. Don’t miss the century-old Gibbes Museum of Art.
The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island (www.thesanctuary.com), Planters Inn (www.plantersinn.com) and Woodlands Resort and Inn (www.woodlandsinn.com) have all received kudos from Travel + Leisure. For general information, contact the Convention and Visitor Bureau (843-853-8000, www.charlestoncvb.com).
