Hi South Carolingians

[annabanana]

I'm visiting Charleston for the next two days. It's my first time South of the M/D. Line. Is there anything I absolutely positively should definitely NOT miss?

[watrwefitinfor]

1. The people.

Friendliest people in the world. And anyone you meet will be happy to tell you their favorite place to visit.

Beyond that, just everything. :-)
I love the boat ride out to Fort Sumter.
So very much history all around you.

Go out on The Battery at night and watch and talk to the folks out there shrimping. People from all over town and even from the burbs shrimp off the battery, at least they used to. It's at a park and I forget the name of the park, it's at the point of land "where the Ashley and Cooper Rivers meet to form the Atlantic Ocean" as one Charlestonian pundit put it.

And walk around downtown. Just walk. The art gallery (I forget the name). And lots of little galleries on the side streets. Historical Society. Museum. Nice public library.

And the Dock Street Theater if you're lucky enough to be there when they're having a performance. I was lucky enough to catch "H.M.S. Pinafore" by a touring company there once. Fabulous fun.

Any of the downtown churches and graveyards are wonderful to tour if you're into that sort of thing and love the smell of old buildings and the feel of history. T

There is/was a building called the old slave market, but it was a touristy kind of place back when I was going to Charleston regularly. Not sure what it might be like now. Haven't been in many years.

There is a larger, open market that spans several blocks and has tons of shops and goodies. Check out the sweetgrass baskets made by local black islanders - Gullah people, you'll see them along the streets, and in the market selling the baskets. If you're lucky you'll get to watch some being made.

You're going at a good time. Less likely to get run over by a horse drawn carriage full of tourists after school starts.

Wat