Fun things to do in Charleston

This is where the locals hang out on Friday evenings in the summer. Live music on the water. As of summer 2003 they are alternating the venue between Patriots Point in Mt Pleasant and The Maritime Center in Downtown Charleston, so pick up a copy of the "City Paper" at a local pub or restaurant to check the dates.

The music varies from week to week, there is always beer, wine, and food available. The fun starts around 6PM and lasts until sometime after 9PM. Just right for getting started on an evening out.

Go to the Visitor Center first. There is an abundance of information available ther that will help you plan what you want to see, and where to find it. There is also a replica of the Confederate 'submarine' the Hunley situated at the Charleston Museum.

Local artist favorite Madeline Carol. You can find most of her work downtown in the shops with an art gallery. Make sure you take every tour you can. Each is a story and an adventure! I loved all of them.

Charleston is nothing but a really big tourist trap. Go to the Market, The Battery, Waterfront Park, and take a carriage ride through the city. Everything in charleston is geared towards tourists....RICH tourists, that is...so be expected to pay alot for nothing.....best bet is to walk through downtown and the residential areas. Beautiful houses and gardens. King Street has alot of really cool shops and you can do all the window shopping you can stand! Go into Grannie's Goodies on King Street and get a retro dress or pair of funky flowered slacks to wear to your sister's wedding reception! Or, talk to the guy that works there and has a Farrah Fawcett fetish and he'll point you in the right direction for all of your 1970's, glittery iron-on-yourself used tee-shirts!
Beware...many charlestonians (including us) have an aversion towards tourists. Please don't drive downtown unless you absolutely know where you're going. Many alternating lanes makes dring downtown a nightmare....even if you know where you're going. If you are not familiar with downtown, take the trolley or a cab or the bus...don't drive. You'll only cause locals to hate you

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Nathaniel Russel House is a historic mansion that offers house tours. Those on a budget can walk around the house's large and pretty garden with its many flowers and plants for free.

A walk around the campus was interesting because it's not the average college campus. Many of the buildings are unique and the walking paths, sometimes red brick, are lined with lamp posts and trees.

Charleston is a high cultural city. There is so much history, personality and drama, that even in three days we could not begin to experience its totality.