Charleston, SC - Day Trip

Since Monday was a warm sunny day we decided to make a day trip to Charleston. We started our day early enough to watch the sun rise.


The drive to Charleston is about 2 hours from Garden City Beach. We took the Meeting Street exit and went to the Visitor's Centre. We purchased tickets for an hour-long carriage tour for $16 each. We decided to leave our car parked at the Centre and walk so we could see more of the city. We stopped along the way at the Majestic Grill for breakfast. The menu was quite interesting and very good. We chatted with a gentleman visiting from Alaska giving him some information on Canada.

After breakfast we strolled along stopping in the park to smell the magnolias that were in bloom.

We found the location for our carriage ride tour near the market sheds at the end of Meeting Street. Our tour guide, Andrew, was a young university student who was very informative and rather cute. He told us that he had to study quite hard and take a very extensive test to become a tour guide. The carriage tours are regulated so there are only a certain number of carriages on the streets at one time to avoid traffic problems. Andrew pointed out a number of famous buildings, old family homes, churches, etc. Charleston has a lot of interesting history. Paul bought a book about the Civil War since we arrived here so he found the tour explained some of the things he had read. Andrew told us the story of Fort Sumter as we passed the waterfront.

Part our tour took us pass the famous Rainbow Row. These old row houses are very popular to Charleston. They represent the very first style of Charleston homes and are portrayed in the story of Porgie and Bess. You'll see pictures of Rainbow Row throughout Charleston.

Charleston has some very unique houses and buildings dating back to the 1800's. Here are a couple of my favourites.

After our tour was finished, Paul and I decided to walk some of the route again to get a better look at the buildings and read the information plates. We saw some churches with lovely stain glass windows, walked through an old grave yard, enjoyed walking through the park and ended back at the Market Halls to do a little shopping.

We stopped for a cool drink and a snack before ending our day in Charleston and starting our drive back to Garden City Beach. This was my second visit to Charleston and I would recommend it. Paul and I hope to go back for another visit before we leave South Carolina.