Exploring Wadmalaw Island: Angel Oak
We’ve been taking you on a tour of Wadmalaw Island with stops at the Charleston Tea Plantation and Irvin-House Vineyards. Next, you’ll want to stop off at Angel Oak Park on nearby Johns Island for a look at one of the most magnificent oak trees you’ll ever see. Visit the public Angel Oak Park to […]
Exploring Wadmalaw Island: Deepwater Vineyard
In our last post, we highlighted the Charleston Tea Plantation, a great spot to visit on the picturesque Wadmalaw Island. While you’re on the island, get some tea with a kick at the neighboring Deep Water Vineyard and the Firefly Distillery – home of the Sweet Tea Vodka made with tea from the Charleston Tea Plantation. Deep Water […]
Exploring Wadmalaw Island: Charleston Tea Plantation
The Charleston Tea Plantation is the only working tea farm in North America. The island is an ideal spot for growing tea because it provides just the right amount of warm temperatures, humidity and rain. The tea plants go dormant in the winter and, come spring, shoot up 3 to 5 inches of new growth. Those new shoots are removed for making tea […]
Charleston After Dark: Explore the Spooky Side
Any city with a deep history is sure to have some secrets, and Charleston is no exception. Local tour companies offer a variety of opportunities for visitors to explore Charleston’s spookier side – the old jail, graveyards and historic homes said to be haunted by centuries-old ghosts. Harbor & Ghost Tours Charleston Harbor Tours offers a 90-minute water tour […]
Celebrate the Holidays – Charleston Style
It’s not too early to start making your holiday plans for Charleston. The season is packed with festivals, tree lightings, family activities and shopping. Here are a few of our favorites and be sure to visit our calendar for a full listing. The 24th annual Holiday Festival of Lights is a favorite among visitors and […]
Charleston’s Museum Mile 2013
This weekend don’t miss a great opportunity to visit many of Charleston’s incredible museums for just one price. It’s all part of Museum Mile Weekend – an effort among cultural sites on and around Meeting Streets to give visitors (and locals!) access to their attractions for just $25. The fifth annual Museum Mile Weekend is […]
Our Southern Football Frenzy
Southerners love some football. It doesn’t matter if it’s high school, college or professional, you’ll find plenty of folks yelling, cheering or moaning at big screen TVs and in local stadiums all around town during the fall season. South Carolina doesn’t have a professional football team, but we do have one pretty intense college rivalry: […]
Tips for Vacationing in Charleston with Pets
If your Charleston vacation includes man’s best friend, you’ll be happy to know several area hotels allow pets. Plus, Charleston has plenty of dog parks and green space where you both can get some exercise and experience the beauty (and, for the dogs, the scents) of Charleston. Some luxury hotels like the Wentworth Mansion and […]
Charleston Offers Plenty of Activities for the Family
From the diaper-wearing toddler to the pickiest of teenagers, Charleston has more than enough activities, tours and museums to satisfy your entire family. The South Carolina Aquarium and Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry are ideal for younger children. Nature tours and eco-adventures along with the military history of Patriots Point will appeal to older children […]
Piccolo Spoleto Fills Charleston with Arts, Music, Theater
Last week we celebrated the beginning of Spoleto Festival USA but you might not realize riding alongside Spoleto is her little sister, Piccolo Spoleto. This locally focused arts festival runs concurrent to Spoleto and shines the spotlight on local and regional artists at a number of inexpensive and free events. Many of the events are […]
Charleston’s Spoleto Festival USA Comes to Town
Starting Friday and for 17 days, Charleston will host world-class artists, performers, musicians as part of Spoleto Festival USA. The festival – started in 1977 – features performances by renowned artists as well as emerging performers in disciplines ranging from opera, theater, music theater, dance, and chamber, symphonic, choral, and jazz music, to the visual […]
Serving Up ‘American Classic Tea’ at Charleston Tea Plantation
One of Charleston’s true gems is the Charleston Tea Plantation on Wadmalaw Island. A visit to the tea plantation isn’t only beautiful but an educational opportunity. Take a factory tour packed with information on the history of tea and details on the harvesting and production of American Classic Tea. A trolley tour of the 127-acre […]
Get Cooper River Bridge Run Info in an App
Heading to Charleston on April 6 for an early morning run with 25,000 of your closest friends? Well, there’s an app for that. We’ve updated our Traveler of Charleston free mobile app to include all things Cooper River Bridge Run. Locals and visitors will find information to make their Bridge Run experience super smooth (the […]
Charleston Goes Mobile
Raise your hand if you love your smartphone! Yep, that’s what we thought. So you’ll be delighted to know you have a source for your Charleston travels right on your phone. This month we released a Traveler of Charleston mobile app for iTunes and the Google Play stores. It’s a great (free!) resource for visitors […]
Camellias Blooming in Charleston
We are entering peak camellia season here in the Lowcountry so it’s time to grab your camera and head out to put some color into the gray days of winter. Take in the centuries-old camellias that started blooming this month at Middleton Place. Learn more about these blooming beauties during guided camellia walks at 11 […]
A Charleston Oyster Roast
A wintertime visit to Charleston isn’t complete without an oyster roast. Rest assured you won’t have any trouble finding one while you’re in town. The weekends of January and February are filled with oyster roasts for fun, for charity and, well, sometimes we don’t even need a reason. You might just find some friends and […]
Southeastern Wildlife Expo highlights art, nature
For the last 30 years, the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition has celebrated wildlife art, conservation and the sporting lifestyle. Each year the event grows and expands as it exposes even more visitors and locals to the wonders of wildlife. The unofficial kickoff to Charleston’s tourist season, the 31st annual SEWE is Feb. 15-17 at various venues and parks around downtown Charleston. Nationally known wildlife experts, […]
More Charleston Holiday Celebrations
Don’t worry if you missed a parade or tree lighting; there’s still plenty of holiday events to celebrate the season in Charleston. Here are a few events to wind out the year and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more events. Grand Illumination: Christmas 1782 – Dec. 13-14. Stroll through gardens illuminated […]
Celebrating Christmas in Charleston
The first greenery and red bows showed up on street lampposts late last week. The lights went on at the Holiday Festival of Lights. And the calendar of holiday events in Charleston exploded. Christmastime in Charleston is here! Start getting your holiday calendar in order so you don’t miss a single tree lighting ceremony, parade, […]
5 Things to Love about the Lowcountry
Each quarter, we post to our series of “Things to Love about the Lowcountry” with five more reasons to fall for Charleston. Help us add to the list! Why do you love the Lowcountry? Shop ‘til you drop: From King Street to Mount Pleasant to Summerville, boutiques and swanky Southern shops are everywhere. Buying local […]
The 5 Spookiest Places in Charleston
Old buildings, jails, pirates, wars and general debauchery is the perfect recipe for spooks and haunts. Even if you don’t believe in ghosts, you can’t deny it’s fun to tour some of Charleston’s creepiest corners. Even John LaVerne of Bulldog Tours, which takes groups on haunted tours and ghost walks around the city, admits he’s […]
Get to Know Edgar Allan Poe
Just mention the name Edgar Allan Poe and images of mystery and darkness come to mind. Even though he only lived 40 years, Poe’s writings in the 19th century have lived on. This fall join Charleston Stage for the production of “Nevermore” and get a glimpse into Poe’s life. This performance incorporates scenes from Poe’s […]
Amazed by Fall Fun
Rarely does anything good come out of a corn maze. OK, well, at least not in the movies. But here in the Lowcountry we have plenty of chances to redeem the scary corn maze and turn it into a fun weekend activity. Here are three places you can enjoy fall fun with a corn maze […]
Romance in Charleston
Water views, cobblestone streets and a cozy corner table for dinner are just the right ingredients for a romantic getaway to Charleston. Travel & Leisure has named Charleston the second most romantic city, and Yahoo! News, through its weekly “Wanderlust” series, ranked Charleston No. 1 on its list of top surprisingly romantic cities in the […]
Visiting Charleston in the Fall
We just adore the fall season in Charleston. There’s a slight nip in the air (just so you know, our definition of “nip” is 78 degrees), football games are on every TV and outdoor festivals and activities keep our weekends busy. If you haven’t visited Charleston in the fall before, we thought we’d share some […]
Charleston in a Word: Beloved
Last month we asked our Facebook friends to “Pick one word to describe Charleston.” The more than 40 responses ranged from “beautiful” and stunning” to “home” and “elegant.” The response was overwhelmingly positive and a true reflection of just how much people love Charleston. Some of our other favorites were: Awesome Wish I were there […]
Labor Day Events in Charleston
The last hurrah of summer is upon us – Labor Day weekend. It’s the perfect weekend to fire up the grill, watch a little football and enjoy that final bit of summer fun with just a taste of fall. If you’re looking for fun things to do in Charleston over the holiday weekend, we offer […]
Cypress Gardens: Plenty to See and Do
We had a chance to visit Cypress Gardens last week and were reminded that it’s well worth the drive beyond Charleston’s city limits. The drive itself is nice jaunt off the beaten path between Goose Creek and Moncks Corner in Berkeley County. It truly is a hidden gem of swamplands, history, plants and wildlife. Great […]
Charleston with Children – Part 2
In the first part of our series, we looked at some favorite kid-friendly things to do in Charleston. Let’s take a look at a few more. And you can help us add to the list: post a comment here or share some ideas and photos on our Facebook page. North Charleston /American LaFrance Fire Museum Most […]
Charleston with Children – Part 1
It’s hard to believe we’re shopping for school supplies already. It seems the summer barely started! But there’s still a little time to squeeze in some fun before the school bell rings. Whether you live in Charleston or need one last weekend getaway, we have tons of activities for families and children of all ages. […]
Tee It Up in Charleston
Charleston knows a thing or two about golf. In fact, Charleston lays claim to the first golf club when Scottish merchants formed the S.C. Golf Club back in 1786. Fast forward a couple hundred years and Charleston is again making history as it welcomes the 94th annual PGA Championship at the famed Ocean Course on […]
5 Things to Love about the Lowcountry
We continue our series of “Things to Love about the Lowcountry” with five more reasons to fall in love with Charleston. Help us add to the list! Why do you love the Lowcountry? Food: With our bounty of restaurants, local breweries and culinary festivals, there’s not a chance we’re going hungry. The shade of live […]
Be Cool and Check out the Arts Scene
This time of year, we admit it’s tough dragging ourselves from the air conditioning, but that doesn’t mean there’s not plenty of ways to enjoy Charleston while staying cool. Doodle 4 Google The Gibbes Museum of Art is showcasing the South Carolina Doodle 4 Google 2012 finalists through July 31. Entries from kindergarten through high […]
Celebrating July 4 in Charleston
OK, sure it’s a bit awkward to have a holiday smack dab in the middle of the work week, but we’re looking at the positive: make it a really short work week and a really long weekend. Whether it’s backyard grilling, poolside relaxing or a day at the beach, the Fourth of July practically requires […]
Add a Little Mystery to Your Summer
Our Summer of Giveaways continues with two tickets (value $59.90) to the Murder Mystery Cruise on the Carolina Queen. New to the Charleston Harbor this summer, the Carolina Queen is the city’s only true paddlewheel vessel offering a river boat-style atmosphere. Built in 1982, Charleston Harbor Tours bought the vessel from a company in Texas […]
Try SUP in Our First ‘Summer of Giveaways’ Contest
One of the latest water activities to make a splash here in Charleston is stand up paddleboarding or SUP for short. A form of surfing, SUP is just what it says: standing up on a board similar to a surfboard and paddling the waves. Charleston is a great place to trying SUP because we have […]
Celebrate GO Day with Fort Sumter
We have no shortage of outdoor options here in Charleston so celebrating National Get Outdoors Day shouldn’t be a problem. This fifth annual event is all about encouraging healthy, active outdoor fun. Spearheaded by the U.S. Forest Service and American Recreation Coalition, part of the event’s mission is to encourage use of public lands and […]
Livin’ it up with the Lemurs
It’s not every day you can get up close and personal with a lemur. But now, thanks to a new exhibit at the South Carolina Aquarium, four ring-tailed lemurs are making their home in Charleston as part of a new “Madagascar Journey” exhibit. The exhibit opened May 5 so check it out and be among […]
5 Things to Love about the Lowcountry
In a recent post, we highlighted 10 things we love about the Lowcounty. Well, there’s plenty more than that, so here are five more. Let us know what you would add to the list. In our own backyard we have the Grits Capital of the World. It’s the tiny town of St. George’s claim to […]
The Gem of Mount Pleasant: Shem Creek
Visitors who want to see Charleston the way the locals do should head to Shem Creek where shrimp boats dock daily, dolphins are always playing and restaurants are serving up shrimp and grits and ice cold beverages. Shem Creek – located in the heart of Mount Pleasant – is home to water tour companies, restaurants and bars along with […]
Music, Mystery and Moonlight on the Carolina Queen
As the Carolina Queen floats into the Charleston Harbor this spring, it brings with it multiple options for visitors who want to experience dining, music and entertainment on the water. Charleston Harbor Tours takes visitors on tours aboard the Carolina Belle as well as hosting regular Blues & BBQ cruises, but the Carolina Queen provides an additional […]
Charleston: The Perfect Blend of Nature, Adventure
McKevlin’s Surf Shop on Folly Beach rents hundreds of surf boards each day during the busy summer season. Some people take surfing lessons while others just paddle around in the waves. Either way, shop manager Brian Eichelman said interest in more adventurous activities is growing. “The amount of interest in (surfing) has grown in the last five […]
10 Things to Love about the Lowcountry
There are so many things to love about the Lowcountry but here are 10 of our favorites. What would you add to the list? Pluff mud: That dark soft soil found in our many marshes. It sticks to your shoes and your soul. Waterfront Park: Snag a spot on one of the pier swings and […]
Take the Eat Local Challenge
Local is where it’s at! Especially when it comes to food. Eating local isn’t terribly tough in Charleston. We have dozens upon dozens of local restaurants, access to local seafood and farmers markets that have long seasons thanks to our mild climate. So Lowcountry Local First is issuing a challenge for April: Eat Local! The […]
Flowers Steal the Show at Annual Festival
This year Summerville celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Flowertown Festival, an event that started as a fundraiser for the Young Women’s Christian Organization and has grown to one of the top 20 events in the Southeast welcoming some 200,000 attendees. The festival remains a major fundraiser, benefiting the Summerville YMCA. The festival not only […]
Racing Around Charleston
The Cooper River Bridge Run attracts thousands of runners to Charleston each year for one of the country’s top 10K races. In fact, this year’s race sold out weeks before the event on March 31. With Charleston’s mild climate, running is a popular sport – even the diehard runners brave the heat of July and […]
