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Visit Patriots Point in Charleston for Military History

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A great way to celebrate the contributions of military members past and present is with a visit to Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant.

Last month, Patriots Point unveiled a new mascot, Scrappy. The dog mascot was created in honor of a real dog that lived aboard the USS Yorktown for a year when the aircraft carrier was in service during WWII in the South Pacific.

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum
Photo/Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

According to Patriots Point, Scrappy was roaming the docks of Pearl Harbor alone when the ship pulled in to port in 1943. Yorktown sailors spotted the dog and smuggled him aboard the ship in a trash can, knowing that the ship’s captain Jocko Clark would not approve of having an animal aboard. The little gray Airedale Terrier’s real name was Scrapper Shrapnel, but most called him by the nickname “Scrappy.”  The crew had a small life vest and helmet made for him. With Scrappy aboard, the tensions of warfare were eased.

As we approach Veterans Day, it’s the perfect time to tour the USS Yorktown and take part in some special Veterans Day events.

The Veterans Day celebration begins at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 11 in the Smokey Stover Theater on the USS Yorktown with a symposium featuring Bee Haydu, a WWII WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilot). The WASP program was created in 1942 to free up male pilots so they could fly combat missions. These female pilots broke the glass ceiling for women in aviation, though their battle was long and tough. The WASPs were not considered military until 1977 when they were granted veteran status. Prior to that, a fallen WASP was not granted traditional military honors or allowed to have the U.S. flag placed on her coffin.

Following the symposium, the U.S. Naval Academy Women’s Glee Club will perform in Hangar Bay 3. Other highlights include the unveiling of the Medal of Honor postage stamp by the US Postal Service and a birthday celebration of six Patriots Point volunteers, all WWII veterans, who are 90 or older. The Veterans Day celebration will be streamed live into Charleston County public school classrooms and available for viewing on www.patriotspoint.org. Veterans and their families will be admitted free of charge throughout the day at Patriots Point.

Patriots Point is open 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily. On Sunday, Nov. 10, visitors can sit in the cockpit of the aircraft from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Open Cockpit Sunday is included in the price of admission.

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Choosing a hotel and where to stay in Charleston all depends on your budget and goals. Do you want to stay Downtown, at the beach or in the outer areas such as North Charleston where you have to drive to get everywhere? For more help on deciding: https://travelerofcharleston.com/articles/hotels/

Charleston has 3 main public beaches which are: Folly, Isle of Palms and Sullivans. Each beach has it’s own atmosphere. The most common beach that people visit is Folly Beach and then Isle of Palms followed by Sullivans Island. For more info on Charleston’s beaches visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/

Charleston, SC is full of historical things to do. Everything from museums, to public sites and free landmark sites such as Rainbow Row and the Battery can be seen. For more info on Charleston’s top historical sites visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/places-to-learn-about-charleston-sc-history/

There are many things that will keep the kids and family entertained and educated in Charleston. There are historic sites such as Fort Sumter, a Children’s Museum, Aquarium and the USS Yorktown…a WWII era aircraft carrier you can tour. For more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-family-fun-activities/

There’s so many  things you could do in Charleston it can be overwhelming. We recommend that first time visitors, checkout the ultimate first-time visitor guide here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-first-time-visitors-guide/

Spring in Charleston, SC is an amazing time of year to visit. The flowers are blooming and the weather is mild and sunny. For more info, check-out our spring guide to Charleston here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-springtime-in-charleston/

Summer in Charleston is a great time to visit. There’s plenty of things to keep you busy and visiting the beach will probably….or should be on your short-list. Also water-based activities and tours are popular. Checkout this summer guide to Charleston for more info: 

Our 10 Favorite Summer Activities in Charleston

Fall is one of the best times to visit. The weather cools down a bit and the skies are typically blue and clear. In addition there are many great events, festivals and the large crowds of summer have gone back to school or work. For more info on visiting in the fall, checkout this article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-12-things-to-do-fall/

There are so many great things to do that it’s difficult to narrow the list down. This article does a great job with figuring out the must do things to do in Charleston

7 Can’t Miss Reasons to Visit Charleston, SC Now

The consensus is a minimum of 3-days is needed to settle in and experience Charleston. For instance, many people take 2 days exploring downtown and another day visiting sites outside of downtown such as the plantations, Angel Oak Tree or beaches. Checkout this page for a list of tours and attractions: 

Charleston’s Top Tours & Attractions | Things to do

Downtown Charleston was made for walking and for sure one of the best way to soak up and experience the history first-hand. This article goes over getting around Charleston with and without a car as well: 

Getting Around Charleston, SC

We’re of course partial to Charleston, but here’s the truth. There are many similarities however there are some differences in our opinion: 

  • Both cities are historic and beautiful. 
  • Both cities are extremely walkable. Savannah, with it’s park-like squares maybe more walkable than Charleston. 
  • Charleston has a more established and food scene with many more options. 
  • Charleston has better hotels and shopping.
  • Both cities have equally good tours.
  • Charleston has better beach options. Savannah has Tybee which is great, however it’s 1 beach vibe versus Charleston which has 3 beaches with different vibes. Checkout this Charleston beach guide article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/
  • In Savannah you can walk with alcoholic beverages on the street. This is not allowed in Charleston. This can be good or bad depending on your stance. 
  • Savannah is more affordable.
  • TourPass offers all-inclusive passes in both cities: https://tourpass.com

There are always great and world-class events happening in Charleston. For a calendar of events and things to do in Charleston, checkout our online calendar of events: https://travelerofcharleston.com/events/

Of course there are free money-saving coupons that you can use. Visit the coupons page for a bunch of ways to save: https://travelerofcharleston.com/coupon/

Charleston has some fantastic can’t miss tours such as Fort Sumter, carriage, ghost, harbor, historic and culinary tours. For a full list with more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/attractions/

Checkout the Charleston Relocation Guide page which will guide you during your move: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-sc-relocation-guide/

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