Charleston is a beautiful, southern city and seaport town in South Carolina. It has a wonderful historic downtown area that the city government works hard to maintain. There are some impressive, southern churches that dot the city's skyline and you can get a spectacular view of the Arthur Ravenel cable-stay bridge which was finished in 2005. There are also some interesting historic cemeteries that you can wander through. Charleston is a top travel destination in both South Carolina and the United States southeast. It's rich in history and culture, and it continues to grow as both a regional and international travel destination. With its rising popularity come increasing costs, and you will find travel costs to be higher, particularly during the peak travel season and holiday periods.

You can easily make your way around downtown Charleston on foot. This is the best way to explore the area as the streets are compact and you'll get to truly experience the city's atmosphere this way. If your hotel is downtown and you have no plans to venture into the surrounding area then a car isn't absolutely necessary. However, you'll find cheaper hotels outside of the downtown area so you'll likely want to have your own car. There are also many areas worth exploring outside of the downtown area, such as the area's beautiful plantations, and some of the nearby beaches.

Some of the top sights in Charleston include the Battery and White Point Gardens, Fort Sumter, the French Quarter, Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site, Circular Congregational Church, Liberty Square, and the Waterfront Park. There are popular horsedrawn carriage tours that go through the downtown area as well. These are a fun option to get the history of the area. There's also a ghost tour that if a fun way to learn a little about Charleston, particularly if you have children.

If you want to do some souvenir shopping head to the market, which has stands stocked with locally made handicrafts, regional cookbooks, and some local spices and snacks. It's definitely worth a stroll through if you've never been to the Charleston area.