<p>What about parking? Is there a recommended centralized area to park?</p>
<p>I’m not sure of the locations of some of the recommendations. Are any of them in a centralized area where we could park in one place early in the day and then rather easily get to various places?</p>
<p>this is how I see things going down…</p>
<p>Arrive mid-afternoon on Friday, check into hotel. Go somewhere for dinner that is hopefully near something that can be seen at night. </p>
<p>Spend Saturday in either one centralized location or visit one area in the morning and another area in the afternoon/evening.</p>
<p>Yes on the open-air market, also known as the Slave’s Market. Don’t freak, it’s not where they sold slaves - its where the slaves came to shop for the food for the day. It’s near the downtown hotels.</p>
<p>I will be the lone, sane voice that says NOT to take the Fort Sumter tour. There are plenty of harbor cruises that will show you the lovely Charleston battery from the sea, a bit of the harbor/barrier islands, and take you past Fort Sumter. Less time, and you don’t miss anything. Fort Sumter is grass, bricks, some cannons and a gift shop. You are stuck there until the boat goes back to Charleston (I think at least 90 minutes, maybe 2 hours) and there’s really not much to see at the fort. If you are there in the summer it is blisteringly hot, and everyone will crowd into the small gift shop because it’s the only air-conditioned place at the Fort.</p>
<p>Take the carriage tour, walk along the battery. If you like aquariums, the SC Aquarium along the Cooper River is quite nice.</p>
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Charleston has fantastic restaurants and some night life, but I’m not thinking of many touristy things open at night - except you can take a Ghost Tour, and I hear they’re great!</p>
<p>I didn’t read closely enough - are you going this month? I think May is Spoletto in Charleston, a huge arts festival. Should be lots to see and do!</p>
<p>If you want a beach, I echo Isle of Palms or Sullivan’s Island (but not the breach between them, it’s off limits to swimming due to extremely hazardous currents). North of Charleston, go thru Mount Pleasant to get there.</p>
<p>I will be the lone, sane voice that says NOT to take the Fort Sumter tour. There are plenty of harbor cruises that will show you the lovely Charleston battery from the sea, a bit of the harbor/barrier islands, and take you past Fort Sumter. Less time, and you don’t miss anything. Fort Sumter is grass, bricks, some cannons and a gift shop. You are stuck there until the boat goes back to Charleston (I think at least 90 minutes, maybe 2 hours) and there’s really not much to see at the fort.</p>
<p>Thanks for that info. Since we’re going to be in Charleston for only a weekend, I wouldn’t want to get stuck somewhere that isn’t all that interesting. </p>
<p>We’ll be there this weekend. The art festival sounds interesting. H and I would like it…don’t know if sons will… </p>
<p>Is Battery Park near Slave Market? </p>
<p>I was hoping that the Visitors Guide that I requested would get mailed before we left, but I don’t think it will. I’m trying to get oriented so I kind of know where things are since time is precious.</p>
<p>Long walk from market to Battery. Take a taxi or drive but parking is tough all over town. I’d taxi talk and walk back as there is lots to see on foot. Which hotel are you staying in?</p>
<p>Shopping on King Street, walking up the street to College of Charleston, touring some of the old mansions south of Broad. Walking the battery…so much to see and such a charming and quaint city…</p>
<p>We also visited the Citadel and toured their museum…it was interesting and worth the short drive.</p>
<p>Avoid Hymen’s Seafood…this was one recommendation (from a Dallas friend) we should not have taken…touristy, over hyped and just not that good.</p>
<p>We had a great dinner a few weeks ago at Amen Street Fish and Raw Bar. We also enjoyed touring the Aiken-Rhett House (downtown) and Drayton Hall Plantation. Fort Sumter was very interesting, but I agree that you may not have enough time unless it is a real priority. Have a great trip.</p>
<p>Any hotel you stay in will have visitor’s guides in their lobby…if not, shops on Kings will have some. Battery Park is just a nice place to take pics, so you only need a few mins there. We parked in the parking garage a few blocks off Kings. $20 max for whole day parking. Walked to market from there.</p>
<p>I must be doing something wrong…I can’t seem to find the Slave Market on my map of Charleston. Does anyone know the cross streets or some other nearby landmark?</p>
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