During our recent visit to Charleston we were able to partake in several of the thousands of historic sites throughout one all-too-short weekend.  Due to the sheer number of historic landmarks, it is often difficult to decide how to allocate your time.  I’ve highlighted several of our favorite landmarks to help you enjoy historic Charleston to it’s fullest:

The Charleston Museum:

The Charleston Museum is considered America’s first museum, established in 1773.  It houses a wide variety of cultural pieces that exhibit the heritage of Charleston and the entire south.  One exhibit which we spent much of our time at was  ‘From Slave to Sharecropper’,  an original that commemorates the bicentennial of the abolition of U.S. and British Slave Trade.  The display includes images and objects of the post civil war African-American experiences that are incredible in their diversity and detail.  The exhibit runs until February 2009.

The Aiken-Rhett House:

The Aiken-Rhett House stands as the city’s ‘most intact urban villa’.  It has been conserved and virtually unchanged since 1858, and provides a beautiful portrayal of  life as it stood centuries ago.  This was a great place to visit with the kids, as they were able to compare the various household objects there to what exists in their house today.

Patriots Point Naval Museum:

This was a great museum to visit because it allowed us to also experience the beautiful Charleston harbor.   Patriots Point is one of the largest museums of its kind in the world and houses ships such as the destroyer USS Laffey, known as ‘The Ship That Would Not Die’.  The kids really enjoyed this museum.

Where to Stay:

We were able to book a Charleston Hotel online at a very affordable price- the Church Street Inn.  Located at the corner of Church and Market Streets where Charleston’s famed market area hums with activity, the Church Street Inn and its plush rooms were elegantly designed in a style reminiscent of a time gone by.  We were very pleased with the service and price there.