Charleston, South Carolina Vacation

Joe and I decided we needed to go on a vacation. We had been wanting to go to Charleston for awhile, and decided it was time. We went July 10-13 which was a good amount of time for the city. We drove out Friday morning and had a few hours to walk around and see what the city had to offer. It was definitely bigger than I anticipated and much more crammed with houses and buildings. We were expecting something like Savannah, but it really is quite different. I think if we had it to do over again I would have figured out more fun restaurants and where they were located. There were a few times where we just couldn’t figure out what to eat and seemed to settle. I would also stay in the city if possible.
Like Savannah, I loved the architecture and details on the homes and buildings. I’m always intrigued by the old buildings, wondering what it was like when the building was new, what people were doing, what their concerns were, if they enjoyed living there. There’s just so much history in cities like this.
You can look through my pictures in the Picasa album.
We were told that even though it’s cheesy we should take a carriage ride. We did that on Saturday morning before it got too hot.
Here’s our driver:
 
The routes the carriages take is random and drawn by a lottery ball. This keeps the carriages mostly evenly dispersed throughout the city, so that not one majorly popular area is overrun with carriages.

Unfortunately, our ball was to take a similar route that Joe and I had walked the night before. It turned out OK because we heard some history and details we obviously didn’t get from just walking on our own.
These homes are on Rainbow Row. When I heard Rainbow Row existed, I thought it would be more vibrant, it was fine and pretty and of course colorful.

The rod on this home demonstrates how the homes can be tightened back together after earthquakes.
  
This home was damaged by hurricane Edgar in 1990. The owners are still trying to repair it, but of course that takes lots of money.
 
This was a beautifully restored home that has been turned into a bed and breakfast.


After the tour we walked over to The Fort Sumter museum. The museum was small but fine, it had some good information about the early days of Charleston, but Joe and I were tired after the long, hot walk over. You have to take a ferry ride over to the fort, it’s about a 30 minute ride.

Across the way is USS Yorktown
        
A view of Charleston from the ferry

A view of Charleston from the fort

You can drive your own boat to the fort and get in for free, or you have to take a ferry for $7.

This is the front of the front and the powder magazine

Here are some various shots from around the fort
 
     
     

On our way back from For Sumter we passed through some shipping yards and saw this facade in the middle of one of the yards, it was strange.

We also passed by the United States Custom House which looked nice.

We decided that since we were on that side of the city we would walk along the riverview and check out the Pineapple Fountain.
  
We walked back by Rainbow Row.

Here is the Hayward Washington house. When Georgia Washington visited Charleston in 1791  he was entertained in this house.