Charleston, South Carolina

We had two relaxing days at sea as we travelled 973 nautical miles from Bar Harbor to Charleston.  I didn’t book any excursions here because I have been to Charleston several times and have seen the Battery with the Rainbow houses, toured plantations outside the city, and visited other historical houses within the historical heart of town.  So I thought I would just wing it and see what I would discover on my own.

The cruise ship terminal is just opposite the old Custom House, and it is a short walk into the heart of the city.

I picked up some maps and visitors’ guide at the cruise terminal and learned that a free trolley was available that boasts it is “the most convenient way to see Charleston.”

The price was right, so I hopped on one that came right by the port.  There are three color-coded routes.  The one I got on was the Green Route which gave me a nice quick overview of the Market Street/King Street circuit.  I got off at the Visitors Center, picked up some more information and decided to go to the Museum of Charleston which is just across the street from the Visitors Center.

It is touted as America’s first museum, founded in 1773.  Among the first curators were signers of the Declaration of Independence and leaders of the American Revolution from South Carolina.  Having been educated in England, they had seen and admired the British Museum and wanted to preserve artifacts from the Low Country in a similar fashion.

I was surprised by the variety of fascinating artifacts and collections it displays.  Not only those that tell the story of the Low Country and its cultural and natural history, but an eclectic collection of guns, Civil War items, furniture, textiles, quilts, silver, many stuffed birds and animals, skeletal remains, an Egyptian section complete with a mummy, a musical section which includes the piano upon which Gershwin wrote Porgy and Bess, to list a few.

 

After spending time there, I got back on the trolley and went back to the Market Street area.  Here you find the City Market, the oldest public facility in continuous use.

 

This market is huge and consists of several buildings covering several blocks.  Since I was last here, the interior has been completely renovated.  It used to be all open air, with wooden tables displaying the goods.  Now is mostly enclosed and air-conditioned with vendors selling all kinds of jewelry, candles, crafts, food, and other things tourist love.

 

Featured at several stalls are baskets make from pine straw and grass with women sitting and weaving them by hand.

 

 

 

 

To complete my tour, I went to Hyman’s Seafood Restaurant on Meeting Street. It was voted #1 seafood restaurant in the Southeast by Southern Living Magazine Survey 9 years in a row.  Delta Sky Miles magazine named it one of the top five seafood restaurants in the country.  It has been recognized by several other publications and Food Channel Network for its great food.

 

 

 

Inside there are signed photographs of celebrities who have eaten here. One of whom is Martha Stewart.

 

Well, if it’s good enough for Martha, it is good enough for me…and it was.  I had a combination of fried oysters, clam strips, and shrimp complete with collard greens, coleslaw and hush puppies.  MMMM…UMMM good!

Waddled my way back to the ship to be greeted by these two pelicans.  Some people know my stories about pelicans and why I seem to run into them (or they into me) all of the time.