A Day Trip to Charleston

Charleston is such a beautiful city packed full of history.  However, do not expect to see everything you would like to see in one day or even several trips.  I have been going to Charleston since I was a kiddo & I still haven't seen/visited everywhere on my Charleston 'to see' list. 

My parents planned this day trip to Charleston and it was perfect!  We met at the Charleston Welcome Center which is a really great starting point.  The welcome center has an abundance of information not to mention really clean restrooms!  Once we stepped out of the door of the Charleston Welcome Center we started our walking journey of the city. 

We visited the Charleston Museum, which if you haven't been you should go.  This was my first visit to the museum and I was overwhelmed (in a good way) with the amount of history located within this one building. 

We purchased tickets through the museum for a guided tour of the Joseph Manigault House which is literally right across the street from the museum.  Our tour guide was great and extremely knowledgeable of the history of the house and family.

We stopped for lunch at Hyman's, which is always amazing!  We then proceeded to walk to a few spots of interest before heading to our last touring location. 

My family were great sports and walked what seemed to be 100 blocks just so I could stand at the gates of the house where Mary Boykin Chesnut went to school.  I know that I mention her often but in my book she was a great lady that gave the world an amazing look, through her diaries, of what the Civil War was like on the home front for the individuals left behind. 

Our last stop was to Magnolia Cemetery.  I had heard that Magnolia Cemetery was the Bonaventure of Charleston which made me really excited because Bonaventure (in Savannah) is just breathtaking. 

 
My Dad and I both had a list of individuals we wanted to located within the cemetery, so we parked the cars and began walking the cemetery.  We walked and walked and walked (and walked and walked) and FINALLY we found her, Sally Campbell Buchanan "Buck" Preston Lowndes.  To give some background:  I give tours of the Hampton-Preston Mansion in Columbia, South Carolina.  Buck, as she was known by family and friends (like Mary Boykin Chesnut) lived in the Hampton-Preston Mansion.  She was the daughter of John and Caroline Preston and the granddaughter of Wade & Mary Hampton (this being Wade Hampton I).  I enjoy talking about her on the tours I give and enjoyed learning more about her in MBC's diaries so my excitement was through the roof when we found her grave.  My family continued their search for other individuals while I sat and paid my respects to her.

Has anyone visited Charleston lately?  Any recommendations on places to visit and/or eat?

Happy Travels,
Amber