CHARLESTON First City of The South

Charleston is called ‘The Holy City’ for its many historic churches, but that’s just one reason it’s such an acclaimed destination. You can tour classic South-ofBroad neighborhoods on foot or in a horse-drawn carriage, shop for unique crafts and fresh produce in The City Market, or enjoy new downtown attractions like the South Carolina Aquarium. The fine-dining restaurants on King Street are second-to-none, and famous sites like Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie are living lessons in American history. Modern Charleston is also the center of a dynamic region that includes hi-tech companies, world-class medical centers, and major industries like Boeing. In their wake have come upscale residential communities on Daniel Island and in West Ashley, Mount Pleasant, and Summerville. A reverence for the past with an eye on the future is a combination that makes the Charleston area such an exceptional place to call home.

Summerville

Known as “Flowertown” for its popular annual Azalea Festival and numerous local gardens, historic Summerville features a revitalized downtown with specialty shops, antique stores, and farm-fresh restaurants. It’s also the hub of a growing area with new residential and resort-style retirement communities.

VisitSummerville.com

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Healthcare: The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in downtown Charleston is home to a top-ranked medical school, children’s hospital, and cancer-treatment center. Other regional providers include the Roper and St. Francis hospital networks, the East Cooper Medical Center, and the Johnson VA Medical Center.

Culture: Charleston’s annual Spoleto Festival USA is one of the world’s most diverse celebrations of the performing arts in a city renowned for its galleries, museums, music venues, and theaters that offer a year-round calendar of exhibitions and special events.

Recreation: The Volvo Car Open is a major annual women’s professional tennis tournament, and golf clubs at Charleston National and on Kiawah Island have also hosted recent championship events. Folly Beach and the Isle of Palms are local favorites for sunbathing, swimming, surfing, and paddleboarding.

Patriots Point

The Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum on the Mount Pleasant side of Charleston Harbor features tours of the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier, plus other on-site naval vessels and military aircraft. The nation’s only Vietnam Experience Exhibit and official Congressional Medal of Honor Museum are located at Patriots Point, which also hosts special holiday events and unique onboard sleepover programs.

PatriotsPoint.org