THE CHARLESTON SUMMER FUN LIST Relax on the water, explore the natural beauty of the Lowcountry or take a spine-tingling tour. Try one of these must-do activities and start your summertime vacation off right. Sunset sailing Soak up a gorgeous Charleston sunset on a two-hour sail aboard the Schooner Pride (schoonerpride.com). Sit back and relax on deck while the sun drops slowly toward the horizon, illuminating the Holy City skyline. The Schooner Pride is an 84-foot tall ship modeled after the 18th-century coastal trading schooners that once sailed the Charleston Harbor.
Nighttime haunts Make your summer spooky with Bulldog Tours (bulldogtours.com). The Spirits of Magnolia Cemetery Tour gives you exclusive access to Charleston's most hauntingly beautiful Victorian burial grounds. Among the 35,000 buried there are authors and poets, artists, Confederate generals and soldiers, prominent politicians, bootleggers, prostitutes, and socialites. Come aboard the USS Yorktown in Mount Pleasant to hear the stories of the American Heroes who lived and died aboard this ship – some of them are rumored to still be onboard today. With the Haunted Yorktown Tour, visitors get exclusive nighttime access to areas of the ship that are closed to the public, including touring the flight deck after dark.
Eco adventure Spending time in the water is the best way to beat the summer heat. Barrier Island Eco Tours (nature-tours.com) offers naturalist-guided eco tours to some of the Lowcountry’s most pristine spots as well as fishing charters. The whole family will love a 3.5-hour boat excursion to Capers Island, one of the few remaining undeveloped barrier islands. Book a sunset cruise or a nature tour with Sandlapper Water Tours (sandlappertours.com) for an up-close view of wildlife on Charleston’s waterways and barrier islands. Tours depart from the Charleston Maritime Center in downtown Charleston.
Get wet and wild Looking for some fun on the water? Tidal Wave Water Sports (tidalwavewatersports.com) on the Isle of Palms has tubing, jet ski and wakeboarding rentals. Go parasailing for a bird’s eye view of the Atlantic Ocean. All activities are family friendly. Book a dolphin tour to observe wildlife in their natural habitat.
Kayak exploration If paddleboarding through Charleston’s beautiful salt-water marshes and picturesque creeks is on your vacation bucket list, check out Nature Adventure Outfitters (kayakcharlestonsc.com) in Mount Pleasant. Rent kayaks or paddleboards and explore on your own. Or book a kayak tour to explore Shem Creek and Crab Bank Island or choose the Ashley River Historic Tour complete with a shark tooth hunting excursion. 34 TRAVELER ofCharleston.com july-september 2020
