Glimpses of Charleston

A local's eye view

Charleston At Night

Nighttime in Charleston is a magical time. When walking the streets after dark, you can really sense the long history of the city and become that much more aware of the special smell of the marshes and sea. It’s not hard to imagine that the ghosts are about (Charleston is one of the most haunted spots in America) and there can be an eerie glow about the buildings. While the glow of this building (Hibernian Hall) was created for a special event, it does capture some of the magic of a Charleston night.

Cobblestones

There are quite a few cobblestone streets in Charleston. The stones, which were brought by the early sailing trading ships (they were used as ballast on the voyage to Charleston and then discarded when they picked up their cargo), are now picturesque, but rough to drive on! The most famous cobblestone street in Charleston is Chalmers Street. Home to the “Pink House” — which is thought to be the oldest structure in Charleston (and one of the oldest in South Carolina), Chalmers is a must walk-through for anyone visiting Charleston.

Colors of Charleston

Flower boxes are a really popular item all over Charleston. With many houses fronting directly on to the sidewalk, they almost act like the front yard to many people. This fantastic set caught my eye as I was going up Church Street, and then I noticed the beautiful blue bike (complete with red bell!). All the colors were a wonderful thing on a cool winter day.

Stoll’s Alley

One of the best things you can do when living or visiting Charleston is just walk and walk and walk. And when  you are walking, you discover that there are alleys and “cut-throughs” that let you go where no car, carriage or rickshaw can take you. From these little paths you can get views of the houses and backyards that are inaccessible in any other way. One of my favorites is Stoll’s Alley, which connects East Bay Street to Church Street.

 

Cooper River Bridge

While this beautiful bridge is officially named the Ravenel Bridge, it’s commonly called the Cooper River Bridge. One of the longest cable-stayed bridges in the world, it presents a defining image for the Lowcountry.  Connecting Mt. Pleasant to Charleston (both population booming areas), the eight lanes on the bridge were designed to  serve the region far into the future. In addition to its visual beauty, one of the best features of the bridge is the bike/pedestrian lane. Added late in the design phase, this lane has not only given bicyclists a way to commute across the Cooper River, it has proven to be one of the most popular places to run, bike and walk in the Charleston area. The views of Charleston Harbor are also truly spectacular. Another claim to fame is it being the main attraction in the enormously popular Cooper River Bridge Run.

Sunrise

Getting up early to see the sun rise over Charleston Harbor is usually a very rewarding experience. Watching the sky just light up over the ocean and spread its rays over to the Peninsula is magical. General Moultrie, standing on the edge of White Point Garden and looking across the High Battery, gets to watch this show almost every day (well, he is there everyday, but sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate for the sunrise).

It Pays To Look Up

Beauty is all around you in Charleston. Sometimes the tree and rooftops deserve as much attention as the harbor and streetfronts. The cupola here belongs to the Wentworth Mansion, one of the finest and highly rated hotels in the country. The building was once the largest single family house in Charleston, later became the headquarters for an insurance company and now is home to some pretty incredible luxury. They also have a pretty awesome restaurant, Circa 1886.

What’s The Green Stuff?

A classic Charleston scene. This Live Oak Tree, which is dwarfing one of the tour carriages, is growing on Meeting Street, in front of the 2 Meeting Street Inn. Do you know the name of the greenery growing on the tree branches (no, not the leaves). And how it gets its name?

The Peninsula

The Charleston peninsula, stretching from White Point Garden at the tip up towards the fantastic Ravenel (or Cooper River) Bridge, contains an unimaginable amount of beauty — both natural and man-made. Seen here from the Fort Sumter House at 1 King Street, you also get a sense of why the region is called the Lowcountry. Also note the origin of one of Charleston’s nicknames…the Holy City — the skyline, as it were, is full of church steeples.