Charleston, SC

This week I headed to a work meeting in Charleston. The meeting actually ended a day early, and rather than go through the hassle of trying to change my ticket (flights were pretty full and it seemed likely I would just sit around at the airport hoping to get on as a stand-by), I decided to do a bit of sight-seeing.

I've been to Charleston before, but always for business, so I've never had much chance to wander the city. This Friday was 70 degees and sunny, so it was the perfect opportunity. (In fact, I think I got a little sun burnt.)

One of the nicest things about Charleston are all the old, giant, Southern style houses - the residential streets south of Broad Street are beautiful to walk through.

I was staying downtown, so I could walk from my hotel. I headed down King Street, which is a big commercial street with lots of boutiques and little shops.

I spent a good amount of time seeing all the architecture in the southern-most tip of the city, including the famous mansions overlooking the water on East Bay Street.

Lunch consisted of a great salad and Blue Crab Bisque, after which I decided to be a real tourist and take a carriage ride. The carriage ride was actually a lot of fun, and it was nice to hear all about the city and learn some of the history.
Around 3pm, having walked quite a bit, I decided to leave downtown Charleston and head to the nearby Isle of Palms, which is right on the Atlantic Ocean. I spent my last couple hours in town walking on the beach.