The overall tract of wildlife refuge appears mostly something that you'd explore by boat, but…read moredriving down the dirt road to this little parking lot leads to an abandoned plantation surrounded by classic South Carolina swampland. Remnants of rice fields ring the mansion, leading to an interesting aesthetic experience even though I missed when the building was actually open. I can confirm that in the winter there wasn't much in the way of biting insects and the alligators I was warned of did not materialize. Probably hiding. I'm guessing in warmer weather the area has significant challenges, though you should expect this anywhere in the swampy parts of the lowcountry. As with any wildlife refuge, the priority isn't visitor experience, but for a free and interesting landscape to wander, it has some intrigue.

The drive in is pretty, as are the grounds, but holy moly the deer flies are aggressive. It was…read morealso way too hot to go on a day that the gates are closed and you have to walk in to the site. Lesson learned. I would love to return in the fall or winter. Bicycles are permitted so our teen brought his. He probably would have enjoyed it more if it weren't for the flies. We had bug spray on so not really sure how to deter them or if they're less mean in the fall/winter. I'll go back and let y'all know. Ha. They do have bathrooms on site which was nice. They were kinda stuffy in there but better than nothing.

Kiawah Island really doesn't have much of a town. A convenience store next to the guard check-in…read morestation and a small well laid out shopping area that's really cute with some good restaurants, fun shops and a pretty decent grocery store. There are lots of condos & beach houses, many of them regularly rented. Several golf courses & communities dot the island and The Sanctuary is a nice high end hotel & spa located on the island. As mentioned, you must have either a resident or renters pass to access the island or you can get a short term pass for a specific destination from the guards at the entrance. Since access is so controlled, everything feels very safe here. The rental bikes aren't even locked up, which actually boggled my mind when I first saw it. That level of safety & comfort is pretty awesome. The beaches here are spectacular! The beach at low tide is about 100 yards deep and so flat and perfectly packed down that you can ride bikes on the beach. Amazing! The nearest city is Charleston, SC and it's about a 45 minute ride away from Kiawah. That's honestly Kiawah's biggest shortcoming - it's pretty remote from actual civilization. It's darned pretty when you get there, though.

Bathrooms on both sides of the building! This was where we waited for the Kiawah Half Marathon to…read morestart and it was awesome to be inside instead of freezing outside.

Love this beach island town that's outside Charleston. I've been now coming here for a few years…read moreand will continue to do so. The area is easily accessible, but keep in mind there are bridges and at least one is a draw for boats that can delay your arrival. Also Summer traffic can be intense with the popular island. Off street parking can be challenging. There is a public lot off the main road. The homes are a real mix of very modest older to newer very large closer to the beach. It's a lot of fun to house watch driving the island. See if you can find the spaceship home. On the main road is one of the coolest firehouse you will see. It's built like a large cottage with oversized red doors and at night lights up in red, even the front tree. What my family likes the best are the area restaurants that are at the entrance to the town. Favorite is Obstinate Daughter and sister ice cream shop Beardcats. Finally the beach, it's a negative to access because little seems to be public and there are access and parking issues. Others may know more, this has been my experience. Totally recommend a visit to Sullivans.

Sweet little Island but a must see. On the other side of…read moreMount Pleasant . Be sure to stop by and take in the natural beauty this island has to offer.

I've toured the area and have worked in the Courthouse researching titles to properties. The…read morehistoric documents found were astonishing! From slaves having been given to family members and business owners, it amazes me still that slavery was a trade! It truly is shocking!!!

Why is it called the Four Corners of Law?…read more This four corners in Charleston is pretty cool. Nothing like the Four Corners Monument we visited in 2012 that marked the quadripoint in the Southwestern US (where the states of AZ, CO, NM, and UT meet). No, this four corners intersection are made of historic buildings -- Courthouse and US Post Office,, State Courthouse, City Hall, and the St. Michael's Church. 1- United States Post Office and Courthouse - 1896 Post Office, representing the federal government 2- State Courthouse - this 1792 courthouse represents county government 3- City Hall -symbolizes city government which begun in 1800 4- St. Michael's Church - the church was built between 1752 and 1761 and depicts ecclesiastical law These amazing historic structures are located on the southwest corner intersection of Meeting and Broad Streets in downtown Charleston. For our Monday visit the streets were pretty empty due to Covid and I was able to get some nice shots of the buildings. Interesting trivia: The Four Corners of Law was coined in the 1930s by Robert Ripley, creator of Ripley's Believe it or Not! and it has been called that ever since. Review #1847

The Felix C. Davis Community Center at Park Circle in North Charleston is a great community space…read moreand event menu. I have attended a number of events here and it has worked well as there is plenty of space and rooms to move around and enjoy. I really like the design and feel of the center with the hardwood floors and all of the other features it has. I have had a really good time every time that I have been here and look forward to being able to attend more events and programs here in the future.

The Arthur W. Christopher Community Center on Fishburne Street in Charleston is a well managed…read morecommunity center, park, and space that is a good resource. I have had a really good experience every time I have been here and a lot of good work is done. The facility is well maintained and has a lot to offer for the community.

Did you know Charleston got its name from King Charles II of England when the town was "settled" in…read more1680? Back then it was named "Charles Town". Charleston was home to the major Slave port of entry in the USA, from the late 1600s up until 1860, when slavery was abolished. At one time, the total number of slaves of African descent outnumbered the people of European descent by as much as 75% of the total population of South Carolina. The slave trade was the major commerce of Charleston creating immense wealth for the plantation owners of the region. Today Charleston is a very busy city with many restaurants and old world charm. Take a tour in a horse drawn carriage. Visit the Battery with its magnificent mansions and the waterside port of the Pineapple fountain. The town also hosts the American Spoleto festival annually each Spring. Take a stroll on the major thoroughfare of King and Queen Streets in the old French Quarter. There you will find the height of attractions on old cobblestone streets. The climate of Charleston can be very humid and tropical during the summer months. In the winter it can get a wee bit chilly, but never too cold. Enjoy! 4 stars

Charleston is a cool city with a ton of charm. There seems like there is a lot to do and were…read moreplenty of people walking around at all hours. It was mid-March so the weather was pretty nice, although it got a bit chilly in the evening. There were plenty of restaurants to choose from and most were in walking distance. Parking looked like it could be a challenge, so I was glad not to be driving. Also lots of bars and small food joints around as well in case you didn't snag a reservation somewhere. Traffic kinda sucked. We had to Uber to one restaurant and it took a very long time to get there during the evening rush. I'd say it was about 8 miles, and took just over 30 mins to get there. It's a nice city to visit, probably for a long weekend or so. Not sure if I could spend a week here though. The airport was easy enough to get back and forth from, but could get expensive to Uber to/from during busy traffic times.

As I love walking waterfront and port areas, I took a walk around the Port of Charleston. It…read moreaffords a rather interesting stroll but make no mistake about it. It's not at all like the Port of Miami or Port Everglades of Fort Lauderdale in that is first of all and primarily a commercial, not a cruise ship port. You won't see any long lines of vacationers attempting to catch their cruise ships or the stacked rows of cruise ships awaiting passengers. It does handle cruise ships, it just isn't a standard port of call for them and not all that popular. Though it is the deepest water port in the southeast it only ranks a distant 8th in cargo value. I took a boat ride out into the harbor area and found the views rather striking. Some of the areas around it are of great historic interest, but unlike most waterfront areas not exactly bustling with restaurants, souvenir shops or waterfront activities.

The Port of Charleston and Carnival Cruise Lines provide an affordable, easy, vacation option for…read morelocals. I've cruised from Miami, Port Canaveral, Tampa, and Charleston, and while the other ports offer bigger ships, more cruise lines, and longer trips, you can't beat the convenience of cruising close to home. Currently, the Carnival Ecstasy is home ported in Charleston and sails most every week from this port. It is a smaller and older ship, and cruises are 5 or 7 days. Parking was easy and $20 a day. I would recommend arriving around lunchtime, because if you arrive too early, you cannot access parking until the cruisers from the last trip are out of the lot. Don't eat lunch before, because you can enjoy your first meal at the buffet as soon as you board. After you pay and park, your luggage is taken and placed on the ship, and you board a shuttle to the building and pier. The lines are long but move quickly, and the staff are friendly. Debarkation is even faster. When we returned to port, we opted to carry our own luggage off. We left our room at 8 AM, walked off the ship with our luggage, and quickly got through security and customs. We live in West Ashley and were home before 9 AM- before some cruisers were even off the ship. I'm used to bigger cruise ships with more to do, but cruising from Charleston does make for a relaxing and lower-stress vacation and I would go again.