Charleston, South Carolina, provides the visitor a glimpse of the Old South with its stately antebellum homes, tree-lined streets, gardens, and courtyards.  The Historic District is fairly compact and easy to walk (self-guided walking tour maps are available at the Charleston Visitor Center, 375 Meeting St). Walks must include The Battery and its nearby “Rainbow Row” of elegant homes. Some of Charleston’s mansions are open to the public.

            Magnolia Plantation is located just outside of Charleston. It offers a look at a genuine southern plantation with its glorious mansion and its extensive gardens.  The Greek-revival plantation house is set amidst sprawling woods and wetlands.  The Spanish Moss-draped trees add a special ambience to the grounds.  Walk the garden trail to enjoy the wetlands with their human touches of wooden bridges, painted white, and benches for rest and contemplation.

            Gary’s Gem:

                       1. Take a boat from the Charleston City Marina at 17 Lockwood Blvd, for a 75-minute tour of Charleston Harbor and a 1 hour tour of Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired on April 12, 1861.

                       2. My walking tour of Charleston can be found in the archives on November 28.2007, under the post entitled "Hilton Head Trip."