The Battery: Tranquil surroundings combine with beautiful views of Charleston Harbor, key historical points in the Civil War, and amazing mansions.

Rainbow Row: Painted in warm pastels, these old merchant homes near the cobblestoned waterfront take you on a journey to Charleston’s antebellum heyday.

Fort Sumter: Take the ferry to this historic place where the Civil War began and take in the gorgeous views along the way.

St. Philip’s Episcopal Church: A sublimely beautiful sanctuary and two historic graveyards await you in the heart of the evocative French Quarter.

Aiken-Rhett House: There are certainly more ostentatious house museums in Charleston, but none that provide such a virtually intact glimpse into real antebellum life.

Drayton Hall: Don’t miss Charleston’s oldest surviving plantation home and one of America’s best examples of professional historic preservation.

Middleton Place: Wander in and marvel at one of the world’s most beautifully landscaped gardens — and the first in North America.

CSS Hunley: Newly ensconced for public viewing in its special preservation tank, the first submarine to sink a ship in battle is a moving example of bravery and sacrifice.