By BRUCE SMITH
The Associated Press
Each year, 3 million tourists are enchanted by Charleston, a city that locals like to say is where the Ashley and Cooper rivers meet to form the Atlantic Ocean.
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CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The azaleas are ablaze with color and visitors crowd carriages plying Charleston's narrow streets. It's tourist season once again in this seaside city of pastel and old brick buildings known for its grace and charm.
Charlestonians can be forgiven a bit of pride in their 329-year-old town. For here the old is lovingly preserved while the new is built in keeping with the old.
Spring and fall are the busy tourist times -- the sultry summer heat discourages visitors. March brings flowers to gardens across the historic district and at Colonial-era plantations overlooking the Ashley River.
Some of Charleston's most beautiful houses and gardens are open during the 52nd annual spring Festival of Houses and Gardens from mid-March through mid-April.
Later the Spoleto Festival U.S.A. lights up stages with jazz, ballet, opera, dance and theater. This year's edition will open May 28 and feature everything from Puccini's Ill Trittico to the Miami City Ballet.
An added attraction this May is the return of the yachts in the Around Alone single-handed race. The sailors left in September to circle the globe.
Charleston is a city of firsts, claiming everything from the nation's first museum and golf course to its first railroad. The Confederate submarine Hunley, the first submarine to sink an enemy warship, rests in a watery grave off Sullivans Island. The first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor.
Give yourself at least three days, more if you can, to visit, suggests Amy Ballenger of the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. And when you arrive, park your car and walk into the past.
Charleston has guided walking tours, or buy a guidebook and take your own past the pastel-colored houses of Rainbow Row, through oak-shrouded Whitepoint Garden and past many historic churches.
In the evening, stroll through Waterfront Park with its pier extending into the Cooper River and large bench swings.
Soon there will be the $69 million South Carolina Aquarium that should be open next tourist season.
Visitors will want to shop the boutiques and antique shops on King Street.
Military buffs will want to catch a tour boat to Fort Sumter. Or they may visit the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum, featuring the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, on the Mount Pleasant side of the harbor.
JOURNEY
Getting there: Charleston is on the South Carolina coast about 50 miles off Interstate 95. It is about 100 driving miles northeast of Hilton Head Island, 95 miles southeast of Myrtle Beach and about 290 miles east-southeast of Atlanta. Interstate 26 ends at Charleston while U.S. 17 and U.S. 52 are the other main routes into the city. Several major airlines serve the city, including Continental, Delta and U.S. Airways. There is also Amtrak service.
Weather: Spring in Charleston is mild and pleasant, with highs averaging about 65 degrees in March and 80 degrees in May. Early spring nights average about 50 degrees. March visitors should bring a light jacket or sweater. Afternoon showers and thundershowers are common in spring. Summer is hot and humid, with average highs in July of 88 degrees.
Lodging: Charleston has a wide array of places to stay, ranging from modestly priced chain motels in the suburbs to upscale hotels and bed and breakfast inns in the heart of the historic district.
Dining: Charleston County has 737 restaurants, with 160 of those on the Charleston peninsula where the historic district is located. Many restaurants specialize in South Carolina Low Country cuisine emphasizing seafood, rice and fresh garden vegetables. Cuisine at other restaurants includes French, Greek, Indian, Mexican, Italian, Japanese, Turkish and German.
Information: Contact the Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau for a guide: (800) 868-8118; Box 975, Charleston, S.C. 29402; www.charlestoncvb.com.
