United, REALTORS®

The charms of Charleston await! The grande dame of southern cities, this handsomely preserved port was founded more than three centuries ago in 1670. From the brightly colored homes of Rainbow Row and the busy streets of the Old Market to military landmarks like Fort Sumter and the Citadel, Charleston is a living lesson in history - with an easy grace that's impoosible to resist. Yet Charleston is not the kind of place to rest on past glories. the city has triumphed over catastrophe - two wars, fires, and earthquake and, more recently, the wrath of Hurricane Hugo - to enjoy an unprecedented renaissance in popularity. Small wonder. With events like the Spoleto Festival and Piccolo Spoleto drawing crowds of theatre, opera and music lovers each summer - not to mention the great shopping, dining, sightseeing, and beautiful hotels, inns, and bed and breakfasts - Charleston is the perfect place to get away. Where to begin? For newcomers, the Charleston Visitors Center is a must-stop. Here, you can gather information or catch one of the tours-by horsedrawn carriage, foot, bus, van or even bicycle-that explore the harbourside historic district. While at the Visitors Center, be sure to take in "Forever Charleston," a unique 20 minute, multi-sensory adventure. Also nearby is the circa-1773 Charleston Museum, the nation's first and oldest museum. From there head downtown to such landmarks as the much-photographed Waterfront Park overlooking the river, and White Point Gardens, also known as the Battery, on the very tip of the Charleston peninsula. At the Old City Market, between Meeting and East Bay, you can still buy handwoven sweetgrass baskets from Gullah "basket ladies" in a setting that's changed little in 150 years.

In Charleston, history isn't something that's tucked away in a museum; it's as close as a stroll through the city's narrow cobblestone streets. Historic homes abound - some even dating back to pre-revolutionary days - and many are open to the public. Among the best known are the extravagantly ornamented Calhoun Mansion, the Federal style Joseph Manigault House, the Nathaniel-Russell House, famous for its gravity-defying spiral staircase, the Greek Revival Edmonston-Alston House, and the Heyward-Washington House in the heart of Catfish Row, the real-life setting of the fictional "Porgy and Bess." On East Bay Street, fourteen vividly colored homes make up Rainbow Row. Good or bad, Charleston will always be famous as the place where the Civil War began. Catch a Sumter Tours Sightseeing boat and cruise around the harbour and out to Fort Sumter for a fascinating glimpse into that troubled time. Other military sites in town include the Old Powder Magazine, the city's oldest public building, The Citadel, where the cadets parade every Friday during the school year, and Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum, home of the World War II aircraft carrier Yorktown.

The land around Charleston was once the center of a thriving plantation economy. Today you can still visit a few of these grand antebellum mansions and gardens within a short drive of the city. Closest to town is Drayton Hall. Overlooking the Ashley River, this magnificent mid-18th century Georgian mansion is considered the finest example of Palladian architecture in the nation. Just down the road, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens combines a variety of themed ornamental gardens, a petting zoo, horticultural maze, and the Audubon Swamp Garden which can be toured by canoe. Also worth a stop is Middleton Place, site of America's oldest formal landscape gardens, Boone Hall Plantation, famous for its avenues of live oaks, and Cypress Gardens, where wildlife can be glimpsed from flat-bottom boats. At Charlestowne Landing, a 663-acre park on the site of the state's first settlement, pioneer life is recreated in an authentic old-time setting.

Relax on the beautiful beaches of Charleston's nearby resort islands. North of the city, Isle of Palms features a laid-back attitude and plenty of sun, sand and surf. At the island's north end, less than 20 minutes from Charleston, is Wild Dunes Resort, a private paradise with renowned golf, and luxury home and villa accommodations. Less that 45 minutes south of Charleston lie two other posh island hideaways. Kiawah Island, with 10 miles of beach and four golf courses, is well known as the 1991 host of the Ryder Cup. Just beyond is Seabrook Island Resort, where guests can enjoy 36 holes of championship golf, four miles of beach and one of the area's finest marinas.