It’s easy to see why the city of Charleston attracts history buffs from across the nation. With its cobblestone streets, historic homes, and old plantations, the story of the Holy City runs deep throughout the Lowcountry and begs to be explored.
One of the best ways to experience a taste of Charleston’s rich past is by walking the city’s Museum Mile. This one-mile stretch of Meeting Street is full of nearby museums, nationally recognized historic homes, scenic parks, and stunning churches that have given the Holy City its moniker.

If you are lucky enough to live in Charleston, then the cultural sites along the Museum Mile can be explored at any time. However, those in a time crunch may have to be choosy about where they visit. Here are some stops that are highly recommended:

Folks who stay in a beach house in Charleston, namely one of our Isle of Palms vacation rentals, generally have a yen for a little island time.  You can wake up and see the ocean.  Eat a little breakfast on the deck.  Then stroll down to the beach from your luxury house on Isle of Palms for a day of kick-back time. 

And, of course, the especially nice thing about a Charleston beach house is that you can easily head into the Holy City to experience its charms and culture.  The downtown peninsula’s a stress-free drive from all our beach house rentals in Charleston SC.

But what some of those coming to our Isle of Palms luxury rentals might not realize, is what an established surfer scene there is around here.

Article written by Jason Fowler of Sea Island Builders

Are you looking to build a new coastal home? Well, in 2016, Sea Island Builders was voted the #1 Custom Home Builder in the Charleston area. Much of our success has been due to the happiness of our clients, so we wanted to share with you some tips to get you started. Follow our 5 tips for building a new coastal home, and we are confident that you will have an enjoyable experience.

Water activities such as swimming, scuba diving, jet skiing and water skiing, fishing, and swimming are common throughout Charleston’s waterways. Such watersports and boating experiences can be so engaging that sometimes we can get caught up in having fun and forget about the importance of safety. This post explores the safety precautions that should be observed as you take part in these adventurous water sport activities.

Article written by Jason Fowler of Sea Island Builders.

Whether you’ve built a custom home or remodeled an existing one, every homeowner knows selecting the right light fixtures is one of the toughest stages of a project. Not only are there an endless number of options, but light fixture trends and technology also change so quickly that it can sometimes be difficult to keep up. Where do you even start? Based on our experience of helping clients with the selection process, we have put together the following 5 tips for selecting the right light fixture for your home.

If you're a beer lover, you won't be disappointed in Charleston's craft beer scene. In the past few years, breweries have been popping up all over the Holy City, enhancing an already thriving food and beer culture.

Now, the only problem you might face is deciding which brewery you should visit first. If you are vacationing in Charleston and have limited time, you need to choose wisely.

To make things easier for you, here is your guide to the best breweries in Charleston

Written by Theresa on behalf of Bulldog Tours

At Charleston Food Tours we offer a variety of culinary tours of Charleston with knowledgeable tour guides and delicious samples of Lowcountry cuisine. Join us as we walk, talk and taste our way through history! Our mission is to promote local artisan growers and producers and to help preserve South Carolina’s rich culinary heritage. On our exclusive culinary tours, you will experience the Lowcountry’s distinctive food and warm hospitality. These informative tours are ideal for casual fans of the culinary arts or the hardcore foodie in your life. It would be difficult to find a southern city better suited for culinary tourism than historic Charleston, SC. Our tours include the Savor the Flavors of Downtown Charleston tour, the Savor the Flavors of Upper King Street tour, the Chef’s Kitchen tour and the Charleston Dessert tour.

Written by John LaVerne on behalf of Bulldog Tours

The historical backdrop of Charleston, SC is one of the longest and most differing of any group in the United States, spreading over many years. It was founded in 1670 and, although the city has had its low points, it is still thriving today and is currently one of the top tourist destinations in the US.

Charleston was the leading city in the South from the time it was founded up to the Civil War. The city has survived fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding and war. There are several buildings that were important during these events, one of which is The Old Exchange Building, which has been standing since 1767. The Old Exchange is home to a dungeon that was used to hold prisoners of war during the British siege in the Revolutionary War, and later housed pirates such as Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet. When you factor in the age of the city and the number of people who died either from war or natural disaster, it's no wonder that Charleston is considered one of the most haunted cities in the US. The best part about this haunted history is that Bulldog Tours specializes in Charleston Ghost Tours and will take you to visit these places... if you dare.

You could explore Charleston on your own... or you can see the best the city has to offer with Bulldog Tours history, culinary, and ghost tours. You will love it!

One of the staples of an idyllic visit to Charleston, South Carolina, Shem Creek is located mere miles from the historic downtown. Simply scoot over the beautiful Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge while taking in the view of the Cooper River, and you’ll presently find yourself face to face with Shem Creek’s myriad treasures, all sheltered within a serene bay.

Your list of things to do in Charleston may be getting long, but it’s essential that you make room for Rainbow Row. This series of 13 brightly-colored houses along the waterfront is one of Charleston’s most photographed spots and is a spectacular site to see.

While its architecture and beautiful pastel coloring are to be admired, Rainbow Row’s history is equally as captivating. As many of you already know, Charleston is a place steeped with history in every neighborhood, and Rainbow Row is no exception.

Why is Rainbow Row so brightly colored? How did it become one of the most recognized historical sites in Charleston? We’ve got the answers to your burning questions right here!

Charleston's built landscape is one of America's greatest works of public art. Centuries-worth of meticulous ironwork provides a visual feast for anyone exploring the downtown peninsula of Charleston. Wherever you look, you are rewarded with the rich architectural details that help give Charleston its vibrant sense of place.

Each design feature -- whether the sweeping porches of the Charleston single houses or scrollwork atop the Georgian columns fronting homes on the Battery -- illuminates parts of the city's past and provides the backdrop for Charleston's elaborate ballet of life. Downtown buildings are ...