It is almost evening, and there is some great light still left in the sky. Michael has a few minutes for me to photograph him before he needs to get to the gallery. Tonight is the night of the monthly art walk. Soon, downtown Charleston will be bustling with art admirers visiting galleries looking for new and fresh art from the many talented creatives in town.

The rich art culture of this city was the reason Michael decided to move here almost two decades ago. He chose Charleston for its combination of small town and thriving art community.

Originally from Wisconsin, Michael took a detour through California before planting himself here.

Charleston has done it again!

Read more to see why Expedia.com ranked Charleston one of the top 10 places to visit in North America.

Like any good Ohioans, my family trekked off to the beach every summer.  As experts of I-75, my parents had a special knack for finding pit stops that would not only entertain their children, but also enrich their minds.  They had a good rate going too - about two thirds of their children enjoyed the excursions (which were exclusively Civil War battlefields).  The other third, me, could not have cared less. Easily car sick and easily bored, I would walk around the mosquito-infested fields with a frown on my face, sipping on a warm box of apple juice as the sun beat down on my sour little body in khaki shorts.  

By the time we arrived at the beach, I would practically fling myself out of the minivan, kissing the ground and yelling out my praises.

“Thank you, thank you for not being an endless field of grass,” I murmured into the gravel driveway.

“Elaine, get up, you’re going to get bitten by a crab.”

We are so excited about this year's Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition! With daily demonstrations and new pieces by 84 award-winning local artists, it really is the perfect opportunity for the art lover in everyone. 

Nestled within the perimeter landscaping and scattered among the native trees, shrubs and flowers of Marion Square, you'll find the artists and their tents -- if there's a pop-up shower, simply run for the closest tent -- you're sure to be welcomed! Rain or shine, you'll find the fun, creativity and camaraderie of this 16-day art show entertaining and engaging. Over 80 local artists will not only be selling various pieces, they will also...

Gregg Lambton-Carr grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa. There he fell in love with the water, the outdoors, and nature. He fell in love with adventure. Time in the water made him a scuba instructor, and the love of nature made him a photographer. You should ask him about his military service, his nature tours and photographic safaris sometime. Once he gets to know you, maybe he will share his memories about his three-month trip through Africa with six other guys packed in a Land Rover.

Charleston is known the world over for its history, its natural beauty, its culture and its people. And it is also quickly being recognized as the place to please your palette. That is absolutely true in the eyes of this self-proclaimed judge of all things delicious. The good news is that you don’t have to break the bank or often times, even make reservations to enjoy many of these unique local culinary delights.

Here we go:

1. The Fried Oyster Mac & Cheese at the Morgan Creek Grill. 
   There’s not much better than Southern fried oysters. And who doesn’t love homemade mac and cheese? Magic happens when oysters, cavatappi and a blend of three ...

The first public park in Charleston, White Point Garden, existed long before my birth (the first part of the public park was created around 1837). Of course, growing up I never referred to the park as “White Point Garden”; to me, it was always “the Battery,” which included not just the park but also the raised seawall or “High Battery” and the connecting lower seawall on Murray Boulevard known as “Low Battery.”

In 1670, when the English ship “The Carolina” sailed into the harbor and up the Ashley River to what would become the first settlement of Charles Town, the tip of the peninsula was covered in white oyster shells and so ...

Come celebrate "Vision is Art!"

Please join us at Operation Sight’s “Vision Is Art” reception on Wednesday, March 29th, and enjoy beautiful artwork for sale, hors d’oeuvres, libations, and learn more about the organizations efforts to restore the vision and improve the lives of low-income, uninsured South Carolina residents by providing cataract surgery at no cost.

Operation Sight is the area’s only nonprofit to offer free cataract surgery (pre- and postoperative care). Operation Sight uses donated services of volunteer cataract surgeons in the Charleston area, including ...

Located at 122 East Bay Street and completed around 1771, the Old Exchange Building is one of the most historically important colonial buildings in the United States.

The site itself reeks of history, having hosted the half-moon battery which was part of the brick seawall built in Charles Town in the 1680’s (the city’s name was later changed to “Charleston” when the city was incorporated in 1783). This site housed the “Court of Guard” where the infamous Stede Bonnet and his fellow pirates, captured by Colonel William Rhett, were imprisoned during their trial and until their hanging in 1718.

Charleston is a city rich in history and culture. So many exciting things happen over the years and sometimes it is just fun to look back and remember, or for some, experience for the first time something you may have missed but wished you hadn't. I remember speaking with a friend who was a part of documenting the process of the construction of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. It is hard to really understand the scale and fathom all the minute details and pieces that had to come together which is partly why it was featured on the TV show Extreme Engineering.

Many locals as well as visitors from all over the states as well as...