Charleston: Highlights in a Day

Charleston is well known for its charming historic inns and B&Bs, so choosing a centrally located place to stay is fortunately fairly straightforward. Try the Meeting Street Inn, a nice compromise between a small, intimate B&B and a larger, more corporate hotel. Its 56 rooms are individually decorated with four poster beds and antiques, and each opens onto a shared verandah overlooking a lovely courtyard. Get an early start with a Continental breakfast at the inn, then head straight out into the city.

First stop is the City Public Market. It's the heart and soul of Charleston, with roots extending back to 1788. Charles Cotsworth Pinckney gave the land to the city, directing that a public market be built and remain there forever. By the 1830s, most of the original construction of sheds had been completed and the area was abustle with commerce. The focus of vendors has changed considerably over the last century. You won't find meat and seafood anymore, for example, although fruits and vegetables are readily available, as are locally made preserves, sauces and such. The main commodities these days are hand-woven sweetgrass baskets, original paintings and prints, t shirts, and handmade arts and crafts from jewelry to pottery.

After an hour or two at the market, head for the Old Slave Mart Museum, which opens at 9am Monday-Saturday. Constructed in 1859, the building was originally used for slave auctions, but was converted into tenements in the 1870s. By the late 1930s, it had been renovated yet again, and turned into a museum of African American heritage, arts and crafts. Today, after several years of work, the building is open once again, detailing the slave trade through exhibits that are fascinating, inspiring and disturbingly accurate.

Next, make your way a few blocks north to Anson Street, the departure point for a guided horse-drawn carriage tour with Old South Carriage Company. You'll see and hear about all the major historic points of interest over the course of this interesting and entertaining hour-long trip. Tours leave about every 20 minutes – try to arrive by 10am or so.