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When to Go

The best weather (mild, not muggy) is in the spring and fall, which is also when private houses are open to the public.

The Facts

Charleston is served by its own international airport; Myrtle Beach's airport is an hour-and-a-half drive away.

Where to Stay

Battery Carriage House Inn Great Value
20 S. Battery; 800/775-5575 or 843/727-3100; www.batterycarriagehouse.com; doubles from $149.

Charleston Place Hotel
In the heart of the commercial district, and one of the city's larger hotels with 442 rooms.
205 Meeting St.; 800/611-5545 or 843/722-4900;www.charlestonplace.com; doubles from $319.

Inn at Middleton Place
A 52-room complex of modern design in a wooded area on the Ashley River, this hotel is part of Middleton Place, a National Historic Landmark (details under What to Do).
4290 Ashley River Rd.; 800/543-4774 or 843/556-0500; www.theinnatmiddletonplace.com; doubles from $139.

Palmer Home Bed & Breakfast
5 E. Battery; 888/723-1574 or 843/853-1574; www.palmerhomebb.com;doubles from $185.

Wentworth Mansion
An ornate Second Empire–style mansion turned hotel.
149 Wentworth St.; 888/466-1886 or 843/853-1886; www.wentworthmansion.com; doubles from $335.

Where to Eat

Charleston Grill
The renowned restaurant in the Charleston Place Hotel.
224 King St.; 843/577-4522; dinner for two $150.

Circa 1886
A highlight at the Wentworth Mansion.
149 Wentworth St.; 843/853-7828; dinner for two $100.

FIG (Food Is Good)
Featuring Mediterranean-American fare prepared with local ingredients.
232 Meeting St.; 843/805-5900; dinner for two $90.

Hominy Grill
Southern regional dishes with an ironic twist—like BLT's made with fried green tomatoes.
207 Rutledge Ave.; 843/937-0930; lunch for two $30.

Peninsula Grill
One of the most sophisticated restaurants in town.
112 N. Market St.; 843/723-0700; dinner for two $100.

Slightly North of Broad
A SoHo-style interior meets such low-country fare as shrimp and grits.
192 E. Bay St.; 843/723-3424; dinner for two $90.

Where to Shop

B'zar
Edgy King Street outpost for trendy clothes and gear.
541 King St.; 843/579-2889.

ESD—Elizabeth Stuart Design
For furniture, handmade jewelry, vintage lighting fixtures, and regional cookbooks.
314 King St.; 843/577-6272.

Grady Ervin & Co.
A classic men's store with its own line of seersucker suits.
313 King St.; 843/722-1776.

Historic Charleston Reproductions Shop
Shop for distinctive local items such as linens inspired by the houses of Rainbow Row.
105 Broad St.; 843/723-8292; www.historiccharleston.org.

Magar Hatworks
The fantastic creations of couture milliner Leigh Magar have inspired a devoted cult following.
5571/2 King St.; 843/577-7740.

Moo Roo
Local designer Mary Norton's scarves, brooches, and handbags have attracted the likes of Sharon Stone and Oprah Winfrey.
316 King St.; 843/724-1081.

What to Do

Drayton Hall
A 1742 plantation on the Ashley River run by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
3380 Ashley River Rd.; 843/769-2600; www.draytonhall.org.

Edmondston-Alston House
One of the first houses built on the High Battery, open all year.
21 E. Battery; 843/722-7171; www.middletonplace.org.

Historic Charleston Foundation
Operates the Nathaniel Russell and Aiken-Rhett houses and sponsors the Festival of Houses & Gardens every spring. Advance tickets available.
40 E. Bay St.; 843/723-1623; www.historiccharleston.org

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens
This 1676 spread has welcomed visitors since shortly after the end of the Civil War.
3550 Ashley River Rd.; 843/571-1266; www.magnoliaplantation.com.

Middleton Place
This 1741 historic plantation has an exquisite formal garden.
4300 Ashley River Rd.; 843/556-6020; www.middletonplace.org.

Old Slave Mart Museum
An intelligent museum in a former slave-trade sales room. Closed for renovation until late 2006.
6 Chalmers St.; 843/958-6467.

Preservation Society of Charleston
The society runs several historic properties and conducts tours of private homes in the fall. Also has a great book and gift shop for all things Charleston.
147 King St.; 843/722-4630; www.preservationsociety.org.

Where to Go Out

Raval
A Barcelona-inspired wine-and-tapas bar: the back room has DJ's and a throbbing young crowd on weekends.
453 King St.; 843/853-8466.

Torch Velvet Lounge
This hangout is all about atmosphere—a martini bar with velvet curtains, hookah pipes, and bed-sized couches.
545 King St.;843/723-9333.

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