Charleston in the Fall

(Warning - Picture Heavy Post) Back in July my mom and I planned a fall getaway to Charleston (pronounced Chawl'son by locals), South Carolina. Mom hasn't had a vacation in probably 10 years and of all the cities I've traveled to Charleston was by far my favorite. I can't tell you how much I'd love to live there someday. If you love history, old charming towns, or if you're interested in visiting the epitome of the South - please consider Charleston, you may fall in love just like I did. This blog I really just wanted to share a few pictures from our trip. Pink Tavern one of the oldest buildings in the country, preserved since the late 1600s. This was the preferred watering hole of some of the most fierce pirates in the Atlantic. Orginally this building was a fire station, Charleston has been destroyed by fire multiple times in its history. Then it was turned into a Slave Mart prior to the Civil War, now it is a museum that depicts the history of slavery in the South. Iron barriers like this are all over Charleston near fences, window, and doors used to protect the city under attack when it was under attack. "Charleston-style" house, the colors are heavily influenced by the Carribean as many early settlers were from the area. The color on the porch ceiling is called Haint Blue which protects the house from evil spirits. Provost Dungeon used to imprison pirates and those imprisoned during the Revolutionary War. Many lost their lives here or were sentenced to death while being held captive here. This building is shown on both the pirate tour and the ghost walk. This building is actually below sea level and was built on man-made land-fill. Bloody Alley shown on the ghost walk. This was a popular alley used for gentlemens duels, many lost their lives here. The building on the left that looks like a brown castle is the Old City Jail, one of the most haunted buildings in the country per the Travel channel. It is open for night tours. Rainbow Row, the coloring is heavily influenced by the Carribean as a way to reflect heat and keep the houses cool in the summer. Rivera Theater on King Street, one of the three sites for the original premiere of Gone with the Wind in 1939. In the movie Rhett Butler was a Charleston man. St Phillips Church, one of the oldest churches in the country. There are over 150 churches on the penisula in Charleston dubbing it the "Holy City". This church survived one of the most devastating earthquakes in the US with vibrations felt from Chicago down to Florida so the steeple is actually tilted. Two of the signers of the constitution are buried in its graveyard. Our Carriage Ride along Battery Street, two rivers connect here and feed into the Atlantic Ocean. South Carolina has several islands that can be seen in the horizon of this photo.

Mom and I at Magnolias Resturant on East Bay Street. Forgive our appearance, we'd been walking around downtown Charleston the whole day on walking tours and it was super windy.