Before secluding yourself in one of the cubbies of Charleston (which we will get too soon), make sure you check out the historical downtown attractions.  Downtown Charleston has established itself as the cultural capitol of the south and is renowned for being a living museum.  Some specific attractions besides the colonial houses and plantations are a plethora of natural and cultural sites unique to Charleston.  The Battery, also known as White Point Gardens, is a historic park running along the Ashley and Cooper rivers.  It is filled with statues, memorials and original cannons from the civil war.  Also from here, if you have your camera with you, there is a great unobstructed view of Fort Sumter, The Pinckney Castle and Sullivan’s Island Lighthouse.  If you choose to stay downtown I suggest taking shelter at one of the old renovated inns.  These are a handful of old colonial and plantation style buildings that have been restored and turned into bed and breakfast type Inns without losing the privacy of an intimate hotel.

After you’ve become comfortable with the where-abouts of everything, you don’t necessarily have to stay downtown.  The barrier islands resorts of Seabrook and Kiawah are located 22 miles south of Charleston and offer a quiet place to stay if the downtown nightlife isn’t your style.  Because South Carolina is probably a staycation for you and your family, you probably have a means of transportation to and from the city.  If not however, there is a transit line that takes people from the islands to and from downtown Charleston.  20 minutes from Charleston is the Isles of Palms barrier island.  Here lies the Wild Dunes Resort; surrounded by two PGA golf courses and the finest resort facilities in the Charleston area, this, if you have the money, is the place to go.  The antithesis of this vibe would be driving 15 miles south of Charleston to Folly Beach which is the oldest and original Charleston beach resort.

“Flowertown in the Pines” or Summerville is the historic jewel of the Charleston area.  If you follow the water inland this is where you will find over 700 historic buildings.  Here you can learn all about the southern culture and history of the south.  Although the nightlife is in Charleston, during the day Summerville is a good place to wind down while you recover for your next night on the town.  Don’t forget to enjoy the local food and crafts which include fresh seafood markets and basket weaving vendors.  I hope you come back and check out the next two destinations in our Summer Coast series as we will travel south towards Hilton Head Island and Savannah Georgia.  Safe travels from all of us at Hotel Reservations.com

westgate hotel myrtle beach oceanside

Today being the first official day of summer, let’s start our staycations on the Atlantic summer coast.  Our first destination is Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  Myrtle Beach is annually one of the top ten tourist destinations in the continental U.S.  With over 14 million visitors a year, there are plenty of accommodations and activities waiting for you to take advantage of.  With over 60 miles of sandy beaches there is plenty of room for you and your family to find a plot of land at this popular destination.  Myrtle Beach accommodates every part of the family. There are Golf courses nearby, designated resort areas for the children, beach service for the ladies and a very active club and party scene for those traveling during the twilight of their youth.  Myrtle Beach is famous for being a college getaway spot, but because the community stretches so far down the coast the high energy is never overwhelming.  We’ll visit three other destinations this week to jump start the summer season.  So come back and get your calendars ready before these summer hot spots are all booked up.  Safe Travels from all of us at Hotel Reservations.com.