The Aiken-Rhett House Museum

#1 Walking Tours With its centuries-old mansion and cobblestone streets, Charleston is like a living museum. One of the best ways to learn about its history (and its ghosts) and the significance of ... Read more » DaveAlan / Getty Images

#2 The Battery Many visitors say you can't leave Charleston without seeing this stretch along the city's southern tip. This row of Southern-style mansions overlooking Charleston Harbor was formerly the heart ... Read more » ClimberJAK / Shutterstock

#3 Boat Tours To get a better view of the Charleston harbor (and maybe even spot some dolphins), consider signing up for a boat tour. Not only will you enjoy some time on ... Read more » aimintang / Getty Images

#4 Middleton Place If there were ever a place to stop and smell the roses, this house would be it. Built in 1755, this mansion was once the home of Arthur Middleton, one ... Read more » Courtesy Middleton Place

#5 The Nathaniel Russell House Museum Constructed at the turn of the 19th century by Nathaniel Russell – a wealthy Southern merchant – this historic home is best known for its magnificent spiraling staircase, detailed furnishings and landscaped ... Read more » Rick McKee / Courtesy the Historic Charleston Foundation

#6 The Aiken-Rhett House Museum According to many, there's no better example of antebellum life than the Aiken-Rhett House Museum. Originally built in the early 1800s and then expanded by Gov. William Aiken and ... Read more » Courtesy of the Historic Charleston Foundation

#7 Charleston City Market While some may say that the Charleston City Market is a bit of a tourist trap, others call it a great glimpse into life in the Old South. It is ... Read more » Courtesy of the Charleston Area CVB, ExploreCharleston.com

#8 Fort Sumter National Monument You probably remember Fort Sumter as the place where the first shot of the Civil War was fired, back in 1861. Today, you can see for yourself where all the ... Read more » Courtesy ExploreCharleston.com

#9 Magnolia Plantation & Gardens While Middleton Place's gardens attract those who like trimmed hedges and flower-lined paths, the Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is the place to go if you're more of an ... Read more » Dave Allen Photography / Shutterstock

#10 Sullivan's Island Comprising only 3.3 square miles, Sullivan's Island may not seem like a must-see for Charleston visitors. But this beachfront town proves that good things come in small packages ... Read more » Daniela Duncan / Getty Images

#11 Drayton Hall Built in 1738, Drayton Hall is one of the oldest surviving plantations left in the South. Take your time exploring the massive red-brick main house, which hasn't changed all ... Read more » Courtesy ExploreCharleston.com

#12 Folly Beach After a few days exploring Charleston's historic sites, take some time to kick back, relax and enjoy the Southern sun. Overlooking the Atlantic from the West Islands – 12 miles ... Read more » Ann Rivall / USN&WR

#13 H.L. Hunley Submarine Originally built in 1864 for the Confederate Army, the H.L. Hunley became the world's first successful combat submarine. Toward the end of the 19th century, it was suddenly ... Read more » Courtesy Friends of the Hunley

#14 Isle of Palms County Park If several days in Charleston proper have you longing for a do-nothing day at the beach, Isle of Palms might be just the ticket. Located just 16 miles east of ... Read more » Jacob Sjman Svensson / Folio / Getty Images

#15 Charleston Food Tours Considered one of the best foodie cities in the USA, Charleston is famous for its low country cuisine and bevy of trendy restaurants. For a crash course in the city ... Read more » Courtesy of Charleston Food Tours

#16 Crafted Travel Brewery Tours After you've sampled Charleston's culinary scene on a food tour, your next logical step should be a brewery tour. The four-hour tours start with a distillery stop (and ... Read more » David Prahl / EyeEm / Getty Images

# Children's Museum of the Lowcountry Read more » Courtesy of Children's Museum of the Lowcountry

# South Carolina Aquarium Read more » Jill Lang / Getty Images