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Charleston Attractions!

Throughout its history, Charleston has served as a cultural capital of the South. Visual arts are well represented here with the Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston's premier art museum, in addition to numerous art galleries. Each spring, Charleston is host to Spoleto Festival U.S.A., a 17-day art festival featuring a variety of artistic performances. Other annual events include the Moja African-American Arts Festival, the World fest Charleston International Film Festival, the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, the Charleston Food and Wine Festival, the Christmas Parade of Boats, and the Christmas in Charleston Celebration.

As an early colonial city, Charleston is replete with museums and historical attractions. The Old Exchange and Customs House in downtown Charleston ranks with Boston's Faneuil Hall and Philadelphia's Independence Hall as one of the three most important Colonial buildings in the country. Charleston is also home to Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired, and Fort Moultrie, the site of a critical British defeat in the Revolutionary War. Patriot's Point, located across the river in nearby Mount Pleasant, is home to the USS Yorktown and several other naval vessels. Other museums and historical sites include:

The Charleston Museum: The oldest museum in the nation.

• American Military Museum
• Children's Museum of the Lowcountry
• Edisto Island Museum
• Karpeles Manuscript Museum
• Postal Museum
• Shem Creek Maritime Museum
• Summerville Dorchester Museum
• The Citadel Museum
• The Confederate Museum

Typical of coastal cities, recreation in Charleston focuses on water. The city's eight-acre Waterfront Park attracts many visitors annually and is a popular destination for residents as well. Charleston is home to numerous parks, including Beachwalker Park, Folly Beach County Park, Isle of Palms County Park, James Island County Park, North Charleston Wannamaker County Park, Old Santee Canal Park, and Palmetto Islands County Park, just to name a few. Charleston's mild climate makes tennis and golf year-round sports, and the city is home to 40 tennis courts and a municipal golf course. Nature lovers can visit Charleston's South Carolina Aquarium, the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest, or Angel Oak, a 65-foot tall 1,400-year old oak tree which provides a 17,000 square foot area of shade.

Although there are currently no major league professional sports teams in the city of Charleston, the city has several minor league teams. The Charleston River Dogs are a Minor League Baseball Club playing in the South Atlantic League. The River Dogs are the single-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. The South Carolina Stingrays, who play in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), are an affiliate of the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals. The Charleston Battery is a pro soccer team playing in the United Soccer League (USL). They play their games at Blackbaud Stadium, the first privately-funded stadium in the United States devoted specifically to soccer. The newest addition to the Charleston pro sports scene is the Charleston Sandsharks, formerly of the National Indoor Football League, who will be playing their 2007 season as members of the World Indoor Football League.

Learn more about Charleston attractions and activities.