Charleston

Charleston's cruise terminal sits in the middle of the historic district, so you can be walking cobblestone streets within minutes of stepping off the ship. Pastel antebellum houses line The Battery waterfront, horse-drawn carriages share the road with bicycles, and gas lamps still burn on many blocks. The Charleston City Market stretches four blocks and is where Gullah artisans weave sweetgrass baskets using techniques passed down through generations. Fort Sumter, where the Civil War's first shots were fired, is a short ferry ride across the harbour. Middleton Place offers formal gardens and a working plantation dating to the 1740s. The food alone is worth the stop: shrimp and grits, she-crab soup, and fried green tomatoes are on menus across the historic quarter. King Street is the shopping corridor for boutiques, while Market Street leans toward local crafts and souvenirs. The city is compact and flat, so most things are walkable. Sweet tea and local peach wine are the drinks to try.