This museum is home to the USS Yorktown, a giant aircraft carrier used extensively in WWII. You can tour the ship's flight deck, bridge and ready rooms and get a glimpse of what life was like for its sailors. Also on-site are a submarine, naval destroyer, the Medal of Honor Museum and a re-created 'fire base' from Vietnam, which all add a unique touch to merely touring a decommissioned ship. You can also catch the Fort Sumter Boat Tour. Parking is $5.
Patriot's Point Naval & Maritime Museum
Lowcountry
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
4.37 MILES
Opened to the public in 2015, this James Island plantation offers an honest and frankly devastating account of the lives of the enslaved and later …
1.7 MILES
The only surviving urban town-house complex, this 1820 abode gives a fascinating glimpse into antebellum life on a 45-minute self-guided audio tour. The…
Guardians of Charleston Harbor
3.18 MILES
The first shots of the Civil War rang out at Fort Sumter, on a pentagon-shaped island in the harbor. A Confederate stronghold, this fort was shelled to…
11.37 MILES
Some folks reckon this Southern live oak tree is 1500 years old (others says it's 400 to 500 years old). Whatever the case, it's one of the oldest living…
1.59 MILES
Formerly called Ryan's Mart, this building once housed an open-air market that auctioned African American men, women and children in the mid-1800s, the…
17.74 MILES
Part of Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, this pristine barrier island offers a haunting 'boneyard beach' (pines and myrtles poke out of the sand,…
3.51 MILES
This layered fort encapsulates the history of US coastal defense spanning nearly 200 years and four wars. Aspects of the fort have been restored to help…
1.73 MILES
As the name hints, this 1772 Georgian-style town house is kind of a big deal because George Washington rented it for a week, and visitors can stand in…
Nearby Lowcountry attractions
1.15 MILES
A showcase of South Carolina's wildlife, with creatures hailing from the mountain forest, piedmont, salt marsh, coastal and undersea habitats. Although…
1.43 MILES
A lovely, eight-acre park on the Cooper River, notable for its landscape architecture and eye-catching, pineapple-shaped fountain. During summer it's a…
3. Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon
1.55 MILES
Kids love the creepy dungeon, used as a prison for American patriots held by the British during the Revolutionary War. The cramped space sits beneath a…
1.59 MILES
Formerly called Ryan's Mart, this building once housed an open-air market that auctioned African American men, women and children in the mid-1800s, the…
1.59 MILES
An Episcopal church erected in 1835, considered all-important by the first city residents. Lots of famous people were buried in the church cemetery and…
1.64 MILES
With its 13 candy-colored houses, this stretch of Georgian row houses on lower E Bay St is one of the most photographed areas in Charleston. The…
1.69 MILES
The oldest continuously used synagogue in the country, complete with a museum and gift shop. A tour costs $10 for adults and is free for children; check…
1.7 MILES
The only surviving urban town-house complex, this 1820 abode gives a fascinating glimpse into antebellum life on a 45-minute self-guided audio tour. The…