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As one of America's oldest cities, Charleston tourism has burst onto the international scene through careful preservation and revitalization of the downtown historic area. It didn't take long for the word to spread. Thousands come for the Wildlife Exposition in February, the Cooper River Bridge Run and the women's Family Circle Cup tennis tournament in the spring and the Spoleto Festival in May and June. And after a relaxing vacation spent in one of the local historic inns and hotels, they keep coming back year after year.

Where to stay in Charleston? . . . . Your lodging will represent the largest expense of your visit, unless you have a large shopping budget. Charleston's Finest City Guide offers a number of ways to help you. Visit our accommodations information page to start your search for the perfect lodging in Charleston. You may shop Charleston accommodations and book your room online with our city guide.

Charleston Hotels and Lodging Articles . . . If you are a new comer or an old timer, you'll want to check out the online hotels inns deals and book your room. By using the left column navigation under Charleston Lodging Info, you may select the areas of town to book your room within the Charleston Hotel Guide. Our online guide offers some good reading about the different hotels, inns and bed and breakfasts in the historic district.

Events in Charleston . . . Have you discovered our new calendar of events yet? It is really cool. It offers a map and directions for every events and all the details of each posted event. You may submit events online directly at the calendar or visit our What & Where? events page.

What to see and do in Charleston . . . Few cities enjoy the broad variety of attractions offered by sophisticated Charleston and its surrounding lowcountry ocean marshes. Whether you are a connoisseur of fine foods, a lover of things historical, or can't wait to sink your feet into phluff mud, you'll find it here. That's what makes Charleston the #5 tourist destination in the country by Cond?ast Traveler Magazine! There are enough tours and attractions in Charleston South Carolina to keep you busy for a month, so it's good to learn what's available now and go ahead and make one or two reservations.

Thinking of relocating to Charleston or a City Move? . . . Our city guide offers a couple of choices for shopping Charleston Homes for sale. Search and view listings at Charleston's Finest Real Estate MLS Guide and Access Charleston websites where you can create an account to save searches, save favorites or send email alerts for new listings directly to you. If you're looking for a great place to live or you are already a resident of the Charleston area, we can help you find the information you're looking for. Another suggestion by getting to know the different areas of Charleston, is to take a few minutes to read about what the many areas offer Peninsula Charleston , West Ashley , James Island, Folly Beach, Mt. Pleasant , Isle of Palms , Sullivan's Island , Daniel Island, Goose Creek , North Charleston , Hanahan, Summerville , Moncks Corner

New Homes Construction and Neighborhoods of Charleston . . . As the Charleston area expands with more people relocating, so grows the demand for more available information on real estate and relocation. Charleston's Finest City Guide is in the process of developing more good content on local builders, floor plans, and neighborhoods in the Charleston area. Please visit us often as we begin to expand our Charleston Real Estate Guide to include new homes, new construction. If you would like to request more information, please use our online form about new construction and new homes in the area. It will also take you directly to the Charleston MLS .

Charleston History . . . Charles Towne was once the nation's fourth largest city behind Philadelphia, New York and Boston. Its economy thrived on shipping, rice, indigo and, yes, slavery. Charleston's harbor churned day and night with ships from around the world. The Civil War brought the beautiful lady to her knee; she waited patiently to be rediscovered until the 1990s. read more on early Charleston history

Dining . . . There's a good chance you'll be hungry by the time you get settled into your room, and you may want to place your dinner reservations in advance as well. Visit our dining section to view menus, chef information, and reviews. Many of the more popular restaurants in historic Charleston are booked well in advance for the popular 7-9 dinner-time.

Nightlife and Bars . . . There is something about the "The Holy City" Nightlife that sets Charleston apart from all the other cities. Find out all the places you don't want to miss in Charleston and spend an evening or a weekend night clubing our lovely city? Visit our nightlife guide to find all the great locations.

Recreation and Shopping . . . There is so much to do in the lowcountry for visitors, but locals have life in grand style everyday. Charleston offers a variety of recreational activities for the family. Events are happening year round and shopping in Charleston has even gotten better with the recent 90 stores opening at Tanger Outlet Center in North Charleston. Downtown Shopping is some of the best with SAKS, not to mention King Street.

Wedding Guide . . . Planning a wedding in Charleston? Get the help you need in planning the wedding you want, by visiting our fabulous Charleston Wedding Guide that can help you every step of the way. Some of the best vendors, and wedding locations are listed there.

Charleston Employment and Jobs . . . As Charleston grows, the opportunities for owning your own business or making a career change in Charleston could be a good choice. If you are looking for employment in the Charleston area, visit our Job Information Section or visit our job market listings in Charleston or the classified listings in the local newspaper .

History

Charleston is a city in Charleston County in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is the largest city and county seat of Charleston County. The city was founded as Charlestown or Charles Towne , Carolina in 1670, and moved to its present location (Oyster Point) from a location on the west bank of the Ashley River in 1680; it adopted its present name in 1783. In 1690, Charleston was the fifth largest city in North America, and remained among the ten largest cities in the United States through the 1840 census. Charleston is known as The Holy City due to the prominence of churches on the low-rise cityscape, particularly the numerous steeples which dot the city's skyline, and for the fact that it was one of the few cities in the original thirteen colonies to provide religious tolerance to the French Huguenot Church. In fact, it is still the only city in the U.S. with such a church. Charleston was also one of the first colonial cities to allow Jews to practice their faith without restriction. Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, founded in 1749, is the fourth oldest Jewish congregation in the continental United States. Brith Sholom Beth Israel is the oldest Orthodox synagogue in the South, founded by Ashkenazi (German and central European) Jews in the mid 19th century.

The population was estimated to be 118,492 in 2007, making it the second most populous city in South Carolina closely behind the state capital Columbia. Current trends put Charleston as the fastest growing central city in South Carolina.

The city of Charleston is located just south of the mid-point of South Carolina's coastline, at the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers. Charleston's name is derived from Charles Towne, named after King Charles II of England.

America's most-published etiquette expert, Marjabelle Young Stewart, recognized Charleston 1995 as the "best-mannered" city in the U.S, a claim lent credibility by the fact that it has the first established Livability Court in the country.