Isle of Palm Beaches Some of the prettiest beaches you will find in South Carolina. Only a short distance from historic downtown Charleston, makes Isle of palms a superb vacation desination.  Don't forget to visit the Marina or our quaint shops.   Tennis Family Circle Tennis Center, 161 Seven Farms Dr. World class facility. Hard and clay courts. Opens 8am, 9 on Sunday. $10-$15 per hour. Walking/Running/Biking Walking is great anywhere around town as your explore the little alleyways and streets. The Battery is a particularly nice place to walk and admire the houses and gardens. Waterfront Park is the perfect place for walking, running or biking. The Bicycle Shoppe, 280 Meeting Rd. is the place for rentals. Boat Rides/Rental Isle of Palms Marina, Pegasus Boat Charters & Tours. Charleston Marine Harbor. Boats of all sizes and area tours.   Kayaking/Canoeing Nature Adventures Outfitters, The only place to go if you like kayaking or canoeing. Has won all kinds of awards and accolades. Tours and self-directed. Fishing/Crabbing/Shelling Island Hopper Boat Charters. Fish in-shore, go shelling on Morris Island, crab for Blue Claws. This family owned business, led by Captain Randy Smith can do it all. 1/2 day fishing $250, 3 hour eco tour/shelling or crabbing $150. Sunset cruises 2 hours $125 for 4 people. Also Isle of Palm Marina fishing charters. Sights/Tours See our comments on the carriage tours in the Charleston introduction. They are still worthwhile even though you don't know where you'll go. Fort Sumter Tours, see where the Civil War began. Drayton Hall, 3380 Ashly River Rd., the oldest preserved plantation house open to the public. Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens. Highway 17, Mt. Pleasant. America's most photographed plantation. Edmondston-Alston House, 21 East Battery Built in 1825 it is a wonderful example of the elegance of 19th homes in Charleston.. See Middleton Place under "Special Things" Galleries/Antiques There are over 28 art galleries in the Charleston area, here are four that I have enjoyed; Charleston Harbor Galley, next to the Planter's Inn on Market Street. Ask for Danny. Waterfront Gallery, 215B East Bay Low Country Artists, 148 East Bay Street. The Wells Gallery, 103 Broad at King, Smith Killian, 9 Queen Street. Charleston, particularly on King Street, is rich with amazing antique shops. Geo. C. Birlant & Co. 191 King Street is nationally known, Queen Charlotte Antiques has some of Charleston's finest finds and the King Street Antique Mall has some 40 dealers over nearly 10,000 square feet of space. Shopping The Farmer's Market, Marion Square is a fun place Saturday mornings from April-December. Food, crafts, all kinds of great things. These are some of my other favorites, although there are a lot more. Cooks! 194 East Bay Street (http://www.charlestoncooks.com/). Calls itself the "maverick kitchen store". Great stuff, cooking demonstrations and classes. Duma's Men's Store. King Street. This is what men's stores used to be like. Not much you won't find here and much of it is unique. If Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and the City) lived here she would shop at Shooz, King Street and Bob Ellis, 332 King (http://www.bobellisshoes.com/). Ellis carries great men's shoes as well. Stop in at the Mad Hatter, 90 N. Market Street (www.thehatter.com), for, you guessed it...hats! Check out the exclusive candle lines at Candle Lover's Delight, 58 Broad Street. (http://www.candleloversdelight.com/). Harbor Specialties, 190 East Bay, has everything nautical. (http://www.harborspecialties.com/) Baseball Charleston RiverDogs, minor league team in the South Atlantic League. Museums The Charleston Museum, 360 Meeting Street ($10) was the first museum in the country and charts the history of the low country. Gibbes Museum, 135 Meeting Street, houses a 7,000 piece collection of paintings, sculpture and drawings.($7). The Provost Dungeon, $122 E. Bay St.is the story of Charleston and pirates and the like. Right over the bridge in Mt. Pleasant is Patriot's Point Naval & Maritime Museum. ($14). Tour a WWII aircraft carrier, a submarine, and a Coast Guard Cutter. Also the Congressional Medal of Honor Museum, the Cold War Submarine Memorial and a Vietnam Base camp. Theatre Footlight Players, 20 Queen Street. South Carolina's oldest theatre company performing in an old cotton warehouse. Events Annual Festival of Houses and Gardens, March and April. 150 private historic homes in 11 colonial and antebellum neighborhoods. $45 per person. (historiccharleston.org). Spoleto Festival USA, late May to early June.17 days and nights of 120 performances of opera, dance, music and theatre in venues throughout Charleston.