Mount Pleasant

The town’s commercial hub was born on Pitt Street, an area known as the “old village.” Today a few specialty shops continue to lure visitors, who stop in at the Pitt Street Pharmacy to indulge themselves at the old-fashioned soda fountain. The Old Village Post House, now a restaurant and lodging, was built in the late 1880s by German immigrants and served as a wayside inn and grocery store among other things. This historic core, bordered by charmingly renovated antebellum and colonial homes, is a nice setting for a peaceful stroll.

Shem Creek Park is a favorite gathering spot for watching glorious sunsets over Charleston Harbor. Several restaurants, offering fresh seafood and Lowcountry cuisine, feature outdoor decks overlooking the picturesque waterway, perfect for al fresco dining accented by a scene of drifting shrimp boats and squawking sea birds. The place heats up at night, with several establishments providing live bands and other entertainment.

If you want to try your hand at fishing or crabbing, head to Palmetto Islands County Park, 444 Needlerush Pkwy. In a tropical setting with nature trails and bike paths, the park has a tidal creek fishing and crabbing dock as well as a 50-foot observation tower. On Tuesdays from mid-April to mid-October, the Mount Pleasant Farmers Market on Coleman Boulevard offers fresh produce, flowers, baked goods and food vendors along with live music; festivities last from 3:30 p.m. until dusk.

Things to Do

Charles Pinckney National Historic Site

Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum

SpiritLine Harbor Tour see Charleston.