By Steven Hawkins

I really appreciated that I slept in the same residence of the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence and one of our state's earliest colonial governors.

The city of Charleston has always been a beautiful city to visit thru the years. And being from the Upstate of South Carolina, I have always thought of it as a coastal, old colonial city and home away from home. The restaurants, tourist venues, museums, and hotels of the Holy City are top notch and headlining as a world-class city. The places that I have loved to visit with family and friends thru the years include the Downtown Historic Charleston City Market, the Battery, the US Customs House, and theGovernor's House Inn.

The Downtown City Market is a place my family and I always enjoyed visiting during the summer weekends. You could get a lot of souvenirs and good things at reasonable prices. It is one of the great tourist attractions and is open throughout the week at 188 Meeting Street. It gives your All American City life and vitality, and you could get a lot of exercise walking thru the different things that are sold. 

Construction begun in the year 1852 and was interrupted during the Civil War. It was completed back in 1870 and still serves as a custom house of one of the country's busiest early ports. 

The Battery is another attraction. It is a great place to take a jog during nice summer days and weekends. At the water's edge near the Ashley and Copper rivers, right near the historic houses of Charleston, it was used as a defensive Civil War artillery battery.  

The US Customs House on 200 East Bay Street is also a premier landmark as well. Construction begun in the year 1852 and was interrupted during the Civil War. It was completed back in 1870 and still serves as a custom house of one of the country's busiest early ports. 

Staying at the historic Governor's House Inn at 117 Broad Street back in 2015 was a wonderful experience indeed. I really appreciated that I slept in the same residence of the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence and one of our state's earliest colonial governors. This bed and Breakfast is truly a beautiful home away from home with elegant public drawing rooms and gardens, and the guest suites are truly refined and exquisite. It is also a perfect venue for weddings, romantic getaways, and business trips. 

Visiting the City of Charleston thru the years, I have really appreciated that the Holy City has welcome people from around the world to the epicenter of Southern culture with its colorful Colonial past. It is a place I look forward to visiting again. And it truly is an All American city. 

Editor's note: Steven Hawkins is a Freelance writer from Greenville, SC. Since 2014, he has been published in numerous newspapers and journals throughout South Carolina and North Carolina and around the country. Last year in 2019, he published a collection of his writings and Editorial letters with AuthorHouse publishers entitled ''Letters from South Carolina."

Image credit: SeanPavonePhoto/iStock Getty Images Plus