Charleston – the 843, the Holy City, the Lowcountry, the All-American City, Chucktown, whatever you want to call our treasured town – add the South’s Best City to the list. Southern Living recently held a competition where over 20,000 people cast votes for their favorite city and our beloved Charleston was the clear winner. At this point, Charleston is used to winning awards. It has previously achieved rankings on U.S. News and World Report’s top places to live and most fun place to live, Milken Institute’s best performing cities, Forbes best cities for jobs, and won Condé Nast Traveler’s #1 small city in the U.S.
For this particular award, Charleston beat out other popular cities including Nashville, Savannah, Atlanta, New Orleans, and Ashville, just to name a few. From all these awards, one conclusion can be drawn – Charleston is loved by locals and tourists alike. The city’s rich history, southern charm, fine cuisine, and attractions entice more and more people each year.
The history of Charleston is vast and diverse, but a few noteworthy characteristics include being the oldest and second largest city in South Carolina planting roots in 1680, originally being named Charles Town after King Charles II of England, and hosting Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War took place in 1861.
The great thing about Charleston is that you can’t go anywhere without seeing a friendly face or getting a “hey y’all!” Its southern appeal is second nature to Charleston natives and is welcomed by newcomers.
Cuisine is a huge draw to Charleston. The hundreds of existing restaurants, plus new restaurants constantly opening, make choosing a dinner option a difficult feat. During this competition, Southern Living also decided to find out the best restaurants in the area. A few winners were Fleet’s Landing, The Ordinary, Husk, and Cypress. For drinks, Blind Tiger Pub and Bin 152 received high accolades. Make sure you pick up the April issue of Southern Living to see the full list of Charleston’s food and drink winners.
Charleston always has something to do, whether it’s visiting the surrounding beaches like Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island, Sullivan’s Island, and Isle of Palms or exploring the beautiful Charleston Harbor, which spans about 7 miles of South Carolina’s coast. Visiting plantations such as Magnolia Plantation, Middleton Plantation, or Boone Hall, participating in water tours like dinner cruises, harbor tours, and Fort Sumter tours, or partaking on bus tours can enlighten and educate individuals about the city. Other high points of Charleston include the Angel Oak, the City Market, multiple museums, churches, and historical homes.
The important thing to remember is that Charleston is not only a good place to vacation but a great place to live as well. Downtown Charleston is easily accessible from the island communities of Kiawah and Seabrook, and many island residents and guests frequently visit the city. If you want to come visit or live in the best southern city, please contact Akers Ellis. Our seasoned real estate experts are ready to help you locate the perfect Southern home, and our talented vacation rental team is happy to help you plan your perfect vacation.
