Stretching inland from the Charleston seaport, the suburb of North Charleston combines quaint architecture with a modern spirit and a long history. Home to the Charleston Convention Center and various museums, it’s both an endearing destination and a gateway for exploring the Greater Charleston region. Although it’s seen as a suburb of Charleston, North Charleston is the third-largest city in South Carolina.

Small historical plaques are dotted across the city, indicating the sites where plantations were established throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. A different history can be explored at H.L. Hunley Museum, a former naval base that houses old submarines and artefacts recovered from the seabed. Life-size ship replicas and sculptures are dotted across The Greater Charleston Naval Memorial while rugged fighter aircraft can be seen at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. The large Charleston Convention Center opened in 1999.

Charleston International Airport is located in North Charleston and is the main aerial gateway to the Greater Charleston Region. Express bus routes operate from the single terminal and stop at destinations on route to downtown Charleston. There’s both a Greyhound bus station and an Amtrak train station in North Charleston.

North Charleston is built upon old rice and indigo plantations that were planted between 1680 and 1701. French botanist Andre Michaux created a botanical garden in the city, which now sits beneath the Charleston International Airport runway.