Battery Park / White Point Gardens in Charleston, SC

No trip to Charleston is complete without a stop at White Point Gardens, known popularly as Battery Park. This peaceful park offers unprecedented views of Charleston Harbor and Fort Sumter, while a look back across the street promises fantastic images of beautiful Charleston mansions. Enormous oak trees provide serene shade to the park, and a display of weapons and cannons used in the Civil War make for a unique play area for children. You'll see a Columbiad used to shell Fort Sumter in 1861, two seacoast mortars, and more - be sure to bring a camera to snap photos of your family clamoring and playing on the cannons!

During the early 18th century, the park was used as the home of the gallows, where Stede Bonnet - the "gentleman pirate" - and dozens of others were hanged. By 1837, the land was in use as a public garden. Weddings and other special events are frequently held at the beautiful, massive white gazebo in the center of the park, but on off-days it makes for a beautiful place to sit and take in the beauty and charm of Charleston!