Fort Sumter National Monument

Fort Sumter is amazing in the fact that it rest on a little spot of land in the middle of the water where the harbour meets the ocean. It is amazing to go and wonder how in the world these men survived in war time on this little plot of land. Much of the fort remains today (the ruins) and you can still see canons and shells and the ruins that remain such as the walls, etc. There is an amazing museum inside. The only way to tour it is to take a boat tour from the Battery (downtown by the Imax and Aquarium) or from Patriot's point. You must take a ship ride (they leave twice a day) to it. The boat ride takes the most time and they leave you on the fort for something like 45 min. to an hour. It's a fun trip for everyone. It is a tad expensive, but worth it. You'll never see another site like it. more

Fort Sumter is an amazing Civil War site to explore if you are in the Charletson area. What makes it unique is that you have to reach it by boat as it is 3 miles off the harbor. The museum has a gift shop and welcome center downtown on the edge of the harbor and you take a tour boat to the actual site. Canons are still there and the ruins are really kept well for the age and constant weather and battering from the sea. Ft. Sumter is literally where the Cooper River and Ocean meet so it is amazing that it is still standing in the middle of the waters after all these years. You can explore on your own or follow a tour guide. They have a really nice museum on the actual site with lots of historical memorabilia. It is expensive, but I highly recommend it. The boat ride is half of the fun. You get a tour of the harbor as you go out. more