Day Trips

Fort Sumter

 

One of the most popular of Charleston attractions is Fort Sumter, which is probably best known as the site where the first shots of the American Civil War took place. Situated on a small island in Charleston Harbor, it is only reachable by boat. It was built shortly after the War of 1812, and the structure stands on 70,000 tons of granite that were imported from New England to create a sand bar at the entrance to the harbor for the five-sided structure.  Fort Sumter can be reached by ferry from the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center located in downtown Charleston.