Autumn Years Spring 2024

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The pineapple fountain in Waterfront Park.

thing to be enjoyed by every taste. The Explore Charleston website is a must-use trip-planning resource (www.charleston cvb.com). It provides a wealth of infor mation about hotels of every size and for every budget, special and seasonal events, restaurants, rooftop bars and the lively arts scene. While in town, the Charleston Visitor Center with its adjacent parking garage at 375 Meeting Street is an equally helpful resource. Here are a few hints and highlights of the seemingly limitless things to do and see in Charleston. PARKS Joe Riley Waterfront Park is an eight acre park along a half-mile stretch of the Cooper River that offers fantastic views of Charleston Harbor and is home to the frequently photographed pineapple fountain. In the 1950s, a huge fire at the Tidewater Terminal that once thrived on this site left it an undeveloped dump ing ground for construction debris, with remnants of burned pilings poking

one at all,” he says. “But all citizens share ownership in the public realm; its beauty and quality are equally theirs.” Citizens therefore deserve the best, he emphasizes. Before adding anything

achieving city with its eyes fastened on the past where its citizens began the most calamitous war in American history. The story of Joe Riley is the story of the re naissance of a city restored to greatness by the dauntless vision of a single man.” However, Joe Riley did

to Charleston’s public realm—big or small—Joe Riley had a rule. He con sidered the following ques tion: Fifty or one hundred years from now, how will this be viewed by citizens? He never compromised on quality or excellence, as serting with tenacity and great success that citizens deserve the finest, most beautiful material in their public realm, and raising

not set out to make Charles ton a top tourist destination. He was determined to make Charleston a safer, livable, progressive place that all citizens would proudly call home. He sought to enhance the public realm. The tour ism surge that began under his watch and continues to day was a natural offshoot

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Confederacy monument.

funds to ensure that was the case when necessary. “Cities are civilization’s gifts to the future,” he says. Charleston is a pre cious gift, perfected over his forty years in office. So consider a visit to this charming gift of a city where there truly is some

of his unrelenting efforts to first and foremast make Charleston a better place to live. As Joe Riley explains it, the public realm belongs to all citizens. “The average citizen likely has modest possessions—an apartment or home with a small yard if

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SPRING 2024 I AUTUMN YEARS