Autumn Years Spring 2024

HIDDEN GEMS Hunting for Charleston’s tucked away pathways is time well spent. Visitors can stroll through Philadelphia Alley, which runs north from Queen Street to Cum berland between Church and State. It is in the city’s French Quarter just behind the historic Dock Street Theatre, Amer ica’s first theater designed solely for theatrical performances. Also look for other Holy City hidden alleys, including Bedon’s Alley, Price’s Alley, St. Michael’s Alley, Unity Alley and Horlbeck Alley. ART & CULTURE Beginning the Friday of Memorial Day week and for the 17 days that fol low, Spoleto Festival USA brings both renowned artists and emerging talents to Charleston, filling the city with op era, theater, dance and music including symphonic, folk, choral, jazz and cham ber. About 150 performances in more than 10 venues are typically offered each season. Spoleto Festival USA was found ed in 1977 by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Gian Carlo Menotti and is the American complement to the annual Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy. The Charleston Gaillard Center is home to the Charleston Symphony Orchestra as well as a variety of musi

cal, Broadway show and dance perfor mances throughout the year, so be sure to check the performance calendar. Visitors in town the First Friday of the month can join an immersive First Friday ArtWalk, hosted by the Charles ton Gallery Association. Don’t worry if

you miss a Friday walk, an entire day could be spent exploring Charleston’s plentiful art galleries on your own. There is no question that Charleston offers visitors a broad and beautiful ar ray of sights and sounds—it is, after all, a city with something for everyone! a

© JERRY COLI | DREAMSTIME.COM

Philadelphia Alley in Charleston.

TIPS FOR TRAVELERS • Make dinner reservations before you arrive in Charleston as top restaurants book fast. Do not count on being able to walk in. • Charleston is a walkable city, so park and wander. • Charleston’s award-winning parking garages are beautiful and were designed to blend seamlessly into the fabric of neighborhoods, so look for signage as you will see shutters, not parked cars. • Public restrooms are not plentiful in the Historic District, so note the locations of parking garages as they do have them. Restrooms are also available at Hazel Parker Playground at 70 East Bay Street. • Leave the heels at home and stick to wedges or flats to navigate the narrow, uneven sidewalks and cobblestones in the Historic District. • Hotel rooms can get quite pricey during peak times, such as Spoleto Festival USA in late May and early June. Avoid visiting during this time unless you plan to attend festival performances. • Check the tide charts, especially if driving. Many Charleston streets flood during high tide, even on sunny days.

© STEVEN HATTON | DREAMSTIME.COM

59

SPRING 2024 I AUTUMN YEARS