Take a Boat to Fort Sumter National Monument

The American Civil War began on April 12, 1861 at Fort Sumter, when the Confederacy pummeled the federal fort in Charleston Harbor. At the end of the war, the American flag was once again raised over the remains of Fort Sumpter, exactly four years after the attack.

The ruins of the battered fort are well preserved, and National Park Rangers tell the story of Fort Sumter and how it helped shape history.

Visitors must ride to the island by boat, from the Visitor Education Center downtown at Liberty Square or from Patriots Point, a good chance to view the city from the water.

Official site: www.nps.gov/fosu/index.htm