Charleston Battery – Charleston, South Carolina

One of downtown Charleston‘s most beloved spots is the Battery with its scenic promenade and park. During the 1700s, large boulders were used to fortify part of the Cooper River‘s shore. Eventually, this fortified area became known as the Battery.

Lined with historic antebellum homes, the harborside walk shown here offers incredible views of Fort Sumter, Castle Pinckney, and the Sullivan’s Island Lighthouse. However, the centerpiece of the Battery is White Point Gardens, which received its name from the huge piles of bleached oyster shells that originally covered the ground.

White Point Gardens has large, shady oak trees and oyster shell pathways that take visitors by statues, cannons, and memorials. A lovely, gazebo-like bandstand sits in the middle of the park.