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Patriots Point in South Carolina is a blend of history and naval excellence

By Brian Miller

15th April 1943: Aircraft carrier USS 'Yorktown', a recipient of a Presidential Citation for its participation in the Pacific Conflict through all its stages. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
15th April 1943: Aircraft carrier USS 'Yorktown', a recipient of a Presidential Citation for its participation in the Pacific Conflict through all its stages. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images) /
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Is there a better way to spend a day or two than at a location that can intrigue the kids and adults with the same amount of interest? Patriots Point in South Carolina offers a lot more than history, it also offers great beaches too.

Located near Mount Pleasant, S.C., Patriot’s Point is home to the Naval and Maritime Museum that also includes the U.S.S. Yorktown aircraft carrier. Tickets to the museum can be purchased here and are necessary for entrance. The tickets include a tour of the carrier itself.

The museum is the largest in South Carolina and features 28 historic aircraft. It is also the home to the Medal of Honor Museum as well. Military history buffs won’t want to miss an incredible Vietnam Experience that is 2.5 acres large.

In addition to the Yorktown, the U.S.S. Laffey is on display. The destroyer is a WWII era ship that started with D-Day and ended in the Pacific theater. She is called the “Ship that would not die” due to all of the attacks she endured in battle.

Charleston, SC, doesn’t have to be all about military history. The area boasts incredible beaches. We first took our son to one of the beaches east of Patriot’s Point and it was our first discovery of how starfish survive the tides.

Our son ran up and down the beach picking up starfish as the tide went out and tossed them back into the water only to find out later that they buried themselves in the sand and tide pools. There were literally hundreds on the shore in early summer.

The downtown districts offer bus tours of the city and tours of the historic areas while horse-drawn carriages give a more intimate tour of the city. Take a stroll through the Battery at the Waterfront Park on Charleston Harbor and see where the first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter.

A general view of the cold war submarine memorial at Patriots Point in Charleston, South Carolina, the memorial pays tribute to the submariners who served during the cold war from the years of 1947 to 1989. (Photo by Epics/Getty Images)
A general view of the cold war submarine memorial at Patriots Point in Charleston, South Carolina, the memorial pays tribute to the submariners who served during the cold war from the years of 1947 to 1989. (Photo by Epics/Getty Images) /

The park at the Battery is complete with cannons pointing out towards the harbor, prepared to defend the city.

You can also stroll through the four-block long City Market that dates back to the 1790s and is listed as a National Historic Landmark. It should not be confused with the slave trade market at the Old Slave Mart.

Charleston and neighboring Patriot’s Point combine for a great weekend of relaxation and education. Enjoy the Spanish moss hanging from the trees and the early American architecture that still to this day defines the eastern coast of the Carolinas.

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