Charleston and Savannah are only a little more than 100 miles apart, or an easy two-hour drive — three if you abjure the main highway and follow the scenic coastal road via Beaufort — and are often visited on the same trip. Architecturally, and in atmosphere, the cities form a wonderful contrast. Charleston is a place of white neoclassical houses, surrounded by colorful gardens and often illuminated by intense light reflected from the sea. Whereas Savannah’s grand Regency mansions are built chiefly of red brick and overlook tree-lined squares that are smothered by dense foliage and laced by shady pathways.

Charleston

Charleston is a wonderfully walkable city. Given its array of historic houses and plantations, plus some excellent museums, shops and other attractions, plan on a visit of at least three days.

Aiken-Rhett House

The gallery room of the Aiken-Rhett House in Charleston, South Carolina - Photo by Hideaway Report editorThere are dozens of beautiful historic houses to visit in Charleston, but if you have the time or interest to see only one, it should be this handsome and atmospherically shabby mansion built in 1820 by wealthy merchant John Robinson, and later vastly expanded by Governor and Mrs. William Aiken Jr. Instead of listening to a lecture from a trilling docent, download an app and visit the house and the slaves’ quarters at your own pace. With its additions and alterations, the mansion tells a fascinating story of one of the South’s most distinguished families and also offers a visual montage of evolving decorative and architectural tastes and styles. In contrast to the gleaming restorations of most heritage houses, much of the original wallpaper, curtain fixtures and paint have remained untouched since the 19th century.