Bob, I don't have time to edit this, so you'll see it just as I sent it to Dave for his dad, who was there for about a week to participate in a photography class/seminar/tour (and his mom was joining him for a few days at the end). Dave had asked for some ideas for his mom and dad for walking/hiking as well as restaurants, art, and sightseeing.
Dave, if you see this, please add anything your parents told you... even if it contradicts any of my recommendations. I'd like to know for future reference.
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This is in no particular order... I'll start with the restaurants first. Likely as not, if your dad socializes with some of the people who are there for the photography thing, he might even hit a few of these places with them during that time. He should pick up a map somewhere… these places will be very easy to find in the downtown area.
One of my favorite places is Hyman's Seafood on 215 Meeting St. It has a very laidback, informal atmosphere, but the service and food have been great every time I've been there. A little photo album here will give you an idea of what they're like:
http://www.hymanseafood.com/photos.html As far as I know, they don't take reservations, and they get really busy at certain times, so it might be a good idea to call and ask what time they usually get busy on a given night and show up earlier... otherwise, you could be waiting a while to get a seat. It has been my experience that once you’re seated, the wait staff gets to you quickly and the food comes relatively quickly once you order. Menu:
http://www.hymanseafood.com/HymansMenu.pdf Review:
http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=1792
Hank’s Seafood, at the Corner of Church and Hayne is much more upscale… fantastic food and impeccable service… you can tell what you’re in for when you take a look at these photos:
http://hanksseafoodrestaurant.com/photos.cfm
Vickery’s Bar and Grill downtown on 15 Beaufain St. is a great place to eat brunch… they make great spicy and flavorful Bloody Marys and have some very interesting and tasty menu items:
http://www.vickerysbarandgrill.com/
Mistral at 99 S. Market is probably my favorite place to dine out in Charleston. “French cuisine with a Southern flair” may sound crazy, but it’s not. Smallish place with a knock-your-socks-off menu and very skilled and attentive wait staff. The wine list is amazing.
http://www.mistralcharleston.com/
A brief departure from restaurants for a minute because there are some worthy destinations across the Cooper River… after driving across the bridge to Mt. Pleasant… amazing in itself…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Ravenel_Jr._Bridge ...and merging onto Coleman Boulevard… at the first light, make a right and that road takes you to Patriot’s Point… your dad may be more interested than your mom unless she likes military stuff.
http://www.patriotspoint.org/ Check out these planes and choppers that are exhibited there:
http://www.patriotspoint.org/exhibits/planes/ The Congressional Medal of Honor Museum is there, also:
http://www.patriotspoint.org/exhibits/medal_honor/
Okay, now back to dining… Shem Creek is an area a short hop further down Coleman Blvd. in Mt. Pleasant where you can dine indoors or out at a lot of cool restaurants and watch the shrimp boats come in… around sunset, it’s very scenic.
http://www.charlestoncocktail.com/shem_creek.html There’s also a Vickery’s over there.
If you keep driving past Shem Creek, Sullivan’s Island is a great place to walk on the beach, and historic Ft. Moultrie is there… also some WWII gun emplacements.
http://www.sullivansisland-sc.com/
For art, there’s the Gibbes Museum downtown:
http://www.gibbesmuseum.org/
Also there are many smallish and medium sized art galleries everywhere… especially up and down King Street where there are also lots of interesting shops full of antiques and unique gifts. A few look like they have been there a long time and are a lot of fun to rummage through. Old postcards and photographs, etc. Just walking around downtown uncovers lots and lots of hidden treasures that can use up an entire afternoon or two.
Fort Sumter is very interesting and probably a must-see… your dad may be going there as part of the photography thing:
http://www.nps.gov/fosu/
Boone Hall Plantation provides lots of photography opportunities and hiking/walking and is amazing… again, it could be something your dad sees the first week:
http://boonehallplantation.com/
Likewise with Charlestowne Landing:
http://www.charlestowne.org/index.shtml
I’ve never done the Ghost and Dungeon Walking Tour, but my bud Pete says it’s well worth the time:
http://www.charlestondungeon.com/
I ran across this online just now… looks like it would be worth printing out… it includes several maps… one of the downtown area, too:
http://www.travelerofcharleston.com/DownloadGuide.html
Charleston is one of those places that is difficult not to love. I can never get enough of it, and it’s been awhile since I’ve spent any time there… I miss it. I hope your mom and dad find it enjoyable, too.