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Fort Sumter National Monument, Charleston

4.5

#1 of 81 in Historic Sites in Coastal South Carolina

Historic Site Military Facility

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Explore the site where the Union and Confederate armies clashed for the first time in the American Civil War. Your visit to Fort Sumter National Monument begins at the education center, where you can study exhibits on the war and purchase ferry tickets to the sea fort. Once you arrive, a park ranger will give a short talk about the conflict between the North and South that led to the firing of the first shots. As you walk the area, examine the defenses and imagine the Confederates’ 34-hour bombardment until the Union forces surrendered. For more information, visit the fort’s onsite museum. Refreshments are available on the ferry, but it is a good idea to bring water. Use Inspirock's suggestions to plan your Charleston trip and find the best activities and attractions for your vacation.

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Fort Sumter National Monument Reviews

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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

5,426 reviews

Google

4.6

facebook

5.0

16 likes

• By theRobertL76

  No trip to Charleston is complete without a visit to Fort Sumter National Monument. A 30 minute ferry ride (from Liberty Square for in our case) provides a little back drop to the place where the...  more »

• By Charles R

  The tours happen twice a day, understandable to keep volume of traffic down. Biggest negative is that there is just not enough time given to fully tour all that is here. This fort goes back to...  more »

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Google

• By Claire Stogner

  Beautiful area. Fort Sumter is worth the visit. Beautiful views of the harbor. There is a very nice visitor center right across the street. They offer guided tour or you can just walk and check it out. I didn't take the guided tour. I walked at my own pace.

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• By Marcos Coelho

  Visiting Fort Sumter you will have a lot of information and details about Civil War and World War II. The rooms are open to the public, with original objects and furniture in perfect conditions! The view from the top of the fortification is awesome and it’s located on a beautiful beach where you can step the sand and enjoy the breeze.

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