Continuing our spring migration up the East Coast from Florida, we snowbirds make a very satisfying stopover in Charleston, South Carolina. Condé Nast named Charleston "one of America's most delightful cities" and Southern Living readers voted it "Best Southern City." Charleston calls itself "America's Most Historic City." Indeed, it is a charming city, with a very walkable downtown, a treasure trove of preserved historic homes, and the remains of Fort Sumpter, just off the pristine beaches. My favorite part is the signature Lowcountry--think shrimp! "Prince of Tides!"--cuisine at the award-winning restaurants.

The city operates a downtown shuttle service (DASH) that connects major sites including the South Carolina Aquarium, Waterfront Park, the Battery, Marion Square and the Visitor Center. One-day and three-day passes are available, and can be purchased at the Visitor Center, 375 Meeting Street, 843/724.7174.

Plan ahead and you can attend the 34th annual Spoleto Festival in historic Charleston. For 17 days and nights each spring, Spoleto Festival USA fills Charleston's historic theaters, churches, and outdoor spaces with over 140 performances, by world-renowned artists and emerging performers alike, in opera, theater, musical theater, dance, and chamber, symphonic, choral, and jazz music. This year, the festival runs from May 28 through June 13 and features about 45 different productions, from festival debuts to crowd favorites. In addition, at the newly restored 300-year-old Dock Street Theatre, the Festival will re-stage the "Flora, an Opera, or Hob in the Well"--an English ballad opera and the first opera ever staged in the Americas, first performed in Charleston on February 8, 1735!--in an edition by conductor Neely Bruce, starring Andriana Churchman and Timothy Nolen.

Go to the website www.Spoletousa.org for full information. Some of the highlights of the performing and visual arts include the U.S. premiere of Wolfgang Rihm's opera "Proserpina;" Geoff Nuttall in his new role as Spoleto Festival USA Director for Chamber Music; the return of Dublin's Gate Theatre in Noël Coward's "Present Laughter;" the Colla Marionette Company's productions of "Cinderella" and Franz Joseph Haydn's marionette opera "Philemon and Baucis;" "Giselle," danced by Nina Ananiashvili and the Tblisi-based National Ballet of Georgia; "Lucinda Childs' Dance," a seminal collaboration with choreographer Lucinda Childs, composer Philip Glass, and filmmaker Sol LeWitt; the gender-bending Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, performing signature piece "Go for Barocco;" Festival debuts of jazz vocalists Lizz Wright, Norma Winstone and Fabiana Cozza; the U.S. premiere of Daniel MacIvor's solo show "This Is What Happens Next;" and Festival favorites Carolina Chocolate Drops, returning with their fiddle and banjo music, to headline the Festival Finale.

For a limited time, Gay Charleston/Savannah/Atlanta Online readers can take advantage of a special offer: saving 15% off tickets and paying no handling fees for selected shows. Purchase tickets online at spoletousa.org, by phone at 843/579.3100, or in person at the Festival box office at Gaillard Auditorium, 77 Calhoun Street, Charleston. Use code SGOL2010 when purchasing tickets.

If your timing doesn't coincide with the Piccolo Spoleto, there is still plenty to do! From April 28 to May 30, Elton John and Tim Rice's musical "Aida" plays at the 329 seat Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. For tickets, visit http://www.artsshi.com or call 888/860-2787.

At the Charleston Museum, on Charleston's Museum Mile, the exhibit "Preciousness Preserved," an exhibition of jewelry, is on display through September 6, 2010. Now, how gay is that!

The Charleston Museum was America's First Museum, founded in 1773. Its mission is to preserve and interpret the rich, varied cultural and natural history of Charleston and the South Carolina Lowcountry. Explore this history, at the museum, at 360 Meeting Street, conveniently located downtown, across from the Charleston Visitor Center. The Joseph Manigault House, across the street from the Museum at 350 Meeting Street, and the Heyward-Washington House, located in the heart of the Historic District at 87 Church Street, are two National Historic Landmark houses that are part of the Museum, and are available for touring. There is even free parking!

Take time to tour Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. Founded in 1676 by the Drayton family, Magnolia Plantation has survived the centuries and witnessed the history of our nation unfold before it, from the American Revolution through the Civil War and beyond. It is the oldest public tourist site in the Lowcountry, and its famous gardens are the oldest public gardens in America, which opened its doors in 1870 to visitors viewing its thousands of beautiful flowers and plants.

And here's a fun idea for something different...take the Charleston Chef's Kitchen Tour! Get a behind the scenes understanding of some of Charleston's best chefs and their restaurants that have created the Lowcountry Cuisine Renaissance. On this two-and-a-half hour walking tour, you will visit several great restaurants and can explore the history of the restaurant, learn about the chef's approach to culinary excellence, have the menus interpreted by a pro, and tour the kitchen for a close-up peek at just what it takes to produce those fabulous meals. The Charleston Kitchen Tour begins with coffee and artisan pastries. Offered Fridays only, from 9:30 a.m. to Noon, at $42 per person. Space is limited, so advance reservations are required. You can buy tickets online at www.zerve.com/CulinaryTour/Chef, or call Bulldog Tours at 843/722-TOUR or 800/918-0701 for tickets.

Go to www.GayCharlestonOnline.com for gay restaurants, bars and lodgings. And have fun in one of my favorite Southern Cities! For more information on Savannah, Hilton Head or Charleston, email the author at dell2travel@yahoo.com.