Visitors heading to Fort Sumter National Monument typically depart from the ferry terminal at the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center, making it a convenient spot to learn about the context before heading out to the historical site itself. Sightseeing cruises in Charleston Harbor typically depart from the wharf at the aquarium next door to the visitor center, and offer views of Fort Sumter, USS Yorktown, the Battery, and Castle Pinckney from the water.
The Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center is on Concord Street in downtown Charleston next to the aquarium. The ferry trip out to the national monument takes about 30 minutes each way. Parking is available in a garage next to the visitor center.
The Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center is open throughout the year from morning to early evening, but closed on certain holidays. Set aside some time to visit the exhibits before catching your boat to the national monument.
While Fort Sumter tends to attract most of the attention at this national monument, the site is also home to a second fort, Fort Moultrie. Built during the Revolutionary War, this fort on Sullivan’s Island was named after Col. William Moultrie, who defended the partially built fort from a squadron of British warships in 1776.