Visit Angel Oak on John's Island. It is the oldest/largest live oak tree in the Eastern US. You will need a very wide angle lens and proper position on the property to capture the entire tree. I had a 18-270 zoom and had to use the 18mm end to capture the entire tree. You can also get nice shots from segments of the tree, limbs, vertical from underneath, etc. There will be people but the tree dwarfs them and do not affect the shot too badly. Parking will scare you when you come down the road, but keep going to the main gate; someone has always left and opened a spot near the gate.

I visited Charleston a few months ago and a friend recommended visiting the nearby Angel Oak Tree. If you decide to visit it, do not dream of taking photographs. The attendant in the gift store came out shouting at me from a distance twice. The first time was for parking incorrectly (I was parked next to 4 other cars) and the second time was for using a tripod. There were no signs addressing either issue and I thought shouting at me in public was completely offensive. She told me where I could use my tripod but that was behind other trees so I simply packed up and left with no photos. Photographer friends of mine have recently told me that this woman is well known for this sort of behavior so behave accordingly. The ships at Patriots Point are pretty good, though, if you're into that.

What we used to do is park at the visitors center and buy a trolley pass. You can get on and off the trolley at will all day and not have to worry about parking. Be aware that if the heat is extreme the carriage horses will not be out. Do yourself a favor and go see the Aiken-Rhett house. It is preserved, not restored. The plantations just outside the city are worth seeing also. At the visitors center you can also buy a bundle of passes for historic houses and the plantations if you want to. And the churches are fabulous. Have fun. Stay hydrated!! The 18-140 (Nikon) works well there.

My wife and I are planning about a week in Charleston, SC in mid June. She has been there once and I have never been. Looking for suggestions for photo opportunities, historical sites, breath taking scenery, etc.

Best sections of town to stay in for both quality of life and safety if we wander out, especially at night....

Interested in history of area both nautical and land based and photographing same. My experience with tour buses in other places is that I don't get good shooting opportunities--people in the way and the buses go too fast!

Walking tours ok if not too long. She is late 60's and I am 70 and it will be hot there so walking cannot be terribly far in the heat.

Wondering if horse drawn carriage rides would be good or if they are too crowded. Slower and smaller group I would hope than a bus, etc.

Also wondering about places to simply drive the rental car to and from, etc.

Suggestions as to what not to miss as well as any tourist traps to avoid would be most appreciated.

Primary interest is photographing the historical sites, landscapes, seascapes, etc.

Am planning to take my Canon 5DIII and three lenses: a 16-35 f4L, a 24-105 f4L and a 70-300 f4-5.6L. Probably throw in my f1.8 nifty-fifty for night time and a monopod. Is this overkill? If so which lenses to take and which to leave at home? All will be carried in quality Lowe Pro back pack with hip straps to transfer weight to my hips and off my shoulders. Will also likely take my Sony RX10 III (f2.5-4, 24mm-600mm) and as over all backup. Would not be carrying both cameras at the same time though. That way if the Canon gets too heavy, I could always fall back on the Sony.

I realize this has become long. If you are still with me, please give me your thoughts and the benefits of your experiences. Thanks to all!

Tom