Boston vs Charleston
 

would you rather visit boston or charleston, sc? also which beaches are better? coast guard beach or sc beaches (wild dunes, kiwah, seabrook)?

Interesting comparison.
Depends on time of the year. Charleston is oppresive in the summer, Boston is awful in the winter. Both are great in the fall. Charleston has the best spring by far.
For beaches, (I assume you would be going to the Cape--Coast Guard Beach). Cape cod beaches are beautiful, more surf but water temperature is cold. Charleston area beaches are gentle, warmer and also nice.
Both cities are historic so you can do the tourist thing equally in both. Restaurants good both places, more expensive in Boston.
If in the summer, Boston has the Red Sox to tempt you as well as better museums, shows (as in theatre, etc).
Boston is harder to get around by car but both have small central areas so walking is easy. More enthnic diversity in Boston.

I assume you will have a car (if considering Cape), then there is much more to do in the environs of Boston than Charleston. A 2 hr drive can get you anywhere from the Cape to Maine or NH in Boston but only to Savannah/Beaufort near Charleston.

its for the spring or summer.
sounds like youve been to both. which would you rather return to?

How many days are you considering? (Boston is a small "big city"; Charleston is a big "small city"....). Both are wonderful, but if I had a week, I'd pick Boston, only 3 or 4 days, Charleston.

I live in Boston (Lexington) and grew up in Charleston.
Where are you coming from and how much time do you have? I agree with dmlove, Charleston needs less time the Boston/New England.

Maybe 4-5 days. SC looks more tropical, but limited in accomodations. Anyone been to Kiawah, Wild Dunes or Seabrook?
Most interested in good walking beaches & pools.

We went to Charleston a few years ago, and just went to Boston/Nantucket this September. If I had to return to one, I'd pick Boston - Charleston was beautiful, but Boston was really vibrant and had an amazing energy that we loved. We toured plantations and gardens in Charleston; in Boston, we went to a Red Sox game, walked the Freedom Trail, and went whale watching. There was so much in Boston that I had read about in history books - really amazing to see it all in person. Seems like things shut down pretty early in Charleston, but in Boston, there was a lot of nighttime activity. Both had amazing restaurants. And we liked the beaches on both Kiawah and Nantucket.

did you like the villas/hotel at kiawah?

any good beachside hotels near coast guard (cape cod)?

did you stay @ a nantucket hotel?

We stayed at a B&B called the Martin House Inn - all of the places we saw there were B&Bs built in old houses - cute, classic Nantucket style with porches and blooming hydrangeas. Our room had its own private balcony and a nice fireplace (but no firewood) - they served fresh baked goods in the afternoon which scored major points with my husband. Also had a private bath with a tub. Nantucket has a lot of charm, but be prepared for a little sticker shock - we found it to be very pricey. If you go, try to go sailing on The Endeavor - we loved that.

Charleston

This is really an apples and oranges comparison, especially if you are thinking beaches. You go to Boston for different reasons, mostly, from the reasons you'd go to Charleston. Yes, both will give you some history, but otherwise it's a little like saying LA versus Seattle.

The short version is that it's South vs. North. History is there in both places, but it's different history, largely because Boston "grew up" and gained its wealth in different era(s) from Charleston's heydays -- and the wealth came from different things, and still does. One has its energy devoted to arts, letters, sports, science, and general culture; one has its energy devoted to gracious living (including beaches and golf) and regional-historical expression.

As for beaches -- Coast Guard beach is a serious hike (a couple of hours, even in low traffic) from Boston and most wouldn't consider it part of Boston as a destination. Only hearty "Yankee" swimmers really get into the Cape Cod waters in the summer, which if you're lucky the water will get into the upper 60s; otherwise they're there more for appreciating their rough beauty and maybe tanning. The SC beaches are great for committed beaching, although they're a lot flatter and can be pretty steamy in the summer.

Why do you ask -- when are you coming and where are you coming from?

Boston. Hands down. More to do, more to see, more to enjoy.

Hard to find oceanside hotels/resorts on Cape Cod because it's such an old and preserved resort area that beaches are mainly lined with older beach homes. The Chatham Bars might fill your bill.

(Any particular reason you single out "Coast Guard Beach"? I prefer Truro, Pamet, Nauset, and island beaches.)

I read Coast Guard beach is one of the best beaches in USA. Kiawah in SC is also highly rated. Basicly, just looking for a top rated beach to go to in USA, & I've already been to beaches in VA & NC, so looking for new place. Will also consider FL.

I'm leaning towards SC cause the water will be warmer & the proximity to the beaches.

Anyone recommend Wild Dunes, Kiawah or Seabrook?

We really liked Kiawah, but we just went for the day, so can't recommend a place to stay. The beach was beautiful though.

i thought you have to stay at resort to visit kiawah beach.

what does ttt mean? i've seen it in other replies.

I think it stands for "to the top", like other people use "bump" --- it's just a way to get your thread to the top of the list again without adding anything substantive.

lp, we asked a security guard if we could go to the beach, and he let us. We were 5 single girls traveling together, so I guess we looked unthreatening.

yep, ttt is to the top - people use it to mark a thread under their own name or to send it to the top. Sometimes you'll see bookmarking; it does the same thing.

Kiawah has several "gated areas" that visitors have access to depending on where they are staying ( and how rich they are). You can rent a private condo or stay in the resort but there are some areas that you will not be allowed to visit unless you know someone who lives beyond the gate. The beaches are hard flat sand, great to walk on. But IMO the whole feeling is rather "man-made" when compared to the wild natural beauty of Coast Guard Beach on the Cape. The National Seashore Beaches, like Coast Guard and Nauset Light Beach in Eastham are undeveloped, backed by marsh or dunes and admission during the summer is limited to the availability of parking in the Park Service lots.
So if you are choosing between a premier resort/developed area like Kiawah and wild/national park area like Coast Guard Beach, you should make the decision based on the type of experience you want as well as the water temp., time of year, proximity to Boston/Charleston etc.

I like Kiawah because every thing feels so rich and easy....I can dress up to dine at one of the lovely resort restaurants, never get my shoes dirty, shop the boutiques right on the island, visit the spa, sit by a pool or be in Charleston in 30 minutes to take advantage of all that it has to offer. To me it's like a Walt Disney fantasy vacation...just perfect.

I like Coast Guard Beach because it is real, wild and breathtakingly beautiful. The outer cape has distinct small towns, each with it's own personality. You will find local artists, small boutiques, every kind of dining from clam shacks to French cuisine, theater, museums as well as many out-door activities like biking, hiking, whale-watching, dune-tours. But as another poster mentioned...you can't just hop in your car and drive to Boston for a day trip because it will take a minimum of 2 hours. You might however take a day
trip to Boston by ferry from Provincetown, or to Nantucket from Harwich or Hyannis, or to Martha's Vineyard from Woodshole. Additionally, the Cape is large enough that you could explore Cape Cod Bay beaches and Nantucket Sound/Buzzard's Bay beaches in addition to the National Seashore beaches on the outer cape. There's more than enough to keep you busy on Cape Cod for a week.

thanks, it sounds like both are great.