Charleston: I-526 W @ MM 21 (Don Holt (Top)

Charleston stands between the Ashley and Cooper rivers in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, a setting that established its harbor as an important Atlantic port. The historic peninsula preserves streets lined with antebellum houses, church steeples and public buildings, while the Battery faces Charleston Harbor. Across the water, Fort Sumter is the federal fort where the opening shots of the American Civil War were fired in 1861. Charleston’s Gullah Geechee heritage, shaped by African American communities of the coastal Lowcountry, remains part of the city’s cultural identity through food, language and traditions. Find related webcams around Charleston Harbor and the South Carolina Lowcountry to build a fuller picture of this coast.

Among the regions of the United States, South Carolina stands out for its sweep from the Atlantic coast and tidal Lowcountry to the foothills of the Blue Ridge. Its shoreline combines barrier islands, salt marshes and estuaries, with Charleston long established as one of the country’s important Atlantic port cities. Fort Sumter, in Charleston Harbor, is where the American Civil War began in 1861. Farther inland, Congaree National Park protects a notable expanse of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest, while Columbia serves as the state capital. Discover other points of interest through webcams located across South Carolina.

The Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf coasts define much of the United States — their ports, fisheries and trade routes have long tied the country’s economy to the wider world. Between them, the Rocky Mountains, Great Plains and Mississippi River basin form sharply different regions, from high western ranges to broad agricultural heartlands. Cities carry much of the national story: New York’s Statue of Liberty, a gift from France dedicated in 1886, remains an enduring symbol, while Washington, DC concentrates major federal institutions. Indigenous nations have shaped these lands for millennia, and their living cultures remain essential to the country’s identity. Find related webcams in the surrounding areas to build a fuller picture of the United States.