17th Annual Chaparral Charleston, South Carolina October 11-17, 2009 We are very excited about this year’s annual Indiana Wesleyan University Chaparral to Charleston, South Carolina . Sometimes referred to as “The Holy City” (due to the many church steeples that distinguish the city’s skyline), Charleston offers a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. You will be surrounded by a plethora of early American history and exquisite architecture highlighted in pastel hues. Proud of its fine cuisine, you will also have the opportunity to sample Low Country favorites such as fried green tomatoes, grits and she-crab soup, among others. Please consider joining us as we explore and experience the beauty, history and hospitality of Charleston.

Embassy Suites Historic District

Guests of this year's Chaparral will lodge at Embassy Suites. Located in downtown Charleston, Embassy Suites Historic District is one of the few hotels in the world that is also located within the halls of an historic landmark. Originally the home of The Citadel Military College, the hotel's decor is now more reminiscent of the British Colonial era and features a five-story atrium with a 12-foot fountain. The fully modern facility also offers in each suite a coffee maker, microwave, and fridgerator. Guests are also treated to a full, cooked-to-order breakfast each morning during their stay.

Downtown Historic Charleston

Meeting Street (the street on which Embassy Suites is located) is the richest concentration of cultural sites open to visitors in downtown Charleston. Guests may explore six museums, five nationally important historic houses, four scenic parks and a Revolutionary War powder magazine, as well as numerous historic houses of worship and public buildings including City Hall. But the real draw for some is the shopping! Downtown Charleston is a shopper’s dream with many specialty shops located just off of Meeting Street on King, Market and Hasell streets, just to name a few. From antiques to boutiques, fine art and local crafts, it’s all there for your shopping pleasure. If you’re concerned how you’ll get from place to place, don’t be. There are multiple modes of transportation available including: bus, trolley, horse and carriage or, because the hotel is so close to everything, you can walk. This is your day to choose what you want to do and when you want to do it.

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is sure to be a highlight for our guests. Founded by the Drayton family in 1676, the plantation is the oldest public tourist site in the Low Country and the oldest public gardens in America, opening its doors to visitors in 1870. Magnolia Plantation also features a unique series of restored slave cabins and houses that interpret African-American history in early America up to the recent past. These structures, whichhave been utilized from the time of antebellum slavery through emancipation and into the late 20th century, have been occupied by African- Americans who were both enslaved and free. With more than 600 acres of wildlife habitats and gardens, it can be difficult to see everythingthat Magnolia Plantation and Gardens has to offer on foot, so guests are afforded two other means of transportation for their convenience. Naturalist tram tour guides will help you spot alligators, turtles, egrets and herons in the plantation’s wetlands, lakes, forests and marshes. Likewise, the nature boat tour is also a perfect way to take a break from walking and enjoy the breeze of the Ashley River as you glide through Magnolia’s old flooded rice field. After guests have rested up a bit, they can step back in time with a half-hour guided tour of the Drayton family home, which gives a glimpse of plantation life in the 19th century and beyond.

Patriots Point Museum and Fort Sumter

The Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum is actually the legendary USS Yorktown. Visitors can explore the various levels of the famed aircraft carrier, affectionately known to her sailors as “The Fighting Lady,” as well as the prestigious Museum of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, headquartered onboard. Patriots Point is one of the largest museums of its kind which includes additional ships such as the destroyer USS Laffey, known as “The Ship That Would Not Die,” the Treasury class Coast Guard cutter “Ingham” and the Balao class submarine “Clamagore.” There are also priceless war planes from WWII and Korea in Yorktown’s hangar deck, along with an array of aircraft from the Vietnam War and Desert Storm on the flight deck. Visitors are also able to see modern marvels such as the F-14 Tomcat and the S-3 Viking. From there enjoy a boat ride to the middle of Charleston Harbor to see Fort Sumter, where the Civil War began, and one of the best collections of 19th century seacoast artillery anywhere in the United States.