Host of the 2012 PGA Championship

It took a lot more than golf to make Charleston one of America's "Top Ten" vacation destinations for the past two decades. In fact, surveys of Charleston area visitors confirm that golf ranks well down the list of reasons why they return to the city voted #1 in the US in the 2011 Conde' Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards.

So why is this a good thing for those who love golf? Two reasons, actually.

First, it means that unlike your typical "golf destination," Charleston offers pristine golf, unrushed and unspoiled by the crowds. But moreover, it means that once you've completed your round, there is still a smorgasbord of activity awaiting you. If history is the cornerstone of Charleston, then dining is the mortar. Last year The New York Times flatly stated, "Charleston is one of the great eating towns of the American South." Just three months later, Saveur Magazine wrote, "We've always considered Charleston one of the country's most alluring eating destinations ." Combine an award-winning port city with sunny beaches, out-of-this-world dining and fantastic golf, and you've got the perfect spot for your next golf getaway!