By From the harbor where the first shots were fired to the fields where the last great army of the Confederacy laid down its arms, the Carolinas hold some of the most consequential ground of the American Civil War. The region bookended the conflict: South Carolina opened it in Charleston Harbor in April 1861, and North Carolina hosted the largest surrender of the war four years later. For travelers willing to follow that thread, these sites offer a tangible, often moving way to walk through history. Here is how to plan a meaningful tour of Civil War landmarks across both states.
Fort Sumter: Where the War Began
No Civil War itinerary in the Carolinas is complete without Fort Sumter, the island fortress in Charleston Harbor where Confederate batteries opened fire on the federal garrison on April 12, 1861. The bombardment that followed marked the start of four years of war. Today the fort is part of Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park, managed by the National Park Service.
You cannot drive or take a private boat to Fort Sumter. Access is by an authorized ferry only, operated by Fort Sumter Tours, which departs from two points: Liberty Square in downtown Charleston and Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant. The round trip runs roughly two hours and fifteen minutes, including about an hour on the island, where rangers offer talks and you can explore the gun emplacements and the small on-site museum. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially in spring and summer.
Before you board, spend time at the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center at Liberty Square, which is free and houses exhibits that set the stage for what you will see on the island.
Plan Your Visit: Fort Sumter
- Liberty Square ferry departure: 340 Concord Street, Charleston, SC 29401
- Patriots Point ferry departure: 40 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
- Visitor center hours: Daily, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas
- Admission: The fort itself has no NPS entrance fee, but the ferry is required and ticketed separately. Recent rates run about $40 for adults and $26 for children ages 4 to 11, with children 3 and under free
- Tickets and ferry schedule: fortsumtertours.com or 843-722-2628
Fort Moultrie: 171 Years of Coastal Defense
Just across the harbor on Sullivan’s Island sits Fort Moultrie, the other half of the national park and a site too often overlooked by visitors who stop only at Fort Sumter. Moultrie’s story stretches well beyond the Civil War, spanning 171 years of seacoast defense from the Revolution through World War II, but its Confederate-era role was significant: Moultrie’s guns took part in the bombardment of Fort Sumter, and the island remained a key defensive position throughout the war.
Unlike Fort Sumter, you can drive directly to Fort Moultrie and explore at your own pace. Restored gun batteries trace the evolution of American coastal artillery, and the views across the harbor toward Fort Sumter help you understand the strategic geography that shaped the opening of the war.
Plan Your Visit: Fort Moultrie
- Address: 1214 Middle Street, Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482
- Hours: Grounds and visitor center open daily, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas
- Admission: Around $10 per adult (age 16 and up); children under 16 free. Card and contactless payment only, no cash
- More information: nps.gov/fosu
The H.L. Hunley: The First Submarine to Sink a Warship
One of the most remarkable Civil War stories in the Carolinas is not on a battlefield at all but inside a conservation lab in North Charleston. The H.L. Hunley was the first submarine in history to sink an enemy warship, sending the USS Housatonic to the bottom off Charleston in February 1864 before vanishing with all hands. Recovered from the seafloor in 2000, the vessel now rests in a conservation tank at the Warren Lasch Conservation Center, where weekend tours let visitors view the submarine, see facial reconstructions of the crew, and learn how researchers solved the mystery of its loss.
Because the center is a working laboratory, tours are offered only on weekends. Plan for one to two hours.
Plan Your Visit: The H.L. Hunley
- Address: Warren Lasch Conservation Center, 1250 Supply Street, North Charleston, SC 29405
- Hours: Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- Admission: Roughly $24 adults (13+), $20 seniors and military, $15 youth (6 to 12), free for children 5 and under
- Tickets and information: hunley.org or 843-743-4865
Bentonville Battlefield: The Last Major Confederate Offensive
Crossing into North Carolina, the village of Bentonville near Four Oaks was the scene of the largest battle ever fought in the state and the last full-scale Confederate offensive of the war. Over three days in March 1865, roughly 80,000 men clashed as General Joseph E. Johnston made a desperate, doomed attempt to halt General William T. Sherman’s advancing army. The fighting produced more than 4,000 casualties.
Today Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site preserves the ground along with the Harper House, which served as a Union field hospital and is furnished to reflect that grim role. A visitor center offers exhibits and an audiovisual program, and a self-guided driving tour leads you across the surrounding countryside to key positions.
Plan Your Visit: Bentonville Battlefield
- Address: 5466 Harper House Road, Four Oaks, NC 27524
- Phone: 910-594-0789
- Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; closed Mondays and state holidays (expanded summer hours, including Sunday afternoons, are offered seasonally)
- Admission: Free; guided tour fees may apply
Bennett Place: Where the War in the Carolinas Ended
If Fort Sumter is where the war began, Bennett Place in Durham is where its end was sealed in the East. On April 26, 1865, just over two weeks after Appomattox, General Johnston surrendered nearly 90,000 Confederate soldiers to Sherman at the farmhouse of James and Nancy Bennett. It was the largest troop surrender of the entire war, ending the fighting across North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
Bennett Place State Historic Site includes a reconstructed farmhouse and kitchen, a visitor center with exhibits, and the Unity Monument commemorating the peace reached here. Guided tours of the grounds are typically offered at set times during the day, weather and staffing permitting.
Plan Your Visit: Bennett Place
- Address: 4409 Bennett Memorial Road, Durham, NC 27705
- Phone: 919-383-4345
- Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; closed Sundays, Mondays, and state holidays
- Admission: Grounds and exhibits are free; guided tours carry a modest fee (around $4 for adults, with discounts for youth and seniors)
Fort Fisher: The Confederacy’s Last Major Stronghold
Down on the coast near Kure Beach, Fort Fisher guarded the approaches to Wilmington, the Confederacy’s last major open seaport. For much of the war, blockade runners slipped past the Union fleet thanks to the protection of this massive earthwork fortification, keeping vital supplies flowing into the South. Its fall in January 1865, after one of the largest amphibious assaults in American history to that point, effectively closed the last lifeline of the Confederacy.
Fort Fisher State Historic Site reopened a brand-new 20,000-square-foot visitor center in late 2024, with expanded exhibit galleries, an orientation film, and a gift shop. Outside, you can walk the surviving earthen mounds and gun emplacements along the Cape Fear River, then pair your visit with the nearby beach and aquarium for a full day.
Plan Your Visit: Fort Fisher
- Address: 1610 Fort Fisher Boulevard South, Kure Beach, NC 28449
- Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; closed Sundays, Mondays, and designated state holidays
- Admission: Free
- More information: visitwilmingtonnc.com
Building Your Carolina Civil War Itinerary
The geography of these sites lends itself naturally to a regional loop. In the South Carolina Lowcountry, Charleston anchors a cluster you can cover in two days: Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie on one, the H.L. Hunley on a weekend. In North Carolina, Bentonville and Bennett Place sit within easy reach of the Raleigh and Durham area, making them a logical day trip from the Triangle, while Fort Fisher pairs with a coastal getaway around Wilmington.
For a deeper dive and to find lesser-known stops, North Carolina maintains a Civil War resources hub through its Division of State Historic Sites, and the state tourism office offers trip-planning ideas at visitnc.com.
Planning tip: Many of these state historic sites are closed Sundays and Mondays, and Fort Sumter requires a timed ferry, so map your route around those fixed points first and book Charleston Harbor crossings well ahead during peak season. Always confirm current hours, tour times, and admission directly with each site before you travel, as schedules shift seasonally.