Kathy Witt, KathyWitt.com (MCT)

Founded in 1680 as Charles Town, Charleston is South Carolina's oldest city and famous for its aggressively preserved architecture, white-glove good manners and abundance of historic treasures, many of them tucked out of view. But you can see these and anything else you've got your heart set on when you visit; Charleston loves to show off its charms.

Walk through the doors of the Charleston Library Society, the oldest cultural institution in the South and the third-oldest circulating library in the U.S., and enjoy some leisurely browse time among the stacks. Among the collections are letters from George Washington and DuBose Heyward's handwritten manuscript of "Porgy." With advance notice, you can go behind the scenes and into the vault to see Colonial-era newspapers; the library has every colonial newspaper dating to 1732, the year after the printing press arrived in Charles Town.

"Whereas the late Printer of this Gazette hath been deprived of his Life, by an unhappy Accident, I take this Opportunity of informing the Publick, that I shall continue the said Paper as usual ..." Elizabeth Timothy — the first woman printer and publisher in America and one cited by Benjamin Franklin for her business management style — wrote in the South-Carolina Gazette on Jan. 4, 1739, upon taking over the newspaper from her deceased husband. "Whereas I flatter my self, that all Persons ... will be kindly pleased to continue their Favors and good Offices to his poor afflicted Widow and six small Children and another hourly expected."

The steward for gems like this is bookbinder Brien Beidler, responsible for overseeing the repair and conservation of priceless tomes dating to the 15th Century. Beidler writes about some of his favorite discoveries on his blog, www.BrienBeidler.com: a book bound with a pre-15th-Century medieval music manuscript; "An easy Method of detecting counterfeited Paper Currency" from the late 18th Century; and a record of the first bookbinder mentioned in a city directory — Charles Morgan of Charleston (1782). Finding these historical documents online is an unexpected treat; seeing them in person and perhaps even holding them in your hands is like touching the past.

America's oldest landscaped gardens

Hidden away in the massive spread of gardens at Middleton Place Plantation — home to America's oldest landscaped gardens — are visually stunning garden rooms visitors simply happen upon as they stroll the grounds. Accented with graceful statuary, these rooms invite quiet reflection and inspire photographers to capture the symmetry and intricacies of the landscape. No matter the season, something is always abloom — centuries-old camellias in winter, azaleas in spring, magnolias, crape myrtles, roses and more in summer and fall. Flora scents the air year-round; especially intoxicating in early fall is the delicate, sometimes elusive aroma of the blooming Fragrant Tea Olive trees.

In addition to the 65 acres of gardens, there is much to see at this National Historic Landmark situated on the Ashley River. The House Museum narrates the story of the Henry Middleton family and the slaves and freedmen who served it through original portraits, furniture and family belongings going back several generations to 1755. In one room, a silken copy of the Declaration of Independence (Arthur Middleton was a signatory) and South Carolina's Ordinance of Succession (signed by Arthur's grandson, Williams Middleton) hang on opposite sides of a wall. In another, a lady's busy box hints at a homey slice of life long before electronics entered the picture. Family portraits by Benjamin West, known for his historical American Revolution-era paintings, are also in the museum.

Visitors can take a guided tour of the house; tour the gardens by foot or by carriage; see the ruins of the main house and North Flanker burned by Union soldiers just before the end of the Civil War; watch a blacksmithing, weaving, spinning or other demonstration in the Stableyards; visit a freedman's residence, circa 1870; browse the thoughtfully stocked gift shop; dine on traditional low-country fare (she-crab soup, catfish stew, shrimp and grits) in the restaurant, and even overnight at the 55-room Inn at Middleton overlooking the tidal river where rice plantations once flourished.

Take things slow at Isle of Palms

Tucked away from the busyness of Charleston is Isle of Palms, a barrier island bordered by beaches and marsh creeks and home to Wild Dunes Resort, a pretty, pastel-colored idyll ringed by palm trees. Staying here gives visitors to this part of South Carolina a chance to experience the best of both worlds: the cultured charm of Charleston and the more relaxed vibe of island living.

Choose a beach condo; a studio, suite or even penthouse at the AAA Four Diamond-rated Village at Wild Dunes — or a room or suite at the oceanfront AAA Four Diamond Boardwalk Inn. At the heart of the resort is Village Plaza, where you'll find a grocery market, fitness center, Sand and Sea Spa and casual dining hotspots, the Lettered Olive and, a short walk away, the open-air ocean-side eatery Grand Pavilion Cafe & Bar.

More formal dining is offered at the Sea Island Grill in the Boardwalk Inn, where chef Jeff Miller prepares seasonally inspired dishes: South Carolina moonshine tuna, truffle popcorn-crusted scallops with sweet potato peanut puree, grilled Denver steak with black truffle croquette.

You can be as lazy or active as you like at the resort, enjoying its four swimming pools (attendant poolside service), water sports on the Intracoastal waterway, tennis, golf, biking, fishing — even a cruise on a covered pontoon boat to explore Capers Island, where you'll sit down to a cookout prepared for you on the beach. Of course, you can't beat a day spent at the spa, and the Sand and Sea Spa offers several treatments steeped in scents reminiscent of the elements of the low-country: earth, sun and fresh air.

IF YOU GO

Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, www.CharlestonCVB.com, 843-853-8000.

Charleston Library Society, www.charlestonlibrarysociety.org. Brien Beidler, director of the Bindery, teaches workshops on the art of the book, including bookbinding courses. There are currently no workshops scheduled, although Beidler is planning one for January, 2015. Check the website for dates and times. In the meantime, visit www.BrienBeidler.com to see Beidler's most recent finds from the archives.

Middleton Place Plantation, www.MiddletonPlace.org. Make wreaths and other holiday decor from fresh greens, berries and other natural items gathered from the plantation at Family Yuletide in the Stableyards ($15 per person) on Dec. 13.

Wild Dunes Resort, www.WildDunes.com. Come One, Come Fall offers 20% off nightly rates for stays in the Boardwalk Inn and Village at Wild Dunes and select vacation homes and condos through Dec. 31. Arrive Sunday through Wednesday and also receive a $25 dinner credit per day.

DON'T-MISS MOMENTS

■ Peek into the mid-1700s via colonial-era newspapers at the Charleston Library Society: ads for imported claret, a detailed report on hemp and notices like one placed by William Coote to "forewarn all Persons not to Trust (his wife Mary) on his Account," since she "Eloped from her Husband on Thursday the 19th past, taking with her Money and Goods."

■ Lunch at Caviar & Bananas: More epicurean experience than lunch spot, this Charleston fave combines a gourmet market with casual eatery serving upscale foodstuffs — and boy, is it good: tarragon shrimp salad, pimento cheese BLT, duck confit panini, naked kale salad, Brussels sprouts coleslaw, carrot daikon salad. In the market find wines, chocolates, artisanal cheeses and an espresso bar.

■ Enjoy the best frites and flatbread you've ever salivated over at the Obstinate Daughter on Isle of Palms. Relax into a booth, enjoy the beachy decor and down an order of Geechie Frites served with salsa rosa and Obstinate Flatbread slathered with a decadent butterbean puree.