This Charming Southern Destination Is One of America's Favorite Cities—and It's Even Better During the Holidays

"The family-friendly South Carolina Aquarium, home to more than 5,000 animals, keeps us busy by day with American kestrels, barracudas, Goliath groupers, and rehabbing turtles at the Sea Turtle Care Center, then turns magical at night during Aquarium Aglow, when larger-than-life light installations shine and photo ops with Santa abound; holiday extras include an interactive dive show with elves, Santa meet-and-greets, and even hand-feeding a “ray-ndeer” (a cownose ray)." - Trudy Haywood Saunders Trudy Haywood Saunders Trudy Haywood Saunders is a writer and editor based in North Carolina. Her work has been featured in Travel + Leisure, Southern Living, Garden & Gun, Our State, Okra, and more. A lifelong Southerner, Trudy draws her writing inspiration from personal experiences and love for the region, focusing on culture, food, and travel in the South and beyond. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines