Ten best things to do in Charleston SC

 

Welcome back to The Velvet Runway and our guide to the ten best things to do in Charleston SC.

Charleston is one of South Carolina’s most beautiful and most historic cities, and it isn’t hard to see why it’s one of the top vacation spots in the deep south, and why it has been named number one of the US cities to visit by Travel & Leisure for ten years in a row!

This 17th-century Southern port was initially known as “Charles Town,” and was named after King Charles II of England. Its nickname is the Holy City because of its history of religious tolerance and its many places of worship.

It has a rich history, as like much of the South, Charleston’s wealth was built with slave labour, especially on the cotton and rice plantations, so it isn’t particularly surprising that Charleston was also where the American Civil War began with the first shots being fired here by the Confederate Troops when they fired upon Fort Sumter, successfully driving out the federal forces.

It has everything to offer visitors from discovering its rich history, its natural beauty (such as the colorful historic homes of Rainbow Row, the Pineapple Fountain in Waterfront Park), gorgeous beaches, a variety of food, art and entertainment options, great shopping, as well as its cultural and recreational activities that cater to locals and visitors alike.

Located on the South Carolina coast, Charleston has a subtropical climate, which makes temperatures and conditions favorable most of the year, although you should be aware that Hurricane Season is a real thing and runs from June 1 to November 30 annually, with peak time between August and October.

The best times to visit Charleston are in the Spring (March to May) and the Fall ( from September to November), when temperatures are pleasant but not too stifling.

Here is my guide for what to do in Charleston and why Charleston should be on your travel bucket list. 

Ten best things to do in Charleston

1 Visit the Historic Center

You can easily explore all of the historic district on foot (or by bicycle), covering Marion Square, King Street, Market Street, the French quarter, the Waterfront Park, Church Street and the Battery.

Here are some of the stopping points you mustn’t miss!

The French Quarter

Charleston’s French Quarter might not be as renowned as the one in New Orleans, but it’s just as beautiful, and both Rainbow Row and Charleston Market can be found in this area. It also has some cute boutiques and great restaurants.

Waterfront Park

This half-mile stretch of waterfront overlooks the Cooper River and the Charleston Harbor, and in the middle of the park you will find the much photographed Pineapple Fountain, which has become a must-see for any visitor to Charleston.

It’s the perfect place for taking a stroll and strategically placed benches under shady trees make it also a great place to rest and admire the river view

The Battery and White Point Garden

Named for its former use as an artillery battery, this defensive seawall is now a picturesque walkway which runs from Waterfront Park along East Battery Street, which is famous for its gorgeous antebellum homes, to White Point Garden at its southern tip.

White Point garden provides a spectacular view of Fort Sumter and Charleston Harbor, where the Ashley and Cooper rivers empty into the Atlantic Ocean. You can also see an impressive display of cannons which served to defend the city during the Civil War

 

2 Take a photo at Rainbow Row

Rainbow Row is probably one of the most iconic parts of Charleston and comprises a block of 13 colorfully painted houses (running from 83 to 107 East Bay Street), and while each is privately owned, city ordinances are in place to keep their pastel colors intact.

It’s one of the most photographed spots in Charleston and will be easy to find if you just look out for the crowds of tourists taking photographs there!

However, the houses weren’t always pastel coloured and there is much debate as to whether this was a question of simply copying your neighbour, a way to make the houses cooler during the stifling Charleston Summers or just a way for drunk sailors to find their way home easier. Others speculate that the different colors were the merchants’ way of indicating what types of items they sold there. You can find out more about the history of Rainbow Row in our Charleston Travel Guide.

Whatever the reason, this pastel colored row of houses is now one of Charleston’s most iconic and instagrammable spots!

Insider Tip : Get there early in the morning for the best lighting and to avoid the crowds.

3 Visit Charleston City Market

Charleston City Market is one of the country’s oldest public markets and it spans four city blocks from Market Hall to East Bay Street in the French Quarter.

It was built in 1804 and although you may hear people refer to it as the “slave market”, no slaves were ever bought or sold here! It was actually the market where slaves went to buy meat, vegetables and seafood for the plantation.

Today it is home to more than 300 vibrant entrepreneurs selling souvenirs, crafts, art, jewelry, woven baskets, Christmas decorations and the famous Gullah sweetgrass baskets.

Look for a green and cream-colored tile that reads “Certified Authentic: Handmade in Charleston”, as Charleston City Market has implemented an award program to recognize vendors who produce locally handcrafted products.

4 Shop on King Street

Shopping on Historic King street (or just strolling and window shopping) needs to be on your list of things to do in Charleston.

King Street is home to a variety of shops and boutiques, from national retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora and Anthropologie to local shops such as Beau & Ro, Croghan’s Jewel Box, The Boutique, Shoes on King, Candlefish, House of Nomad and more.

It also boasts some of Charleston’s trendiest restaurants, best cocktail bars, hotels, art galleries, and lively nightlife.

King Street can be split into three main shopping districts : Upper King, Middle King and Lower King and each has its particular thematic.

Lower King Street (from Broad Street to Market Street) is aptly named the Antique District, as you can find antiques from any period and from all over the world.

Middle King, (from Market Street to Calhoun Street), is the King Street Fashion District, and you will find a mix of national brands, such as H&M, Luleman, J Crew and Anthropologie interspersed with locally-owned boutiques.

Upper King Street, (from Calhoun Street/ Marion Square to Spring Street), is the Design and Dining District, and is also home to many of Charleston’s great restaurants.

5 Visit the Magnolia Plantation

The Magnolia Plantation is a former rice plantation near the Ashley River, which has been owned by the Drayton family since 1676.

It was originally a rice plantation, but when the Civil War effectively ended the plantation economy of the South, Magnolia Plantation had to find a new source of income, and in 1870 the gardens were opened to the public for the first time, making Magnolia Plantation one of the oldest botanical gardens in the country and Charleston’s earliest tourist attraction.

The Magnolia Plantation tells two stories

• first, the history of the Drayton family that owned the property from its inception and
• second the story of the African-American families who were enslaved here before becoming paid staff.

 

I really recommend doing the Main House tour followed by the “Freedom to Slavery” Tour to understand this tale of two sides. The 45-minute guided tour of the Main House explores the history of the Draytons and Magnolia Plantation, and covers most of the beautifully decorated home, whilst also telling the stories of the family who lived here.

The “From Slavery to Freedom” Tour, shows you a reminder of what life was like for the enslaved workers and enables you to see the contrast between the two sides of the plantation. The Magnolia Cabin Project at the plantation preserves five former slave dwellings that date back to 1850, with each of the five cabins representing a specific period in African-American History.

Make sure to wander around and enjoy the nature and gardens at Magnolia, but be warned that you may spot an alligator or two (especially on the nature boat and in the swamp garden), and there is even a warning not to feed them (I can definitely say that in my case a warning was not necessary – I had no intention of feeding them!)

General admission includes access to Magnolia’s historic gardens, the zoo and nature center, the Tropical Conservatory, the horticultural maze, and the hiking and biking trails through the woods, swamp, and around the former rice impoundments. The house tour, nature tram, nature boat and swamp garden incur an additional cost.

Buy tickets here.

 

6 Visit Middleton Place Plantation

Middleton Place is another plantation option for visitors to Charleston, and although it shares common features with Magnolia, it is a different experience, as it offers a sit-down restaurant and even has its own inn if you want to stay the night!

The historic site, located along the Ashley River, encompasses 110 acres including the Gardens, House Museum, Stableyards, and Eliza’s House.

As with the Magnolia Plantation, Middleton Place tells the history of the Middleton family that owned the property from its inception in 1741, and secondly the story of the enslaved Africans and African-Americans who lived and worked there.

The house tour is an optional extra to your entrance ticket, but Eliza’s House, named for its last resident, Eliza Leach, which introduces visitors to the institution of slavery and the lives of the enslaved Africans and African Americans who labored at Middleton Place, is included in your entrance.

Eliza’s House is a reconstruction African-American freedman’s home, which houses a permanent exhibit on slavery entitled “Beyond the Fields”, which documents the story of slavery in South Carolina and at Middleton Place.

The focal point of the exhibit is a panel with the names of over 2800 African and African-American men, women and children enslaved by the Middletons.

General Admission currently includes access to 65 acres of formal landscaped Gardens, a look at 18th and 19th century plantation life with exhibits, displays, artisans and historic animal breeds in the Stableyards and daily outdoor tours. The House Museum Tour is an additional $15.

You can buy tickets here or buy a package with transport from Charleston and lunch here.

Hours Open Daily, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Christmas Eve 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Christmas Day Closed
Price: Adults 14 and up $29 ($32 in person), Student with student ID $15, Child, ages 6-13 $10

7 Relax on the Beach

Downtown Charleston is just a short drive from the area’s three popular beaches: Folly Beach, Isle of Palms Beach, and Sullivan’s Island Beach, with each having its own distinct feel.

Folly Beach attracts more young visitors in pursuit of the best surf, whereas Sullivan’s Island is quieter and more residential and the place where you are most likely to find locals. Isle of Palms is somewhere in between with plenty of activities for all the family.

Known to locals as the “Edge of America”, Folly Beach is everything a lively beach town should be: Surf shops, lively bars and restaurants, where dress code is beach casual, are abundant, and it’s a great place to take advantage of the area’s natural beauty, practice watersports and catch some of the area’s best waves.

Fairly small, at a little over three square miles in area, Sullivan’s Island boasts a 3 mile sandy beach, great restaurants and unique shops, plus a colorful history, as it is also home to Fort Moultrie. So you can combine a day on the beach with visiting the fort where the American Civil War began.

Known for its quiet atmosphere, pristine beaches and clean water, its marina, natural wildlife as well as upscale resorts, spas, championship golf and great restaurants, the neighboring Isle of Palms is a great place to spend a day on the beach.

8 Take a ferry out to Fort Sumter

See where the first shots of the Civil War rang out over 150 years ago with a ferry ride, narrated by a National Park Ranger, along the Charleston Harbor to Fort Sumter.

The 30 minute boat trip will take you past the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, the Battery and White Point Garden, and you will probably be accompanied by one or more dolphins on your trip as they love to play in the wake of the boat.

When you arrive at Fort Sumter, you will have approximately one hour to visit the grounds where America’s Civil War began, and you can choose to learn more about the role of this fort in US history with a short presentation by a National Park Ranger, before exploring the fort ruins and browsing the Museum and Souvenir Shop at your own pace.

Boats depart at scheduled times from two sites in Charleston. The primary departure point is the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center in Liberty Square at 340 Concord Street, but boats also depart from Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant.

Hours Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center
Monday to Friday : daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Price: Free to enter the visitor center, fee for the concession-operated ferry,
Restrooms and water bottle filling stations available Book tickets here.

9 Drive or Walk around Magnolia Cemetery

The 128 acre Magnolia Cemetery was founded in 1849 and first dedicated in 1850 on the land of a former rice plantation as part of a new rural cemetery movement that crossed from Europe to America in the mid-19th century.

It is home to 35,000 permanent residents, including authors, poets, artists, Confederate and Union soldiers, prominent politicians, bootleggers, prostitutes, and socialites.

Some of its well-known residents include governors Thomas Bennett, Langdon Cheves, Horace L. Hunley and Robert Barnwell Rhett, as well as hundreds of Confederate soldiers. The Confederate Soldiers buried here include five generals – Micah Jenkins, Arthur Manigault, Roswell Ripley, James Conner and C.H. Stevens.

Today, Magnolia Cemetery continues as one of the best and most beautiful examples of rural and Victorian cemetery design and its beautifully landscaped paths, ponds and green spaces make it a must-visit spot in Charleston.

You can simply drive through Magnolia Cemetery or you can pick up a walking map at the front office and wander through the cemetery for free, or book a walking tour here

Hours: Open daily 8 am – 5 pm (Open until 6 pm during DST)
Address: 70 Cunnington Ave, Charleston SC 29405

 

10 Take a riverboat cruise or a trip in a horse-drawn carriage.

A river cruise is a great way to get a feel for Charleston and an excellent introduction to the city. You can watch the sun set over historic Charleston on a one and a half hour sunset cruise, or opt for a daytime trip.

Buy tickets here Price: Tickets start from €36,82

A ride in one of the many ornate horse-drawn carriages is also one of the iconic things to do in Charleston, and you can discover Charleston’s historic district on a horse or mule-drawn carriage tour, that takes in some of the historic downtown district’s most elegant mansions and gardens, learning about the architecture of each place as you drive along. You can pre-book here.

Have a look below for some more activities in Charleston.

 

 

I hope you enjoyed this feature about Our Ten Best Things to do in Charleston and you can have a look at our Stay in Historic Charleston at the Francis Marion Hotel here and our top five rooftop bars in Charleston here.

You can also read or download our ultimate travel guide to what to see and what to do in Charleston for free below, and order it in print if you wish to.