12 Of The Best Things To Do in Charleston SC

Charleston South Carolina has an abundance of things to see and do. Founded in 1670, Charleston was once known as Charles Towne and located in an area now known as Charles Towne Landing. The city has a long and complicated history but one that it seems to have embraced and is now eager to tell. Whether its museums you’re after or being outside in nature, there really is something for everyone in Charleston.

My stay in Charleston was, unfortunately, only 3 days long but in that time I clocked up more than 10,000 steps a day and experienced so much of what the city has to offer.

In this post I’ll share 12 of the best things to do in Charleston. I’ll give you some further options to add to your itinerary and offer some general travel tips to help you get the most out of your visit to this southern belle!

Where to Stay in Charleston

As with most US cities, Charleston has a variety of accommodation options available to visitors. I stayed at the Andrew Pinckney Inn located in the historic district close to all the main sites. Room, breakfast and staff were all lovely! I can highly recommend it.

You can review all available accommodation options and book here:

Staying Online in Charleston

If you like to stay online when travelling, either to keep in touch with family and friends, update social media, make bookings or use google maps, but you don’t want to incur roaming charges from your home provider, then consider an eSim from Airalo.

Easy to install, an eSim avoids the need to buy a local Sim card (and risk losing your home Sim when taking it out!) and allows you to continue using your own phone number for calls and texts.

I have used data packages purchased from Airalo on several occasions now, including in the United States, and can highly recommend them. When time is of the essence as it can be when travelling, accessing online resources can be a real time saver. For solo travellers, it can also be a comfort to know you have online access all the time.

12 Activities To Include In Your Charleston Itinerary

There is a wide variety of things to do in Charleston, so regardless of your interests, I’m sure you’ll find something to do! That said, if your time in the city is short, you will need to be selective when it comes to activities. I know from personal experience that, with the best will in the world, you can’t do it all!

Here then is my list of 12 of the best things to do in Charleston:

1. Take a History Walking Tour

I know I must sound like a broken record, but I’m a huge fan of walking tours. Not only do they help you get your bearings in a new city, but they also provide key historical information and a bit of myth and legend too! Most guides are also happy to offer recommendations for where to visit and dine.

In Charleston I joined several walking tours run by Bulldog Tours and can highly recommend them.

2. Stroll Along Rainbow Row

One of the must see stops on any trip to Charleston is Rainbow Row, a row of 13 pastel coloured houses close to Waterfront Park.

During the 18th century the buildings housed shops and businesses on the lower levels and living quarters above. After the Civil War, they fell into disrepair and it wasn’t until the 1920s and 1930s the houses began to be renovated.

Today they are a popular spot for locals and tourists alike, not least because admiring Rainbow Row is one of the free things to do in Charleston! Look out for the joggling board outside number 107 – don’t know what that is? Check out my post 10 Hidden Gems and Unusual Things in Charleston.  

3. Visit Boone Hall Plantation

Boone Hall was founded in 1681 and is still a working farm some 300+ years later. With its famous alley of oak trees, big house and well preserved slave cabins, it’s no wonder it’s one of the most popular historical sites in the Charleston area.

It’s my view that visiting Boone Hall is one of the best things to do in Charleston. Read my post 6 Excellent Reasons Why You Should Visit Boone Hall Plantation for more advice and tips about this very important site.

4. Explore the Churches

Charleston is known as the Holy City due to its religious tolerance and high number of churches. The skyline is dotted with over 400 steeples!

Now, I’m not suggesting you visit all of them, although that would be a great way to see Charleston! It’s definitely worth stopping by a few though and these are the four I suggest (all are designated National Historic Landmarks):

A) The French Protestant Church (also known as the French Huguenot Church)

Dating from 1844 the French Protestant Church is the most gorgeous pink colour. It’s also the oldest Gothic Revival church in South Carolina. The current building did sustain some damage in the Civil War and also during the earthquake of 1886. 

B) Circular Congregational Church

This church dates from 1892, although the congregation was established in 1681. The nearby Parish House dates from 1870. Its graveyard is one of the oldest in Charleston and definitely worth a visit. The earliest unmarked grave dates from 1695 whilst the earliest inscribed gravestone is dated 1729. The gravestone art is also really interesting – see later photo.

C) St. Michael’s Anglican Church

It dates from 1761 and is the oldest church in Charleston. Famous attendees include President George Washington who worshipped there in 1791 (pew number 43) and Robert E Lee in 1861.

D) St. Philip’s Church

It dates from 1838, although the steeple was added a decade later. It houses the oldest congregation in South Carolina. Several colonial governors, five Bishops and a former US Vice President are amongst those buried in the graveyard.

5. Join a Ghost Tour

When a city is as old as Charleston there’s bound to be plenty of graveyards and cemeteries (yes, they’re different) and ghost stories to go with them! 

Feeling brave I joined a walking tour one evening and although I didn’t experience anything paranormal, Charleston certainly felt and looked different in the evening. 

My walk was led by Bulldog Tours and it was very good. There are other tour operators available of course – you can review options and book here:

Regardless of who you choose, I really believe that a walking tour is one of the best things to do in Charleston. You will learn so much.

6. Visit Fort Sumter

On 12 April 1861 the first shots in the American Civil War were fired by Confederate troops from Fort Johnson on the Union forces located at Fort Sumter. The Union forces surrender the next day – the battle over, the war just beginning. 

Fort Sumter is located in the middle of Charleston Harbor. Its significance in American history however makes it a must visit place when you’re in Charleston. Read my post How to Visit Fort Sumter for advice and tips on making a visit.

7. Explore Charleston’s Waterfront Park

Created in 1990 and running alongside the Cooper River, Waterfront Park (sometimes referred to as Joe Riley Waterfront Park after the former Mayor) is only a few blocks from central Charleston. Wide open spaces, a boardwalk with swings and view of the harbor, shaded park benches and the famous Pineapple Fountain make the Park popular with tourists and locals alike.

My tip – visit early morning when there are no crowds.

Read my post 10 Hidden Gems and Unusual Things in Charleston for more information about the significance of pineapples to Charleston!

8. Stop By the Dock Street Theatre

Charleston’s Dock Street Theatre began life as the Planters Hotel but was converted into a theatre in 1935. Before that, the site upon which it sits was home to the first building in the 13 American Colonies built specifically for use as as a theatre. It opened in 1736 and was believed to have been destroyed in a large fire that engulfed much of the French Quarter of Charleston in 1740. The current building was built in 1809.

Included amongst those who worked and patronised the Planters Hotel were well known actor Julius Booth, father of actors Edwin and John Wilkes Booth (the latter gaining notoriety in another theatre!) and Robert Smalls who worked as a waiter but who is well known for having escaped from slavery by commandeering a Confederate ship in Charleston harbor and sailing it into Union hands.

The Dock Street Theatre still holds performances – check the official Charleston Stage website for current shows and tickets. The theatre is also open to the public who can pop in and have a look around for free (although a donation is always welcome). It’s definitely worth a visit.

9. Explore Charleston City Market

The Charleston City Market runs for 4 blocks, at the start of which is Market Hall built in 1841. The market itself dates from the late 18th century.

Open every day except Christmas Day, the market is a great place to wander and to shop, especially if you are looking to buy a sweetgrass basket. There’s plenty to see, buy and eat!

Contrary to what you may hear or read, the market was not a place where slaves were bought and sold.

10. Visit Museums

Charleston is blessed with many excellent museums and visiting them is one of the best things to do. Whether its naval and maritime history, art, the Civil War or slavery that interest you, making the decision on what to visit however can be a challenge!

Here are 4 that I visited and enjoyed:

A) Old Slave Mart Museum

When the United States banned the international slave trade, a domestic market grew with Charleston at its centre. The Old Slave Mart Museum details Charleston’s role in the buying and selling of enslaved people. It’s also the place where slave auctions were once held.

Tickets cost $8 for adults (concessions available) and the museum is open Monday – Saturday, 9am to 5pm. I would recommend allowing at least 1 hour for your visit. Check the official Old Slave Mart Museum website for up to date visitor information.

B) The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon

Not as scary as it sounds! Built in 1771, the Old Exchange has been used over the past 250+ years for a variety of purposes including as a commercial exchange, custom house, post office, the site of slave auctions and, during the American Revolution, the bottom floor was converted by the British into a prison.

Today it houses an interesting museum focusing on the American Revolution and colonial Charleston. Tickets cost $16 for adults and the museum is open Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm and on Sundays 11am to 5pm. Tours of the upper floors are self guided and there is a 25 minute guided tour of the basement. I would allow an hour for your visit. Check the official Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon website for up to date visitor information.

C) The International African American Museum

The International African American Museum opened in June 2023 and, in my view, it’s one of the best attractions in Charleston SC.

Its location at Gadsdens Wharf is no mistake – between the years 1783 and 1807, Gadsdens Wharf received the largest number of enslaved Africans into North America.

The museum, through various permanent exhibitions, tells the story of the lives of enslaved Africans through their history, culture, transport to America, stories and the struggle for Civil Rights together with their long lasting legacy and contribution to the United States. The museum also contains a family research centre which is really interesting.

The garden outside and upon which the museum building is built is free to enter – make sure you spend time there. The Tide Tribute is particularly poignant, representing the Brookes slave ship diagram which illustrates the inhumane transportation conditions enslaved people were subjected to – shackled together in the belly of the slave ships.

Tickets cost $22.50 (concessions available) and are currently being sold by way of timed entry so the advice is to buy online in advance. I would allow 2-3 hours for your visit. Check the official International African American Museum website for up to date visitor information.

D) Aiken-Rhett House Museum

I find house museums really interesting and this one did not disappoint.

Built in 1820, the house was bought by the Aiken family in 1833 in whose ownership it remained until 1975. Visitors will get to see inside the house as well as the original slave quarters, carriage house and kitchen areas.

The museum takes a ‘preserve as found’ approach meaning that, save for a room containing various art works, nothing has been renovated.

I think the approach to preservation has meant that visitors get a glimpse as to what life was like both for the enslaved people living in the house and their enslavers and in that way, makes this museum a definite must visit.

Tickets cost $16 for adults. The museum is open 7 days a week, 1-5pm on Mondays and 10am to 5pm Tuesday to Sunday. Tours are self guided and you are advised to download the relevant app ahead of visiting. Don’t forget to ensure your phone is charged and that you have your earphones with you!

Check the official Aiken-Rhett House Museum website for up to date visitor information, including details as to the app. Note that the app also offers a free walking guide to over 300 Charleston points of interest.

11. Seek Out Unusual Sights!

Fancy looking for something a little unusual? A bit quirky? Then read my blog post 10 Hidden Gems and Unusual Things for a list of things that I discovered during my visit to Charleston.

12. Enjoy Local Restaurants & Cafes

Visitors to Charleston are spoilt for choice when it comes to places to eat. Whether it’s a lovely multi-course meal at a well known restaurant, a more casual dining experience or simply a nice coffee at a relaxed café, you’re bound to find something.

For a great southern meal, head to Poogan’s Porch. I recommend having the Fried Green Tomatoes and Shrimp & Grits for dinner!

And for coffee lovers, head to Bitty & Beaus. This café chain is staffed by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who serve great coffee! It’s a wonderful place to get your caffeine fix.

If Only I Had More Time In Charleston!

How many times have I said this?! When you’re limited on time you have to make choices and so there are some things you just won’t get to. For me these included some of the following – you may want to consider adding them to your Charleston itinerary:

• Angel Oak on Johns Island – a huge live oak said to be between 300 and 400 years old
• Sullivan’s Island – a beachfront town
• South Carolina Aquarium – home to thousands of animals and a great location from which to view the Arthur Ravenel Bridge 
• Charleston Museum – America’s first museum, founded in 1773
• Magnolia Plantation & Gardens – beautiful gardens and open spaces, albeit with a history of slavery
• Folly Beach – a chance to kick back and relax after all your sightseeing
• Middleton Place – another plantation with a history of slavery
• White Point Garden – an almost 6 acre park at the tip of Charleston peninsula
• McLeod Plantation – another prominent plantation with a history of slavery
• Cypress Gardens – gardens and swamp boat adventures await!
• Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum – located in Mount Pleasant
• Heyward-Washington House Museum – President George Washington stayed here when in Charleston in 1791
• Edmonston-Alston House – another house museum
• The Nathaniel Russell House Museum – a renovated house museum containing an impressive cantilever staircase
• Horse drawn carriage trip – travel around the historic district and maybe even take a ghost tour in one!
• Charleston Tea Garden – America’s largest tea grower
• Shopping on King Street!

There really is an incredible array of activities to enjoy in Charleston and the surrounding area. Many of these are very popular with visitors and locals alike so I suggest you check all available options and book in advance:

Final Thoughts

Charleston is one of the most popular US destinations and it’s easy to see why. Its history, food, architecture and friendly locals are guaranteed to ensure you have a wonderful time.

I thoroughly enjoyed my, albeit too short, time in Charleston. I hope my list of 12 of the best things to do there helps you create your own perfect itinerary and that some of my suggested further activities will fit nicely into your plans.

If you need any general assistance in planning your trip to Charleston, do check my Resources page.

Disclaimer – Information correct at the time of writing but do check before visiting.