37 Best Things to Do in Charleston, SC

Want to plan the perfect getaway to Charleston, South Carolina? Check out these top things to do in Charleston!

Charleston is known for its charming cobblestone streets, colorful pastel houses, and mouthwatering Southern cuisine. There’s so much to do in this historic city, from Civil War sites to sprawling plantations to haunted jails.

I’ve visited Charleston for my bachelorette party and for a week-long getaway with Kevin, so I’ve seen a lot of the city! Here are my favorite things to do in Charleston, SC.

A special thanks to Explore Charleston for providing us with a complimentary VIP pass for many of the attractions we visited! As always, all opinions are my own.

Fun Things to Do in Charleston

1. Middleton Place

Middleton Place, a rice plantation founded in the 1730s by the prominent Middleton family, is located on the Ashley River and is home to the restored main house that you can tour today.

The gardens at Middleton Place, which were designed to outshine neighboring gardens, are America’s Oldest Landscaped Gardens and feature a variety of camellia, azalea, cypress, and oak.

The plantation also has a stable yard with historic livestock and offers programming on the history of enslavement at Middleton Place, including a slave cemetery, a demonstration rice field, and a 2-family home that shows the domestic conditions of the enslaved African American community after the Civil War.

2. Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, established in 1679, is one of the oldest plantations in the South.

Initially a rice plantation, it gained popularity for its stunning gardens created by Reverend John Grimké Drayton in the 1840s. The gardens, famous for their azaleas and live oak trees, were opened to the public after the Civil War.

Though the original plantation house was destroyed during the war, a restored version stands today, offering tours and showcasing the Drayton family’s history and possessions.

In addition to its beautiful gardens, the plantation also features restored slave cabins, where freed African Americans lived and worked after Emancipation. You can explore these cabins and learn about different time periods from the 1850s to the 20th century. The plantation also has a Wildlife Center, Nature Train tour, and extensive walking and biking trails.

You can get discounted tickets to the Magnolia Plantation and Gardens using the Charleston TourPass.

3. Pineapple Fountain in Charleston Waterfront Park

The Pineapple Fountain at Charleston Waterfront Park serves as a symbol of hospitality and is one of the city’s most well-known landmarks.

Located along the Cooper River, the park offers a lush green space with a variety of trees, a waterfront walkway, and numerous seating areas for you to relax and take in the scenic views.

As one of the city’s most iconic sights, this is the perfect place to snap an Insta-worthy photo!

4. Fort Sumter National Monument

Fort Sumter National Monument is considered the site of the first shots of the Civil War. The ruins of the fort are located on an island in the Charleston Harbor.

It’s a 30 minute ferry ride out to the island, and then you’re free to explore Fort Sumter on your own for an hour.

There are informational plaques posted throughout the fort, and Rangers are there to answer any questions. Rangers will give you an overview of the fort on the ferry ride over.

Get your Fort Sumter National Monument ticket here. Or get discounted tickets to the Fort Sumter using the Charleston TourPass.

5. Charleston City Market

The Charleston City Market has a rich history, dating back to 1788, and spans four blocks in downtown. Originally a market for fresh produce, it now features local vendors selling a variety of unique crafts, gifts, and goods.

You can explore the open-air sheds and the air-conditioned Great Hall marketplace, as well as visit the Museum at Market Hall (discounted tickets available with the Charleston TourPass) and attend the occasional Night Market. The market is open daily and is a popular Charleston spot.

6. Nathaniel Russell House

The Nathaniel Russell House was built in 1808 and was regarded as one of Charleston’s finest homes. The Russell family spared no expense constructing the house’s geometrically shaped rooms, elaborate plasterwork ornamentation, formal gardens, and three-story cantilevered flying staircase.

A 45-minute tour of the house gives you insight into the lives of the Russells and the 18 enslaved people who worked in the home, as well as the architecture and the preservation and conservation of the home.

You can get discounted tickets to the Nathaniel Russell House using the Charleston TourPass.

7. Aiken-Rhett House Museum

The Aiken-Rhett House Museum is one of the best-preserved townhomes in Charleston. The museum explores life in antebellum Charleston through the wealthy Governor and Mrs. Aiken and the enslaved people who maintained the property.

The home has been preserved-as-found, so none of the home has been altered since the mid-1800s. The preserved state of the house allows you to gain a better understanding of every-day life at the Aiken-Rhett House.

You’ll take a self-guided audio tour of the home to learn all about its history.

You can get discounted tickets to the Aiken-Rhett House Museum using the Charleston TourPass.

8. Drayton Hall

Drayton Hall, located on the Ashley River, is the only plantation house in South Carolina that survived both the American Revolution and the Civil War.

Originally purchased by John Drayton Sr. in 1738, the home was built in the Palladian style and was primarily used for indigo and rice farming. Today, the home is preserved rather than restored, allowing you to see materials and designs from various periods throughout its history.

The guided tour includes the cellar level, where enslaved people lived and worked, as well as the first and second floors showcasing the home’s preservation and architecture.

Sadly, most of the plantation’s outbuildings, including 13 slave cabins, have been destroyed. However, you can still see the privy and a 19th century caretaker’s house that features exhibits on the site’s African American community and the phosphate mining industry.

You can get discounted tickets to Drayton Hall using the Charleston TourPass.

9. Rainbow Row

Charleston’s iconic Rainbow Row features a row of brightly-colored homes near the waterfront that has become one of the city’s most photographed spots.

Dating back to the 1740s, the area was once considered a slum, but was brought back to life in 1931 when Dorothy Porcher Legge and her husband painted their homes pastel pink. This sparked a trend, leading to the colorful row of homes that we see today.

As one of Charleston’s best free sights, Rainbow Row is a must-visit and is the perfect spot for an Instagram-worthy photo.

10. South Carolina Aquarium

The South Carolina Aquarium sits on the Charleston Harbor and is home to more than 5,000 animals. It’s known for its Great Ocean Tank, the deepest tank in North America holding more then 385,000 gallons of water and more than 500 animals.

You’ll see animals like river otters, owls, loggerhead sea turtles, jellyfish, green moray eels, horseshoe crabs, and sharks.

The aquarium has exhibits on native South Carolina wildlife and aquatic animals, from the mountains to the oceans. They even have a Sea Turtle Recovery hospital that rehabilitates sick and injured sea turtles and releases them back into the wild.

11. The Charleston Museum

The Charleston Museum, founded in 1773, is the oldest museum in the US and was inspired by the British Museum in London.

It features permanent exhibits on the history and natural history of Charleston and the Lowcountry, as well as a collection of artifacts from the museum’s early days. The museum’s collection also includes historic weapons, textiles, silverworks, and a hands-on exhibit for children.

You can get discounted tickets to the Charleston Museum using the Charleston TourPass.

12. Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon

The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon has a rich history as a multipurpose building, serving as a commercial exchange, custom house, post office, city hall, and military headquarters.

Now a museum highlighting the American Revolution and colonial Charleston, you can take a self-guided tour of the top two floors to see where the Constitution was ratified and George Washington was entertained, and learn about the city’s slave trade.

On the bottom floor is a guided tour of the Provost Dungeon, used by the British to hold prisoners of war during the Revolution.

You can get discounted tickets to the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon using the Charleston TourPass.

13. Old Slave Mart Museum

The Old Slave Mart Museum was the last slave auction facility in South Carolina, operating from 1856 to 1865.

The museum, established in 1938, explores the history of the slave trade in Charleston and America. It was the first African-American slave museum. Inside, you’ll find informational posters and personal accounts from former enslaved individuals, providing a comprehensive look into the city’s role in the slave trade.

You can get discounted tickets to the Old Slave Mart Museum using the Charleston TourPass.

14. Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site

Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site is the original site of Charleston’s first permanent English settlement.

The park features a visitor center with a museum showcasing the site’s history, as well as various attractions such as a Native American ceremonial site, an African American cemetery, a reconstructed palisades wall, a wildlife center with bears, bison, and otters, and the Adventure, a replica of a 17th-century cargo vessel.

You can get discounted tickets to Charles Town Landing State Historic Site using the Charleston TourPass.

15. Heyward-Washington House

The Heyward-Washington House is a historic Georgia-style townhome built in 1772 for Thomas Heyward, Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Its other claim to fame is that George Washington stayed here during his 1791 week-long visit to Charleston. Other notable residents include prominent abolitionist and suffragette, the Grimke family.

The house now serves as a museum, showcasing historic furniture and a glimpse into life in the late 18th century. The self-guided audio tour takes you through the outbuildings and gardens, offering a unique perspective on this notable residence. The museum features an impressive collection of Charleston-made furniture from the late 18th century.

You can get discounted tickets to the Heyward-Washington House using the Charleston TourPass.

16. Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens

Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens is one of the best plantations in the Charleston area. It’s known for its famed Avenue of the Oaks, it’s 1936 Georgian mansion, and its live Gullah culture presentation.

They also have a formal garden you can tour yourself, history talks about the families who lived here, a historical dwelling history talk about enslaved life at Boone Hall, a self-guided tour of the slave cabins, a plantation tractor tour, a stable tour of the plantation’s equine history, a self-guided nature walk, and a tropic conservatory.

All of this is included in your general admission ticket.

Get your Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens ticket here. Or get discounted tickets to Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens using the Charleston TourPass.

17. Carriage Tour

A carriage tour is a classic Charleston activity and one of the best ways to tour Charleston. See the city from a quaint horse-drawn carriage as you cover a scenic route through the historic district.

You’ll learn a ton about Charleston’s history, see grand antebellum homes, hear about Charleston in the Civil War, and soak up the old fashioned charm of Charleston.

Here are a few carriage tour options:

• Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour — a top-rated tour
• Daytime Horse-Drawn Carriage Sightseeing Tour of Historic Charleston — this is the one I did!
• Haunted Evening Horse and Carriage Tour of Charleston — the perfect night-time option

18. USS Yorktown at Patriots Point

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum is a museum on Charleston Harbor that houses the USS Yorktown, the USS Laffey, a Vietnam Experience Exhibit, and the Medal of Honor Museum.

On your self-guided tour, you get to explore all the nooks and crannies of the USS Yorktown WWII aircraft carrier and the USS Laffey WWII-era US Destroyer. The Vietnam Experience Exhibit brings the history of the Vietnam War to life in an immersive experience with holograms and 3D productions. And the Medal of Honor Museum on the USS Yorktown tells the stories of the Americans who have been awarded the Medal of Honor.

If that’s not enough, you can also take an exclusive night-time ghost tour of the USS Yorktown where you’ll hear about maritime superstitions and mysterious sailor disappearances.

You can get discounted tickets to the Haunted USS Yorktown Tour using the Charleston TourPass.

19. Folly Beach County Park

If you’re wanting a beach day when you visit Charleston, head out to Folly Beach with its six miles of beaches!

I recommend heading to Folly Beach County Park on the west end of the island. This park has lots of parking, a boardwalk, restrooms, a picnic area, a snack bar, and beach chair and umbrella rentals.

The water on the Atlantic Coast is nice and warm and full of waves, which is great for body surfing. The beach here also has crops of rocks that create little lagoons at low tide, so you can have a little water to splash in if you don’t want to go out into the waves.

20. Old City Jail Ghost Tour

The Old City Jail is one of Charleston’s most haunted buildings. And they open it up for ghost tours! You don’t want to miss out because this is one of the best Charleston ghost tours.

The Old City Jail housed Charleston’s most disturbed criminals, pirates, enslaved people, and Civil War prisoners. Thousands of people, both guilty and innocent, died inside the jail, so it’s no wonder there’s a lot of paranormal activity.

A ghost tour of the Old City Jail lets you see into the cells, hallways, torture chambers, and dark rooms of the bottom floor of the prison. This was one of my favorite nighttime activities in Charleston.

Book your Haunted Old City Jail Night-Time Tour here.

21. The Rooftop at the Vendue

The Rooftop at the Vendue is one of Charleston’s best rooftop bars atop The Vendue, Charleston’s Art Hotel.

They have views for miles over the tops of Downtown Charleston. There are a few different levels, areas, and nooks where you can sip your drink. The decor is just as funky as the hotel downstairs. And it’s a great place to catch the sunset!

22. Joseph Manigault House

The Joseph Manigault House is an antebellum home that was built in 1803 in the Adam style and has been meticulously restored.

The guided tour of this home focuses on the Manigaults’ life in the home as wealthy rice planters and the unique architecture and design of the house.

You can get discounted tickets to the Joseph Manigault House using the Charleston TourPass.

23. Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co.

Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co. began in 2008 as the Charleston Beer Exchange. They were a pioneer of craft beer sellers in the state.

They opened The Restaurant at Edmund’s Oast to explore a passion for food and beer, and they opened Edmund’s Oast Brewing Company in 2017 to focus on their house-made brews.

Whether you choose to visit Edmund’s Oast Restaurant for the original fine casual restaurant and brewpub or Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co. & Taproom for their production brewery, taproom, and casual restaurant, you’ll find great food and great brews.

24. Fort Moultrie National Historical Park

Fort Moultrie National Historical Park, named after General William Moultrie, was a fort built during the American Revolution to protect Charleston using soft palmetto logs, which inspired the South Carolina state flag and nickname “The Palmetto State”.

The fort has been restored to showcase its history from 1809 to 1947, and visitors can explore on their own or attend Ranger-led talks. The visitor center has a video on the fort’s history, a small museum, and even a hidden observation deck where you can see the fort from above.

25. Gibbes Museum of Art

The Gibbes Museum of Art is a small museum established in 1858, with a focus on American art and a special emphasis on artists connected to Charleston or the South.

Their permanent collection includes a variety of mediums from the colonial era to present day, such as paintings, sculpture, and decorative art. They also have a significant collection of over 600 miniature portraits from the 18th to 20th century, highlighting the history of miniatures in Charleston.

The museum presents six to eight special exhibitions each year, showcasing specific artists, new art forms, and addressing community issues.

You can get discounted tickets to the Gibbs Museum of Art using the Charleston TourPass.

26. Carmella’s Cafe and Dessert Bar

Carmella’s Cafe and Dessert Bar is perfect for a mid-day snack or an after-dinner dessert.

This cafe has delicious desserts, gelato, sorbet, organic coffees, sandwiches, pizza, wine, beer, cocktails, and even boozy milkshakes.

27. Pirates, Patriots & Prohibition Tour

Looking for a nighttime tour that isn’t scary? This private evening Pirates, Patriots & Prohibition Tour offers a unique and non-ghost tour experience to discover the city’s darker history.

The tour covers popular landmarks such as Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon, Circular Congregational Church, and the Powder Magazine, while sharing intriguing stories of pirates and patriots.

This tour is a great option to beat the city’s heat in the evening and explore a different side of Charleston’s past.

Get your Pirates, Patriots & Prohibition Tour ticket here.

28. Cocktail Class at Élevé Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge

Élevé Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge, located at the Grand Bohemian Hotel Charleston, offers a unique cocktail class experience on the weekends that’s perfect for a bachelorette party or even a romantic date night.

The class includes a welcome toast, a demonstration and tasting of 4 classic cocktails (Old Fashioned, Gin Fizz, Daiquiri, and Margarita), and a lesson in bartending and cocktail history.

You then get to make one of the classic cocktails yourself. This was definitely a highlight of our trip to Charleston!

29. Angel Oak Tree

The Angel Oak Tree, located on Johns Island, is estimated to be 400-500 years old and is considered the largest Live Oak east of the Mississippi, measuring 66.5 feet tall and 28 feet wide.

This magnificent tree sits in a park owned by the City of Charleston, where you are allowed to walk between its sprawling branches and touch the tree gently. The park is free to visit.

However, due to vandalism, regulations have been put in place to protect it. The park is surrounded by a fence and is closed at night. You are not allowed to picnic beneath the tree or climb on the tree, but there are tables available in the park if you’d like to picnic near the oak.

30. Hunley Submarine

The H.L. Hunley was a Confederate submarine that successfully sank a Union warship, but tragically lost its inventor and crew in the process. It was the first combat submarine to sink a warship.

After being lost for over a hundred years, the submarine was finally located on the floor of the Charleston Harbor. It’s currently undergoing restoration at the Friends of the Hunley museum where you can see the restoration in process, as well as recovered artifacts, facial reconstructions of the crew, and a model of the submarine that you can climb into yourself.

You can get discounted tickets to the Hunley Submarine using the Charleston TourPass.

31. Powder Magazine

The Powder Magazine is a small museum inside an old American Revolution gunpowder magazine that was built in 1731. It’s the oldest surviving public building in the state.

The museum has operated since the early 1900s and it explores Charleston’s colonial period.

You can get discounted tickets to the Powder Magazine using the Charleston TourPass.

32. Slave Auction Site Memorial

Under the big tree next to the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon is the Slave Auction Site Memorial.

Charleston was one of the largest slave trading cities in the US, and this area around the Old Exchange Building was one of the most common sites for slave auctions in downtown.

This memorial was erected in 2016 as a somber reminder of Charleston’s dark history of slavery.

33. Marion Square

Marion Square is a 6.5 acre park that was previously known as Citadel Green due to the presence of the Old Citadel on its north side.

The park includes a seasonal farmer’s market where local food and handcrafted items are sold, as well as the Charleston Holocaust Memorial. Its central location and community events make it a popular gathering place.

34. Shopping on King Street

King Street is Charleston’s premier shopping street. You’ll find everything from big luxury brands to small local boutiques on this street.

You could easily spend all day looking into the shops on King Street!

35. Charleston Visitor Center

The Charleston Visitor Center is not only a great place to start if this is your first trip to Charleston, but it’s also full of history!

The visitor center is located in the old Deans Warehouse for the railroad, and it was built between 1840 to 1856. There are informational displays and videos about Charleston, plus you can get free maps of the city and learn about their free bus system that has a stop right outside.

36. Book a Charleston photoshoot with Flytographer

Explore Charleston with a fun and talented photographer, learn local tips, and capture priceless memories with photogenic backdrops. It’s a win all around!

With Flytographer, you can hire an amazing local photographer for a fun vacation photoshoot. Get wall-worthy photos that allow you to relive your trip as the perfect souvenir.

You can use my link here for $25 off your first Flytographer photoshoot.

Book your Charleston Flytographer photoshoot here.

37. Use the Tinggly Bucketlist box to find top experiences in Charleston

Treat yourself to an unforgettable adventure in Charleston with the Tinggly Bucketlist box.

Tinggly boxes are essentially gift vouchers for experiences all around the world. But you can give yourself the gift of adventure, too. Especially because Tinggly has some Charleston experiences you can’t find anywhere else!

With the Bucketlist box, you can treat yourself to unique Charleston experiences like a speed boat adventure tour or a speakeasy cocktail class.

Get yourself the Bucketlist box here, or check out other Charleston experiences from Tinggly here.

Best Things to Do in Charleston Map

Ready to explore all these top things to do in Charleston? Use the map below to plan out your trip!

I hope you have a great time discovering all that Charleston has to offer!

More Charleston Tips

Check out the posts below to continue planning your Charleston vacation:

• 13 Best Charleston Ghost Tours For a Scary-Good Time
• 14 Romantic Things to Do in Charleston for Couples
• 50+ Fun Things to Do in Charleston at Night
• 10 Amazing Hotels in Charleston, SC
• 10 Best Tours in Charleston, SC
• 16 Best Restaurants in Charleston, SC
• 11 Best Bars in Charleston, SC
• Your Perfect Charleston Bachelorette Party Itinerary
• 9 Free Things to Do in Charleston, SC
• 7 Days in Charleston: Perfect 1 Week Charleston Itinerary
• 14 Tips for Your First Trip to Charleston, SC
• 14 Best Summer Vacation Spots in the South
• The Best Winter Vacations in the South

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Ready to visit Charleston, South Carolina? Plan your trip with these tips.

• Book your flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
• Find accommodation: You can find top hotels in Charleston using Booking.com or vacation rentals near Charleston using VRBO.
• Get packing: Make sure you’ve packed everything you need with my packing list resources.

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Cheers!

Paige

What are your favorite things to do in Charleston, South Carolina? Let me know in the comments!