Things To Do In Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston South Carolina was founded in 1670 and was initially known as Charles Town.
TripAdvisor describes it as full of Southern Charm and Hospitality.
They say that tourists experience a sensation of time travel because of the unique Antebellum architecture and Plantation landscapes.
According to TripAdvisor, these are some of the best things to do in Charleston:
- Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge
- Avid Angling Fishing Charters
- Battery & White Point Gardens
- Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist
- Charleston Fish Rod Bending Company – Fishing Charters
- Charleston Footprints Walking Tours
- Charleston History Tours
- Charleston Old Walled City Walking Tours
- Charleston Sail – Harbor Yacht Tours
- Charleston Sailing Adventures
- Charleston Sole Walking Tours
- Charleston Visitor Center
- College of Charleston
- Ed Grimball’s Walking Tour of Historic Charleston
- James Island County Park
- Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park
- Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim
- Knot @ Work Fishing & Site-Seeing Charters
- Magnolia Cemetery
- McLeod Plantation Historic Site
- NATURE & PARKS
- RedFin Charters
- Riley Waterfront Park
- SIGHTS & LANDMARKS
- St. Michael’s Church
- The 34 West Theater Company
- The Black Fedora Comedy Mystery Theatre
- The Citadel
- Tommy Dew’s Walking History Tour
- Two Sisters Historic Walking Tours
- Unitarian Church in Charleston
Fun Getaway Plans
3 Day Tour
One travel guide we saw entitled 3 days in Charleston provides a quick exploration of historical sites, the Waterfront, Indulgence of Southern Gourmet Cuisine, a water cruise for a fun weekend in this southern city.
Some of the stops included visiting:
- Battery & White Point Gardens
- Riley Waterfront Park
- Ted’s Butcherblock
- Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge
- Charleston City Market
- Husk Restaurant
- Charleston Farmers Market
- Folly Beach Public Beach
- Butcher & Bee
- South Carolina Aquarium
- Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry
- Fort Sumter National Monument
- The Charleston Museum
- Nathaniel Russell House
- Charleston Rickshaw Company
- The Rooftop at The Vendue
- Circa 1886 Restaurant
The tour guide also provided some handy bullet points to make your city trip experience even more fulfilling.She recommends staying at a local bed and breakfast to get a sense of Charleston’s infectious hospitality.
You’ll find that many of these bed and breakfast and located in historic homes, which are very Charming.
She also says that if you’re exploring Downtown Charleston, it’s best to do it on foot. Many tourists enjoy wandering around and exploring the mini one-way city streets rather than loading up onto a tour bus.
Another thing you should be aware of, particularly if you’re from a big city like New York City, is that southern charm is a real thing. Whenever people smile at you, you are well-advised to smile back and say hello.
Touring Charleston Museums
The same tour guide also produced a handy resource for exploring Charleston’s museums.
She explains that many out-of-town visitors come to the area expecting natural beauty and high-quality Cuisine, but there is an amazing amount of culture in history you can experience during your trip, as well.
Some of the museums that she profiles include:
- Old Slave Mart Museum
- The Charleston Museum
- Gibbes Museum of Art
- North Charleston and American LaFrance Fire Museum and Educational Center
- Aiken-Rhett House
- Nathaniel Russell House
- Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry
- Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum
- Postal Museum
She provides a variety of useful tips if you are interested in exploring the museums in Charleston.
One thing that is very important- you should make an effort to be polite.
Unlike places like New York City where many of our writers live, Charleston maintains a certain behavioral standard when it comes to manners.
So make sure that you think people and are generally Hawaii to everyone around you- while not the law, it’s still expected.
She also recommends that you consider visiting Charleston in the winter, as opposed to the spring and fall, because you will find the cultural center is much less crowded. In addition, if you’re trying to escape the bitter cold of the east in the winter, Winters in Charleston typically range between 40 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Outdoor Experiences
A different tour guide provided a useful rundown of the outdoor, natural experiences on offer in Charleston.
Among the points of emphasis are:
- Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge
- Charleston City Market
- Battery & White Point Gardens
- Charleston Power Boat Rentals
- Folly Beach Fishing Pier
- Blu Restaurant & Bar
- Kiawah Island
- Night Heron Park
- Splash Zone Waterpark
- Spiritline Dinner Cruises
The trip guide here helps you experience the best Charleston has to offer whether you are on a prolonged Excursion or just taking a quick weekend Adventure.
The tour guide advises planning ahead when it comes to months of travel – if you don’t like the heat be forewarned that Charleston can be an incredibly humid and hot city. Luckily, however, the tour guide says that it is an eminently navigable City- You can use Water Taxis or even the DASH shuttles.
Before you commit to outdoor travel, keep in mind that this is a more strenuous form of Excursion than visiting museums or just gambling through side streets.
The 30 Best Charleston Restaurants
According to Yelp, these are some of the best restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina:
- Magnolias
- 167 Raw
- Husk
- Cru Café
- Poogan’s Porch
- The Darling
- Fleet Landing Restaurant
- FIG
- Chubby Fish
- Butcher & Bee
- Prohibition
- Tattooed Moose
- Swig & Swine
- Craftsmen Kitchen & Tap House
- Mash
- The Mason Jar By Fatboys
- Slightly North of Broad
- Pawpaw
- R Kitchen
- Hominy Grill
- Stella’s
- Edmund’s Oast Restaurant
- Sorghum & Salt
- The Macintosh
- Lewis Barbecue
- Revival
- Coast
- 5Church
- Halls Chophouse
- Charleston Crab House