Best Things to Do in Charleston, SC

Charleston, South Carolina has so much to offer from gorgeous beaches and nature, stunning architecture, and centuries of history to lively nightlife, shopping, and the best food you’ve ever had. A visit here can feel like a city trip, a beach vacation, or a combination of both! You can be sightseeing, boating, and swimming in the ocean by day, and eating amazing food, shopping, and bar hopping by night.

In this post, we’ll cover everything to do while visiting Charleston, South Carolina, including:

• Sightseeing

• Outdoors

• Activity-Based

• Boozy Fun

Charleston is truly my favorite place in the world and has so many fun, unique things to do for every type of traveler, so you’re guaranteed to find something for everyone! Whether you’re on a trip with friends, a romantic getaway, a family vacation, or a solo trip, Charleston has plenty of options for your visit.

It’s almost impossible to fit everything there is to do in Charleston on one list (let alone in one trip), but you’ll find just about everything in this post, so let’s get to it! 

Sightseeing

Landmarks & Historic Homes –

• Visit Rainbow Row and explore the French Quarter

• Check out the Pineapple Fountain in Waterfront Park

• Walk by the beautiful churches, like the French Huguenot Church, St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, and St. Michael’s Church

• Shop at the Charleston City Market for local goodies and souvenirs

• Visit historic homes, like the Aiken-Rhett House or Nathaniel Russel House, or take a tour of the Edmondston-Alston House

• Stroll the streets South of Broad Street to see beautiful candlelit homes on adorable cobblestone streets

• Visit the Angel Oak Tree

• Take a walk through the beautiful College of Charleston

• Visit The Battery to enjoy beautiful oak trees and views of the Charleston Harbor

• Drive, walk, or run over the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge

• Take in the scenic waterfront views from the Pitt Street Bridge

• Take a boat tour to the Morris Island Lighthouse at Folly Beach (and probably see dolphins!)

• Enjoy sunset on Sullivan’s Island with views of the Charleston Light, one of the most modern lighthouses in the country

Military / Historical Sites –

• Enjoy a scenic ferry ride before stepping into history at Fort Sumter National Monument, the site of the first shots of the American Civil War

• Tour Fort Moultrie to learn about Charleston’s history in the American Revolutionary War

• Visit the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, plus the USS Yorktown in the harbor

• Tour The Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon

History Tour – 

• If you’d like to see the town by foot, try a Two Sisters Guided Walking Tours

• If you’d rather relax and be driven around, a Sightseeing Bus Tour is perfect. Personally, I’d avoid the horse-drawn carriages

• If you want to see the city in a unique way, check out Charleston Haunted Jail Tour, Downtown Food Tour, or Nightmares and Night Caps

Outdoors

• Visit one of Charleston’s beautiful beaches: Isle of Palms, Folly Beach, or Sullivans Island

• Head to Shem Creek for kayaking, paddle boarding, boating, or bar hopping. Look out for dolphins!

  • For kayak and paddleboard rentals or guided kayak tours, check out Nature Adventures

  • For a public catamaran sail, Palmetto Breeze is a great option

  • To rent your own boat or take a fishing charter, Shem Creek Boat Rentals has many options

• Shark tooth hunting with Palmetto Fossil Excursions

• Enjoy the harbor and rivers with a boating excursion, such as a sunset cruise, dinner cruise, sailboat, party cruise, floating tiki bar, or dolphin eco-tour

Visit a garden or historic plantation –

• Take a flat-bottom boat tour at Cypress Gardens in the swamp where The Notebook’s geese scene was filmed

• Drive down the Avenue of the Oaks at Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens and see one of The Notebook’s filming locations

• Stroll through the gardens at Middleton Place or Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

• Spend some time outdoors at Hampton Park and enjoy the gorgeous flowers or at Riverfront Park in North Charleston for great river views

Activity-Based

• Visit a museum, like the Charleston Museum (the United States’ oldest museum) or the Gibbes Museum of Art

• Check out the many art galleries downtown

• Laugh at one of Theater 99’s Improv Comedy Shows or The Black Fedora Comedy Mystery Theatre’s interactive performances

• Catch a concert or show at Music Farm, The Refinery, Gaillard Center, Firefly Distillery, Credit One Stadium, or North Charleston Coliseum

• Enjoy a concert in the sand at the Windjammer or at Party at the Point at the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina (Fridays in spring/summer)

• Listen to your favorite songs at John King Grill & Dueling Piano Bar

• Sing your go-to karaoke song at Bangkok Lounge

• Watch a sporting event like the Charleston RiverDogs Baseball, Charleston Battery Soccer, South Carolina Stingrays Hockey, Charleston Open in March/April, or Charleston Classic Basketball Tournament in November

• Make your own perfume at Tijon

• Take a candle-making workshop downtown at Candlefish or in Mount Pleasant at Oyster Candle Co

• Enjoy Afternoon Tea at the Hotel Bennett’s Camellias

• If you’re a fan of Bravo’s Southern Charm, stop at Sewing Down South, grab a drink at Republic Garden & Lounge, or check out some of the cast’s other locations: Bourbon N' Bubbles, Mesu, Lamar’s Sporting Club, Palace Hotel, and By The Way

Shopping –

• Shop at adorable boutiques and jewelers downtown or designer stores at Charleston Place

• If you’re visiting on the second Sunday of the month, check out 2nd Sunday on King Street where the street is closed to traffic and instead filled with local vendors and artists

• Check out a Farmer’s Market – every Saturday in Marion Square or Sunday at Charleston Pourhouse on James Island (plus food trucks, live music, and an outdoor bar)

Self-Care –

• Get a facial at Face Foundrié or SkinLab

• Get a blowout at Drybar

• Get a massage, manicure, or pedicure at Salt Spa & Yoga, Charleston Place, or Charleston Head Spa

Boozy Fun

• Hop on the free Brewery Shuttle to try 11 Charleston breweries every Saturday

• Learn about Prohibition and how to make cocktails at Sip History in a Secret Speakeasy with Alchemix

• Try authentic Low Country wine at Deep Water Vineyard

• Try Firefly Distillery’s famous Sweet Tea Vodka, the world’s first!

• Learn how whiskey is made with a tour at High Wire Distilling Co

• Design your own bar hop, like ranking the best Espresso Martinis or going to every bar with Frosé

---

If it’s not obvious yet, there is really something for every traveler to love about Charleston. With so many options you can visit Charleston multiple times and have a totally different experience each visit. This city is a foodie’s paradise, bucket list destination for a history buff, a couples’ romantic getaway, a party weekend for friends, and a family’s favorite vacation – all at once!

For recommendations on where to eat, drink, or staying during your trip to Charleston, check out these blog posts:

If you want some extra help designing the perfect Charleston SC itinerary, sign up below to receive my free Charleston travel guide (coming soon)