Things to do and see in Charleston

Welcome to Charleston, or Charles Town as the city was named until 1783. Whether you are interested in the early pioneers, the American Revolution, the Civil War, shopping, eating, exploring art galleries or the beautiful homes South of Broad, walking on the beach, or experiencing breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, there is something for everyone in Charleston. We have provided links to the Charleston Visitor Center, as well as listed some of our favorite activities below.

For help planning your trip, check out the Charleston Visitor Center website.

Don’t miss its Upcoming Events page for the dates you are in Charleston. For personal assistance, you can call the Visitor Center at (800) 774-0006. You also can visit in person to obtain information, brochures, tour and attraction tickets, and gifts from Charleston. Visitor Center locations include:

Charleston Visitor Center (downtown), 375 Meeting Street, Open 8:30am-5pm

Mount Pleasant Visitor Center, 99 Harry M. Hallman, Jr. Blvd, Open 9am-5pm

If you have just one day in Charleston, try to check out the following highlights:

Old South Carriage Co. (14 Anson St.) for a one hour historic carriage tour available 9-5 daily. Haunted carriage rides are also available in the evening.Tickets are available on-line. https://oldsouthcarriage.com/
Old Slave Mart Museum (6 Chalmers St.), which focuses on Charleston’s role in the domestic slave trade from 1856-1863. The museum is housed in a portion of the city’s last major slave market. It generally takes about 45 minutes to get through the Museum. Open M-SA 9-5, Closed Sundays.
Walking Tours focused on history, architecture, art, food and many other topics. Tour companies include:
Bulldog Tours (843-722-8687)
Walks of Charleston (843-478-7573)
Charleston Culinary Tours (843-259-2966)
Bricks & Brushes (843-647-8946)
Or take a self guided walking tour.
Walk through Charleston Citi Market (188 Meeting St.), a historic open-air market featuring over 300 vendors selling local goods like sweetgrass baskets, art, food and clothing. Open daily 10-4, with some weekend evening hours;
Stroll on King Street, stopping to eat, shop and visit art galleries; and
Eat Lunch and/or Dinner at some of the many marvelous downtown restaurants. Be sure to make reservations in advance, where possible.

If you have more time in Charleston, consider visiting the following:

The USS Yorktown (40 Patriots Point Rd, Mt Pleasant, 843-884-2727) Try to take the Captain’s or Admiral’s Tour, where you will learn what life was like for sailors aboard this aircraft carrier and tour areas of the carrier that are off-limits to the public. Open 10-5pm daily.
Charles Towne Landing Historic Site (1500 Old Towne Rd, 843-852-4200), where the first permanent English settlement in Charleston was founded in 1670. The grounds include an interesting exhibit on early colonial history, a guided history trail, gardens and hiking trails. Open 9-4pm daily.
Boone Hall Plantation, 1235 Long Point Rd., Mt Pleasant, 843-884-4371), A 1681 working plantation known for its moss-draped Avenue of Oaks and original slave cabins. Many movies have been filmed here, including The Notebook and North & South. Open M-SA 9-5, SU 12-5pm.
The Charleston Museum, America’s First Museum (360 Meeting Street, 843-722-2996), This Museum exhibits include local history displays and decorative arts. Especially good on a rainy day. Open M-SA 9-5, SU 12-5pm.
The Gibbes Art Museum (135 Meeting St., 843-722-2706) owns over 10,000 works of primarily American art with a strong connection to Charleston and the South, spanning from the colonial era to the present. Exhibits in October should include Rodin and Monet. Join the public tour offered on Fridays at 1pm, Open 10-5pm M & W-SA, 1-5pm SU, Closed Tuesdays.
International African American Museum, (14 Wharfside Street, 843-872-5352) Explore their wide-ranging exhibitions that tell the story of how Africans and African Americans—through their labor, resistance, and ingenuity—have shaped every aspect of our world.
Take the ferry to Fort Sumter, where the Civil War began. Tours are offered daily at 10:45am and 1:30pm from Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant, and include a 30 minute narrated cruise across Charleston Harbor, followed by time to explore Fort Sumter’s historic grounds. (843-722-2628). Open 8:30-4:30 daily.
Walk, Run, and/or Drive over the Ravenel Bridge between Downtown and Mt. Pleasant.
Walk on the beach at Sullivan’s Island, and stop for ice cream at the Republic.
Watch the sun set at the Coast Guard Station on Tradd Street, Fort Moultrie or Folly Beach.