Top 10 Things to do in Charleston, SC

THE BATTERY 

The battery is a historic sea wall that dates back to the civil war era. Today, visitors can walk along the promenade while taking in breathtaking views of the characteristic homes that line the street. The battery is located at the very tip of Charleston and runs along the peninsula, overlooking the Charleston Harbor. It is definitely worth a visit on your trip.

WHITE POINT GARDEN 

White Point Gardens is located across the street from The Battery, providing visitors with harbor views as they wander through the park. The park offers plenty of green space as well as shade from the beautiful old oak trees that cover the area. There is a gazebo in the middle of the park that would be a nice location for a quick photo session. This is a place that I will be revisiting each time that I travel to Charleston. I would really enjoy a picnic for lunch or an afternoon stroll as the sun sets. 

CATCH SUNSET AT WATER FRONT PARK 

Water Front Park is another beautiful, clean, and shaded park in Charleston. Located in the heart of downtown Charleston, this park is the perfect place to enjoy a nice walk or eat some gelato while watching the boats go in and out of the harbor. There are two fountains that are perfect for kids to play and cool down from the summer heat. My favorite part of this park is the waterfront swings located on the pier. If you’re lucky enough to get a spot on one of the swings, definitely take advantage of the sunset here. 

STROLL DOWN RAINBOW ROW 

I am a total sucker for colorful houses. One of my favorite parts of traveling to Italy was admiring all of the vibrant colored, historical buildings. There are beautiful, colored houses on just about any street that you walk down in Charleston and that is what I love most about the city. Rainbow Row is a series of 13 vibrant, pastel colored houses located on East Bay Street. It is one of the most photographed locations in Charleston and I totally understand why. My best friend captured some of my favorite pictures of my husband and I with Rainbow Row in the background. A fun fact that I learned about this historical street is the houses have not always been painted in pastel colors. It wasn’t until after the civil war that they received a “re-vamp” to help the appearance of the neighborhood and make it seem more inviting. There are currently laws in place to keep the pastel colors intact. While this is considered a touristy location, I highly recommend taking a stroll down East Bay Street and snapping a quick photo while you’re at it. 

THE MARKET 

The historical Charleston City Market is located in the center of downtown Charleston. This market is one of the oldest public markets in the United States dating back to 1807. Pre-Covid-19, there were around 300 vendors located within the almost 5-block row of market buildings. Due to safety regulations for Covid, vendors are limited and you have to shop along the outside of the market. Is this a must see attraction, no. However, if you have the extra time I do recommend walking around. There are numerous shops and restaurants in the surrounding area. 

ENJOY THE LOCAL CUISINE 

Okay, I know what you’re probably thinking... “duh, I have to eat.” There are SO many unique and delicious restaurants in Charleston. I am honestly starting to think it’s impossible to have a “bad” meal. One of my favorite things about going to a new place is eating at restaurants that I do not have access to back home. I love to discover cute coffee shops and cafés. Charleston is a food lover’s paradise as there is such a variety. A few our favorite are: Carmella’s Cafe & Dessert Bar, RuRu’s Tacos + Tequila, & Monza Pizza Bar. 

DAY TRIP TO FOLLY BEACH 

If you are visiting Charleston during the summer months I highly recommend a day trip (or even a few hours) to Folly Beach. The drive from our Airbnb was approximately 30 minutes and if you’re visiting in July like we did, it is worth it! As you arrive into Folly Beach you will see several souvenir shops and restaurants and the pier is nearby as well. There are a few places you can pay to park if you want to visit the beach, pier, and shops while remaining centrally located. If you don’t mind those things, I recommend driving down to Folly Beach County Park. It costs $10 on a weekday and $15 on a weekend to park and the area is SO NICE! They have a beach house with restrooms and snacks, several shower stations and the beach is long enough that you can spread out without feeling overcrowded. If you don’t mind to walk, I suggest parking at the very end of the parking lot and once you are on the beach walk down to the right until you reach the very end. We had the whole beach to ourselves. 

HORSE & CARRIAGE RIDE HISTORICAL DOWNTOWN 

Have you really been to Charleston if you don’t take a horse and carriage ride? We did not do this on our most recent trip to Charleston but we have done it in the past and really enjoyed it. You can book a tour online through sites like tripadvisor.com but you can also just sign-up for one downtown. The tour is an hour long and costs $35 for adults and $25 for children. We took a sunset ride which I highly recommend. 

VISIT THE CHARLESTON FARMER’S MARKET 

This is something that I, myself, have on my bucket list. I absolutely love visiting farmer’s markets and supporting local farmers and artisans. The Charleston Farmers Market is located in Marion Square in downtown and is open every Saturday from 8:00-2:00pm (April-November). They have special hours and are even open on Sundays in December for the holiday market. The market offers an array of produce, fresh cut flowers, breakfast and lunch vendors, arts and crafts from the local artisans as well as live entertainment. I don't know about you but this sounds like a perfect Saturday morning to me. I could totally see us going to the market, enjoying the morning browsing around, picking up some snack foods, and taking them on a nice picnic in White Point Gardens. Ahhh, I am already dreaming of this day!

BOOK A TOUR (FOOD OR WALKING) 

This is another bucket list item for me. I realized while in Italy, that food and/or walking tours were a genius idea. It’s like you get the best of both worlds, trying the local cuisine while also exploring the area. I truly do not think you could go wrong booking one of these tours in any major city!