I admit these 30 Days were a bit of a selfish indulgence for me. I live in a beautiful beautiful place, and any excuse I have to see more of it is a good one. The lesson learned this month is a simple one: there is so much to do in Charleston. So much. So instead of telling you all about what I’ve learned in June, I thought I’d share with you a list of things you can do in Charleston. Some I did in these 30 Days, some I just really want to do. Consider it inspiration for your future 30 Days or just a good excuse to get out of the house.
101 Things to do in Charleston
- Take a carriage tour
- Visit Drayton Hall
- Go fishing
- Admire the Angel Oak
- Take a harbor cruise
- Walk the Battery
- Visit Charles Towne Landing
- See a show at the Dock Street Theatre
- Go to a Riverdogs baseball game
- Buy produce at the Charleston Farmer’s Market
- Learn about the Civil War at Fort Sumter
- Take the kids to the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry
- Go shopping on King Street
- Pick strawberries at Boone Hall Plantation
- Walk Chalmers Street
- Take pictures of Rainbow Row
- Visit the Charleston City Market
- Have a dinner picnic
- Play in the fountains at Waterfront Park
- Look for alligators in the Audubon Swamp
- See the wildlife at the South Carolina Aquarium
- Visit the Charles Pinkney National Historic Site
- Listen to bluegrass on the deck at the Pour House
- Go antiquing
- Go to Summerville’s Azalea Park
- Take a pirate tour
- See the Heyward-Washington House
- Feed the ducks in Hampton Park
- Walk through Francis Beidler Forest
- Play a round of golf
- Kayak around Kiawah
- Take a sailing lesson
- Eat
- Watch the sunset on Shem Creek
- Tour the Joseph Manigault House
- Play volleyball on Isle of Palms
- Take a ghost tour
- See the Butterfly House at Cypress Gardens
- Climb the Climbing Wall at James Island County Park
- Look for sharks’ teeth at Melton Peter Demetre Park
- Take an aerial tour of the Peninsula
- See a concert at Circular Congregational Church
- Charter a schooner
- See the Aiken-Rhett House
- Take a culinary tour
- Get lost
- Get a massage at the Spa at Charleston Place
- Surf on Folly
- Watch a sea turtle being released into the wild
- Go crabbing
- Walk the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge
- See the USS Yorktown
- Watch sunrise from White Point Gardens
- Go to the Charleston Museum
- Take in a Theater 99 show
- Buy a sweetgrass basket
- Root for the Charleston Battery
- Visit the Nathaniel Russell House
- Admire the birds at the Center for Birds of Prey
- Play at Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park
- Check out the Karpeles Manuscript Museum
- Take an eco-tour
- Taste the wine at Irvin-House Vineyard
- Pet the goats at Magnolia Plantation
- Watch horse competitions at Mullet Hall
- Walk the Gateway Walk
- See the American Military Museum
- Watch a Citadel parade
- Visit the Edmonston-Alston House
- Cheer on the South Carolina Sting Rays
- Tour Middleton Place
- Enjoy Piccolo Spoleto
- Visit the Powder Magazine
- Walk to the end of the Folly Beach Fishing Pier
- Visit the Avery Research Center
- Swing at Waterfront Park
- Visit the Charleston Tea Plantation
- Wander through the historic district
- See the Thomas Elfe House and Garden
- Visit Fort Moultrie
- Eat pralines on Market Street
- Take a Jewish history tour
- Visit an art gallery
- Go to the Edisto Island Serpentarium
- Walk the boardwalk at Shem Creek Park
- Take a pub tour
- Enjoy the Cistern at the College of Charleston
- Make rubbings at Magnolia Cemetery
- Enjoy Spoleto Festival USA
- Do an art walk
- Admire the art at the Gibbes
- See the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon
- Take the water ferry
- See the Hunley
- Take a high-speed boat tour
- Stand-up paddleboard through the marshes
- Go to the North Charleston and American LaFrance Fire Museum and Educational Center
- See the Confederate Museum
- Visit the Philips Simmons Foundation
- See the Old Slave Mart Museum
- Boat to Morris Island Lighthouse
I really like your pictures. I really want a new camera so I can learn how to take better pictures. My daughter has a better camera than me! LOL!
Thank you! Maybe you could borrow your daughter's camera.
It's a new hobby of mine, but I love love love it. I took a course with my local photography center, and it has made all the difference. And of course I shoot WAY more pics than I actually use.
Anna, this is great. My mom and I are planning a trip to Charleston in late September, and I had the thought that I should ask you for a local's recommendations on things to do. Looks like you beat me to it!
Any “must see” standouts that I should know?
So glad this helps, Paige. And how fun to travel with you mom!
There's lots to see here.
If you want to see history, then for sure check out one of the plantations. Magnolia has AMAZING gardens and slave history tours, Middleton has wonderful grounds (the lawn steps down to the river), Drayton Hall has a beautiful house, and Boone Hall has a little of everything. The downtown house are really wonderful too, if you just want a historic house and don't want to leave downtown, go there. I wish I could tell you which one was the best, but I honestly haven't been to any of them. I like the outside of the William Aiken house, for what it's worth. Some of the houses are owned by the Charleston Museum, so you can pair your tickets and get a small discount.
I would suggest you just take some time to walk around the historic district. It's fun just to turn down the allies and streets that you think are pretty. The houses are really well kept and you can look through the gates to see their hidden gardens. It's like each house holds a secret. And while you walk, I'm sure you'll see the Market and the Battery. Both deserve a visit just because they are uniquely Charleston. The same goes with the old churches. They're beautiful to see . . . and I love the inside of the Unitarian Church (and the graveyard!) and the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
And of course you'll eat. For seafood, you can't go wrong with Hanks (and I recommend you stay away from Hymans, no matter what you hear, trust me on this). For Southern Jestine's or Hominy Grill. Slightly North of Broad is really good, as is Magnolias and Cypress. Rue de Jean (French) and Basil (Thai) are really good too and are on Upper King Street.
If you just want some recreation instead of history, the beaches are always fun. Folly is the laid back, young, dirty kind of beach town, while Isle of Palms and Sullivans Island are much more upscale and fancy (if a beach can be fancy).
These are the biggies. But I will let you know if I think of any other must-sees. And let me know if you have more questions!
Oh my goodness! Charleston is my husband and my favorite city to spend time in! We love it! We try to go every year. Thanks for this post! There are several things we haven’t seen or done.
Yay! I’m glad this was helpful to you. This is an amazing city, for sure.
Jenny Ford says
Hey Anna- I just found your blog on pinterest and wanted to let you know how great I think it is! I love your concept of the “30 day challenges” and also I just happen to love Charleston, and i wanted to show your blog and your city some love. Gonna go read all of your other posts on everything now. kay. bye.
Thanks for reading Jenny. This is my very favorite place to be, and it makes me so happy to hear you love it too!
Laurett Gannon says
Thanks for this AWESOME blog! I’ve learned so much already in the past hour reading the different challenges.
You are so so welcome Laurett! Yay for learning and thank you for reading!
Annie says
Hey Anna! We really enjoyed your list… We are going to Charleston in April.. Are there any cool things to do in April? Any free activities? We are staying at the Isle of Palms, are the other beaches worth going to? Any cool rooftop bars? Sorry for all the questions you seem really helpful!
Thanks!!
Hi Annie! April is the perfect time to visit Charleston. When will you be here? The first weekend in April is always the Cooper River Bridge Run and the Flowertown Festival. Even if you’re not a runner, if you can find your way downtown that Saturday, the restaurants and bars are always up to fun things. Flowertown is in Summerville, but it’s like a street festival, and ALL the azaleas are blooming, which is fun to see. And it’s free to walk and enjoy.
It’s always free to walk around town, and that’s the best way to see Charleston. A lot of the activities listed above are free (Battery and Whitepoint Gardens for example).
If you’re on IOP, then you’ll have plenty of beach. But if you just want a complete change of pace, then Folly is a super fun beach to check out. It’s much younger, a little more bohemian meets surfer. But that’s where I go when I go to the beach. (It’s also a lot closer to me.)
Rooftop Bars: on IOP, you’ll want to check out the deck at the Windjammer, and if there’s good music, it makes for a fun night. Downtown the Library at Vendue is so great. Awesome sunsets and drinks, but I don’t know that I recommend the food. Get there early, since it gets crowded and then you won’t let you up there. There’s also a rooftop bar on top of the Marketplace Pavilion hotel. Another great one for sunsets, but it’s not known for it’s cheap drinks.
I’d keep an eye on the calendar pages of the Charleston City Paper (http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/charleston/calendarscene/Section?oid=1072082) because it’s plugged into the happenings (free and not) and also the music scene. It comes out every Wednesday, so it’s always up to date.
I hope you enjoy your trip! Let me know if you have any other questions!
Anna Hartman recently posted..My Unexpected Everyday Day 14 | Manual Photography Week Two
Lisa Cohen says
We are planning to visit Charleston in mid April. I found you via Pinterest and plan to take many of your suggestions for our 5 day visit. We have two teenage girls, driving from the DC area. Looking forward to experiencing your home town. Anything ideas particularly good for our family of 4?
Lisa
I’d be sure to check out the aquarium. It’s cool, and really for all age groups. And I love that they focus of the animals, plants, and everything that thrives in South Carolina. So it’s more than just fish, although there are fish too. But there are otters and birds and an albino alligator.
The beaches are always good with a teenager, right? Folly (closest to downtown) is the most relaxed and kid friendly. But really, you can’t go wrong with any of the beaches here. If the wanted to, Folly offers surf lessons, which I’ve always wanted to try but never have.
I admit I don’t have much teenager experience, so I’m not quite sure what they’re into.But I wish you a beautiful trip!
Kimberly says
This list is very helpful to me! I just moved to Charleston and am overwhelmed at all of the sights I need to see. Now that I’m a “local”, are there any resident discounts, freebies or perks that I can take advantage of while doing all the tourists attractions? Thank you!
kim bovino says
when is the best time of year to visit when everything is in bloom and its not scorching hot??????
Honestly, Kim. Right now. The Azaleas bloom at the beginning of April, and everything kind of falls into it after that. I always look forward to the Jasmine that will bloom any second now. It won’t get crazy hot for about another four to six weeks. But early fall (late September to mid October) is really nice too. But not so much is blooming then.
And *technically* tourist season starts in mid-February and runs through Halloween, so Charleston has a really wide window to visit in.