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Charleston, SC

Charleston, SC

Charleston, SC events and things to do, including Rainbow Row, the Battery, Charleston City Market, Fort Sumter, plantations, harbor cruises and Folly Beach.

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Charleston, SC Events & Things to Do: Historic Downtown, Rainbow Row, Beaches & Tours

Quick answer: The best things to do in Charleston include walking the Historic District past Rainbow Row and The Battery, taking the ferry to Fort Sumter, touring Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, eating your way through the Lowcountry food scene, and spending a day at Folly Beach or Sullivan's Island. Coming up: the Charleston Literary Festival (November 6 through 15) and the Holiday Festival of Lights (November 13 through December 31).

Searching for things to do in Charleston, SC this weekend, for couples, or with kids? Charleston's cobblestone downtown is full of pastel homes on Rainbow Row, harbor views from The Battery, and shopping at the historic Charleston City Market. Take a boat to Fort Sumter, tour antebellum plantations like Middleton Place and Magnolia, eat your way down King Street, and spend an afternoon at Folly Beach or Sullivan's Island.

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What Is There to Do in Downtown Charleston?

Start at The Battery and White Point Garden, then walk past the pastel homes of Rainbow Row, the City Market, and the church steeples that earned Charleston the nickname "The Holy City." Carriage tours, ghost tours, and guided walking tours are some of the best ways to learn the stories behind the historic homes and alleys.

Explore: Rainbow Row Tours & Tickets • Charleston Art & Culture • Charleston Historical & Heritage Tours

How Do You Visit Fort Sumter?

Fort Sumter, where the Civil War began, sits on an island in Charleston Harbor and is reached only by boat. The fort itself does not charge an entrance fee, but tickets for the authorized ferry are required. The daytime tour departs from Liberty Square downtown and Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant.

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What Are the Best Plantations and Gardens Near Charleston?

  • Magnolia Plantation and Gardens: Historic gardens, a nature train, and a wildlife center, open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Middleton Place: Landscaped gardens along the Ashley River.
  • Boone Hall Plantation: Its famous Avenue of Oaks is one of the most photographed spots in the Lowcountry.
  • McLeod Plantation Historic Site: Tours focused on the lives of the enslaved people and Gullah Geechee history.

Explore: Magnolia Plantation and Gardens Tours & Tickets • Middleton Place Tours & Tickets • Charleston Art & Culture

Charleston Food, Drink & Beaches

Charleston is one of the South's great food cities. Try shrimp and grits, she-crab soup, Lowcountry boil, and fresh oysters, then cool off at Folly Beach, Sullivan's Island, or Isle of Palms, all within a short drive of downtown.

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Things to Do in Charleston With Kids

Traveling with kids? Visit the South Carolina Aquarium, climb aboard the USS Yorktown at Patriots Point, take the ferry to Fort Sumter, ride a carriage through downtown, and see the Holiday Festival of Lights in winter.

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Free Things to Do in Charleston

  • Waterfront Park and the Pineapple Fountain: Porch swings and harbor breezes on the Cooper River.
  • The Battery and Rainbow Row: Walk past mansions and the city's most-photographed row of houses.
  • Charleston City Market: Browse sweetgrass baskets and local crafts in a market dating to the 1800s.
  • Angel Oak Tree: A massive live oak on Johns Island estimated at hundreds of years old.

Things to Do in Charleston for Adults & Couples

  • Carriage tour of the historic district: A classic way to learn the city's history.
  • Sunset harbor cruise: Cocktails with views of Fort Sumter and the Ravenel Bridge.
  • King Street dining and rooftop bars: Some of the South's best restaurants in a few blocks.
  • Folly Beach: A laid-back beach town with bars and a fishing pier.

Things to Do in Charleston This Weekend & Today

Charleston weekends are walkable: breakfast downtown, a carriage or walking tour, lunch at the City Market, and dinner on King Street. Spring brings Spoleto Festival USA and the Charleston Wine + Food festival, which fill hotels fast.

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Popular Charleston Questions

What are the best free things to do in Charleston?

Free favorites in Charleston include Waterfront Park and the Pineapple Fountain, The Battery and Rainbow Row, Charleston City Market, and Angel Oak Tree. See the free things to do section above for details.

What are the best things to do in Charleston for adults and couples?

Popular picks for adults and couples in Charleston include carriage tour of the historic district, sunset harbor cruise, King Street dining and rooftop bars, and Folly Beach.

When is the Charleston Holiday Festival of Lights 2026?

The Holiday Festival of Lights runs November 13 through December 31 at James Island County Park.

When is the Charleston Literary Festival 2026?

The festival runs November 6 through 15, 2026 at the Dock Street Theatre.

Do you need tickets to visit Fort Sumter?

Yes. The fort has no entrance fee, but you need a ferry ticket from the authorized concessioner to get there.

What are Magnolia Plantation's hours?

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.

When is the best time to visit Charleston?

Spring brings blooming gardens and mild weather, fall brings festivals and comfortable temperatures, summer is beach season, and the holidays bring the Festival of Lights.

What is there to do in Charleston this weekend?

Browse Charleston tours and activities for walking tours, harbor cruises, and experiences you can book for your dates.

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Plan Your Charleston Trip

Walk Rainbow Row and The Battery, take the ferry to Fort Sumter, stroll Magnolia's gardens, eat shrimp and grits, relax on Folly Beach, and drive through the Holiday Festival of Lights.

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