What is worth your time in Charleston, South Carolina
King StreetDo not miss
Charleston's main artery for boutiques, antiques, restaurants and bars across the Lower, Middle and Upper sections.
Food District · 2.3 hr4.8
Fort Sumter National MonumentDo not miss
Ferry to the island fort where the Civil War's first shots were fired and tour the ramparts with a ranger.
Historic Site · 3 hr4.7
St. Michael's Episcopal ChurchDo not miss
Visit Charleston's oldest church building, a 1761 Georgian landmark whose white steeple defines the skyline.
Historic Site · 33 min4.7
The Battery and White Point GardenDo not miss
Walk the seawall promenade past antebellum mansions and oak-shaded gardens with views over Charleston Harbor.
Park · 1.1 hr4.7
Waterfront ParkDo not miss
Relax by the iconic Pineapple Fountain and harbor-view swings on a landscaped pier along the Cooper River.
Park · 45 min4.7
Nathaniel Russell House MuseumDo not miss
Tour an 1808 Federal-style mansion famous for its free-flying spiral staircase and restored period interiors.
Museum · 1.3 hr4.6
Rainbow RowDo not miss
Stroll the iconic row of pastel-painted Georgian townhouses along East Bay Street, Charleston's most photographed block.
Historic Site · 30 min4.6
Historic Charleston City MarketDo not miss
Browse four blocks of vendors and watch Gullah artisans weave sweetgrass baskets in this 1800s market hall.
Market · 1.1 hr4.5
South Carolina AquariumDo not miss
See a two-story Great Ocean Tank and a sea turtle rescue hospital on the harbor edge, a top family stop.
Activity · 2.5 hr4.5
Old Slave Mart MuseumDo not miss
Confront the history of the domestic slave trade inside a surviving 1859 auction building on Chalmers Street.
Museum · 1 hr4.4
Caw Caw Interpretive Center
Hike boardwalks over former rice fields rich with alligators and migratory birds at this quiet preserve.
Nature · 2.3 hr4.8
Cypress Gardens
Paddle a flat-bottom boat through a black-water cypress swamp and visit the butterfly house in Moncks Corner.
Nature · 2.3 hr4.8
Dock Street Theatre
Catch a show or admire the facade of one of America's first purpose-built theatres on cobblestoned Church Street.
Cultural Experience · 1.5 hr4.8
Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum
Board the WWII aircraft carrier USS Yorktown plus a destroyer and submarine across the harbor in Mount Pleasant.
Museum · 3.3 hr4.8
And 31 more, which the planner picks between based on your dates, pace and what you are into.