Location: Charleston
Top Things to do in Charleston
The 10 Best Things to do in Charleston, South Carolina (SC)
Historic Charleston is bursting with Southern charm and hospitality. The city feels a bit like it’s suspended in time, thanks to its antebellum architecture and surrounding plantation landscapes. Take in incredible views of the Battery and the French Quarter as you stroll the Waterfront Park, then become inspired by the cultivated beauty of the gardens at Middleton Place. At night, try a ghost tour for an introduction to the spooky side of the city.
Restaurants in Charleston
1. Nathaniel Russell House
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,952 reviews
A National Historic Landmark, the Nathaniel Russell House Museum was completed in 1808 by merchant Nathaniel Russell. The home’s graceful, free-flying, three-story staircase is an architectural marvel and the elegant interiors with elaborate plasterwork, geometrically shaped rooms, formal gardens and collection of 18th-century decorative and fine art speak to the wealth of Charleston’s elite in the early days of the American Republic. Restored to its original splendor using forensic analysis and cutting-edge conservation technology by our curatorial staff, we ensure the highest standards of old-world expertise to replicate the finishes, fixtures and textiles appropriate for this 200-year old townhouse. The 18 enslaved Africans that lived on and maintained this property are an integral part of its history. Archaeological artifacts, educational panels and ongoing restoration of the enslaved quarters are vital to learning more about the enslaved and telling their important stories.
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
Nathaniel Russell, a wealthy shipping merchant, built this magnificent three-story, Federal-style, 9,600-square-foot rectangular townhouse in 1808. Today, it is recognized as one of America's most important Neoclassical houses. It was designated a National Landmark in 1960 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. Located at 51 Meeting Street in Charleston, South Carolina, the prestigious house was built to display Russell's prominence as one of the wealthiest citizens of the community. Constructed of Carolina gray brick, the three-bay entrance front emphasizes height rather than width with the main living areas on the second and third levels. The first-story entrance front is dominated by the residence's grand entrance door. The house features three main rooms per floor, each of different geometric designs: a front rectangular room, a center oval room and a square room in the rear. The most important architectural feature of the house is the elliptical spiral staircase, which ascends three floors and is showcased by a golden walled stair hall. The second floor oval drawing room is the most highly decorated room in the house and is where the women of the house retired to after dinner. Papered in apricot, it features elaborate plaster moldings covered with 24-karat gold leaf. The Adamesque ornamentation of the fireplaces' mantles and cornices are among the most detailed in the city. Though most of the art and furniture displayed in the house are not original to the Nathaniel Russell House, they are of the correct period when the Russell family inhabited the house and many are of Charleston origin. The house and grounds are separated from the street by a brick and wrought iron fence with the entrance gate flanked by tall brick columns. To the south of the house is the garden that was originally laid out in a geometric arrangement with patterned beds of flowers, ornamental shrubs and large orange and grapefruit trees. Today, a formal English garden can be found with gravel paths, boxwood hedges and plants favored in the 19th century. In the rear of the house is the two-story slave quarters that housed many of the 18 slaves that lived and worked at the Nathaniel Russell House.
2. Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,377 reviews
History comes alive as Colonial dressed guides talk about Pirates, Patriots and Presidents! Explore the location where pirates were once held and view a section of the 1698 fortification that once protected the Walled City. Completed in 1771 as the New Exchange and Customs House, recognized today as South Carolina's most historic building. Where Patriots were imprisoned, the Constitution was ratified and George Washington was entertained.
Reviewed By CharlieV2011 - Chicago, United States
What a great site to visit, especially so close to July 4 ????????! I enjoyed my visit here. The guided tour of the dungeon was interesting, with stories of events surrounding political prisoners, gun ammo storage, and English tea! Upstairs, you will see artifacts that date back to the 1700’s and 1800’s such as portraits, weapons, and handmade/woven items! You will also read interesting stories about events and about historical figures. Great way to learn about history and be in the same room as important people once stood!
3. Fort Sumter National Monument
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5,603 reviews
Learn all about this storied spot of the first clash between the Union and Confederate armies in the Civil War, in which the Union forces finally surrendered after a 34-hour bombardment by the Rebels.
Reviewed By lrb06901
Knowledgeable NP rangers at the visitor center, lovely boat ride and memorable flag raising ceremony in the morning for those that helped AND watched to raise our flag.
4. Magnolia Plantation & Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,816 reviews
South Carolina's Most Visited Plantation and Gardens. National Registry of Historic Places. Ancient Oak Avenue. Tours full of History. World Famous Gardens of the 19th Century "Romantic Style". Selected by Travel + Leisure (2014) as the only South Carolina garden deemed one of "America's Most Beautiful Gardens". Reconstruction Period Plantation Home Tour. Award Winning Slave Cabin Tour. Very popular Nature-Train Tour. Rice Field Boat Tour. Family Oriented. Petting Zoo and Nature Center. Audubon Swamp Self-Guided Tour. Amazing Nesting Rookery. If you have only one Plantation to see, don't miss us!
Reviewed By barnettmail64
Had a wonderful trip around plantation lots to see Very interesting plus fabulous little petting zoo Shawn our driver was brilliant made the trip Good knowledge and vey informative Passionate about magnolia gardens Would definitely recommend a lovely day out
5. Joe Riley Waterfront Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5,516 reviews
Bright green public space overlooking the coast: great for picnics and lounging.
Reviewed By Global_Coug - Houston, United States
Charleston is quite a charming city. The older part of town towards the battery is sort of like the best of Philadelphia's Independence neighborhood and the French Quarter in New Orleans, except clean and safe. This is a great place to walk and see beautiful antebellum houses as well as Charleston Harbor and Fort Sumter.
6. Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,872 reviews
Reviewed By Lynn8894 - Charlotte, United States
When guests come to town sometimes we just get in the car and drive across the bridge, turn around, and drive back across it. Architecturally stunning, you can view the city, the three rivers that surround it, and the marshes at low tide. And if you have an adventurous spirit you can use the pedestrian walkway to walk, jog or ride your bike from one side to the other.
7. Middleton Place
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,196 reviews
Middleton Place National Historic Landmark is home to America’s oldest and most important landscaped gardens. Began in 1741, the historic site today encompasses 110 acres including the Gardens, House Museum, Stableyards, and Eliza’s House. Together they tell the inclusive history of all who lived, worked, and died here. The stories of the Middleton family including two Founding Fathers and generations of enslaved people are interwoven throughout the property. Visitors have opportunities to experience those stories with both guided or self-guided tours.
Reviewed By clairann2000
Went right for the cow milking and was the only person there...the cow obliged and it was fun. The area around the barn is really interesting with a cooper who was very informative along with a potter, some stable hands who hitched up water buffalo using voice commands, displays on rice, etc...we loved that area. The slave house had interesting displays and most all over were really well done and mercifully the hand outs at the Ticketing office showed right where to find them. Loved the whole place and spent a good 3 hours before enjoying a delicious lunch at the restaurant then had a talk by a lovely fellow about slavery that ended with him singing in the chapel...he was amazing as well.
8. Battery & White Point Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,388 reviews
Reviewed By Arkuss - Chicago, United States
We really loved walking through the gardens. The old cannon and historical markers and the old trees with a view looking out of the start of the Civil War. Magical.
9. McLeod Plantation Historic Site
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,097 reviews
Established in 1851, McLeod Plantation has borne witness to some of the most significant periods of Charleston's - and our nations - history. Today McLeod Plantation is an important 37-acre Gullah/Geechee heritage site that has been carefully preserved in recognition of its cultural and historical significance. The grounds include a riverside outdoor pavilion, a sweeping oak allée, and the McLeod Oak, which is thought to be more than 600 years old. It is a place like no other, not frozen in time but vibrant, dynamic, and constantly evolving, where the winds of change whisper through the oak trees and voices from the past speak to all who pause to listen. McLeod Plantation was built on the riches of sea island cotton - and on the backs of enslaved people whose work and culture are embedded in the Lowcountry's very foundation. It is a living tribute to the men and women and their descendants that persevered in their efforts to achieve freedom, equality, and justice. All of their stories - black and white, enslaved and free - are given their due. After years of careful research and restoration, McLeod Plantation Historic Site invites visitors to embark upon an in-depth exploration of the lives of those people whose stories are essential to understanding Charleston's complex past and helped shape who we, as a nation, are today.
Reviewed By Vacationer508 - West Windsor Township, United States
Honestly, when we were planning our trip to Charleston I wasn't all that interested in visiting a plantation if the subject of slavery and how the family made their fortune was swept under the rug. But we did some research and found that the McLeod Plantation is run by Charleston County Parks and their tour gives you more of a historically accurate depiction of life on a plantation and details about how the slaves lived and were treated. I'm so glad we found this place! From start to finish, the experience was truly enlightening. The tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable and engaging. She answered everyone's questions patiently and seemed to truly love her job.She presented the facts of the site without being preachy, and more importantly, she definitely didn't "white-wash" the history. The site itself is gorgeous - beautiful huge old oak trees and Spanish moss everywhere. You'll see a few of the outbuildings, the cotton gin house, and barns, and you'll learn about how the family built its fortune in sea island cotton on the backs of the enslaved people. You'll walk through the plantation home itself. But where this site really differentiates itself from the rest of the plantation homes in the Charleston area are the restored slave cabins on the property. Walking through that long tree-lined row of tiny cabins and hearing the guide's narration of the site's history, you really get a sense of the pain these poor folks must have felt and their struggle to survive their harsh treatment. If you have time, I highly recommend the short stroll down down the grassy tree-lined drive to the water on Wappoo Creek. It's a peaceful spot where you can contemplate all you've experienced. Everyone should visit the McLeod Plantation to get the unadulterated version of plantation life.
10. South Carolina Aquarium
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 2,305 reviews
Fun, wonder and education come together at the South Carolina Aquarium. Get hands-on at the Touch Tank, marvel at the sharks in the Great Ocean Tank, come face-to-face with rays in the Shallows, or see our brand new state-of-the-art sea turtle hospital in Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery experience. Don’t miss our daily interactive dive shows and animal programs.
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
The South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston, South Carolina, may not be the finest aquarium in the United States. But it makes very good use of the space it has and it features several very interesting and educational exhibits for children and adults to enjoy and experience. Located at 100 Aquarium Wharf in historic Charleston Harbor, it opened in 2000 and is home to more than 10,000 plants and animals, including North American river otters, loggerhead sea turtles, alligators, great blue herons, owls, lined seahorses, jellyfish, pufferfish, green moray eels, horseshoe crabs, sea stars, pythons and sharks. The largest exhibit is the Great Ocean Tank, which extends from the first to the third floor of the aquarium and is the deepest tank in North America at 42 feet, holds more than 385,000 gallons of water and contains more than 700 animals. The facility also features a Touch Tank, where visitors may touch horseshoe crabs, Atlantic stingrays and other marine animals. The 93,000-square-foot building, which juts out 200 feet into Charleston Harbor, offers a state-of-the-art environmental learning center that encompasses the entire spectrum of the Southeast Appalachian Watershed as found in South Carolina--the Mountain Forest, the Piedmont, the Coastal Plain, the Coast and the Ocean. It also includes nine galleries featuring nearly 7,000 aquatic animals, from river otters to loggerhead turtles to sharks, in more than 100 exhibits. In addition, a rare albino American alligator, one of only 50 in the world, now calls the aquarium home and is part of the Blackwater Swamp exhibit. In 2012, the aquarium opened a new exhibit called "Madagascar Journey," featuring ring-tailed lemurs, tomato frogs and a Nile crocodile. In 2017, another new permanent exhibit debuted on the main floor--the Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery, which makes the real-life rehabilitation of sick and injured sea turtles visible to every visitor to the aquarium. It is one of the major contributions of the aquarium, which also utilizes its facilities to operate a Sea Turtle Hospital. Since 2000, the South Carolina Aquarium has rehabilitated and released over 250 sea turtles.
