Location: Charleston
Top Things to do in Charleston
Things to do in Charleston, South Carolina (SC): The Best Architectural Buildings
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. Saint Luke's Chapel
2. Drayton Hall
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,909 reviews
Circa 1738, Drayton Hall is the oldest unrestored plantation house in America still open to the public.
Reviewed By TurtleGirlGonzales - Dallas, United States
This is a must do for those interested in history, architecture etc. House is original, having survived the American Revolution and the Civil War--quite moving. Tour Guide Mary Jo? Mary Lou? was knowledgeable, interesting and lots of fun! It is empty and the impact of that is profound. It is preserved, not restored. To walk the same staircase as Cornwallis? Amazing! Take your time here, walk the African American cemetery near the entrance gates as well.
3. Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 985 reviews
Reviewed By CARL89132 - Las Vegas, United States
"Awesome history of the church ! Loved learning about all the historical places along our walking tour and stopping back to light a candle.
4. Unitarian Church in Charleston
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 158 reviews
Reviewed By Adventure_Advisor
The day we were there two docents who took the time to show us around the church and grounds. We learned much about the history of the church and Charleston. The graveyard is the most scenic and interesting of all. A nighttime visit courtesy of a ghost tour was very informative.
5. Historic Rice Mill
6. The Gadsden House
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3 reviews
Located in the heart of Downtown Charleston, full of southern charm + rich history, The Gadsden House is the perfect venue for wedding ceremonies + receptions, rehearsal dinners, welcome parties, social gatherings + corporate events.
7. The Williams Mansion
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,538 reviews
The Williams Mansion was renamed the Calhoun Mansion but recently returned to its original and historical name. One of Charleston's few intact architectural treasures, and its largest residence, boasting 24,000 sf of Gilded Age splendor ... including spectacular woodwork, moldings and craftsmanship. Completed in 1878 (after more than 5 years of construction by charleston’s most talented craftsmen), the Williams Mansion, a marvel of Italianate Revival architectural splendor, was declared by the press as the “handsomest house in the south.” It remains so today, filled with an extraordinary collection of period furniture and decorative and fine art rivaling any Gilded Age historic museum in the country. Carefully preserved and restored, and having won national and international acclaim, you are invited to tour the Mansion( and it’s spectacular gardens) located at the southern foot of Meeting Street, in the very heart of Charleston’s most important and grand historic, residential areas.
Reviewed By D351RDmikec
A great tour by Jennifer highlighted and incredible house and its art collection. A must when citing the city!
8. St. Johannes Evangelical Lutheran Church
9. U.S. Custom House
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 11 reviews
Reviewed By CaptTrouble - Hudson, United States
This is a huge and impressive piece of 19th Century Classical Revival architecture on the Charleston waterfront (the front is on East Bay Street). It is in a main walking area on East Bay Street so you can hardly miss it. And, if you are walking on the backside near the harbor, you will note that a LOT of people sit on the steps to rest, especially when a cruise ship docks. The U.S. Custom Service needed a new building in the mid-1800's and so, Congress appropriated the money for it in 1847. The site was purchased in 1849 for $130,000. Supervising Architect of The Treasury Ammi B. Young incorporated elements from submitted plans and came up with this design. (Young also designed the Boston U.S. Custom House and the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.) Custom House.) Construction began in 1853. By 1859 the walls and Corinthian columns were built but Congress, being concerned about a possible civil war and South Carolina's secession from the Union, did not appropriate further funds to complete it. The building sustained significant damage during the shelling of Charleston in the U.S. Civil War. In 1870 work resumed under revised plans and the building was completed and occupied at a cost of $2.8 Million 9 years later. In 1956 the building was going to be demolished. Due to a public outcry, the government raised the funds in 1960 to save it. That year, the building was included in the Charleston Historic District, a part of the first group of National Historic Landmarks in the United States. It was individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
