When people compile lists of the most popular cities to visit in the United States, Charleston is always near the top. What is it about this community in South Carolina that makes it appeal to visitors seeking a fun place to relax for a few days and sample the culture and history of southeast low country? Charleston does not have one special activity that cannot be found elsewhere but it boasts an abundance of interesting things to do and see that will appeal to experienced travelers and families. Some activities for visitors to enjoy are the following:

Distinctive Neighborhoods - The historic district of Charleston located at the southern end of the peninsula is bounded by the Cooper River to the east and the Ashley River to the west. This part of the city contains distinctive neighborhoods. It is a place best explored just walking around on your own, biking, or by hiring a horse drawn carriage or pedicab. Filled with historic houses, small parks, and local shops, some streets are paved with cobblestones or contain historic lamps. Throughout the downtown area, there are streets and gardens full of azaleas and magnolia trees. Preservation is serious business in Charleston and the city has enacted design and building restrictions so that the historic peninsula will retain its distinctive character.

Battery Park located at the southern tip where an elevated seawall provides a panoramic view of the nearby neighborhood, and the surrounding waters is a good place to start a walking tour. Close by off East Bay Street are the thirteen row houses of Rainbow Row, known for their pastel colors and Georgian style. Built in 1740, the houses were purchased by a single owner in the 1930s and revitalized and have been attracting attention ever since. Other mansions in the neighborhood have also been brightly painted and feature grand porches which provide shade from the heat and view corridors to the water. The historic Nathaniel Russel House on nearby Meeting Street offers a view of the life of the wealthy local traders who dominated the local economy in the early 1800s.

Farther north on the peninsula adjacent to Hampton Park is the 300-acre campus of The Citadel, the military academy which has graduated thousands of engineers and future military officers since 1810. A walk around the brick buildings and grounds of the school provides a majestic setting for reflection and exercise. 

Food-  The opportunity to enjoy fine dining and comfort food is never far away in Charleston. Low country cuisine combines elements of French and Spanish cooking with local meats and seafood. Favorites include shrimp and grits, she crabs soup, barbecued pork, rice, and beans. One popular local restaurant in the Historic District is Husk on Queen Street. We dined at an establishment on East Bay Street called S.N.O.B. which stands for Slightly North of Broad which welcomes all diners. People of all ages frequent the dozens of brew pubs and rooftop bars scattered around the city.

Shopping - When you are done eating and drinking in Charleston there are plenty of activities to keep you busy. Browsing through the City Market which is centrally located in the historic district is a good place to start. This five block long, single story brick building has served as a gathering place for merchants, craftsmen, and a public food market since the late 1700s. Restored and updated many times, some sections of the market are now fully enclosed, air-conditioned corridors lined with small shops, while the rest are open air buildings with stalls for local merchants. You can find moderately priced clothing, arts and crafts, specialty foods, souvenirs, and other merchandise such as popular sweetgrass baskets on display.

A short walk to the west is a two mile stretch of retail stores, chic boutiques, galleries, hotels, and cafes known as King Street. A wide variety of national chains and locally owned stores line both sides of this popular shopping district. The northern portion of the street is known as the design district, the middle portion is known as a fashion district, and the southern portion near Washington Park features antiques. One of the best features of the historic peninsula area of Charleston is the DASH shuttle service offered by the Regional Transportation Authority. There are three overlapping routes which can be used for a small fee of $2 per person. The shuttle stops at 23 locations spread throughout the downtown. Each route has a time schedule and shuttle buses come by every 15 to 30 minutes. This allows visitors to get around to popular attractions in the city without a car or without having to frequently search for parking spaces.

Historic Sites and Museums - The Charleston Museum founded in 1773, provides an excellent overview of the accomplishments and struggles of the region. Exhibits depict the natural history of the low country or focus on Charleston’s prominent role in the early history of the United States. Four signers of the Declaration of Independence hailed from the city. Even after Charleston was captured by the British in 1780 during the American Revolution, the General Francis Marion, sometimes known as the Swamp Fox, kept opposition to British alive using guerilla war tactics until the revolutionary army vanquished British forces in the south under General Nathaniel Greene.

One of the most unusual displays from the Civil War period at the Charleston Museum is a replica of the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley which sits outside the museum along Meeting Street. It torpedoed a Union ship anchored off Charleston in 1864, sunk during the attack, and was rediscovered in the harbor in 1995. The Charleston Museum as well as other sites in town such as the Old Slave Mart Museum on Chalmers Street also present the city's painful legacy as a port of entry for an estimated 100,000 enslaved people who made up a substantial portion of the low country's population for generations.

There are also historic places to visit outside of town across the Ravenel Bridge. At Patriots Point and Naval Maritime Museum there are monuments to military heroes of the United States along with a living museum which includes the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier, a destroyer, and a submarine. The ships can be toured by visitors and provide a majestic view of the city across the harbor. Farther along Route 17 past Patriots Point lies the Boone Hall Plantation which remains the most popular site in the area to tour a traditional plantation.

Other Activities - If you enjoy the water, there are many attractions worth considering visiting during your time in Charleston. The South Carolina Aquarium is highly rated and nearby tour boats offer excursions to Fort Sumter, harbor cruises, and taxi service to Patriots Point. Sailing outings and fishing charters may be booked along the waterfront. Farther afield from the downtown are the beach destinations of Myrtle Beach to the north, and Folly Beach and Kiawah Island to the south. Whether you are seeking a private bungalow or a boardwalk adventure, there are a variety of family activities and romantic beach locations to visit.

How to Get Here

Charleston International Airport is serviced by most major airlines and the number of cities with direct flights to Charleston is increasing all the time. Southwest, Delta, and PSA Airlines carry most of the traffic to the city. The city is a 5-hour drive from Atlanta on Interstate 20 and 26, and a 3.5-hour drive from Jacksonville on Interstate 95.

When to Go

Adult visitors will be able to enjoy a visit to Charleston throughout the year since daytime temperatures are above 50° during the winter. However, the best months to take in the beauty and character the community are from mid-September to November and from March to June. Charleston can be quite humid during the late summer and can be susceptible to heavy rain during the hurricane season.