Things To Do In Charleston, South Carolina | Historical Sites, Beaches & More

Charleston is a historic South Carolina city marked by colorful antebellum homes and architectural design, cobblestone roads, extensive beach access, a rich culture of southern comfort food, and nightlife at King Street. From Folly Beach and Isle of Palms to Rainbow Row and The Battery to Angel Oak Tree and the Ravenel Bridge, it's a charmingly beautiful, slow-paced, tourist city to explore.

Back in 2017 when I started making my travel list, Charleston was number two on the list at the time. When my mom got sick, I wasn’t able to cross it off then. Ironically, it was the last vacation that my mom took, which was even more of a reason to go. Charleston is as beautiful as I’d hoped it would be; I had heard of the similarities to New Orleans and now that i’ve been to both I can attest to the parallels in food and architecture.

Since there are several sea islands, I spent most of my time at the beaches and a good portion of time finding food. With covid, we still wanted to be careful that we were social distancing and taking the necessary precautions while still having an enjoyable vacation. Because the pandemic affected operating hours and so many other things, I did not make my itinerary in advance like I’d normally do. Once I arrived and got a feel for the area, I built a quick itinerary from there.

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Beaches

Folly Beach

In my research, most sites and blogs suggested Folly Beach, and ordinarily it wouldn’t have been a problem, but with covid and the touristy popularity of the beach it was too crowded to really be comfortable even though we were still able to social distance. I also should mention that there is only one lane to get to to the beach so if you happen to go at peak time then it can be a bother and take longer than you may want to wait to get there. There is a lovely pier to look out over the ocean and many people tied hammocks to the bottom of the pier which is also a cool idea. We were mainly interested in relaxing by the water, but there are restaurants and some shops in the surrounding area if that interests you as well.

Isle of Palms Beach

I would definitely recommend this beach over Folly Beach, as it’s far less touristy but also with a pier for fishing. There are also shops and restaurants in this area as well. It’s quiet and spacious as you would hope for from a beach.

Sullivan’s Island

Sullivan’s Island Beach was the less populated of the three beaches we went to as you can see. In a quiet, residential area with close, free parking and beautifully soft sand, it is a most charming beach. While I relaxed, my brother jogged and worked out on the beach, which is also an option. With this beach, there are quite a few rules and restrictions about what you can and cannot take out there, for example umbrellas and glass are prohibited so I would check here to avoid having to leave or go back to your car.

Things To Do

Rainbow Row + The Battery

There are a few things about Charleston that are comparable to New Orleans but I think that anyone would agree on the colorful buildings that are much like those in the NOLA French Quarter. Rainbow Row is a row of thirteen picturesque houses in the historic district of the city. The reason for the different, vibrant paint colors is not exactly known, as there are several different theories about the origin. No matter the origin, it’s a beautiful tourist attraction that I feel is a must-see part of the city. You can schedule to do horse and carriage tours, which is very cute, a guided walking tour, or just self-explore like we did.

Right around the corner from Rainbow Row is The Battery which is a seawall and promenade that you can walk along, catch a breeze and look over the water to see the forts. There is also a park in the area with plenty of shade provided by large oaks that would be great for a nice stroll or maybe reading a book.

Angel Oak Tree

This is another attraction that is free and doesn’t take much time at all. It’s an oak tree that is between 400 and 500 years old and over 60 feet tall. It’s more or less just a photo op but with covid, it’s nice to have outdoor options. You are required to wear a mask as of right now, but it is permissible to remove it for photos so long as no one else is close to you.

Cycling

I’m not into cycling (yet) but my brother is and he’d tell you that there are some beautiful bike routes in Charleston primely one that takes you over the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, which I did go over myself in the car and not a bike. It’s especially amazing to travel across at sunset.

King Street Shopping & Nightlife

I don’t typically do much shopping when I travel because I prefer to spend more time on experiences and exploring the area, but if shopping is your thing or you’re one to bar hop at night then King St. is definitely where you should be.

Among other things to do are the Joe Riley Waterfront Park and the South Carolina Aquarium.

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When I left Charleston I thought to myself that it is definitely a city I could live in or at least revisit each summer; that’s how much I loved it. It’s a tourist location, but not so much that you would get overwhelmed. Because it’s the south, it’s still relatively slow paced; there’s no rush to do the things you want to do and there are opportunities to be active but also to relax. If you’re like me and love to eat and spend time on the beach then Charleston is worth exploring, especially if you are on the east coast and within reasonable driving distance. I do intend to go back and when I do, I will be sure to update my travel diary with any new adventures.