Charleston SC is a land of incredible diversity, with something to offer everyone who visits. There are many great places to visit in this city, but if you are looking for the ultimate Charleston SC experience, then you need to head to one of the places below. Whichever part of Charleston SC you choose to visit, you’re sure to have an amazing time.
The Best Place to Visit in Charleston SC
Charleston City Market
- Address: 188 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.5 (21061)
- Phone: +1 843-937-0920
- Website: Link
- Opening hours:
Monday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PMTuesday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PMWednesday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PMThursday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PMFriday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PMSaturday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PMSunday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
5 Replies to The 15 Best Places To Visit in Charleston SC (Rating and Reviews)
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Top 15 Tourist Attractions in Charleston SC
Joe Riley Waterfront Park
- Address: Vendue Range, Concord St, Charleston, SC 29401, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (8982)
- Opening hours:
Monday: 7:00 AM – 9:30 PMTuesday: 7:00 AM – 9:30 PMWednesday: 7:00 AM – 9:30 PMThursday: 7:00 AM – 9:30 PMFriday: 7:00 AM – 9:30 PMSaturday: 7:00 AM – 9:30 PMSunday: 7:30 AM – 10:30 PM
- Reviews:
Such an amazing place to walk around and have a nice evening stroll. Lots of benches to sit down and take a moment to relax. Beautiful fountains (including the famous Pineapple fountain) down here! The boardwalk is right next to the water and leads all the way to the water taxi pickup. The grove of trees is like walking through a green tunnel, especially gorgeous close to sunset with the suns rays penetrating the leaves.By Ajimon Thomas (a month ago)This park is a great place to take a break from the touring and activity of the city proper. There was a lovely breeze and shade so it was refreshing. It is a peaceful spot to relax and enjoy watching the sailboats in the harbor or the kids playing in the fountains.By Cris Letourneau (2 months ago)This park is set along the ocean and calls you to remember the history of the area as you walk along its paths.
Flowers & Majestic Trees line the walking routes that eventually guide you to the the famous Pineapple fountain ⛲️ and the pier.
Lots of restaurants and shopping close by.
A relaxing way to spend a few hours or all day.By Laura Lockhart (8 months ago)A staple must do on your Charleston visit!
Enjoy the park with trails under oaks or along the marsh, benches, swings on the dock leading to the marsh, a dock by the Tug Boats, and of course infamous Pineapple Fountain.
One of the best views of the Charleston area bay and especially for sunrise!
You can find me here occasionally doing my morning rucks or on the docks enjoying the sea!We hope you enjoy our beautiful city of Charleston!
– The Pirate Hunter
By Justin Myers (8 months ago)AWESOOOOME! SUCH a gorgeous place to walk around and have a nice evening stroll. Beautiful fountains down here! And the boardwalk right next to the water…and the grove of trees is like walking through a tunnel. So beautiful, such a nice little pretty spot. If I lived in Charleston, I’d be down here every week! A MUST VISIT if you ever find yourself in historic Charleston! ??By Dan Thompson (9 months ago)Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
- Address: 3550 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC 29414, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.5 (6995)
- Phone: +1 843-571-1266
- Website: Link
- Price Info: Inexpensive
- Opening hours:
Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PMTuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PMWednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PMThursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PMFriday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PMSaturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PMSunday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Reviews:
My family had a lovely visit to Magnolia Plantation. We came early on a Wednesday, and were able to quickly purchase tickets and get started with exploring the grounds.
The plantation’s massive Live Oak trees are picturesque, and the house itself is well maintained. While waiting for our tour, we visited the conservatory which was lovely. We ended our tour in the gift shop which had a wide assortment of lovely items.
We chose to pay for the Nature Tram since we had folks in our group who couldn’t walk far. It was a great choice since we were able to see the grounds and gain some historical perspective without walking a lot. On the tram we were able to see the slave houses, several rice fields, and many wild animals including alligators, birds, and turtles!
Although we didn’t go into the house or take the From Slavery to Freedom tour, I imagine these are as well done as the Nature Tram and well worth their money!
By Dana Busch (Knoxville, TN) (a week ago)Had a nice afternoon here with the family. It wasn’t peak bloom for anything in late September but there were still plenty of flowers and the overall scenery with the Spanish moss draped trees was stunning.
We did the rice field boat tour, which was very informative. The rice fields were given back to nature and are now just wetlands with a few remnants of the old farm. We saw tons of beautiful birds and alligators. The pontoon boat had a roof, so we were out of the sun.
Definitely should be on your Charleston list. If you are a local, call ahead to learn about what’s in bloom and what time of year is best to visit.By M B (a month ago)Our family had a great time here! It was so nice to get up close to so many animals. We enjoyed our train tour and learned a lot! I only wish it was easier to take pictures during the tour. The cafe had great options for food. The gardens were lovely! We didn’t have time to do the silvery to freedom tour, but we will definitely be back to do it.By Jess W (5 months ago)We came to Magnolia in late Sept. 2022. The weather was unseasonably cool and cloudy, but late Sept is probably not the ideal time to visit anyway. Little was in bloom, although it was still fun to see. We did a lot of walking on self-guided tours. There’s a convenient bathroom across from the cafe when you first arrive. The grounds are a little more natural than other plantations but still well-kept. We didn’t see any animals or take any tours.By Cortney Ayers (2 months ago)This was such a lovely day trip. We did the general admission and signed up for the Slave to Freedom Tour as well (which was free). We visited the petting zoo, where peacocks, deer and a pig were walking amongst us (that were apparently rescues, according to one of the staff). We walked in the Conservatory, then around the Ashley River trail. This was a very beautiful place, and you can only imagine how much work goes into landscaping such a place.The Slave to Freedom tour was about 30 minutes, where we sat on benches near some restored cottages that used to be slave quarters before the Civil War. They were restored to 4 different time periods. These cottages were actually lived in until the 1990s by workers of the Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. The tour guide for this part was excellent, interesting and informative.
There was also a little shop in the middle of the campus to buy various drinks and lunches (sandwiches, salads, etc.) The shop was usually very packed and had a very long line.
Overall, I thought the place was beautiful and I enjoyed walking around.
We did see a woman with a walker who was struggling to walk around the gravel paths. For those who are handicapped, getting to the Slave to Freedom tour may have been rather challenging. Some other tours will drive you around the campus with a “tram” of sorts. I can certainly see this setup to be limiting for some folks with disabilities.
By Emily Januszczyk (5 months ago)Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum
- Address: 40 Patriots Point Rd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (6902)
- Phone: +1 843-884-2727
- Website: Link
- Opening hours:
Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMTuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMWednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMThursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMFriday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMSaturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PMSunday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Reviews:
If Patriot’s Point isn’t at the top of your Charleston agenda, rethink it! This is the absolute, hands-down must-see thing in Charleston. You get to go inside navy ships – large and small and understand the lives of a sailor and other military personnel aboard these ships. It was my first experience on a navy ship, so it was very informative and eye opening. I will say, there are a lot of tight quarters, narrow halls, and dozens of steep ladders/stairs to climb as your tour up and down and across the ships. I walked about 3 miles in total across 3.5 hours that we spent. We had to hurry through – and it still took us 3.5 hours. We thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it. The Vietnam experience is unique and worth walking through. The self guided tours were pretty well labeled so you can navigate your way through. Plenty of hands on things you can touch and watch, too.By Cortney Ayers (a month ago)We have visited a couple of times, and the museum is excellent. You can make this a quick trip and spend a couple of hours or an entire day. If you love military history, you could stretch this and make it a two-day trip if you want to see every little aspect, including the other ships.By Jeff Secrease (4 months ago)I went for a Navy Graduation ceremony on this ship. This place was full of historical information. I learned so much about the history of this ship and it’s service. That had an elevator to the top of the flight deck. Restrooms are easily accessible. The gift shop had plenty of items.Well worth the money to visit and wear comfortable shoes and clothes. Their is a lot of ground to cover. Also the cool breeze of being there early in the morning is the best time to visit during the summer months.By GLORIA ONTIVEROS (4 months ago)If you are visiting the Charleston area, this is a must do. Amazing to tour Patriots Point. Admission includes the Yorktown aircraft carrier, the USS Laffey Destroyer and the Vietnam Experience. If you want to see everything and take your time, you should plan on about 6.5 hours. You get to walk through many areas of the carrier and destroyer. Wear good, comfortable shoes. You will also be going up and down stairs that are sometimes more ladder than stair. There are also some spaces that are little tight. We thoroughly enjoyed our day at Patriots Point.By Jordan Yoshimine (9 months ago)My family visited on a Tuesday afternoon and didn’t find it to be too crowded and found this to be an incredible experience that I recommend anyone in the Charleston area check out! Patriots Point offers an amazing opportunity to discover first hand the history of our country and offers exhibits that would even be interesting to those not inclined to want to learn about history. I highly recommend checking out this aircraft carrier and the surrounding exhibits with your family. It took my family about 4.5 hrs to walk through all of Patriots Point but I would definitely say that it was worth the money and time! I especially loved the Vietnam experience and appreciated how immersive and informative the exhibit was!By Brianna Ridenour (4 months ago)
The Battery
- Address: Charleston, SC 29401, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (6071)
- Opening hours:
Monday: Open 24 hoursTuesday: Open 24 hoursWednesday: Open 24 hoursThursday: Open 24 hoursFriday: Open 24 hoursSaturday: Open 24 hoursSunday: Open 24 hours
- Reviews:
Awesome view!! You can book boat rides and take a nice stroll along the coast. The place has architectural and historical significance !!!
Can’t really see the sunset as the buildings and houses block the view. So, not an awesome place if you want to see the sunset though.
However the sunlight and moonlight during sunset will give you AWESOME photos for your memories!!! I loved the visit.!!!
By Mohammed Abdul Rafae (5 months ago)Incredible. Park along the wall side is free. Get ready for some walking ! You will have access to the battery wall, the historic park, pineapple fountain, rainbow row, and the market. Lots of shops and food choices. I spent half a day and spent $0, but if you’re into shopping there is plenty of stuff to spend money on. There is also public parking in the center of town for a fee if you’re not able to do much walking.By TEAMWOLFDADDY (10 months ago)Always beautiful love the atmosphere. First time we’ve been in several years. Not much has changed. More hotels & restaurants. Same old flea market selling china merchandise. We talked to one seller, Super nice local and he said never fall for the “I make it myself items,” they’re lying. They still have those poor horses. The best parking we found was at the battery park and walk if you’re up to it. Hang out down by the harbour at the swings with some delicious ice cream & enjoy a nice breeze and sunset.By Scarlet “McGirl” McGuire (7 months ago)Such a cool spot to take a stroll! Very historic and such beautiful properties along with the view of the ocean. Many cool shops along the way once you get downtown. Highly recommend. Sometimes the lowtide brings a very unpleasant smell just a heads upBy BillyBiggs614 (8 months ago)Great place to visit and walk around with the family. You can see Ft. Sumter and the USS Yorktown from a distance. The walk from the park to the waterfront is a little bit of a distance but definitely worth it. Very historical feel.By Michael Lakin (a month ago)South Carolina Aquarium
- Address: 100 Aquarium Wharf, Charleston, SC 29401, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.5 (5263)
Rainbow Row
- Address: 83-107 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.6 (5183)
Pineapple Fountain
- Address: 1 Vendue Range, Charleston, SC 29401, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (3673)
White Point Garden
- Address: 2 Murray Blvd, Charleston, SC 29401, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (2312)
Middleton Place
- Address: 4300 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC 29414, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.6 (2169)
Old Slave Mart Museum
- Address: 6 Chalmers St, Charleston, SC 29401, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.4 (1727)
The Charleston Museum
- Address: 360 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29403, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.6 (1531)
McLeod Plantation Historic Site
- Address: 325 Country Club Dr, Charleston, SC 29412, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.6 (1391)
Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon
- Address: 122 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.6 (1062)
Nathaniel Russell House
- Address: 51 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.5 (923)
Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge
- Address: Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge, Charleston, SC 29403, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (727)
The best place to visit in Charleston SC Charleston SC is a world-famous tourist destination, and it’s no wonder why. Here is our list of the top 15 best place to visit in Charleston SC – based on expert opinions and customer reviews. Did your favorite spot make the cut? Let us know in the comments above!
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I went to this beautiful gallery of art. I was told that Jonathan Green was one of the best artist in town. Great Customer Service. Willie was very nice, neat and charming. Great Prices too!!?
Definitely a must see in Charleston. Although busier, it’s probably better to go on a weekend when I would imagine more vendors would be out. But I am not exactly sure how that works. If you are really shopping, it probably takes about 2 hours to get through the entire market. There are plenty of public parking areas. The parking garage we parked at was $4 for 2 hours.
We enjoyed shopping at the market (except for the high temperatures and humidity). Only one of the buildings has a/c. Great selection of products from a lot of vendors. We hadn’t been there in many years.
A must see when you visit Charleston! Packed with something for everyone. I bought a book, a few pieces of art, and post cards. Very welcoming. I felt comfortable with my mask on. I would visit here again. From grits, to baskets, to art there is so much to see! Such a beautiful experience. Truly a place worth stopping and experiencing. You can find parking, there are lots and street parking. Also there is a lot of food in the area. Enjoy!
One of my top fave experiences while we were visiting Charleston. Really cool market with all sorts of local stuff to buy and eat. Also just fun to look around. They only have certain hours so make sure to check the site. We caught the tail end of the market so a lot of people were already packing up or gone already for the day. Still a unique experience to find touristy or less touristy m/more unique Charleston items. I bought some delicious pecans roasted in cinnamon sugar. I will say roads are really tight and smaller in this part of town so brace yourself and search for nearby parking.