Things to Do in Charleston, SC - Charleston Attractions
Things to Do in Charleston
On the itinerary: Historic sightseeing and shopping at Charleston Market by day, haunted tours by night. If you’ve got more time: Day trips to Fort Sumter and Folly Beach.
Explore popular experiences
See what other travelers like to do, based on ratings and number of bookings.
Book these experiences for a close-up look at Charleston.
Historical Toursfromper adult$50
Historical Toursfromper adult$39
Crime Toursfromper adult$35
Historical Toursfromper adult$81
Historical Toursfromper adult$28
Historical Toursfromper adult$26
Food & Drinkfromper adult$99
Historical Toursfromper adult$37
Catamaran Cruisesfromper adult$56
Historical Toursfromper adult$44
Other Top Attractions around Charleston
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
What travelers are saying
- GhostrainchaserHighlands Ranch, CO257 contributionsMy wife and I spent 7 hours here taking in the stunning antibelluim landscapes of live oaks throughout the acreage and flower beds adorning the walkways. The docents were extremely educated and conveyed their knowledge of the workings of the plantation system and the dark side of slavery. The plantation system cold not have succeeded without the degradation of a group of enslave people considered property!
They have done a great job in telling the story of its history before and after the Emancipation for better or worse.
Our visit was educational and time spent well.Written May 18, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Meredith13 contributionsSuch a beautiful fountain and park. Great to take a short spot and get a photo with the pineapple fountain! It was clean and great on a sunny day.Written April 18, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- borgeChicago, IL16 contributionsGreat bridge to walk and takin the sites of Charleston. There is plenty of parking and a nice park/playground to hang out at. There is a cafe and restrooms at the park/playground.Written April 8, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Brandie HMinneapolis, MN88 contributionsWe really enjoyed our tour of Ft Sumpter last spring. The tour guides were engaging and we learned a lot, they also gave plenty of time to explore on our own. If we had any questions the guide was readily available and gave us hints of where to look on the fort. Be sure to look out for dolphin when waiting for the ferry in your way out!Written May 20, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Navigate335568282441 contributionBeautiful gardens and bridges. Lovely place to spend the day. Loved the tour. Had sandwiches at the cafe. Food was good.Written May 16, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Smita L10 contributionsWent with my parents who are seniors and my niece (teen) - all of us (3 generations) enjoyed the show. Audience participation and the way the team of actors invites and includes everyone (that wants to) Is amazing! Shout out to all the actors and especially to Jamie- great performance and lovely sense of humor! We are visiting Charleston and this is the best. It’s the highlight of our visit so far. If you are local(or not)- this show is not to be missed.Written May 19, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Sam NPhiladelphia, PA23 contributionsA very nice visit to experience a piece of history. We really enjoyed learning about the history of the home. We recommend taking some time to visit.Written May 14, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Carol W4 contributionsThis home is frozen at 1850 hours or so, and no lipstick on her. So if you’re after Pretty and Polished, move along. We found it to be an interesting expository informing us “In Charleston’s earlier development, here’s what it was like for the upper 1%. Here’s what it was like to be owned by them,” complete with actual non-climate controlled surroundings. Yes, it helps to have an imagination. This family owned a rice plantation, several homes, 59 rental properties and over 800 slaves to keep it all operating. The house has survived a civil war, occupation, hurricanes, floods and personal tragedy, punctuated by great privilege and glittering parties.
As a severely hearing-impaired person, I so much appreciated the wifi-connected , professional audio guide with first-class features to rewind, stop, etc. THANK YOU.Written April 17, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Daniel BColumbia, MD7 contributionsWe were told twice that McLeod was one of a few plantations that didn't try to put some sort of spin on the experience of enslaved people or the system - this was indeed true and much appreciated. The only downside is that the guide was arguably a bit mean about this to a foreign tourist who dared to utter the words "Giline with the Wind" - rather than jumping on this person a more kind and gentle approach that was not somewhat of. personal attack would have been preferable. Also, the tour didn't cover anything inside the home. I think going inside with a guide vs "you can if you want to" and some words contrasting the lives of the enslaved with their enslavers would do a lot to help all visitors "get" the disparities and evils of slavery.Written May 20, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- AlexandraUnited States169 contributionsMy mom and I went to check out the market during our mother-daughter trip. It’s a beautiful market and it’s so nice that it is covered / indoors in case of bad weather. You can find a lot of unique handmade items here like jewelry, clothing, candles, and food. However, the prices were do expensive that we ended up buying a couple biscuits from Callies, walking through, and then leaving. We really wanted to support the vendors since they were all so nice, but simply couldn’t afford most items. If you’re looking for something extremely unique for a nice gift, this is a great place to go. If you’re looking for a deal, this might not be the place. It’s a great spot to kill time and explore the city, though!Written May 2, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- IcicleCreekUnited States166 contributionsThe grounds (with self-guided tour) are beautiful and the visitor center was interesting. Our only complaint was with the house tour. The guidebooks and websites said the house tour was 45-50 minutes and the Drayton Hall website says it's one hour. However, the tour we were on lasted 90 minutes. That was too long for many on the tour. Our guide was knowledgeable and enjoyed sharing lots of details (and maybe hearing his own voice) but many in the group weren't looking for that level of detail. He didn't "read the room" very well. We also spent 20 minutes near the visitor center listening to background before going to the archeological site, then the house. This was helpful context, if a bit more than was needed, but there should be chairs for some people to sit.Written April 24, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- NoraatcSudbury, MA38,332 contributionsMy favorite place in beautiful Charleston where one delight follows another: a long stretch of antebellum mansions on the Battery facing the marina. Every luxurious mansion has its one face and it was really hard to choose which one is the best. I found two of my own favorites standing next to each other: magnificent white mansion with lovely small garden (private residence) and Edmondston-Alston House. After a short walk in the White Point Gardens we turned back and this time we walked not along the marina but closer to the mansions to take a close at them.Written April 2, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
