65 Best Sights in Charleston, South Carolina

Although housed in a modern-day brick complex, this institution was founded in 1773 and is the country's oldest museum. The collection is especially strong in South Carolina decorative arts, from silver to snuffboxes. There's also a large gallery devoted to natural history (don't miss the giant polar bear). Children love the permanent Civil War exhibition and the interactive "Kidstory" area, where they can try on reproduction clothing in a miniature historic house. The Historic Textiles Gallery features rotating displays that showcase everything from uniforms and flags to couture gowns, antique quilts, and needlework. Combination tickets that include the Joseph Manigault House and the Heyward-Washington House are a bargain at $25.

This lovely orientation center includes a kitchen stage for cooking demos along with helpful information about visiting Charleston. Staff at the center strongly encourage visitors to use the restrooms at the complex before hitting the streets (which have a lack of public bathroom options).

Hands-on interactive exhibits at this top-notch museum will keep kids—from infants to 10-year-old children—occupied for hours. They can climb aboard a Lowcountry pirate ship, drive an antique fire truck, race golf balls down a roller coaster, and create masterpieces in the art center.

The first church building erected on this site in the 1680s gave bustling Meeting Street its name. The present-day Romanesque structure, dating from 1890, is configured on a Greek-cross plan and has a breathtaking vaulted ceiling. While the sanctuary is not open to visitors except during Sunday morning service, you are welcome to explore the graveyard, which is the oldest English burial ground in the city, with records dating back to 1695.

The intersection of Meeting and Broad streets is known as the Four Corners of Law, representing the laws of nation, state, city, and church. On the northeast corner is the Adamesque-style City Hall, built in 1801. Highlights of the historic portraits that hang in the second-floor council chamber (the second-oldest continuously used council chamber in the country), include John Trumbull's 1791 portrait of George Washington and Samuel F.B. Morse's likeness of James Monroe.

A majestic Greek revival portico, Randolph Hall—an 1828 building designed by Philadelphia architect William Strickland and built by the labor of enslaved people—presides over the college's central Cistern Yard. Draping oaks envelop the lush green quad, where graduation ceremonies and concerts, notably during Spoleto Festival USA, take place. Scenes from films like Cold Mountain and The Notebook have been filmed on the historic campus of this liberal arts college, founded in 1770.

This museum chronicles the history of this small Southern town, displaying everything from butter churns to the country's first anesthesia machine. Particularly charming is the small chapel complete with stained glass, pews, and century-old wedding gowns. An outdoor farmers' market is held here from 10 to 2 on Saturday. It's also home to the Colleton Commercial Kitchen, a culinary small business incubator. The entrepreneurs building businesses here operate a weekday lunch café.

Located in idyllic countryside 40 minutes from downtown Charleston, Deep Water's 48-acre property grows native muscadine grapes on Wadmalaw Island. Bring a picnic to enjoy under the live oaks after you wander among the vines. All six varietals can be tasted for $10, which includes a wine glass to take home.

The original Dock Street, built in 1736, was the first theater building in America. The current structure, reopened in 1935, incorporates the remains of the old Planter's Hotel (circa 1809). Green velvet curtains and wonderful woodwork give it a New Orleans French Quarter feel. The Charleston Stage company performs full seasons of family-friendly fare, and Spoleto Festival USA uses the stage for productions in May and June.

The only plantation house on the Ashley River to have survived the Civil War intact, Drayton Hall is considered the nation's finest example of Palladian-inspired architecture. A National Trust Historic Site built between 1738 and 1742, it's an invaluable lesson in history as well as in architecture. Visitors can pay their respects at the African American cemetery—one of the oldest in the nation still in use—and experience the 30-minute "Port to Plantation" program that uses maps and historic documents to examine the lives of the enslaved Africans who built Charleston's economy. Inside the main home, rooms are unfurnished to highlight the original plaster moldings, opulent hand-carved woodwork, and other ornamental details. Regular tours, with guides known for their in-depth knowledge, depart on the half hour.

Edisto's south edge has 4 miles of public beach. At its western end, the beach faces St. Helena Sound and has smaller waves. There is beach access at each intersection along Palmetto Boulevard and free public parking along the road. The beach itself has narrowed because of erosion from recent hurricanes, so you'll have more room to spread out if you time your visit for low tide. These clean coastal waters teem with both fish and shellfish, and it's common to see people throwing cast nets for shrimp. It's a great beach for beachcombing. Alcohol is allowed as long as it is not in glass containers. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunset; swimming.

This fabled attraction, run by a pair of brothers, features an indoor atrium of snakes from around the world, plus a meandering outdoor garden with sprawling habitats for snakes, turtles, and alligators. Educational programs and alligator feedings enrich the experience, and kids love the gift shop.

In 1825, Charles Edmondston designed this house in the Federal style on Charleston's High Battery; it was built by the labor of enslaved people, who also lived and worked on the property. About 13 years later, second owner Charles Alston began transforming it into the Greek Revival structure seen today, also by using the labor of enslaved people. The home is furnished with family antiques, portraits, silver, and fine china; the stories of the enslaved people who lived here are intertwined with many of the exhibits.

The Folly River, the Stono River, and the Atlantic Ocean form the peninsula that comprises this palmetto-fringed park, 12 miles southwest of Charleston. There are lifeguards in designated swimming areas and the water is generally calm, making this the best bet for families. Depending on the tides, there are often little pools that toddlers can safely enjoy. The sand is the hard-packed taupe variety ideal for making sand castles. Seasonal amenities include a snack bar, beach chairs, and umbrella rentals. During winter, it's possible to watch the sunset over the water without another person in sight. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming.

Pack a picnic and your fishing poles, or hit the hiking, biking, horseback-riding, and motorbike trails in 260,000 acres of swamps, lakes, oaks, and pines. Bring a canoe to explore the peaceful black water of the Wambaw Creek Wilderness Canoe Trail, hike the Swamp Fox Passage of the Palmetto Trail, or pitch a tent at one of five rustic campgrounds within the forest.

The circa-1845 Gothic-style church is home to the nation's only practicing Huguenot congregation. English-language services are held Sunday at 10:30, with a tour given to any visitors immediately afterward.

If you want a party scene and beach bars with live music and dancing, then this stretch of Isle of Palms is for you. Its string of businesses is the only beachfront commercial district in the area. Bicyclists are welcome, as are pets on leashes. Parking regulations are strictly enforced. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee). Best for: partiers; swimming; windsurfing.

This Georgian-style double house was the townhome of Thomas Heyward Jr., patriot leader, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and slaveholder. The city rented the residence for George Washington's use during the president's weeklong stay in Charleston in 1791. Inside, visitors find historic Charleston-made furniture, notably the withdrawing room's Holmes Bookcase, considered to be one of the most exceptional examples of American colonial furniture. Also significant is the 1740s kitchen building, as it's the only one of its kind open to the public in Charleston. Don't miss the formal gardens, which contain plants commonly used in the area in the late 18th century. While enslaved people lived and worked on this property, both before and after the Heyward family, there's little reflection of their lives or experiences; artifacts they used are only featured in some exhibits.

Play beach volleyball or soak up the sun in a lounge chair on this wide stretch of sand. This beach is as good as the island's idyllic name. The sands are golden, the waves are gentle, and there's a playground, so it's great for families with small children. Those seeking to avoid the crowds can venture a few blocks north down the beach. The county park is the only lifeguard-protected area on the Isle of Palms. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunrise; swimming; walking.

An extraordinary example of Federal architecture, this 1803 residence and National Historic Landmark reflects the urban lifestyle of a well-to-do rice-planting family and the Africans they enslaved. Engaging guided tours reveal a stunning spiral staircase, rooms that have been preserved in period style, and American, English, and French furniture from the early 19th century. Outside, stroll through the artfully maintained period garden; unfortunately, most of the historic out buildings were torn down long ago, now replaced with interpretive signs that note their former locations.

Ancient oak trees drip Spanish moss over funerary sculptures and magnificent mausoleums in this cemetery on the Cooper River. It opened in 1850, beautifully landscaped (thanks to the rural cemetery movement of the era) with paths, ponds, and lush lawns. The people of Charleston came not only to pay respects to the deceased, but also for picnicking and family outings. Similarly, visitors still find joy in the natural surroundings—and intrigue in the elaborate structures marking the graves of many prominent South Carolinians. All three crews of mariners who died aboard the Civil War sub the H. L. Hunley are buried here, and more than 850 Confederate servicemen rest in the Soldiers' Ground. Walking maps are available in the front office.

Beautiful Magnolia Plantation is home to the oldest public garden in the country, a sprawling estate created entirely by the labor of enslaved people. Established in the 1670s by Thomas Drayton after he moved from Barbados (where he also enslaved people), the extensive garden was started in the late 17th century and has evolved into a Romantic-style green space overflowing with plants, including a vast array of azaleas and camellias and a topiary maze. Exhibits surrounding the plantation's five former slave dwellings give insight into the enslaved people who lived here, with tours curated by prominent African American historian Joseph McGill. Outside of the gardens and historic buildings, take a train or boat to tour the grounds, or traverse more than 500 acres of trails by foot or bike (bring your own). The adjacent Audubon Swamp Garden invites a long stroll on its network of boardwalks and bridges. There's also a petting zoo, a nature center, and a reptile house.

Driving down Highway 174, look out for a giant red roadside chair that welcomes folks to stop for a photo op and a trip inside a vintage-style grocery selling the mill's stone-ground cornmeal and grits (which you'll find served in many a fine Charleston restaurant, including owner Greg Johnsman's own King Street breakfast joint, Millers All Day). A 1945 grits separator presides over one side of the store; ask for a demo if you'd like to see it in action. Don't leave without some fresh produce from the family farm and homemade cornmeal donuts. Crafts by area artists, cookbooks, and other gifts round out the offerings.

This contemporary space houses the city's most impressive collection of art, including works by nationally and internationally acclaimed painters, sculptors, and photographers. It's especially well known for its bronzes and large wooden sculptures, as well as glass pieces and custom-designed jewelry. There's a second location inside the Shops at Belmond Charleston Place, and the gallery provides works to several downtown hotels.

This active Trappist monastery overlooking the Cooper River is on the site of the former plantation owned by Henry Laurens, a slaveholder whose wealth came from the Transatlantic slave trade. It was later the home of noted publisher Henry Luce and his wife Clare Boothe Luce, who commissioned renowned landscape architect Loutrell Briggs to design a garden in 1937. That garden remains a stunning place for a serene walk or contemplative rest on a waterfront bench. You can take a guided tour of the church or even stay here for a spiritual retreat in the sleek, modern facility with individual rooms and private baths. Hearing the monks sing during their normal daily routine and attending the annual Piccolo Spoleto Festival concerts here are peaceful and spiritual experiences. The gift shop sells oyster mushrooms and garden compost from the abbey's farm as well as candies, preserves, and creamed honey from other Trappist abbeys. Tours are offered at 11:30 am on Friday and Saturday.

With an observation tower, paved nature trails, and boardwalks extending over the marshes, this 943-acre park offers a day full of family fun. You can rent bicycles and pedal boats, set the kids loose in the playground, or pay an extra fee ($6.99) for entrance to the small Splash Island water park (open daily June through mid-August and weekends in May and mid-August through Labor Day).

Built as a customs house in 1771, this building once served as the commercial and social center of Charleston and was the primary site of the city's public auctions of enslaved people. It was also the site of many historic events, including the state's ratification of the Constitution in 1788 and two grand celebrations hosted for George Washington. In addition to its role in the transatlantic slave trade, it was also used by the British to house prisoners during the Revolutionary War, experiences that are both detailed in exhibits. Costumed interpreters bring history to life on guided tours.

Four miles of boardwalks and unpaved paths take you through Biggin Swamp and along the last portion of the country's first true canal, constructed in large part through the labor of enslaved people. An interpretive center details the history of the canal, which was used to transport goods from upstate South Carolina to the port of Charleston for the first half of the 19th century. The circa-1840 Stony Landing Plantation House is furnished with period reproductions. Also on-site (and included in admission) is the Berkeley County Museum and Heritage Center, which tells the story of the county's cultural and natural history, including spotlighting the enslaved people who built the rice and mineral extraction industry that enabled this interior area to flourish. Prefer to explore by boat? Rent a canoe and venture up the canal for $5 per half hour.

The historic center of Mount Pleasant, this neighborhood is distinguished by white picket fences, storybook cottages, traditional homes with wide porches, tiny churches, and lavish waterfront homes. It's a lovely area for a stroll or bike ride, and Pitt Street offers a couple of locally loved eateries and boutiques. Head south along Pitt Street to the Otis M. Pickett Bridge and Park, popular for picnicking, fishing, and sunset views.

Completed in 1713, the oldest public building in South Carolina is one of the few that remain from the time of the Lords Proprietors. The city's volatile—and precious—gunpowder was kept here during the Revolutionary War, and the building's thick walls were designed to contain an explosion if its stores were detonated. Today, it's a small museum with a permanent exhibit on colonial and Revolutionary warfare.