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Upper King
A prime example of the wealth derived from chattel slavery, the Aiken-Rhett House is considered one of the best preserved town-house complexes in the country. Built in 1820 and virtually unaltered since 1858, it boasts original wallpaper, paint, and some furnishings. Two of the former owners, Governor Aiken and his wife Harriet, bought many of the chandeliers, sculptures, and paintings in Europe. The carriage house remains out back, along with a building that contained the kitchen, laundry, and housing for enslaved laborers, making this the most intact property to showcase urban life in pre–Civil War Charleston. Be sure to take the audio tour, as it vividly describes the surroundings, giving historical and family details throughout.
48 Elizabeth St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29401, USA
Sight Details
Rate Includes: $12, with admission to Nathaniel Russell House Museum $18, Mon.–Sat. 10–5, Sun. 2–5; last tour at 4:30
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College of Charleston Campus
Part of the College of Charleston, this museum and archive was once a school for African Americans, training students for professional careers from approximately 1865 to 1954. The collections here focus on the civil rights movement, but also include artifacts from the era of chattel slavery, such as badges, manacles, and bills of sale, as well as other materials from throughout African American history. The free guided tours begin with a brief film.
125 Bull St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29401, USA
Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed weekends, Tours weekdays at 10:30, 11:30, 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30
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Maritime forests, barrier islands, salt marshes, beaches, and coastal waterways make up this 66,287-acre refuge established in 1932 as a migratory bird haven. The Sewee Visitor and Environmental Education Center has information and exhibits on the property and its trails, as well as an outdoor enclosure housing endangered red wolves. The refuge is aiding the recovery of the threatened loggerhead sea turtle, and a video details the work. From the mainland refuge, you can take a $40 ferry ride to remote and wild Bulls Island to explore its boneyard beach and freshwater ponds teeming with alligators.
5821 U.S. 17 N, Awendaw, South Carolina, 29429, USA
Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Sun.–Tues., Wed.–Sat. 9–5
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West Ashley
This off-the-radar gem of a park (and zoo) marks the site of the original 1670 settlement of Charles Towne, the first permanent European settlement in South Carolina. Begin with the visitor center's 12-room, interactive museum and exhibit hall that tells the history of the early settlers and their relationship with the Kiawah people who were here when they arrived. Be sure to visit the exhibits about the enslaved people and indentured servants who also arrived with the English. Kids will make a beeline for the Adventure, a full-size replica of the colonists' 17th-century tall ship that's docked on the creek running through the park. The grounds are threaded with 6 miles of paths through forest and marsh, including an Animal Forest zoo where you can see black bears, bobcats, pumas, and bison. All in all, there are 664 acres of gardens and forest, including an elegant live oak alley. Leashed dogs are allowed (although not in the Animal Forest), and rental bikes are available for $5 an hour.
1500 Old Towne Rd., Charleston, South Carolina, 29407, USA
Sight Details
Rate Includes: $12, Daily 9–5
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The town of Dorchester boomed during the 18th century before being abandoned at the onset of the Revolutionary War. All that remains of this once-substantial trading hub are the oyster tabby walls of Fort Dorchester and the brick belltower of St. George's Anglican Church. The Ashley River runs through the woods, and trails offer peaceful places to sit and watch the blackwater river flow by.
300 State Park Rd., Summerville, South Carolina, 29485, USA
Sight Details
Rate Includes: $3
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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Explore the inky swamp waters of this natural area in a flat-bottom boat, or walk along paths lined with moss-draped cypress trees, azaleas, camellias, daffodils, wisteria, and dogwoods. You can marvel at the clouds of butterflies in the butterfly house, and see snakes and fish up close in the Swamparium. The swamp garden was created from what was once the freshwater reserve of the vast Dean Hall rice plantation. The site is about 24 miles north of Charleston via U.S. 52, between Goose Creek and Moncks Corner.
3030 Cypress Gardens Rd., Moncks Corner, South Carolina, 29461, USA
Sight Details
Rate Includes: $10, Daily 9–5; last admission at 4
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This 1,255-acre park includes a 1½-mile-long beachfront with some of the area's best shelling, marshland, and tidal rivers as well as a lush maritime forest with 7 miles of trails running through it. Trails are hard-packed shell sand, suitable for bikes and wheelchairs. The park's Environmental Learning Center features animal exhibits and a touch tank, and a small ranger station has fishing poles to lend and firewood for sale. Pets on leashes are allowed. This is an excellent jumping-off point for exploring the natural history of Edisto Island and the surrounding ACE Basin.
8377 State Cabin Rd., Edisto Island, South Carolina, 29438, USA
Sight Details
Rate Includes: $8, Daily 8–6
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Folly Beach
Charleston's most laid-back beach community fills up on weekends, so head out early to avoid traffic if you're visiting on a Saturday. A rebuild of the beloved Folly Beach Fishing Pier is still in development and set to debut in 2022, but the familiar Morris Island Lighthouse yet rises from the water at the northeast end of the island. Surfers flock to the Washout, a renowned and consistent surf break, and the southwest end of the island has lifeguards and amenities at the county park. Street parking is free, but to avoid a ticket, all four wheels have to be off the pavement. Stock up on snacks and sandwiches at Bert's Market on East Ashley Avenue or grab a taco with the locals at Chico Feo across the street. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers and toilets (at Washout, the pier, and the county park). Best for: surfing; swimming.
Charleston, South Carolina, 29439, USA
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A part of the Fort Sumter National Monument, this is the site where Colonel William Moultrie's South Carolinians repelled a British assault in one of the first patriot victories of the Revolutionary War. Completed in 1809, the fort is the third fortress on this site on Sullivan's Island, 10 miles southeast of Charleston. Set across the street, the companion museum is an unsung hero. Although much is made of Fort Sumter, this smaller historical site is creatively designed, with figurines in various uniforms that make military history come alive. A 20-minute educational film that spans several major wars tells the colorful history of the fort. There's also an essential exhibit on Sullivan Island's role in the transatlantic slave trade. Plan to spend the day bicycling through Sullivan's Island, where you'll find a cluster of century-old beach houses.
1214 Middle St., Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, 29482, USA
Sight Details
Rate Includes: $10, Daily 9–5
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Set on a man-made island in Charleston's harbor, this is the hallowed spot where the Civil War began. On April 12, 1861, the first shot of the war was fired at the fort from Fort Johnson across the way. After a 34-hour battle, Union forces surrendered and Confederate troops occupied Fort Sumter, which became a symbol of Southern resistance. The Confederacy managed to hold it, despite almost continual bombardment, from August 1863 to February 1865. When it was finally evacuated, the fort was a heap of rubble. Today, the National Park Service oversees it, and rangers give interpretive talks. To reach the fort, take a private boat or one of the ferries that depart from Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant and downtown's Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center, which includes exhibitions on the period before, during, and after the Civil War. There are as many as seven trips daily to the fort between mid-March and mid-August, fewer the rest of the year.
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Sight Details
Rate Includes: Fort free, ferry $24, Mid-Mar.–early Sept., daily 10–5:30; early Sept.–Nov. and early Mar., daily 10–4; Dec.–Feb. daily 11:30–4
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Downtown Historic District
Housed in a beautiful Beaux Arts building with a soaring stained-glass cupola, this museum boasts a collection of 10,000 works, principally American with a local connection. A recent $11.5 million renovation expanded on-site studios, rotating exhibit spaces, and visiting artist programs. Permanent displays include a massive stick sculpture by Patrick Dougherty that visitors can step inside and life-size oil paintings from the 18th century. Different objects from the museum's permanent collection are on view in "The Charleston Story," offering a nice summary of the region's history. Leave time to sit for a spell in the tranquil Lenhardt Garden behind the building.
135 Meeting St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29401, USA
Sight Details
Rate Includes: $12, Tues.–Sat. 10–5; Sun. 1–5; open until 8 on Wed.
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College of Charleston Campus
Seasonal shows at this gallery known for progressive, contemporary art have included exhibitions by Shepard Fairey and Jasper Johns. Managed by the College of Charleston, the space is known for groundbreaking work, like the "Saltworks" show featuring Japanese-artist Motoi Yamamoto creating a massive salt sculpture over six weeks. Exhibits are free and rotate every three months.
161 Calhoun St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29424, USA
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The jewel of Charleston’s park system, Hampton Park is equally beloved by recreational runners, picnickers, bird-watchers. history buffs, and flower-lovers. The 60-acre park, centered on a fetching lagoon, is encircled by a tree-lined road that follows the path of the Washington Race Course, a horse-racing capital in the 1800s.
30 Mary Murray Dr., Charleston, South Carolina, USA
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Downtown Historic District
Enjoy the fishing pier's "front-porch" swings, stroll along the waterside path, or relax in the gardens overlooking Charleston Harbor. The expansive lawn is perfect for picnics and family playtime. Two fountains can be found here: the oft-photographed Pineapple Fountain and the Vendue Fountain, which children love to run through on hot days.
Vendue Range at Concord St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29401, USA
Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free
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This county park 28 miles southwest of Charleston has a wide beach at low tide, often ranked among the country's best. Stunningly beautiful Kiawah (named for the tribe that first called the area home) is one of the Southeast's largest barrier islands, with 10 miles of immaculate ocean beaches. You can walk safely for miles, shelling and beachcombing to your heart's content. The beach is complemented by the Kiawah River, with lagoons filled with birds and wildlife, and golden marshes that make the sunsets even more glorious. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; sunset; swimming; walking.
1 Beachwalker Dr., Kiawah Island, South Carolina, 29455, USA
Sight Details
Rate Includes: May–Labor Day $10 per car weekdays, $15 on weekends; Sept.–Apr. from $5, Sept.–Apr. 10 am–sunset; May–Labor Day 9 am–8 pm
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Downtown Historic District
Two local artists and friends own and curate this gallery that balances the impressionist and abstract works of well-known painters like Anne Blair Brown with regional emerging names, with an intentional focus on female artists.
122 Meeting St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29401, USA
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West Ashley
Established in the 1730s, Middleton Place was at the center of the Middleton family’s empire of rice plantations, where they enslaved 3,500 people on 63,000 acres of properties throughout the South Carolina Lowcountry. With its massive three-story brick manor home and prized gardens, Middleton Place continues to be a grand statement of wealth and the bitter injustice and cruely behind it.
To get the complete picture of life on the plantation, take the Beyond the Fields tour and film, focused on the lives of the Africans and African Americans who lived and worked at Middleton. The tour begins at Eliza’s House, a restored 1870s sharecropper’s home.
Middleton's original manor home was destroyed in the Civil War, but one of its flanking buildings, which served as the gentlemen’s guest quarters, was salvaged and transformed into the family’s post-war residence. It now serves as a house museum, displaying impressive English silver, furniture, original paintings, and historic documents, including an early silk copy of the Declaration of Independence. In the stable yards, historic interpreters use authentic tools to demonstrate spinning, weaving, blacksmithing, and other skills from the era. Heritage-breed farm animals, such as water buffalo and cashmere goats, are housed here, along with peacocks.
Restored in the 1920s, the breathtakingly beautiful gardens include camellias, roses, and blooms of all seasons that form floral allées (alleys) along terraced lawns and around a pair of ornamental lakes, which are shaped like butterfly wings. Wear comfortable walking shoes to explore Middleton's gardens, and dress to be outside.
4300 Ashley River Rd., Charleston, South Carolina, 29414, USA
Sight Details
Rate Includes: $26, house tour $12, Daily 9–5
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Sprawling beneath the Ravenel Bridge, this beautifully landscaped green space invites lounging on the grass with views of Charleston Harbor. You can also take a path up to the bridge for a stroll. Find helpful info in the visitor center, chat with Gullah artists selling traditional baskets in the Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Pavilion, and spend a quiet moment listening to the waterfall fountain in the Mount Pleasant War Memorial. Kids love the playground modeled after the Ravenel Bridge, and parents appreciate that it's fenced, with benches galore. A 1,250-foot-long pier stretches into the water—grab a milkshake from the River Watch Cafe and a seat on one of the double-sided swings to watch folks fishing for their supper. Better yet, rent a rod and bait for $10 from the pier's tackle shop and cast for your own.
71 Harry Hallman Blvd., Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, 29464, USA
Sight Details
Rate Includes: May-Sep 6 am-11 pm; Oct-Apr. 8 am-11 pm
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South of Broad
One of the nation's finest examples of Federal-style architecture, the Nathaniel Russell House was built in 1808 and has been restored to a 19th-century aesthetic. Its grand beauty speaks to the wealth Russell accumulated through chattel slavery and how this allowed him to become one of the city's leading merchants. The kitchen, laundry, and certain living quarters have been transformed from storage space into exhibits on the enslaved people who lived and labored here. Inside, in addition to the famous "free-flying" staircase that spirals up three stories with no visible support, the ornate interior is distinguished by Charleston-made furniture as well as paintings and works on paper by well-known American and European artists, including Henry Benbridge, Samuel F. B. Morse, and George Romney. The extensive formal garden is worth a leisurely stroll.
51 Meeting St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29401, USA
Sight Details
Rate Includes: $12, combination ticket with Aiken-Rhett House Museum $18, Daily 10-5; last tour at 4:30
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Broad Street
Housed in a building that once printed Confederate money, Neema Gallery is the city's only gallery space dedicated exclusively to black artists from the South. The rotating collection of artwork features large-scale prints, jewelry, and ceramics from a range of local and award-winning artists. Classes and workshops are regularly offered.
3 Broad St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29401, USA
Sight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
