Hey everyone! As some of you know, my best friend and professional travel partner is in medical school. Sadly, it’s getting harder and harder to plan trips because of her school schedule (med school is the worst and I’m only kind of kidding). Luckily, she had a week off in March this spring and we got the gang back together! AC and her husband, Kristian, as well as myself and my boyfriend, Charlie, went to Charleston, South Carolina. We were there for 3 nights, and we had so much fun! We made a list of the things we did and loved, and the things we didn’t have time to do and wish we had gotten to experience! Here’s 8 things you have to do in Charleston, SC!
A Horse and Carriage Tour
Taking a horse and carriage tour of the historic district in Charleston is a must-do. First things first: if you’re an animal lover like me, you might be concerned about the inhumane nature of the job for the horses. We talked to some locals and they assured us that the horses in Charleston are treated like family by the people who own them.
Once I felt good about that, we booked a tour for Saturday afternoon! There are a TON of companies to choose from and you really can’t go wrong. Our tour went through downtown, and the guide gave us the history of a ton of the old houses and buildings. It was fascinating! Charleston is a city with a ton of history and cool stories, and in my opinion, this is one of the best ways to hear some of that information. Our tour lasted about an hour and it was worth every penny!
Waterfront Park
Waterfront Park is the best place to go and relax for a bit. It offers the best view of Charleston Harbor, and in my opinion it’s one of the most beautiful places in the US. The most famous attraction is the pineapple fountain which you’ve probably seen in any pictures or advertisements of the city. You can sit and watch boats go by as well as natural harbor wildlife, like the pelicans that like to fly by and sit on the pier. The park is open every day from 6am to 9pm.
Husk
When trying to decide where to eat in Charleston, Husk should be at the top of your list. It’s one of the most famous restaurants not only in the city, but in the entire southeast. Make sure if this is on your list that you plan ahead and make reservations! We didn’t call in time and weren’t able to eat there. However, we ate at Hank’s Seafood Restaurant and I think really any seafood restaurant is a safe bet in Charleston. It was hands down the BEST shrimp and grits I’ve ever had! Be prepared to spend a pretty penny on these restaurants. It is money WELL spent in my opinion, but great seafood doesn’t come cheap.
King Street
This is one of the most fun streets to spend some time exploring in Charleston. It would be considered the “ritzy” area – everything looks very posh and upscale. There are a ton of options here all within walking distance – restaurants, bars, shops, nightlife, you name it. We spent the majority of a whole day here and didn’t feel like we got bored. We actually all went home feeling like we could have stayed a little while longer. If you like to have down time in your travel schedules to just go and explore, this is a great area to consider!
Rainbow Row
This is one of the most famous streets in Charleston. If you’ve ever seen a picture of the street with the bright multi-colored houses, it was definitely Rainbow Row. It is within walking distance of Waterfront Park, so we set out to explore both famous landmarks in one trek. It was a beautiful walk and a perfect laid back itinerary for exploring. I will say, there isn’t much to do there other than just taking pictures and checking the box. If you’re a landmark picture-taking kind of tourist, you’ll love it! It’s so cute and we really enjoyed the scenery. If you’re an action packed, hands on kind of tourist, I wouldn’t budget much time to be spent there.
Tour a Charleston Plantation
There are TONS of plantations in Charleston to choose from. If you want to get a good idea of the true history of the city, I would highly recommend one of these tours. The houses are amazing and I personally love getting a little bit of education and history of these plantations. Some of them are free, most of them are not – either way, admission is not outrageous at any of your options, and if you make the most of your time at these homes it can actually be a very cheap way to spend a few hours.
The Battery
This area, similar to Waterfront Park, is a great place to go if you need to recharge for a little bit. It’s named after the artillery battery that was there during the Civil War. Now, it’s a quaint little area to walk around and take in the scenery. There are also plenty of benches and shade to sit and enjoy a sweet treat or drink while you rest. It also is home to a lot of history – as there were a lot of comings and goings in this area during the war, you can find a multitude of statues and sculptures all displaying important people and pieces of the city’s history.
Visit a Neighboring Beach City
As Charleston is on the east coast, it is surrounded by beach towns that are definitely worth a day trip to visit! We chose Folly Beach because of location, but do some research to find the best option for your needs. We took an Uber out to Folly Beach at 9am (it was about a 45 minute Uber, just for reference so you can plan accordingly) and we stayed until about 6pm. The pier in Folly Beach was our first stop when we got there. We hung out there for a little while, and then went and rented bikes! The bikes were only $20 for a full day rental. We rode them ALL day! We went about three miles down the beach to see the beach’s famous lighthouse. Afterwards, we rode them back and parked them while we got tacos for lunch. After we got done and turned them in, we walked around for a little while and got some ice cream and browsed the souvenir shops. Overall, I was SO happy that we took this day trip – it was a great way to see more of what the area has to offer besides just downtown Charleston.
No matter what you choose to do, you really can’t go wrong in Charleston. It is an amazing city that I believe everyone should visit. We were there for three days and we were actually not ready at all to come home – Charleston has SO much to offer so make sure you plan ahead as to not miss out on seeing everything!
