Things to do in Charleston

Battery Park & White Point Garden 

 

The Battery is possibly one of the foremost of icons of Charleston. Along the city’s southern shore are rows of Southern mansions overlooking the Harbor. White Point Gardens, located within The Battery ,has wonderful walking gorgeous paths through the park featuring plenty of fascinating relics and monuments from the Civil War.

 

Isle of Palms

 

If you’re looking for a beach getaway, the Isle of Palms, just outside of Charleston has 7 miles of wonderful beaches, with ideal water for a family swim or to do some windsurfing. There is no cost to access the beach, but you will pay a small fee for parking. If you’d rather spend a day golfing, the Isle of Palms offers two Tom Fazio-designed courses at the Wild Dunes Resort.

 

Drayton Hall

 

Visit one of the oldest plantations in the South, Drayton Hall, located just outside of Charleston. Built in 1738, you can explore the large red-brick home, preserved in its original state, stepping back in time to when the Drayton family owned it. “Authentic” is a word often used to describe it, as it is not renovated to show its glory during the height of the plantation (ie no air conditioning, heat or electricity). Buy tickets online now.

 

Aiken-Rhett House Museum

 

Like Drayton Hall, the Aiken-Rhett House has been preserved, not restored. Built in 1820, the home was owned by the family until 1975, when it was sold to the The Charleston Museum. Step back in time and see original wallpaper, antique furniture and original outbuildings where slaves would have lived and worked. Just a mile from downtown Charleston, admission includes a self-guided tour so you can enjoy the home at your own pace.

 

Charleston City Market

 

Often known as a “Slave Market,” it is here where slaves would come and make purchases for the plantations. Today, it is packed with 300 shops, cafes, and is especially known for the sweetgrass basket weavers who learned their craft from their ancestors, originating in West Africa. It is open everyday and weekend evenings from March to December.