Best Things to Do in Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina is a US vacation destination that is known for its rich history and Southern charm. A trip to Charleston is sure to be filled with delicious food, great shopping, amazing architecture, and beautiful landscapes.

Whether you take a carriage ride through downtown, explore gardens covered in Spanish Moss, or spend a relaxing day at the beach, a vacation (or even a day trip) to Charleston has something for everyone.

The experiences in this post are all things that I did on my first trip to Charleston in November 2020. I only had a day and a half to spend there, but I had an amazing time on our girls’ trip filled with so many fun things to do!

Here are some of the best things to do in Charleston, SC!

Rainbow Row

Rainbow Row is a street of historic Charleston homes all painted in pretty pastel colors. This popular area of Charleston is perfect for pictures.

We saw several families and groups taking photos and walking beside the colorful houses. Of course, we had to take several photos ourselves!

Besides just being a haven for Instagrammers, this street, as you might’ve guessed, is full of history.

Most of these homes were built in the early 1700s. Merchants ran shops on the lower floors and lived on the upper floors. It was very interesting to see such incredible old buildings so nicely renovated with pretty colors and tidy window boxes.

The Rainbow Row houses are located on East Bay Street, and if you go a little further south you can also see the Battery. This is a promenade with rich civil war history and beautiful antebellum homes.

I didn’t get to take any photos of the Battery since we were just driving quickly past, but it’s worth a visit.

Pineapple Fountain

The famous Pineapple Fountain can be found in Waterfront Park, which is within walking distance of Rainbow Row.

The pineapple is a symbol of hospitality in Charleston, and the fountain makes a great photo op.

The park is very scenic too! If the weather is nice, it’s perfect for a stroll along the Cooper River or underneath the canopy of trees.

We took several photos here in the shade since it was starting to warm up, even in November!

Historic Charleston City Market

The Charleston City Market is a large enclosed market where you can find interesting items, many of which are locally made. You can meet the locals while shopping for sweetgrass baskets, souvenirs, postcards, and so much more!

There is a lot of shopping in the area around the market as well. You could easily spend hours browsing shops in the heart of Charleston. Find a new outfit from the downtown boutiques to bring out your Charleston style.

We saw lots of horse-drawn carriage tours in this area. Many had drivers that would tell about the history of the area. I would’ve liked to take a carriage tour, but we were short on time. Next time I’m in Charleston I hope to be able to learn more about the history of this beautiful city from the seat of a carriage!

For lunch, try Henry’s on the Market. Henry’s is the oldest restaurant in South Carolina, established in 1932. They have live music nightly, a bar, and a rooftop deck, but Henry’s is also a great place to stop for lunch and escape the midday heat.

The food was great! Whenever I’m not sure what to order on my first visit to a restaurant, I typically stick with the basics. I tried their Market Street Burger and fries and it filled me up for the rest of my exploring that day.

My friend Brittney ordered Mama’s Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy. It’s only served on certain days of the week, but we were lucky enough to visit on a weekday.

I definitely recommend this unique place to eat. And if you get a seat by the windows, you can even watch the horse-drawn carriages go by!

Dessert at Peace Pie

After shopping at the City Market, get a sweet treat at Peace Pie! This unique ice cream place is only a block over from King Street, which is known for having some great shopping.

What makes the Peace Pie menu so special? Instead of a typical ice cream cone, the ice cream at peace pie is served as a shortbread cookie sandwich filled with a layer of pie filling!

It was hard to decide which ice cream sandwich to choose, but I went with the Salted Caramel Apple and it was amazing!

Angel Oak Tree

The Angel Oak Tree is one of the most famous sites in Charleston, SC.

This magnificent live oak tree is over 4oo hundred years old! It’s crazy to think that this tree could’ve been here even before the Pilgrims arrived on the Mayflower.

Since we visited in November of 2020, there were COVID restrictions everywhere in Charleston, including at the tree. I was surprised at how strict they were here since it was outside. I’m not sure if the yellow fence in the above picture was due to COVID or not, but I haven’t seen it in past photos.

Even without the pandemic, they were very strict that you not sit or climb on Angel Oak. Understandable since they are trying to preserve this beautiful old tree.

It’s hard to grasp the scale from a picture, but the Angel Oak Tree really is massive. The branches themselves are as big as large tree trunks, and they grow outward even more than they grow upward. Some of the larger branches even have wire supports to help them not to break.

Admission to the Angel Tree is free, but there is a gift shop, and donations are accepted. Angel Oak is about 30 minutes from Charleston, but it’s worth the drive to see this incredible tree.

Folly Beach

This gorgeous beach just south of Charleston is covered in white sands, perfect for relaxing after a day of shopping downtown.

Folly Beach is great for a fun beach day of surfing, swimming, or sunbathing. It’s also home to the beautiful Folly Beach Pier.

Nearby you can see a few historic lighthouses, shop in the gift shops, eat delicious seafood, and look for shells.

There are so many reasons why I love Folly Beach, and I wrote an entire blog post about Folly here: Why You Should Stay at Folly Beach Near Charleston, SC

Magnolia Plantation

There are several plantations and historic estates in Charleston. Out of those I was only able to visit Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. I think we made a great decision in choosing this plantation!

This historic plantation was established in 1676, making it one of the oldest plantations in the South. The plantation has seen some of the most famous parts of American history including the Revolutionary War and the Civil War.

Besides being a treasure trove of history, these grounds are full of beautiful flowers and trees covered in Spanish Moss.

Once again, we had to have a major photoshoot here, and I have way too many pictures to share in this post. Here’s a glimpse of the pretty gazebos, colorful bridges, and giant oak trees that you can find in the Magnolia Gardens:

If you want to see more photos or know more details about this gorgeous place, check this blog post specifically about Magnolia:

Exploring Magnolia Plantation & Gardens in Charleston

With only a day and a half to spend in this beautiful city, I think we hit a lot of the high points. I know there was so much more I didn’t get to see, so I’m looking forward to going back to Charleston someday!

What are some other great things to do in Charleston that I didn’t mention here? Please share in the comments so I can try them next time I visit!

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