Are you looking for things to do in Charleston? Charleston has a vast and extensive history! The Charleston downtown area is a living museum, with historic houses, military history, and many other historic buildings! If you’re looking for historic things to do, then Charleston is a great place for you!

100 Things to do in Charleston
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Here are the best historic things to do in Charleston, SC!

Middleton Place Plantation

Middleton Place is a very unique place to visit, and is a must-see if you are visiting Charleston!  The historic preservation offers a house museum built in 1755, guided tours, a restaurant, and amazing landscaping.  Middleton Place is an American National Historic Landmark, and is a beautiful location to visit while in Charleston!

Four Corners of Law

Visit the “Four Corners of Law” In Downtown Charleston, located at the intersection of Broad Street and Meeting Street. This location has four buildings, and represents: 1. God’s Law (St. Michael’s Church), 2. Federal Law (Federal Courthouse and Post Office), 3. State Law (Charleston County Courthouse), and City Law (Charleston City Hall).

City hall in Charleston is located at 80 Broad Street, and was built in 1801, and is one of the oldest continuously used City Halls in the Country.  The Bank of the United States was originally located at this building, but it turned into Charleston’s City Hall in 1818.  There are historical paintings on display at the City Hall, including pictures of George Washington, and Andrew Jackson.  The City Hall is a Must-See for history buffs!

Rainbow Row

One of Charleston’s most famous sites is at Rainbow Row.  This location is named due to the 13 colorful historic homes, dating back to the 1700s,  located here that have been painted in pastel colors.  The homes are located on East Bay Street, north of Tradd Street, and South of Elliot Street.  This is one of the most photographed locations in Charleston, and is a must-see if you’re in the area!

Historic Homes for sale, Charleston, SC
Rainbow Row

Old Charleston Jail

The Old Charleston City Jail  was operational from 1802-1939, and has been seen on Ghost Hunters, Ghost Adventures, and the Travel Channel.  It has held many notorious criminals including pirates, Civil War POWs, and Lavinia Fisher, who may have been the first female serial killer in the nation.  Take a guided tour of the Old Charleston Jail!

Horse Carriage Tour

Things to do in Charleston South Carolina
  • Multiple Locations
  • Website: See Below
  • Cost: Approximately $32-$40 per Adult

If you have visited downtown Charleston before, you have seen horse carriages touring the historic district.   Take a horse carriage tour in Charleston to get to know the city a little better!  Try a Historic Charleston Carriage Tour, a Haunted Carriage Tour, or a Private Carriage Tour!  Carriage Tours are about an hour long.

Charles Towne Landing

Charles Towne Landing is the site of the first English settlement (1670) near Charleston, and is the site of the earliest colonial history of the Carolina colony.  This site includes a 17th century replica sailing ship, miles of trails, gardens, firable cannons, an exhibit hall, and more.  This is a great place to bring the family!

Charles Towne Landing

Charleston Battery

Take a walk along the Historic Charleston Battery and defensive seawall, and get a great view of Charleston Harbor and all of the amazing historic homes in this area!  The Battery gets its name from a Civil War defensive battery formally at the site.  The Battery is located at the tip of the Charleston peninsula, and is free to visit!

White Point Garden and the Battery

Old Slave Mart Museum

The Old Slave Mart Museum is a location of Charleston’s deplorable history, where slave auctions occurred.  Built in 1859, the old Slave Mart museum is located on one of Charleston’s few cobblestone streets that still remain, located on 6 Chalmers Street in downtown Charleston.  The Old Slave Mart Museum has many informative posters to read, helpful staff to answer questions, and has some artifacts from this time period. 

Powder Magazine

The Powder Magazine is a museum at 79 Cumberland Street in the French Quarter of Charleston.  The building was completed in 1713, and is South Carolina’s oldest public building.   It was used as a powder magazine during the American Revolutionary War, and was later used for a variety of purposes.  The Powder Magazine was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1989.

Fort Moultrie

Fort Moultrie is located on Sullivan’s Island, and is the site of battles from the Revolutionary War, and from the Civil War.  The first fort (Fort Sullivan) was constructed of palmetto logs and sand, and was not yet complete when it was attacked by the British Navy in 1776.  The Fort was later named in honor of it’s commander during that battle, Colonel William Moultrie, and the fort inspired the flag, and the nickname for South Carolina as the “Palmetto State”. 

Fort Moultrie in Sullivan’s Island

Ghost Tour

Charleston has a vast history, and there are many old graveyards to visit around the city.  Charleston is considered by many to be one of the most haunted cities in the United States due to it’s Pre-Revolutionary history.  You can walk around the city and visit some of the graveyards (i.e. Unitarian Church Graveyard), or pay to take a guided Ghost Tour.  

King Street

King Street is a popular location for tourist, college students, shopping, eating, night life, and more.  King Street is in the heart of downtown Charleston, you will see plenty of Charleston’s History if you take a long walk down this historic street!  At more than 200 years old, King Street is one of the most historically significant locations in Charleston. King Street was named after King Charles II of England, and is now one of the most famous shopping streets in the Country.

King Street has many restaurants, cocktail lounges, hotels, art galleries, and places to shop. King Street has 3 different districts along the street; Upper King Street Design District, Middle King Street Fashion District, and Lower King Street Antique District.

Upper King Street

Upper King Street is also known as the “Design and Dining District”. This area of King Street located in between Calhoun Street (Marion Square) and Spring Street, and is also known for it’s lively nightlife, hotels, great restaurants, and apartment buildings. This is a great area to live, if you’re looking to be in the heart of King Street, and the Charleston Downtown Area.

Middle King Street

Middle King Street is also known as the “fashion district”, and is located in between Calhoun Street and Market Street. This area of King street is named due to the fashion boutiques in this area, and is a popular shopping location for well known national brands.

Lower King Street

Lower King Street is also known as the “Antique District”, and is located in between Market Street and Broad Street. In this area of King Street, you will find some of the best antique shopping in the Country, including the George C. Birlant and Company antique shop.

Boone Hall Plantation

The Boone Hall Plantation is located in Mt. Pleasant, and is a great place to go for a historic tour.  The plantation has special events throughout the year, including:  The Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch, Boone Hall Fright Nights, Scottish Games and Highland Gathering, Christmas at Boone Hall Plantation, and much more!

Boone Hall Plantation has continually been growing crops for over 300 years, and is one of the oldest working Plantations in the United States.  

Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter Charleston sc

You can visit the location of the first battle of the Civil War, located in Charleston Harbor!  Fort Sumter took significant damage during the first Civil War battle; take a Tour at the National Park, and see what is left of the Fort.  You can take a tour from Patriot’s Point in Mount Pleasant, or from Liberty Square in Downtown Charleston.  There is a Gift shop at Fort Sumter, and there is also a museum.  You will be able to see the original flag that was taken down after the battle occurred and the Confederacy took control of the Fort.  

Take a Historic Walking Tour

  • Location: Multiple Locations
  • Cost: Varies

Take a historic walking tour of Charleston, and learn some of the city’s amazing history!  Charleston is a “living museum”, and many of the buildings on the peninsula has some historical significance.  Here are some links to walking tours in Charleston:

U.S.S. Yorktown

Patriots Point Mount Pleasant

Visiting the USS Yorktown is a must if you’re looking for things to do in Charleston!  The Yorktown is an aircraft carrier that was used during World War 2, and was named after the aircraft carrier that was sunk at the Battle of Midway in 1942. The USS Yorktown was also used used during the Vietnam war, and was decommissioned in 1970. The Yorktown can be viewed at Patriots Point naval and Maritime Museum, along with the USS Laffey, the Vietnam Experience Exhibit, Cold War Memorial, the Medal of Honor Museum, and a lot of military aircraft from different periods.  You can also take a tour of Fort Sumter from this location, and they have a great gift shop for your souvenir needs!

Charleston City Market

Things to do in Charleston sc

The Charleston City Market is one of the oldest public markets in the United States (established in the 1790’s), and is open all year.  The market is free to tour, opens everyday at 9:30 am, and closes at 6 pm.  The market is located in Downtown Charleston, and stretches for 4 city blocks on Market Street.  The City Market is a great place to visit to look for souvenirs from Charleston, and there are many great places to eat surrounding the Market!  You will also find beautiful and historic handcrafted sweetgrass baskets for sale, which originated in Africa and has been passed down through generations.

The Hunley Museum

I consider the Hunley Museum to be one of the best places to visit if you are in the Charleston area!  The Hunley was used by the Confederacy during the Civil War, and was submarine in history to sink an enemy ship.  On February 17, 1864 the Hunley attacked and sank the USS Housatonic, but the Hunley did not return to shore after the attack.  The Hunley was located in 1995, and raised in 2000, and is now on display at the Hunley Museum.  

Things to Do near Charleston- GarrisonCharleston.com
The Hunley

Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon

Visit the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon at the intersection of East Bay and Broad Streets in downtown Charleston.  This is one of the most historically significant buildings in Charleston, and is a must-see if you are in the area!  The Exchange was finished in 1771, and has been used for a variety of functions, including a Custom House, Public Meeting Place, and a POW facility by the British during the Revolutionary War.   The building was also the location of the convention to ratify the United States Constitution by South Carolina in 1788.  

Nathaniel Russel House

The Nathaniel Russel House is a Museum open for daily tours from 10am-5pm.  The home was completed in 1808, has a collection of fine art, decorative pieces, and is a beautiful home to visit.  Nathaniel Russel was a successful merchant from Rhode island, and his former home is one of Charleston’s best house museums.  

Charles Pinckney National Historic Site

Charles Pinckney is an often forgotten founding father of the United States, and signer of the United States Constitution.  Pinckney served four terms as governor of South Carolina, and was a Presidential Candidate in 1804 (losing to Thomas Jefferson).  You can visit the 28 acres that are left of his originally 715 acre plantation known as “Snee Farm” in Mount Pleasant.

Visit the Historic Cemeteries in Charleston

Visit some of the old cemeteries, and the final resting place of historical figures in Charleston, including John C. Calhoun, Charles Pinckney, William Aiken, and the crew of the Hunley.

The French Quarter

Take a walk around the “French Quarter” in Charleston!  The French Quarter is located in downtown Charleston, and is the location of the original walled in city of Charleston.  The French Quarter is home to many historic buildings, including: The Dock Street Theater, St. Philips Church, The Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon,  The French Huguenot Church, the Old Slave Mart Museum, and the Charleston City Market. 

Things to do in Charleston- French Quarter

Morris Island Lighthouse

The Morris Island lighthouse was constructed in 1876, and is located Northeast from the downtown at Folly Beach.  The lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1892, and is located on the southern side entrance to the Charleston Harbor.  The lighthouse was originally created on Morris Island, but a lot of the island has eroded putting the lighthouse offshore.  

McLeod Plantation

Visit the McLeod Plantation on James Island, located at 325 Country Club Drive.  The Plantation was established in 1851, and is currently a 37 acre preserved heritage site.  Visit McLeod plantation, and see this historically significant site that has been carefully preserved.  

Saint Michael’s Church

Saint Michael’s church is the oldest surviving church in Charleston.  It is located at 71 Broad Street, at the intersection of Meeting Street, and was built in the 1750s.  It is located at the “Four Corners of Law” in downtown Charleston and represents ecclesiastical law.  The Church is an impressive site, and the Steeple is 186′ tall.  

St. Michael's Church downtown Charleston

Castle Pinckney

You can view Castle Pinckney in Charleston Harbor, but are no tours of Castle Pinckney.  If you get out on a boat in Charleston Harbor, you can get a good view of the old military fort. 

After the Revolutionary War, George Washington visited Charleston and ordered that a fort be built on Shutes Folly island due to it’s strategic location. A log fort called “Fort Pinckney” was completed in honor of Revolutionary War General Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, and was destroyed by a hurricane shortly after.  Castle Pinckney is a brick masonry fort built in 1810 (shortly after the log fort was destroyed), and was named due to it’s castle like design.  

Fort Sumter was built shortly after, and Castle Pinckney was a “second line of defense”.  In 1860, South Carolina seceded from the Union, and a group of South Carolina militia captured Castle Pinckney from the Union, which was being guarded by a handful of Union Soldiers; no shots were fired. 

Castle Pinckney

Edmondston-Alston House

The Edmondston-Alston House is located on the Charleston Battery, and is now a museum.  It was built in 1825, and this was the home that General P.G.T. Beauregard watched from while the attack on Fort Sumter began.  General Robert E. Lee also took refuge at this house in 1861.  Take a Guided Tour of this home, and view a piece of history!

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

Another great location to visit is Magnolia Plantations and Gardens.  This Plantation was founded in 1676 by the Drayton Family, and has been open to the public since 1870.  Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is one of the oldest and most famous gardens in America, and is a great location to visit!

Charleston Museum

Visit the Charleston Museum downtown at 360 Meeting Street for an amazing collection of history!  The Museum has a replica of the Hunley submarine in front (what they thought it looked like before it was actually found), and a cannon from the Revolutionary War era, and a giant whale skeleton to greet you at the front door.  The collection of military and local items in this museum is superb!  

Aiken-Rhett House Museum

Another Historic Home in downtown Charleston, the Aiken-Rhett House is located at 48 Elizabeth St.. The House Museum was built in 1820, and became the property of William Aiken Sr. in 1827.  The home was renovated in 1833 by the young William Aiken, and turned it was turned into an amazing residence!  Visit this great place in downtown Charleston!

South Carolina Historical Society Museum

The South Carolina Historical Society Museum is located on 100 Meeting Street in Downtown Charleston.  The Museum is located in a building that is a Historic Landmark, and features interactive exhibits about the history of South Carolina and the Nation.  

Take a walking Pirate Tour

Take a Pirate tour and discover stories of Blackbeard and his blockade of the Charleston Harbor, and much more!  Here are a few links to some pirate tours near Charleston, SC:

Dock Street Theater

The Dock Street Theater is located in the historic French Quarter of downtown Charleston.  This is the location of the 1st theater in America built in 1736.  A hotel would be built in this location in 1809.  The “New Dock Street Theater” was built in the 1930’s, and was made to look like the original theater built in the 18th century.  

South Carolina National Bank of Charleston

The South Carolina National Bank of Charleston is located at 16 Broad Street in Downtown Charleston, and opened in 1817 as the Office of Discount and Deposit of the Second Bank of the United States.  

French Huguenot Church

The French Huguenot Church is a Gothic Revival Church, and is located in downtown Charleston at 136 Church Street.  Many French Huguenots fled religious persecution in the later half of the 17th Century, and some of them settled in Charleston. The Church was built in 1884, and is the oldest Gothic Revival Church in South Carolina.  

St. Philips Church

St. Philips is a historic church built in 1836, located at 142 Church Street.  It is a stuccoed brick church, that features a very tall tower and has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.  St. Philips Church also has a cemetery with multiple notable burials, including: John C. Calhoun, Charles Pinckney, Edward Rutledge, Judith DuBose, Christopher Gadsden, and Judith Smith Ladson.

Joseph Manigault House

The Joseph Manigault House  was built in 1803 is a House museum located at 350 Meeting Street, and is operated by the Charleston Museum.  The Manigaults prospered as rice planters in this area, and their former home is amazing!  The Charleston Museum purchased the home in 1933.

Confederate Museum

The Confederate Museum is located at 188 Meeting Street in Downtown Charleston, next to the City Market. Visit this museum to see a large collection of relics from the Civil War!  The Confederate Museum opened in this location 1899.

Drayton Hall

Drayton Hall is located at 3380 Ashley River Road, and is an 18th century plantation located on the Ashley River.  Drayton Hall (founded in 1737) is the oldest preserved plantation house in America Still open to the Public.  Drayton Hall is the earliest example of Palladian architecture in the U.S. 

Williams Mansion, Formerly known as the “Calhoun Mansion”

Built in 1876 for it’s owner, George Walton Williams, the former Calhoun Mansion is located on Meeting Street in downtown Charleston.  This 24,000 square foot structure has 35 rooms, a 75 foot domed ceiling, amazing antique pieces throughout the home.  Also, few scenes from the movie “The Notebook” were shot in this home.  The home is a private residence, but is open to the public for daily viewing tours.  

Heyward-Washington House

The Heyward-Washington House was built in 1772, and was the town home of Thomas Heyward Jr. (signer of the Declaration of Independents).  The Georgian-style double house is located at 87 Church St. in downtown Charleston.  George Washington used this house during his 1 week stay in Charleston in 1791, and they house has been traditionally called the Heward-Washington House.  This is a great piece of history to visit!

Conclusion

Thank you for reading my list of historic things to do in Charleston. Please let me know if there’s something that I missed that should be added to this list!