5 days in Charleston

Day by day

1. Day 1: The Battery and White Point Garden and Rainbow Row

   The Battery and White Point Garden, Rainbow Row and Nathaniel Russell House, then Upper King Street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      The Battery and White Point Garden

      Walk the High Battery at sunset, then head up Church Street past St. Michael's for the gas-lit evening walk back. (45 minutes–1 hour, free).

   2. Late morning

      Rainbow Row

      Photograph from the opposite side of East Bay Street in the morning, when the sun lights the façades and traffic is light. (15–20 minutes, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Shrimp and grits

      Restaurants across downtown and Shem Creek; look for menus naming stone-ground grits from Lowcountry mills.

   4. Afternoon

      Nathaniel Russell House

      A combination ticket also covers the Aiken-Rhett House, which shows the opposite approach: preserved, not restored. (1 hour, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      Upper King Street

      The densest stretch of cocktail bars, breweries' taprooms and late kitchens, busiest on Friday and Saturday.

2. Day 2: Fort Sumter National Monument and Charleston City Market

   Fort Sumter National Monument, Charleston City Market and Joe Riley Waterfront Park, then East Bay Street and the Market in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Fort Sumter National Monument

      Visit the free Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center at Liberty Square before your boat, and sit on the harbour side for views of the Battery. (About 2 hours 15 minutes with ferry, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      Charleston City Market

      Buy sweetgrass baskets directly from the weavers, who often make them on the spot and can tell you how long each one took. (1 hour, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: She-crab soup

      Seafood restaurants on East Bay Street and in the Market area; add the sherry yourself if it comes on the side.

   4. Afternoon

      Joe Riley Waterfront Park

      Claim one of the bench swings at the end of the pier early in the evening to watch ships and dolphins in the harbour. (30–45 minutes, free).

   5. Evening

      East Bay Street and the Market

      Hotel bars, rooftop terraces and long-running pubs within a short walk of the main hotels.

3. Day 3: Aiken-Rhett House and The Charleston Museum

   Aiken-Rhett House, The Charleston Museum and Old Slave Mart Museum, then Folly Beach in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Aiken-Rhett House

      Spend time in the kitchen and slave quarters at the back; the self-guided audio tour is strongest there. (1 hour, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      The Charleston Museum

      It faces the visitor centre on Meeting Street, so it is an easy first stop to get your bearings on a rainy morning. (1.5–2 hours, mid-priced).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Lowcountry boil

      Casual seafood spots on Folly Beach, James Island and Shem Creek, especially in summer.

   4. Afternoon

      Old Slave Mart Museum

      Pair it with the International African American Museum for the fuller story from arrival to emancipation. (45 minutes–1 hour, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Folly Beach

      Casual beach bars and live music along Center Street near the pier.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Kiawah Island

   About 45 minutes by car each way. Getting there: Car via Johns Island and Angel Oak.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Kiawah Island

      About 45 minutes by car (Car via Johns Island and Angel Oak); about 40 km.

   2. Day

      Kiawah Island

      A largely private resort island with about 16 km of wide beach, maritime forest and golf courses that have hosted the PGA Championship. Best for beach, families and luxury.

   3. Evening

      Back in Charleston

      Dinner: try Oyster roast.

5. Day 5: International African American Museum and South Carolina Aquarium

   International African American Museum, South Carolina Aquarium and Gibbes Museum of Art, then Shem Creek in the evening.

   1. Morning

      International African American Museum

      Leave time for the African Ancestors Memorial Garden, where the outline of a slave ship is set into the ground beside the harbour. (2–3 hours, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      South Carolina Aquarium

      Combine it with a Fort Sumter ferry from the same dock for an easy family half-day. (2 hours, mid-priced).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Oyster roast

      Seasonal events and oyster bars; raw local oysters also feature on raw-bar menus downtown.

   4. Afternoon

      Gibbes Museum of Art

      Look for the miniature portrait collection on the upper floor, one of the largest in the country. (1–1.5 hours, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      Shem Creek

      Waterfront decks for sunset drinks in Mount Pleasant.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Fort Sumter National Monument and International African American Museum before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 nights, French Quarter and Market area keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, South of Broad ($$$$) suits couples, quiet stays, luxury and culture. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 16–19 hours of visiting over 5 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10 hours in December to 14.3 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Charleston
• 2 days in Charleston
• 3 days in Charleston

Questions travellers ask