History · Charleston · United States
8 historic sites to see in Charleston
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: MadeYourReadThis, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Fort Sumter National Monument, Nathaniel Russell House and Aiken-Rhett House. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 13–14 hours across 6 areas; all charge for entry.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 0
- Time to see them all
- 13–14 hours
- Areas
- Charleston Harbor, South of Broad and Upper King
Historic sites in Charleston
Historic site · Charleston Harbor
1.Fort Sumter National Monument
The only access is by concession ferry from Liberty Square downtown or from Patriots Point; the trip is about 30 minutes each way with roughly an hour on the island, where rangers explain the bombardment and the fort's later history.
- Time needed
- About 2 hours 15 minutes with ferry
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
- Views
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Historic site · South of Broad
2.Nathaniel Russell House
Guided tours by the Historic Charleston Foundation cover both the family and the enslaved people who lived and worked on the property.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Historic site · Upper King
3.Aiken-Rhett House
Its unrestored state makes it one of the most complete surviving urban plantation compounds in the South.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Museum · French Quarter and Market area
4.Old Slave Mart Museum
Today a small city-run museum explains Charleston's domestic slave trade through records, objects and personal stories.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes–1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Ansonborough
5.International African American Museum
Its Center for Family History helps visitors research African American ancestry, and the memorial garden outside is free.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
Museum · Upper King
6.The Charleston Museum
It also runs two historic houses, the Heyward-Washington House and the Joseph Manigault House.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Historic site · French Quarter and Market area
7.Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon
In the brick basement, the British held prisoners during the Revolution, and costumed guides tell the story.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
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Museum · Mount Pleasant
8.Patriots Point and USS Yorktown
Children can explore bunk rooms, the bridge and engine spaces, and the flight deck gives a wide view across the harbour to downtown.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- History
- Views
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston Harbor | Fort Sumter National Monument | About 2 hours 15 minutes with ferry |
| South of Broad | Nathaniel Russell House | 1 hour |
| Upper King | Aiken-Rhett House and The Charleston Museum | 1 hour + 1.5–2 hours |
| French Quarter and Market area | Old Slave Mart Museum and Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon | 45 minutes–1 hour + 1 hour |
| Ansonborough | International African American Museum | 2–3 hours |
| Mount Pleasant | Patriots Point and USS Yorktown | 3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 2 low cost, 6 mid-priced. Book ahead for Fort Sumter National Monument and International African American Museum. The longest visit is International African American Museum; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Fort Sumter National Monument: Ferries sell out on spring and summer weekends; reserve a departure time online in advance.
- International African American Museum: Entry is by timed ticket; reserve online, especially for weekends.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Charleston Harbor, South of Broad and Upper King): Fort Sumter National Monument → Nathaniel Russell House → Aiken-Rhett House, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Upper King and French Quarter and Market area): The Charleston Museum → Old Slave Mart Museum → Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Ansonborough): International African American Museum, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Mount Pleasant): Patriots Point and USS Yorktown, at least 3 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- January: highs of 15°C (59°F), about 9 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Cool and quiet, with the lowest hotel prices of the year; good for house museums and walking, though occasional cold fronts bring frosty mornings.
- December: highs of 17°C (63°F), about 8 rainy days, quiet crowds. Mild and festive, with decorated historic houses, candlelight tours and quiet hotels outside the holiday weeks.
- February: highs of 17°C (63°F), about 9 rainy days, quiet crowds. Camellias bloom in the plantation gardens and the city begins to wake up, with mild days and cool evenings.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- South of Broad — Grand single houses, walled gardens and the Battery promenade at the tip of the peninsula
- French Quarter and Market area — Cobbled lanes, the City Market and harbour-front Waterfront Park
- Upper King — Restaurants, cocktail bars and design shops north of Calhoun Street
- Ansonborough — Restored 19th-century houses between the Market and the harbour aquarium
- Mount Pleasant — Suburb across the Ravenel Bridge with Shem Creek docks and Patriots Point
More of Charleston
All things to do in Charleston · Where to stay · When to go.
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Charleston?
Fort Sumter National Monument. Confederate guns fired on this island fort in April 1861, starting the Civil War.