Month guide · Charleston · United States
Charleston in January
What January is really like in Charleston: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: U.S. Navy, Public domain
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Quick answer
January is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 15°C (59°F), lows of 4°C (39°F), about 9 rainy days and roughly 10.2 hours of daylight. Cool and quiet, with the lowest hotel prices of the year; good for house museums and walking, though occasional cold fronts bring frosty mornings.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 15°C (59°F) / 4°C (39°F)
- Rainy days
- About 9
- Daylight
- About 10.2 hours
- Sea temperature
- 13°C (55°F)
- Crowds
- Very quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in January
January is the coolest month in Charleston: days average 15°C (59°F) against a yearly average high of 25°C (77°F), and nights fall to about 4°C (39°F). Rain falls on roughly 9 of its 31 days. Compared with December (17°C (63°F)), January is cooler; by February highs climb to around 17°C (63°F).
- Sunrise (15 January)
- About 07:22
- Sunset (15 January)
- About 17:36
- Daylight
- About 10.2 hours
- Sea
- 13°C (55°F)
Winter (December–February). Mild days, chilly nights and quiet streets; the lowest hotel rates outside the Christmas holidays.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, January rates 1 for crowds (the peak is April at 5) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in April). That makes January one of the better-value months to book.
Events in January
- Lowcountry Oyster Festival at Boone Hall (usually late January or February)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in January
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Waterfront · South of Broad
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.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes–1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Views
- Couples
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Historic site · Charleston Harbor
Fort Sumter National Monument
Confederate guns fired on this island fort in April 1861, starting the Civil War.
- Time needed
- About 2 hours 15 minutes with ferry
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
- Views
Park · French Quarter and Market area
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.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Couples
- Views
- Outdoors
Museum · Mount Pleasant
Patriots Point and USS Yorktown
The Second World War aircraft carrier USS Yorktown is moored at Mount Pleasant as a naval museum, with aircraft on the flight deck and hangar, plus the destroyer USS Laffey alongside.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- History
- Views
- Rainy day
What to pack
For highs near 15°C, lows near 4°C and 9 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is January a good time to visit Charleston?
A quieter month with trade-offs, with a notable event on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, March–May and October–November are better overall. Compare every month.
Charleston in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is January a good time to visit Charleston?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Cool and quiet, with the lowest hotel prices of the year; good for house museums and walking, though occasional cold fronts bring frosty mornings.
+How warm is Charleston in January?
Average highs are around 15°C (59°F) and lows around 4°C (39°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Charleston in January?
Expect rain on about 9 days of the month.