
Did you know that there are over 1,400 mansions
and other historic buildings that have been
preserved in Charleston's Historic District?
Not to mention three nearby beaches, the South
Carolina Aquarium, historic churches, two
lighthouses, numerous artifact museums as well
as an art museum, several plantations and
gardens, ruined remains of wartime forts, an
abundance of golf courses in the surrounding
areas, loads of fishing locations, water tours,
horse and carriage tours, guided history walking
tours.... just to name a few......
The bottom line is..... you never run out of
things to see and do and learn about in
Charleston!

Start your visit to
Charleston at the Visitor Reception and
Transportation Center (1-800-774-0006), 375
Meeting St. (& Ann St.), where you can find
guides & maps, tour a small museum of Charleston
history & book sightseeing tours.
Charleston's Must-See Attractions
Charleston's primary
attraction to visitors is its historical setting
and landmarks. A list of some sites to visit
includes:
Charleston, the oldest
city in South Carolina, was founded by colonists
in 1670. Preservation over the centuries
has
been key in this city.....there are over 40
churches, public buildings, meeting places, &
homes that are listed on the National Register
of Historic Places. Many of these places were
painstakingly repaired after the devastations of
the Civil War.
Visitors to Charleston
can get a glance back at the lifestyle of
Charleston's early residents by viewing the
antebellum narrow row houses in the city's
oldest neighborhoods, take an iconic horse-drawn
carriage ride through the city while learning
its history, see the site of the first shots
fired in the Civil War at Fort Sumter, or visit
the nearby beaches. It's all here in
Charleston!
Charleston's Top Attractions are in
alphabetical order below,
or you can search by these categories:
-
Aiken-Rhett House - a home built in
Charleston in 1820 at 48 Elizabeth St. It
was originally built for John Robinson, a
Charleston merchant. The home was later
purchased by William Aiken, Sr., the
railroad company owner, & later became the
home of William Aiken, Jr., a governor of
South Carolina upon his father's death.
The Aiken-Rhett House is ran as an historic
house museum.
48 Elizabeth St, Charleston, SC
29403
(843) 723-1159
-
The Battery / Battery Park / White Point
Gardens is a landmark promenade & is
famous for its grand antebellum homes along
a stretch of the Charleston peninsula's
shores bordered by both the Cooper & the
Ashley Rivers. Fort Sumter can be viewed
from the Cooper River side. Monuments in
White Point Gardens include pieces of
artillery used during the Civil War, the
hanging sites of pirate Stede Bonnet &
Richard Worley & their crews.
Battery Park / White Point Gardens
East Battery St at Murray Blvd
Charleston, SC 29401
-
Boone Hall Plantation - a colonial
revival style plantation home on one of the
oldest working plantations in Mount
Pleasant, SC. Boone Hall has been
growing produce for over 320 years. The
plantation contains a nearly one-mile
driveway lined by live oak trees, 9 original
slave cabins, gardens, & tours of the
mansion decorated in period antiques.
1235 Long Point Rd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 884-4371
-
Charleston Museum - America's first
museum. It was founded in 1773 to
preserve the history of South and the
Carolina Lowcountry.
360 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 722-2996
-
Children's Museum of the Lowcountry -
for kids 3 months to 12 years old. Kids can
explore & discover while having fun with 8
interactive learning activities.
25 Ann St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 853-8962
-
Churches in Charleston of historical note
include:
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, 122 Broad
Street
Cathedral of St. Luke & St. Paul, 126 Coming
Street
Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting
Street
Congregation Beth Elohim, 90 Hasell Street
First Baptist Church, 61 Church Street
First Scots Presbyterian Church, 53 Meeting
Street
French Protestant (Huguenot) Church, 136
Church Street
Grace Episcopal Church, 98 Wentworth Street
Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church, 110 Calhoun
Street
Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church, 5 Glebe Street
The Old Bethel Methodist Church, 222 Calhoun
Street
St. John's Lutheran Church, 5 Clifford
Street
St. Mary's Catholic Church, 89 Hasell Street
St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, 14 St.
Michael's Alley
St. Philips Episcopal Church, 142 Church
Street
The Second Presbyterial Church, 342 Meeting
Street
Unitarian Church in Charleston, 8 Archdale
Street
-
Confederate Museum - found in Market
Hall on Meeting Street & containing flags,
swords, Confederate uniforms, as well as
other war collectibles.
188 Meeting St., Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 723-1541
-
Dock Street Theatre - built in 1736 on
the corner of Church St. & Queen St.
(originally Dock St.), this was the first
building built in America for the express
purpose of theatrical performances. The
theater produces over 120 plays each year &
performs to more than 40,000 people
annually.
Corner of Church St. &
Queen St.
-
Drayton Hall - a plantation house on the
Ashley River, was constructed in 1738.
Drayton Hall is one of the only surviving
pre-Revolutionary houses remaining in a
state that is vitually unrestored & in its
original condition. Drayton Hall displays
historical artifacts of the colonial period,
the American Revolution, the antebellum
years, the Civil War, & Reconstruction.
3380 Ashley River Rd
Charleston, SC 29414
(843) 405-7742
-
Edmondston-Alston House - an historic
house museum along the Battery of the
Charleston Harbor built in 1825. On
April 12, 1861, General P. T. Beauregard
watched the bombing of Fort Sumter which
signaled the beginning of the Civil War.
21 E Battery, Charleston, SC 29401,
(843) 556-6020
-
Folly Beach - a barrier island between
the Folly River & the Atlantic Ocean, just
15 minutes from downtown Charleston. Folly
is referred to by the locals as the "Edge of
America". The island was named Folly by
early English settlers; the word 'folly' was
an Old English word that meant an area of
dense folliage. The finger-painted sunrises
& sunsets on Folly are out of this world!
Folly Beach -
Get
Directions
-
Fort Sumter National Monument - Fort
Sumter is an island fort where the Civil War
began. After decades of conflict between the
North & the South, Confederate armaments
opened fire on this Federal fort on April
12, 1861. Thirty-four hours later, the Union
forces surrendered & would spend the next
four years trying to retake it. There are
departures on ferry & private boats
year-round to visit Fort Sumter except for
New Years, Thanksgiving & Christmas days.
Fort Sumter Tours & Spiritline Cruises
180 Calhoun St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 722-1691
-
Friends of the Hunley - one of the most
unique artifacts of the Civil War. On
February 17, 1864, the Hunley left on its
mission to be the first successful submarine
attack in history. The H.L. Hunley struck
the USS Housatonic (a Union Navy ship just
outside of Charleston's harbor about 4 miles
off of Sullivan's Island) below the
waterline, thrusting her long metal spar
into the stern area of the Housatonic. The
Housatonic exploded & consequently sank. The
Hunley disappeared for 137 years & was
recovered on August 8, 2000. She was found
buried in the Atlantic Ocean, just outside
of Charleston Harbor. The Hunley, in her
entirety, can be viewed at:
Warren Lasch Conservation Center
1250 Supply St, North Charleston, SC 29405
(843) 722-2333
-
Gibbes Museum of Art - Charleston's art
museum along Museum Mile of the historic
district which contains a collection of over
10,000 works of fine art.
135 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 720-1691
-
Heyward-Washington House - this house
was built by rice planter Daniel Heyward for
his son Thomas Heyward in 1772. It was
rented to George Washington in May 1791
during the president's week long stay in
Charleston.... hence the adoption of the
name 'Heyward-Washington' house. Thomas
Heyward was a signer of the Declaration of
Independence. The Heyward-Washington House
was purchased by Charleston in 1929 & opened
the next year as Charleston's first historic
house museum. The surrounding neighborhood
was the setting for Dubose Heyward's
Porgy and Bess.
87 Church St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 722-0354
-
Isle of Palms - along with sister
island, Sullivan's Island, Isle of Palms is
a popular, upscale beach just 20 minutes
east of Charleston with 7 miles of
beachfront.
Isle of Palms -
Get Directions
-
Joseph Manigault House - an excellent
example of Adam-style or Federal
architecture, the house was designed by
architect Gabriel Manigault for his brother
Joseph. The Manigault's were French
Huguenots who escaped persecution in Europe
by coming to America. Joseph & Gabriel both
owned plantations. The Joseph Manigault
House is a National Historic Landmark, & is
a house museum operated by the Charleston
Museum located in downtown Charleston:
350 Meeting St, Charleston, SC
29403
(843) 723-2926
-
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens - Magnolia
Plantation was founded in 1676 by the
Drayton Family & contains rich history from
the American Revolution through the Civil
War. It proudly boasts the fact that it is
the oldest public tourist location in the
Lowcountry (opened in 1870) & it is also the
oldest public gardens in America. It has
received several preservation awards.
3550 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC 29414
(843) 571-1266
-
Middleton Place - the main family house
on this plantation was constructed in 1705 &
has remained in the same family for over 320
years. Many of the family members were
important in America's history, such as a
signer of the Declaration of Independence, a
South Carolina Governor, the second
president of the First Continental Congress,
& a signer of the Ordinance of Secession.
Middleton Place includes America's oldest
landscaped gardens & the Garden Club of
America has described it as "the most
important and most interesting garden in
America."
4300 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC 29414
(843) 556-6020
-
Morris Island Lighthouse - located about
300 yards offshore from the northeast end of
Folly Beach. The Morris Island Lighthouse,
the second lighthouse built on Morris
Island, was completed in 1876. It once sat
on a considerable island, but due to severe
erosion caused by changing tidal currents
from the jetties built in the Charleston
Harbor in 1889, the island is now completed
covered by water. The lighthouse can be
viewed by taking East Ashley Street on Folly
Beach until it ends. You can park along the
side of the road & walk about 1/4 mile to
the beach.
-
Nathaniel Russell House - on the
National Historic Landmark list, this house
is one of America's most important
neo-classicle houses. It was built by
Natianiel Russell, a Charleston merchant.
Located near the High Battery in downtown
Charleston's historic district, the house
museum is furnished with period furniture &
artwork to suggest the elite lifestyle of
the city merchant.
51 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 724-8481
-
Old City Market - a historic market
center located in downtown Charleston which
stretches for four city blocks at 188
Meeting St. It was established in the 1790s
as a location for area farms & plantations
to sell their produce & beef, & also a place
where the locals met to socialize.
Today the City Market sells all manner of
souvenirs & other items from Gullah
sweetgrass baskets to jewelry. The building
atop the sheds on Meeting Street houses the
Confederate Museum, operated by the
Charleston Chapter of the Daughters of the
Confederacy & contains a collection of Civil
War relics.
-
Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon - a
National Historic Landmark, the Exchange &
Provost Dungeon is one of three most
significant colonial buildings in the US. It
served as a prison in the American
Revolution, the building functioned as City
Hall beginning in 1873, & has also served as
a customhouse, mercantile exchange, slavery
sales on the north side of the building,
military barracks, & a brothel. The State
Legislature met in this building in 1790 to
ratify the new State Constitution. Although
badly damaged by both the Civil War & the
1886 earthquake, the building was repaired
after each occurrence.
122 E Bay St, Charleston, SC
29401
(843) 727-2165
-
Old Slave Mart Museum - focuses on the
history of slave trading & slave sales that
occurred in slave auction gallery from 1856
to 1863. It was ran as a private museum from
1938 to 1987 & was also placed on the
National Register of Historic Places in
1973. Understanding the historic
significance that the institution of slavery
has had on the history of Charleston, the
property was acquired in 1988 by the City of
Charleston & has continued to be operated as
a museum to recount the slave-trade history
of this city.
6 Chalmers St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 958-6467
-
Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum / USS
Yorktown - Patriots Point is located in
Mt. Pleasant, along the Charleston Harbor
waterfront, & is the home of the USS
Yorktown CV-10 Aircraft Carrier. The USS
Yorktown was commissioned in 1943 & heavily
participated in the Pacific Offensive
beginning in late 1943, ending with the
victory over Japan in 1945. She earned 11
battle stars in all for her service in World
War II! The Yorktown was decommissioned in
1970 & later placed at Patriots Point as the
showpiece of Patriots Point Naval & Maritime
Museum.
40 Patriots Point Rd, Mount Pleasant, SC
29464
(843) 884-2727
-
Powder Magazine - the Powder Magazine
was the military storage building for loose
gun powder built in 1713 & was part of the
original English walled city of Charles
Town. The walls were built 3 feet thick to
prevent fire to surrounding areas in case of
any type of explosion in the powder
magazine. Charles Town was fortified during
this period of its history by 4 military
outposts in each corner of the walled city
with 84 cannons along the waterfront (The
Battery) to protect the city from the
Spanish, the French, pirates and the
Indians.
79 Cumberland St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 722-9350
-
Rainbow Row - one of the most
photographed parts of Charleston. Rainbow
Row is a series of colorful historic houses
located on East Bay Street, north of Tradd
St. & south of Elliot St. Originally built
to serve the wharfs & docks of Charleston's
port, these homes are now private
residences. The area is named Rainbow Row
due to the Colonial Caribbean color scheme.
-
South Carolina Aquarium - a 300,000
gallon Great Ocean Exhibit located in
downtown Charleston at Aquarium Wharf. Spend
an afternoon walking through a mountain
gorge, a piedmont region river exhibit,
viewing the Carolina Seas exhibit, or
checking the swamp inhabitants!
350 Concord St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 579-8500
-
Sullivan's Island - Sullivan's Island is
a barrier island with 3 miles of beachfront
& is just north of Charleston's harbor...
about a 20 mile trip from downtown
Charleston. Sullivan's Island still displays
the remains of its military history... where
in times gone by it protected Charleston's
harbor from invaders. Make sure you visit
Fort Moultrie & Sullivan Island's unique
lighthouse when you visit!
Sullivan's Island -
Get Directions
-
Waterfront Park - a 12 acre park along a
1/2 mile stretch of the Cooper River between
Vendue Range to the north & Adger's Wharf to
the south. Contains a pier & floating dock
with unobstructed views of the Yorktown &
Ravenel Bridge, a fountain for the kids to
run through, the famous Pineapple fountain
of Charleston, many park benches to sit on
under the trees, & jogging paths along the
waterfront.
Waterfront Park
Middle Atlantic Whf St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 724-7321

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