
I’ve already shared everything I was able to fit in to my 36 hours in Charleston, but I thought it would be helpful to also share our full list of things to do, places to see, and food to eat in Charleston – even the things we didn’t get to cross of our list.
When I was looking up things to do for my trip I felt like everything just talked about the Charleston classics like Rainbow Row and the pineapple fountain. Don’t get me wrong, those things are great (and are still included on my list), but I wanted more than the regular tourist traps. So hopefully these lists will help someone out there find their own unique experiences in Charleston. It’s a gorgeous city with such a great vibe, just wandering the streets and admiring all the wrought iron is a good time.
Like I said, the lists below are the places we were able to see, food we got to eat, and stuff we didn’t quite get to but is on our list for next time. I’m better at planning when I can see what’s located near each other so you can also find each item marked on the map at the very bottom – just click the arrow icon to the left of “Charleston” and you can scroll through the list.
Things to Do + Places to See
Aiken Rhett House
Historic home of influential 1800’s family.
Blue Bicycle Books
Used, rare, and local books.
Boone Hall Plantation
One of America’s oldest working farms, a beautiful place to visit with tours of the plantation, house, and more.
Charleston City Market
A historic market complex in the downtown area still used for day and night markets.
The Charleston Museum
One of the oldest museums in the U.S. Collections focus on the South Carolina Lowcountry with emphasis on natural history, historical material culture, and documentary and photographic resources.
Drayton Hall
A gorgeous 18th-century plantation with various exhibits and tours.
Charleston Gaillard Center
An exquisite performing arts center (and where we met Reese Witherspoon for her book tour!), check their website for events.
Gibbes Museum of Art
An art museum in downtown Charleston with various collections and exhibitions.
Hampton Park
A beautiful 60-acre public park, great for picnics.
Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim
The oldest reform synagogue in continuous use in the U.S.
King Street
Shopping! King Street is more than 300 years old, named for King Charles II, and is now home to trendy restaurants and shops.
Mac & Murphey
A paper, wedding, and lifestyle accessories boutique.
Magnolia Plantation
A plantation founded in 1676 with the oldest public gardens in the U.S. Lots of tours and beautiful grounds to see.
Middleton Place Plantation
A National Historic Landmark and beautiful plantation with gardens, stableyards, and tours of the grounds and house.
Nathaniel Russel House
A National Historic Landmark and home of a wealthy shipping merchant in the 1800’s, recognized as one of America’s most important Neoclassical houses.
Pineapple Fountain at Waterfront Park
Waterfront park is an eight-acre park along the Cooper River with the famed Pineapple Fountain as it’s focal point.
Queen Street
A beautiful cobblestone area with plenty of restaurants up and down the street.
Rainbow Row
A series of thirteen colorful historic houses that has become an icon of Charleston.
Unitarian Church & Cemetery
National Historic Landmark, the oldest Unitarian church in the South. Gorgeous inside and the cemetery is full of overgrown trees and vines, creating a magical and romantic feeling space.
White Point Garden at the Battery
A 5.7-acre public park located at the heart of the historic district in downtown Charleston.
Food to Eat
- Breizh Pan Crepes
- Brown Dog Deli
- Butcher & Bee
- Callie’s Hot Little Biscuits
- The Darling Oyster Bar
- Goat Sheep Cow
- Hank’s Seafood Restaurant
- High Cotton
- Husk
- Kaminsky’s Dessert Café
- Leon’s Oyster Shop
- Lewis BBQ
- Magnolia
- The Macintosh
- The Ordinary
- The Park Café
- Pawpaw
- Poogan’s Porch
- Second Slate Coffee
- SNOB (Slightly North of Broad)
- Sugar Bake Shop
- Wildflower Pastry

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