Charleston · South Carolina, USA
Things to Do in Charleston: Tours, Tickets & Day Trips
The best things to do in Charleston, ranked by real traveller reviews: ride a horse-drawn carriage through the Historic District, walk Rainbow Row and the Battery, cruise the harbour past Fort Sumter, tour Boone Hall and Magnolia plantations, join a candlelit ghost walk and eat your way down King Street. Compare 110+ tours, tickets and day trips side by side — most with free cancellation.
316 experiences Free cancellation Top-rated tours Instant booking
Sunset tours in Charleston
Departures that are under way when the sun sets in the coming weeks — start times checked against the local sunset.
Good for families in Charleston
Children can join from a young age and pay less than adults — taken from each operator’s price list.
Browse
Explore Charleston by interest
Whatever brings you to Charleston — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Carriage tours
Historic district.
ExploreHarbor & Fort Sumter
Cruises & dolphins.
ExplorePlantations
Oak avenues.
ExploreGhost tours
Haunted history.
ExploreFood tours
Lowcountry cuisine.
ExploreHistoric walking
Rainbow Row.
ExploreBeaches & nature
Dolphins & oaks.
ExploreThe Holy City
History & charm.
ExploreWhat to see
Top attractions in Charleston
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Rainbow Row
Pastel houses.
30 toursView tours
Historic District
Antebellum charm.
30 toursView tours
Fort Sumter
Civil War fort.
40 toursView tours
Boone Hall
Oak avenue.
30 toursView tours
Magnolia Gardens
Plantation gardens.
20 toursView tours
Haunted Charleston
Ghost tours.
30 toursView tours
Lowcountry Food
Southern cuisine.
20 toursView tours
Folly Beach
Dolphins & coast.
20 toursView tours
History & plantations
Charleston history & plantations
- 1Boone Hall
- 2Magnolia
- 3Fort Sumter
- 4Historic district
30 min awayBoone Hall
Oak avenue.
from $55View trips
30 min awayMagnolia Plantation
Gardens.
from $55View trips
Harbor awayFort Sumter
Civil War fort.
from $40View trips
30 min awayFolly Beach
Dolphins & coast.
from $45View trips
Lowcountry awayMarsh Kayaking
Eco tours.
from $50View trips
City awayRainbow Row
Pastel houses.
from $25View trips
Practical guide
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Charleston visitor asks before booking.
Spring (Mar–May)
Warm, blooming gardens and comfortable — the best time.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Hot and humid, busy with beachgoers.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
Warm days and thinner crowds — lovely.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Mild and quiet, great for the historic city.
For gardens
Spring is best for the plantation gardens in bloom.
Best overall
Spring and autumn are ideal.
One day
The historic district and harbor.
Two days
Add a plantation tour.
Three days
Add food, ghosts and the beach.
For history
Plantations and Fort Sumter.
For food
A Lowcountry food tour.
With kids
Carriage rides and the harbor.
On foot
The historic district is compact and best explored on foot.
Carriage & trolley
Carriages and trolleys tour the historic streets.
By boat
Ferries and cruises reach Fort Sumter and the harbor.
Car & taxi
A car or rideshare helps for plantations and beaches.
Where to stay
Stay in the historic district near the Battery.
US dollar
The USA uses the dollar; cards are widely accepted.
Book plantations
Boone Hall and Magnolia tours sell out — reserve ahead.
Fort Sumter ferries
Book harbor cruises and Fort Sumter ferries in advance.
Beat the heat
In summer, tour early or late; midday is hot and humid.
Try shrimp and grits
Don’t miss Lowcountry classics on a food tour.
Evening ghost tours
Book a ghost tour for after dark in the historic city.
Spring gardens
Visit in spring for the plantation gardens in bloom.
Plantation tours
Boone Hall and Magnolia trips sell out — book ahead.
Harbor cruises
Fort Sumter and sunset cruises fill up — reserve early.
Carriage tours
Popular carriage tours book out — reserve ahead.
Ghost tours
Evening ghost tours have limited spots — book early.
Food tours
Food tours fill up — reserve ahead.
Spring & festivals
Spring and festival dates are busiest — book everything ahead.
Carriage tour
Around $30–45 for a historic carriage tour.
Harbor cruise
About $30–60 for a harbor or Fort Sumter cruise.
Plantation tour
Roughly $55–90 for a plantation tour with transport.
Ghost tour
Around $25–45 for an evening ghost tour.
Food tour
About $60–90 for a Lowcountry food tour.
How to save
Join group tours and combine the plantations with the harbor.
When to visit
Charleston through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
Spring (Mar–May)
Mar–May
- Best for
- Gardens in bloom.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Best.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Jun–Aug
- Best for
- Beaches.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Humid.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
Sep–Nov
- Best for
- Warm & calm.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Lovely.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Dec–Feb
- Best for
- Quiet history.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Mild.
People also ask
Charleston travel FAQ
What are the top 10 things to do in Charleston?
Ranked by traveller reviews: 1) a horse-drawn carriage tour of the Historic District, 2) a guided history walking tour, 3) a haunted carriage or Old City Jail ghost tour, 4) a Charleston Harbor history or sunset cruise, 5) Boone Hall Plantation and its Avenue of Oaks, 6) the Fort Sumter ferry, 7) Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, 8) the water taxi or eco cruise with dolphins and Morris Island lighthouse, 9) a Lowcountry food tour and 10) Rainbow Row, the Battery and Waterfront Park on foot.
How many days do you need in Charleston?
Plan two to three days. Day one: carriage tour, walking tour, Rainbow Row, the Battery and King Street. Day two: Fort Sumter or a harbour cruise in the morning, Boone Hall or Magnolia Plantation in the afternoon. Day three: Folly Beach or Sullivan’s Island, a food tour and a ghost walk at night. A fourth day allows Middleton Place, the USS Yorktown or a trip to Beaufort.
What to do in Charleston for free?
The Battery and White Point Garden, Rainbow Row, Waterfront Park and the Pineapple Fountain, the City Market, the College of Charleston campus, the French Quarter’s churches and galleries, the Ravenel Bridge walk, the Angel Oak, Shem Creek’s boardwalk for dolphins and pelicans, and the public beaches at Folly, Sullivan’s Island and Isle of Palms. Free walking maps are available at the visitor centre on Meeting Street.
What are the best day trips from Charleston?
The plantations along Ashley River Road — Magnolia, Middleton Place and Drayton Hall — are 20–30 minutes away; Boone Hall is 20 minutes across the bridge. Folly Beach is 25 minutes, Kiawah’s Beachwalker Park 45 minutes. Further out: Beaufort and Hunting Island (75 minutes), Edisto Island (one hour) and Savannah (two hours). Plantation tours with transport cost from about $75–96.
What to do in Charleston at night?
Take a ghost tour — the haunted carriage, the Old City Jail or a candlelit walk through the graveyards — or a harbour sunset cruise. Then head to Upper King Street’s restaurants and rooftop bars (the Vendue, the Pavilion at the Market Pavilion Hotel), a show at the Dock Street Theatre, a Prohibition pub crawl or live music at the Music Farm and Charleston Pour House.
What is there to do in Charleston in winter?
Winter is mild (50s–60s°F) and quiet, with carriage tours, walking tours, plantations and museums all open and hotel prices at their lowest. The Holiday Festival of Lights runs at James Island County Park from mid-November to New Year, oyster roasts fill the weekends, and camellias bloom at Magnolia and Middleton Place in January and February.
What are the best things to do in Charleston with kids?
The South Carolina Aquarium and its sea-turtle hospital, the Fort Sumter ferry, a carriage ride, the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier at Patriots Point, the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry, the pirate-themed walking tour, dolphin-spotting on the water taxi, the splash fountains at Waterfront Park and a beach day at Folly or Isle of Palms. Boone Hall’s butterfly pavilion and farm are a hit in summer.
When is the best time to visit Charleston?
March to May, when the azaleas and gardens peak and the weather is warm but not humid, and September to November. Summer is hot, sticky and busy with afternoon storms; hurricane season peaks in September. Winter is mild and the cheapest time to visit.
Is a Charleston carriage tour worth it?
Yes — with more than 10,000 reviews it is the city’s signature experience, and the one-hour narrated loop is the fastest way to understand the Historic District before you explore on foot. Tours run year-round; morning slots are cooler in summer, and the evening haunted version adds the ghost stories.
316 Charleston experiencesfrom $30 · free cancellation
Explore tours