Going Back to Colonial Days. At Charles Towne Landing, you get insight into how colonists lived 300 years ago, when they established the first English settlement in South Carolina. A visit here features hands-on activities. Even the animals that the settlers encountered, from bears…
Bookstore
Available as paperback
and as e-book.
Charleston Attractions
I always head for the Battery (officially, the White Point Gardens) to get into the feel of this city. It’s right on the end of the peninsula, facing the Cooper River and the harbor. It has a landscaped park, shaded by palmettos and live oaks, with walkways lined with old monuments and other war relics. The view toward the harbor goes out to Fort Sumter. It wasn’t always like this. During the early 18th century, the park was the site of the town gallows, where numerous ne’er-do-wells were hanged. From here you can stroll along the seawall on East Battery to Waterfront Park, where you can sit on the porch swings and watch dolphins frolicking in the river.
Pick Up a Passport
You can visit nine of the city’s most visible historic attractions by buying a 2-day Heritage Passport ticket for $53 (there is no discounted ticket for children or seniors). Assuming you intend to visit all nine sights, the passport is excellent value, saving well over 40% on normal admission (though if you have children, it’s less of a deal, since most sights offer discounted admission for kids). The ticket provides entry to the Charleston Museum, the Heyward-Washington House, the Joseph Manigault House, Middleton Place, Drayton Hall, the Nathaniel Russell House, Gibbes Museum, the Aiken-Rhett House, and the Edmondston-Alston House. The ticket allows one-time admission to each of those attractions, during the course of two consecutive days. Three-day passports are $63, while 7-day passports are $73. Tickets are available only from Charleston Visitor Center, 375 Meeting St., North Charleston Visitor Center, and Mt. Pleasant Visitor Center.
Charleston’s Birds of Prey
Pick Up a Passport
You can visit nine of the city’s most visible historic attractions by buying a 2-day Heritage Passport ticket for $53 (there is no discounted ticket for children or seniors). Assuming you intend to visit all nine sights, the passport is excellent value, saving well over 40% on normal admission (though if you have children, it’s less of a deal, since most sights offer discounted admission for kids). The ticket provides entry to the Charleston Museum, the Heyward-Washington House, the Joseph Manigault House, Middleton Place, Drayton Hall, the Nathaniel Russell House, Gibbes Museum, the Aiken-Rhett House, and the Edmondston-Alston House. The ticket allows one-time admission to each of those attractions, during the course of two consecutive days. Three-day passports are $63, while 7-day passports are $73. Tickets are available only from Charleston Visitor Center, 375 Meeting St., North Charleston Visitor Center, and Mt. Pleasant Visitor Center.
Charleston’s Birds of Prey
Just 12 miles north of Mount Pleasant via U.S. 17 (15 miles from the center of Charleston), the Avian Conservation Center and its Center for Birds of Prey (tel. 843/971-7474; www.thecenterforbirdsofprey.org), 4872 Seewee Rd., Awendaw, is set on a leafy 152-acre site. Founded in 1991, the center’s medical clinic treats more than 500 injured birds of prey each year. The collection includes around 40 species of eagles, falcons, hawks, owls, vultures, and other birds of prey from all parts of the world. The center is open Thursday to Saturday 10am to 5pm. Guided walking tours run Thursday to Saturday at 10:30am and 2pm, and free-flight demonstrations are staged Thursday to Saturday 11:30am and 3pm. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for ages 6 to 16, and free for ages 5 and under.
Especially for Kids
For more than 300 years, Charleston has been the home of pirates, patriots, and presidents. Your child can see firsthand the Great Hall at the Old Exchange, where President Washington danced; view the Provost Dungeons, where South Carolina patriots spent their last days; and touch the last remaining structural evidence of the Charleston Seawall. Children will take special delight in Charles Towne Landing and Middleton Place. At Fort Sumter, they can see where the Civil War began. Children will also enjoy Magnolia Plantation, with its Audubon Swamp Garden.
Kids and navy vets will love the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, at Patriots Point. Its World War II, Korean, and Vietnam exploits are documented in exhibits, and general naval history is illustrated through models of ships, planes, and weapons.
49 Results
- Museum
Aiken-Rhett House
Constructed around 1820 by Charleston merchant John Robinson, the Aiken-Rhett House is perhaps one of the city’s most atmospheric piles, an elegantly decayed mansion purchased by Irish immigrant-made-good William Aiken, Sr. in 1827. Taking over the property in 1833, his son (who… - Historic Site
Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens
This unique plantation is approached by a famous three-quarter mile Avenue of Oaks ★★★, huge old moss-draped trees planted in 1743 by Captain Thomas Boone. The original wooden house was constructed in 1790, but what remains is just a replica Colonial Revival mansion completed in… - Historic Site
Calhoun Mansion
The largest, most ostentatious, fascinating, and plain over-the-top mansion in Charleston was built in 1876 for successful entrepreneur George Walton Williams. Designed in the Italianate style, the property comprises 35 rooms, a grand ballroom, Japanese water gardens with koi ponds,… - Historic Site
Charles Pinckney National Historic Site
Principal author and a signer of the U.S. Constitution, Charles Pinckney once lived on this coastal plantation, though little remains of his old home. Nevertheless, the memory of the “forgotten founder” is preserved at the small visitor center, located in a Lowcountry farmhouse dated… - Historic Site
Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site
This 663-acre park on the Ashley River, 3 miles northwest of Downtown, is located on the site where English settlers first landed in 1670, thereby establishing the birthplace of the Carolina colony and the plantation system that eventually spread throughout the American South. Little… - Historic Site
Charleston City Hall
This handsome building was constructed between 1800 and 1804 in what is known as the Adamesque style, serving as a branch of The First Bank of the United States (the original brick walls were covered with Italian marble stucco in 1882). The property became City Hall in 1818, and,… - Landmark
Charleston City Market
Charleston’s City Market dates back to 1788 and remains a fun if touristy place to explore, crammed with arts-and-crafts stalls, restaurants, and the city’s famed Gullah “basket ladies” working on sweet-grass baskets. The complex comprises the Greek Revival-style Market Hall,… - Historic Site
Charleston County Courthouse
Next door to City Hall, the old courthouse rounds out Charleston’s historic civic heart. The structure dates back to 1753, when the Carolina statehouse was built on this site, but was reconstructed in 1792 in a grand Neoclassical style for use as the Charleston district courts. It… - Museum
Charleston Museum
Get to grips with the long and intriguing history of the Charleston region at this illuminating museum opposite the Visitor Center. Permanent galleries include the Lowcountry History Hall, beginning with ancient artifacts from Native Americans who first inhabited the area, and… - Museum
Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry
Little ones will enjoy a couple of hours in this fun, hands-on museum, with nine themed areas including Charleston Market, a supermarket designed for kids, and the Medieval Creativity Castle, where they can dress as a prince or princess, explore secret passageways, and check-out a… - Religious Site
Circular Congregational Church
Founded by Dissenters in 1681, this is one of the oldest churches in the South, its burial grounds dating back to 1695. In 1861, a fire destroyed the third incarnation of the building, and bricks from “Old Circular” were used to build the fourth and present church, completed in 1892.… - Library/University
College of Charleston
This infrequently visited gem boasts a gorgeous campus studded with romantic Victorian buildings, statuary, moss-draped live oak trees, and well-manicured gardens. Visit at the weekends, when it’s extra sleepy, and the whole thing feels like a movie set portraying the Old South.… - Museum
Confederate Museum
Since 1898, the United Daughters of the Confederacy (descendants of Confederate soldiers who commemorate the Civil War, especially the part played by Southern women), has operated this small museum on the second floor of Market Hall. The museum is a little disorganized but the simple… - Park/Garden
Cypress Gardens
This 163-acre swamp garden was used as a freshwater reserve for Dean Hall, a huge Cooper River rice plantation, and was given to the city in 1963. Today the giant cypress trees draped with Spanish moss provide an unforgettable setting for flat-bottom boats that glide among their… - Historic Site
Drayton Hall
Today the oldest American planation house open for public viewing, Drayton Hall was built between 1738 and 1742 for wealthy rice producer John Drayton and owned by the Drayton family until 1974. Framed by majestic live oaks, the Georgian-Palladian house and its hand-carved woodwork… - Historic Site
Edmondston-Alston House
On High Battery, an elegant section of Charleston, this house (built in 1825 by Charles Edmondston, a Charleston merchant and wharf owner) was one of the earliest constructed in the city in the late Federal style. In 1837 Edmondston sold it to Charles Alston, a Lowcountry rice… - Religious Site
Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church
Founded in 1791 by free blacks and slaves, this is the oldest AME church in the South. With a sanctuary holding 2,500, it still has one of the largest black congregations south of Baltimore. The original gas lanterns hanging inside date from its founding. In 1822, one of the church’s… - Religious Site
First (Scots) Presbyterian Church
This is the fifth-oldest church in Charleston, founded in 1731 by Scottish immigrants who broke away from the Circular Congregational Church (First Scots is now part of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A.). The seal of Scotland in the windows over the main entrance can still be seen. The… - Religious Site
First Baptist Church
Established in 1682, this was the first Baptist church in the South (the church was actually organized in Maine and moved to Charleston in 1696). In 1751, the pastor, Oliver Hart, founded the Charleston Baptist Association, the earliest organization for the education of Baptist… - Historic Site
Fort Moultrie
Only a palmetto-log fortification at the time of the American Revolution, the half-completed fort was attacked by a British fleet in 1776. Col. William Moultrie’s troops repelled the invasion in one of the first decisive American victories of the Revolution. The fort was subsequently… - Historic Site
Fort Sumter National Monument
It was here on April 12, 1861, that Confederate forces launched a 34-hour bombardment that started the Civil War, aka the “War Between the States.” Union forces eventually surrendered, and the rebels occupied federal ground that became a symbol of Southern resistance. Amazingly,… - Religious Site
French Protestant (Huguenot) Church
This pretty white confection is the only remaining French Calvinist church in the U.S., offering weekly church services in English as well as an annual service in French each spring. It was founded in 1681 by Huguenot refugees from Protestant persecutions in France. The first church… - Museum
Gibbes Museum of Art
Charleston’s premier art gallery hosts seven temporary exhibitions each year (ranging from photography and prints to contemporary art and painting), in addition to the on-going “Charleston Story,” drawn from the museum’s permanent collection of some 10,000 objects. Items rotate every… - Museum
H. L. Hunley Confederate Submarine
The 40-foot Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley, a hand-cranked vessel fashioned of locomotive boilers, sank the Union blockade vessel USS Housatonic in February 1864. The sinking of the Union ship launched the age of submarine warfare, but the submarine and its eight-member crew… - Historic Site
Heyward-Washington House
In a district of Charleston called Cabbage Row, this red-brick Georgian-style house was built in 1772 by Daniel Heyward, aka “the rice king,” and later acquired by his son Thomas Heyward, Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence. President George Washington bedded down here… - Historic Site
Joseph Manigault House
This elegant red-brick mansion was built in 1803 for wealthy rice planter Joseph Manigault (a descendant of French Huguenots). The house features a curving central staircase and an outstanding collection of Charlestonian, American, English, and French period furnishings. Manigault… - Religious Site
Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim
This is the second-oldest synagogue building in the U.S. and the oldest in continuous use. The congregation was formed in 1749, and the synagogue was erected in 1794, although it was destroyed by fire in 1838. The present building was constructed in 1840 as one of the country’s… - Museum
Karpeles Manuscript Library
The small but remarkable Karpeles Manuscript Library occupies the grand Greek Revival St. James Methodist Chapel, completed in 1856. Thanks to the Karpeles Library (based in Santa Barbara), the elegant interior displays a mind-blowing array of original documents, letters, and… - Historic Site
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens
The original seat of the Drayton family dates back to 1676, when Thomas and Ann Drayton built the first hall on this site. Their rice plantation, which was worked by slaves, soon made the Draytons rich, though the first mansion burned just after the Revolution, and the second was set… - Historic Site
Middleton Place
The Middleton family has been one of Charleston’s most influential dynasties since the 17th century, though this once massive rice plantation was established in the 1730s by planter John Williams. Henry Middleton, president of the First Continental Congress, whose son, Arthur, was a… - Religious Site
Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church
This distinctive Neoclassical church was the first brick building owned by African-Americans in Charleston. Originally completed in 1848 as the Glebe Street Presbyterian Church, it was purchased in 1882 by members of the Emanuel A.M.E. Church when that sanctuary had become too… - Historic Site
Nathaniel Russell House
One of America's finest examples of Federal architecture, this 1808 house was completed by Nathaniel Russell, one of Charleston's richest merchants. It is celebrated architecturally for its "free-flying" staircase, spiraling unsupported for three floors. The staircase's elliptical… - Museum
Nathaniel Russell House Museum
One of America’s finest examples of Neoclassical architecture, this red-brick mansion was built in 1808 for Nathaniel Russell, one of Charleston’s richest merchants. The interior contains an astounding elliptical staircase, spiraling unsupported for three floors, and opulent period… - Religious Site
Old Bethel United Methodist Church
This elegant clapboard gem is the third-oldest surviving church building in Charleston. Founded and paid for by both white and black citizens, it was built in 1797, with the finishing touches applied in 1807. By 1840, its African-American members had left to form their own… - Historic Site
Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon
Built as the Customs House in 1771, this grand Palladian edifice served as a British barracks and prison in the Revolutionary War; local martyr Isaac Hayne spent his last night here before being hanged in 1781. The building housed the Charleston Post Office from 1815 to 1896 (with… - Museum
Old Slave Mart Museum
Completed in 1859, on the eve of the Civil War, slave auctions were held in this shed, once part of a complex of buildings known as Ryan’s Mart. Slaves stood chained on auction tables here, 3-feet high and 10-feet long, placed lengthwise so potential buyers could examine them during… - Religious Site
Old St. Andrew’s Parish Church CHURCH
Founded and built in 1706, this simple Anglican structure is the oldest surviving church in Charleston. Part of the church was constructed from bricks used as ballast on ships arriving in the port, and a number of historic tombs are found in the courtyard. In late March or early… - Museum
Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum
The real showstopper at this family-friendly complex, just across the Cooper River from Downtown Charleston, is the USS Yorktown, one of America’s most famous navy ships. This aircraft carrier was commissioned in 1943 and named after the ship sunk at the Battle of Midway 1 year… - Museum
Postal Museum
This tiny specialist museum charts Charleston’s postal history, housed in a room inside the elegant Post Office Building built in 1896. The building still serves as the post office today (Mon–Fri 11:30am–3:30pm). - Religious Site
Second Presbyterian Church
Dedicated in 1811, this is the oldest Presbyterian church in Charleston, and it’s been designated by the Presbyterian Church of the United States as Historical Site Number One. When it was first constructed, it was so large and cavernous that the minister’s voice couldn’t be heard.… - Zoo/Aquarium
South Carolina Aquarium
Take a break from colonial history at Charleston’s state-of-the-art aquarium, filled with thousands of enchanting creatures and plants native to the Carolinas. Jutting into the Charleston Harbor for 2,000 feet, the focal point is the two-story Great Ocean Tank, containing more than… - Religious Site
St. John’s Lutheran Church
Dubbed the “Mother Church of Lutherans in South Carolina,” this graceful Federal-style building dates from 1818, though the congregation was founded by German immigrants in 1742. The Italianate steeple with bell-shaped roof was added in 1859. Its church bell was melted down and given… - Religious Site
St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church
Formally known as St. Mary of the Annunciation, this is the oldest Roman Catholic church in the state, with a congregation that dates back to 1789. The original brick church of 1801 was destroyed by fire in 1838, but was rebuilt 1 year in the plain Classical Revival style visible… - Religious Site
St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church
Founded by German-speaking settlers in 1840, this was the second Lutheran congregation formed in the city. The current Gothic Revival building, erected in 1872 and rebuilt after a fire in 1965, is best known for its slim, 255-foot steeple, which remains the tallest in the state. The… - Religious Site
St. Michael’s Episcopal Church
A National Historic Landmark, this is one of the most impressive of America’s Colonial churches, and it remains the oldest in Charleston. The church was constructed between 1752 and 1761 in a typical Colonial style, and has changed little since then. Seen for miles around, its… - Religious Site
St. Philip’s Episcopal Church
This impressive church is nicknamed the “Lighthouse Church” because a light was once put in its distinctive steeple to guide ships into the harbor. The present building dates from 1838 (the steeple was added in 1850), and houses the oldest congregation in South Carolina (with roots… - Historic Site
The Citadel
The home of the Military College of South Carolina and the South Carolina Corps of Cadets was originally conceived as an arsenal for the state militia, with the first buildings completed in 1829 around what is now Marion Square. The arsenal was converted to a military academy in… - Museum
The Powder Magazine
Completed in 1713, this is the oldest public building in South Carolina. The “magazine” was used as an arsenal up to 1743 for the defense of the British settlement of Charles Towne against Native Americans, pirates, and Spanish and French warships. During the Revolutionary War it was… - Religious Site
Unitarian Church in Charleston
The oldest Unitarian church in the South, this is also the second-oldest church in Charleston and one of the country’s most stellar examples of the Perpendicular Gothic Revival style. Its construction began in 1774 but was halted when the Revolutionary War broke out, and was only…
More About Charleston Attractions
Charleston Shopping
The densest and most appealing collection of upscale shops in the Carolinas is on King Street. The Shops at Belmond Charleston Place, located on the ground floor of Charleston Place Hotel, along King and Market streets (www.charlestonplace.com), comprises a mix of designer brands (Gucci, L’Occitane, Calypso St. Barth, Louis Vuitton, Kate Spade, and so on). A short stretch of trendy, youth-conscious boutiques known as Upper King Street Design District (www.littleworksofheart.typepad.com/upperkingcharleston) is where about a dozen forward-thinking artisans ply their penchant for jewelry, millinery, and crafts.
17 Results
- Bookstores
Blue Bicycle Books
Charleston’s premier secondhand book seller (it also buys books), owned by local writer Jonathan Sanchez. With over 50,000 volumes in the store, it boasts the largest collection of used, rare, and new titles in Charleston and the Lowcountry. Hours are Monday to Saturday 10am to… - Kitchenware
Charleston Cooks!
This local kitchen supply mini-chain also offers Southern cooking lessons. It’s a rustic, bright space selling everything from cookware and cookbooks to baking and bar essentials (including some really cool bottle openers). - Arts & Crafts
Charleston Crafts
Owned by a cooperative of local artists since 1989 (exhibiting artisans are required to be residents of South Carolina), this store is a real treat. Inside you’ll see the artistic sweet-grass baskets of Alethia Manigault, the unique jewelry designs of Caroline Sandlin, the… - Art
Chuma Gullah Gallery
This enlightening gallery in City Market specializes in the art of the Gullah people (descendants of enslaved Africans) of coastal South Carolina. The work of lauded Gullah artist Jonathan Green is especially prominent, as is John Jones (best known for his Color of Money series). - Bookstores
College of Charleston Bookstore
This college bookstore is actually run by Barnes & Noble. Inside you’ll find a fabulous choice of books, textbooks, school spirit clothing, school supplies, and gifts. - Jewelry
Croghan's Jewel Box
This venerable jewelry store was established in the 18th century by one William Joseph Croghan, and the current shop still occupies the same spot. The stock here is unusual and unique, with a blend of vintage-inspired and contemporary pieces. The store is also justly famous for the… - Jewelry
Dazzles
Stylish, contemporary jewelry from a host of very hot designers. Think Natalie K, Mindy Lam, and Lalique. Hours are Monday to Saturday 10am to 6pm; there is another branch at 86 Queen St. - Antiques
George C. Birlant and Co.
This tantalizing store has been selling quality antiques since 1922. It specializes in carefully selected 18th- and 19th-century English antique furniture, silver, china, crystal, and brass. The store is also known for the bespoke “Charleston Battery Bench,” a wood-and-iron bench… - Antiques
Livingston Antiques
Established in 1969 out in West Ashley, this is one of the largest antique dealers in the South. The specialization here is 18th- and 19th-century English furniture, but you’ll also find high-quality pottery and porcelain: majolica, Staffordshire, Jasperware, and Delft. Hours are… - Art
Lowcountry Artists Gallery
Founded in 1982, this gallery is an exciting showcase for local artists. It’s a very eclectic ensemble; all mediums and styles of painting are represented, as well as blown glass, pottery, and sculpture. Hours are Monday to Saturday 10:30am to 6pm and Sunday 1 to 5pm. - Fabrics
Lulan Artisans
Founded by Eve Blossom, this fashionable store brings together contemporary American textile designers and talented Asian artisans. All the natural hand-woven fabrics, silks, organic cotton and linens on sale are created by 650 weavers, spinners, dyers, and finishers in Cambodia,… Old Charleston Joggling Board Co.
Heard of the joggling board? These bizarre local devices date back to the early 1830s, designed by Mrs. Benjamin Kinloch Huger as a mild form of exercise for her rheumatism (the board allows you to bounce, gently, on the spot). It’s essentially a long plank of wood supported by two…- Jewelry
Paulo Geiss Jewelers
Another Charleston institution, though this family business was actually founded in Brazil back in 1919. The family moved to South Carolina in 1964, but the first Charleston store opened 20 years later. Today Paulo Geiss keeps his family legacy alive working with top contemporary… Pitt Street Pharmacy
This old-time drugstore opened in 1938, across the bridge from downtown Charleston in Mount Pleasant. Though it almost qualifies as an historic sight, it still operates as a regular pharmacy, with all the usual products and off-the-shelf remedies for sale, and prescriptions filled.- Bookstores
Preservation Society of Charleston Bookstore
Founded in 1920, the Preservation Society of Charleston runs this great local bookstore. It boasts a decent choice of titles on Charleston and South Carolina history, Gullah and African American history, and the Civil War, as well as old maps, prints, etchings, and DVDs. Hours are… - Art
Studio 151 Fine Arts
This fine-art gallery was established by a group of prominent local artists including Colleen Wiessmann, Shelby Parbel, Rosie Phillips, Bob Graham, and Amelia Whaley. Many of the artists are often in the store and are happy to chat with customers. Hours are Monday to Thursday 10am to… - Art
Wells Gallery
Art lovers will want to make the trip out to the Sanctuary Resort on Kiawah Island to visit this elegant gallery, a showcase for contemporary local artists such as Curt Butler, Russell Gordon, E.B. Lewis, and Karen Larson Turner. Hours are Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm.
Charleston Nightlife
The Performing Arts
Charleston’s major cultural venue is the Dock Street Theatre, 135 Church St. (tel. 843/577-7183; www.charlestonstage.com), a 463-seat theater. The original was built in 1736 but burned down in the early 19th century, and the Planters Hotel (not related to the Planters Inn) was constructed around its ruins. In 1936, the theater was rebuilt in a new location. It’s the home of the Charleston Stage Company, a local not-for-profit theater group whose season runs from mid-September to May. Dock Street hosts performances ranging from Shakespeare to My Fair Lady. It’s most active during the Spoleto Festival USA in May and June. The box office (tel. 843/577-7183) is open Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 5pm and a half-hour before curtain, and Sunday from 10am to 3pm.
The Charleston Symphony Orchestra, 14 George St. (tel. 843/723-7528; www.charlestonsymphony.com), performs throughout the state, but its main venues are the Gaillard Auditorium and Charleston Southern University. The season runs from September to May.
The Black Fedora
This “comedy mystery theatre” at 164 Church St. is lots of fun for families, with two or three comic mysteries running most evenings (in play form). The Pirate Mystery Treasure Show is especially thrilling for little ones, while the hilarious Sherlock Holmes parody is more suitable for pre-teens and above. Tickets are $24 for adults, $22 for students, and $15 for children 12 and under. Visit www.charlestonmysteries.com or call tel. 843/937-6453 for the latest schedule. The book and gift shop on site is open Tuesday to Sunday noon to show time.
The best night out in the city is this must-see performance of gospel, Gershwin, music of the Civil War, light classics, and jazz—all the elements of Charleston’s rich musical stew. The Sound of Charleston (tel. 843/270-4903; www.soundofcharleston.com) concert lasts around 90 minutes, with shows starting at 7pm. The schedule changes seasonally, but there is usually one show per week (less June to August). Tickets cost $28 for adults, $26 for seniors, $16 for students, and are free for children 12 and under. Get tickets online or at the any of the local Visitor Centers.
10 Results
- Bars & Pubs
Big John’s Tavern
Open since 1955, this is one of Charleston’s oldest bars, and a popular hangout for cadets from the Citadel. The space reopened in 2014 after a renovation and revamp of the menu, bringing it back to its no-frills, dive bar roots. Believe the hype—the roast beef sandwiches ($9) here… - Pub
Blind Tiger Pub
This old tavern is best known for its live bands and its atmospheric courtyard, a great place to unwind after a hard day of sightseeing. The pub building was erected in 1803 by George Keith as a commercial property (the ornate facade on Broad Street was put up in 1877), and though… - Beer Gardens
Charleston Beer Works
No-nonsense sports bar in the trendy Upper King area. It’s a casual, friendly space, with 40 beers on tap (including regional microbrews, $5–$6), a tasty food menu, and plenty of TVs to watch that big game. Local bands usually perform Thursday to Saturday nights. Open daily from… - Bars & Pubs
First Shot Lounge
This plush hotel lounge bar is a classy place to start your evening, with a decent cocktail menu and a wide selection of wines and beer. The bar is decked out like a Victorian gentleman’s club, and overlooks the fountain courtyard. There’s also a selection of tasty appetizers and… - Bars & Pubs
Gin Joint
This compact bar is one of the city’s finest, with mixologists that really know what they’re doing and quality cocktails. The usual offering contains 5 to 8 separate ingredients and pours: the exceptionally smooth “South of the Border” comprises tequila, Agwa Coca Liqueur, lime,… - Bars & Pubs
Mad River
This sports bar boasts one of the most unique venues in Charleston, the Old Seaman’s Chapel on Market Street. Inside, the original high vaulted ceilings and stained-glass windows from the church have been retained, but you can also enjoy a drink on the patio outside. The big screen… - Nightclub
Mynt
This is the newest bar/nightclub combo to open in downtown Charleston—things change fast, however, so check its current status before making plans. A fashionable cocktail bar for young professionals on weekdays, with an abstract, multicolored ceiling and mosaic bar, Mynt morphs into… - Bars & Pubs
Prohibition
A stylish bar and restaurant inspired by the Jazz Age, with reclaimed wood walls, a long, elegant bar, and pressed-tin ceiling. The fun menu is a spin on Southern and American classics, while draught beers include suds from local microbrewery Holy City Brewing. The inventive cocktail… - Bars & Pubs
Rooftop at the Vendue
Relax on the comfy banquettes at the main bar in the Venue hotel, or walk up to the two-level rooftop patio bar (make sure you walk right to the top level for the best views of the city). On a clear evening this is the best place to start your night. Hours are Monday to Friday 4pm to… - Beer Gardens
Southend Brewery & Smokehouse
Though this is as much a restaurant as a bar (serving high-quality Southern and American classics), it’s the craft beers brewed on site that brings in the crowd. Order a sample tray for $10, or a pitcher of Rip Tide Red, Pict’s Stout, or Love Me Two Times Blonde for $16. The bar…
