(UPDATED ON August 26, 2020) One of the things that took me by surprise the first time I visited Charleston was just how big the city was. An old law on the books prevents the construction of buildings taller than church steeples, which meant the city needed to grow out, not up. But the second thing that took me by surprise was how a weekend getaway could be so expensive.
Downtown Charleston lodging can cost hundreds of dollars per night. Restaurants can cost upwards of a hundred dollars for a couple. By the time you throw in a scenic cruise around the harbor and a couple of museums, a weekend in Charleston can cost about the same as an oceanfront rental house at a beach.
But not everything in Charleston is expensive. In fact, some things are even free. Finding a balance between the free activities and paid attractions will help to keep you entertained without draining the bank account.
This list is in no particular order. Read, remember, and get out there to enjoy!
No. 1
Visit the Historic City Market in Charleston
In 1788, Charles Picnkney gave land some land with a creek running through the middle to the city of Charleston with one stipulation: it must always be used as a public market. For the last two hundred years, that is exactly how the land has been used.
READ MORE: The Coffee Lover’s Guide to My Favorite Coffee Shops in Charleston, SC
Today, the Historic Charleston City Market is a place for local artisans to sell their goods seven days a week. Jewelry, clothing, photography, and housewares are all made by locals. Locals Lane and Cheryl Carlson sell wine bottles recycled as serving trays at Old World Glass Studios. Paul Silva creates stunning paintings on top of photographs printed on canvas at Paul Silva Gallery.
Of course, the only free thing about visiting the Historic City Market is window shopping. Anything else will cost you some money.
73 North Market Street, Charleston, SC | www.thecharlestoncitymarket.com
No. 2
Learn History at Charles Pinckney National Historic Site in Mt. Pleasant
Known as the “Forgotten Founder”, this little historic site is also a bit forgotten and tucked away from many of the main attractions. It’s easy to reach, but you’d better use that GPS navigation your fancy data phone is capable of doing. I use it a little too much these days; I couldn’t tell you how I got there.
The historic site’s main (and really only) attraction is a large home featuring a gift shop, small museum, and an area with a video presentation. There is a nice trail that will take you behind the house and out into the “wild” areas of the historic site along a marsh. It’s a great place for a cool walk during the spring or fall months, but I was out there during a blistering summer day so I would not recommend that approach.
You can visit Charles Pinckney National History Site about 11 miles (30 minutes) outside Charleston near Mount Pleasant. If you take your time and enjoy everything the site has to offer you’ll spend about two hours here, so this is a great place to visit for a short break from the busier parts of the area.
1254 Long Point Road, Mount Pleasant, SC | 843-881-5516 | www.nps.gov/chpi/index.htm
No. 3
Stroll Through Waterfront Park in Charleston
Waterfront Park is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places to explore in Charleston. Secluded from the massive crowds by towering Oak Trees, the waterfront park has a commanding view of the Cooper River and USS Yorktown aircraft carrier at Patriots Point.
READ MORE: Strolling Through Waterfront Park in Charleston, South Carolina
The iconic Pineapple Fountain is one of the most photographed places in all of Charleston. Wedding portraits, selfies, and artistic photos are snapped around the falling water throughout the day. Take a seat on a nearby bench to enjoy the view.
Feel like making a bit of a day of it? Bring a book and a snack, and claim your space on the grassy field in the park. If you want to keep out of the sun, head over to one of the seating areas beneath the trees where you’ll find park benches in groups.
No. 4
Take a Walk Down the Battery in Charleston
The Battery is an old sea wall that once provided fortification and protection for the City of Charleston. The top of the sea wall today is a wide concrete slab path for people to walk and jog across. As soon as you reach the beginning of The Battery and climb the first few steps, you can look off to your right to see Rainbow Row, a long row of colorful (literally) historic homes.
READ MORE: How to Visit (and the History Behind) the Iconic Rainbow Row in Charleston, SC
The Battery is a tranquil area, though it is also one of the most-visited for tours, joggers, and walkers. It wraps around the end of the peninsula and provides you with views out across Charleston Harbor toward Fort Sumter, and back along the Ashely River where you’ll find dozens of small white sails from a sailing school during the summer.
No. 5
Visit White Point Gardens in Charleston
White Point Gardens is a beautiful two block-sized park featuring a few historical canons, a massive gazebo that frequently plays host to weddings, and large open grassy fields for kids and dogs and kids with dogs (I wouldn’t recommend a dog with a kid for fear of the dog running after a squirrel with the kid in tow).
The gardens are an amazing place to spend some time because you have some really great views across Charleston Harbor and the Ashley River. During warmer days you’ll see dozens of tiny sailboats maneuvering around the water (they are from a local sailing school), and you can see lots of other boat traffic moving up and down the river toward all the marinas. Sunrise and sunset views here are warm and inviting, and the canopy of trees will provide a respite from the harsh mid-day summer sun.
No. 6
Read a Book in Marion Square in Charleston
Marion Square is a hopping center of activity throughout the year. During the warm summer months you’ll find dozens of people with picnic blankets, dogs with frisbees, kids with toys, and nerds with books (I’m one of the nerds). In the early fall and late spring you’ll find the square packed with college students from nearby College of Charleston, just up Calhoun Street.
My favorite time of year to visit the giant park is December after the city plugs in a few thousand Christmas lights. They erect an enormous tree in the center of the park that almost rivals the nearby church steeples (but not quite). It’s a peaceful place to take a walk, go on a first date, or just sit back and read a book and wait for the sun to set and the lights to come on.
No. 7
Visit a Cemetery in Charleston
A cemetery in Charleston is not like any cemetery you have at home (unless you live in Europe, then it’s probably just like the cemetery you have at home). The cemeteries in Charleston are old, historic, with beautiful tombstones and even more beautiful decor around the fencing. Almost all the cemeteries are open to the public during the day.
The cemeteries at St. Phillips Episcopal Church and the Circular Congregational Church adjoin one another between Church Street and Meeting Street. The St. Phillips cemetery hosts an array of historical figures, including John C. Calhoun, in a massive tomb in the middle. You can also take a little drive along Meeting Street to the north to find Magnolia Cemetery, a large and beautiful cemetery located near the waterfront.
READ MORE: Favorite Travel Photos of Charleston, South Carolina
If you really want to visit a fantastic cemetery, head out of Charleston on East Bay Street and find Magnolia Cemetery. This is one of the oldest in the country and features the graves of notable local figures, including the crew of the doomed Hunley submarine. But it’s more than just names on tombstones. The cemetery features some really amazing architecture such as a pyramidal mausoleum, wrought iron fences, a lake in the center, and towering monuments. I wouldn’t exactly recommend a picnic here, but it’s certainly a nice place to park at the front gate and take a long walk around. Be sure to cross over the lake on the wooden footbridge; you’re sure to be treated to a few egrets flying underneath.
No. 8
Tour the Museum at the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center in Charleston
Years ago I came down to Charleston for a week-long stay to shoot travel photos in the area. I always recommend any visitor’s first stop by the visitor center, and that is exactly what I did (see my next suggestion on the list). On this particular trip, I found one of my favorite walking tour guides I have ever come across: The Charleston Walking Tour by Alan Hartley. Now, I will admit you have to pay for the book, which sort of contradicts the purpose of a “List of Free Things to Do” list, but it works like this: first you pay for the book, then you return to this travel story where you give yourself a free walking tour! See how this works?
READ MORE: Exploring Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
340 Concord Street, Charleston, SC | 843-883-3123 | www.nps.gov/fosu
No. 9
Watch the Sunset at the Mount Pleasant Visitor Center & Fishing Pier
The Mount Pleasant Visitor Center & Fishing Pier is located on the old site of the Cooper River Bridge, a small drawbridge that used to be the only way for cars to cross the Cooper River. When the bridge was replaced by the larger, prettier Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge, they used the old site for a pier that stretches a good ways out into the river.
The visitor center itself is a great place to pick up some brochures and guides to find other places to spend your money, but it is free to walk out onto the fishing pier (you have to pay to fish, though). From the end of the pier, which is about a 10-minute gradual walk, you can watch massive cargo ships float past on the river, or watch as that one guy who feels the need for speed whisks along in a speedboat. Several benches and tables provide a place to sit for lunch, a quiet evening meal, or just to enjoy the seagulls flying overhead.
The pier also stays open late during the summer months, giving one of the best places in the area to watch a sunset. Depending on the time of year, the sun will either set directly under the Ravenel Bridge or just off to the right.
99 Harry M. Hallman Jr Blvd, Mt Pleasant, SC | 843-762-9946
No. 10
Take a Walk on Wonders’ Way on the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge
When the engineers and designers first conceived of the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge, they had no idea they would add a walking/jogging/biking path. It was not until an unfortunate event when Garret Wonders was struck and killed by a car while riding his bicycle (training for the Olympics) that a local movement got the path added.
Today, you can walk Wonders’ Way from one end of the bridge to the other (a 5-mile roundtrip hike) and enjoy breathtaking views. Once you have reached the peak of the bridge, the path will jut out a little further from the roadway to move around the two support pillars. At these points you have stunning views of the Cooper River, Downtown Charleston, the USS Yorktown at Patriots Point, and you can even see as far as Fort Sumter at the mouth of the harbor.
READ MORE: Take a Walk on Wonders Way Across the Ravenel Bridge in Charleston, SC
Wonders’ Way is a fantastic, free place to watch sunsets, marvel at cargo ships passing under the bridge, and enjoy the sensation of standing a few hundred feet above the water. Wait, are you afraid of heights? That’s OK. I’m afraid of heights, but I love walking this path.
No. 11
Hike for a View of the Morris Island Lighthouse in Folly Beach
You can’t actually get to the Morris Island Lighthouse unless you have a boat, or a friend with a boat, or you know how to capture sea turtles and lash them together to make a raft. But you can see the light house from the north end of Folly Beach.
If you drive through Folly Beach and turn left, heading to the north end of the island, you will reach a cul-de-sac at the end with a few free parking spaces. It is a 10-20 minute walk along an abandoned paved road before you each a beach access…and a stunning view of the Morris Island Lighthouse.
This is a beautiful place to take a long walk during the day, you just have to watch out for the tides! During high tide, much of the beach to the left is inaccessible, which is my favorite part to visit. But during the night, this beach becomes an unexpected spectacle of stars mixed with deadwood trees along the beach. I have spent many nights out here watching (and photographing) the stars and it never gets old.
No. 12
Walk Down the Edwin S. Taylor Fishing Pier in Folly Beach
If you’re just looking for a quick walk away from the hustle and bustle of the crowded beach, try the Edwin S. Taylor Fishing Pier in Folly Beach. The massive fishing pier features a covered second-story deck at the end with several benches and tables. You could conceivably spend an entire day here if you wanted (especially with good food at a restaurant on the pier, but I’m not supposed to tell you how to spend money in this story!)
The view of summer sunsets from the end of the pier is amazing; you look down the length of the pier across the hotel for warm, brilliant moments of color. My favorite time ever spent on this pier was watching a wicked summer thunderstorm approach from the west. It was a fast moving storm, so I only had about thirty minutes, but I watched as the sun finally ducked behind the darkening clouds, counting the moments between lightning bolts. I wouldn’t recommend actually being on the end of the pier during one of these storms, but it was fun to watch it approaching!
No. 13
Enjoy the Shade at the Angel Oak Tree in Johns Island
The first time I visited this tree, I was too late. The tree is so popular, it has it’s own hours of operation, phone number, and a website. I had been driving all day but arrived just twenty minutes late, shut out by the (sadly necessary) chain link fence. It’s one of the most cherished icons in the area, so they take a great deal of care to protect it from people. Visiting the Angel Oak Tree is a must for anyone coming to Charleston.
This massive tree is estimated to be around 500 years old and stands 66′ tall and 28′ in circumference (that makes the base of this tree bigger than a two-car garage). Besides the fact this is one of the oldest known trees in the state, it’s just really cool to visit. Literally, cool. It produces shade that covers about 17,000 square feet. The limbs are so large and long they have long since fallen to the ground and continued to grow like roots across the top soil. It is absolutely fascinating to see how this tree has sprawled and grown over the centuries.
READ MORE: First Timer’s Guide to Charleston, SC
The tree does have hours of operation each day, so you won’t be able to enjoy the sunrise or sunset here. Despite that, it’s a great place for a picnic on a table nearby or maybe you just want to stand in the shade. You can’t climb the tree, so don’t expect to see how high you can get or to capture a photo of your teen dangling upside down from a thick branch.
No. 14
Spend an Evening at Shem Creek Park & Boardwalk in Mt. Pleasant
Shem Creek Park is the only place in the greater Charleston area where you can sit with your feet in the water, watch dolphins and pelicans pass nearby, and not have to pay a single dollar. Located in Mount Pleasant, the one-mile boardwalk extends across the marsh surrounding Shem Creek to a covered deck at the end.
READ MORE: 10 Thrilling Things to Do in Mount Pleasant, SC
Fishing is a popular activity along the boardwalk. My favorite thing to do is capture photos of brown pelicans nose diving into the water to catch fish. I’ve also been known to bring a book, sit back in the comfortable benches at the covered shelter, and kill a few hours at a time.
No. 15
See the Ocean at Station 12 Beach Access in Sullivan’s Island
This is just about my favorite beach access on any beach in the country. The Station 12 Beach Access is located right next to Fort Moultrie and provides easy access to a narrow beach. This is a great place to come fishing, drop a kayak in the water, spend a day in the sun, or do my favorite bit: take a walk.
During low tide the beach is wide and easy to walk for about a mile heading toward the Cooper River. Once you reach the “end”, or about as far as you can safely walk, you have a fantastic view of the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge. But the most exciting part of this stretch of beach is the dolphins at sunrise and sunset! Dozens of dolphins will swim within about 100-500′ of the beach, breaking over the water and every once in awhile (I’ve only seen it once) they will shoot out of the water into the air.
No. 16
Take a Self-Guided Tour at Botany Bay Plantation in Edisto Beach
It was 5:30 a.m. The first, second, and third times the alarm went off I smacked it with an irritated grunt. I finally dragged myself out of bed at the hotel in Charleston and realized I’d slept a little too late. Ten minutes later I had showered, gotten dressed, thrown all my stuff in the car, and was heading down the dark highway toward Edisto Beach. Forty-five minutes later, at 6:35 a.m., I pulled up the open gate of Botany Bay Plantation. I quickly filled out the free parking pass and continued down the dirt road, bouncing around just a little in my small Honda car. By the time I parked the car near the beach access the sky to the east was bright (too bright for me). It was 6:45 a.m. I had just ten minutes until sunrise. I grabbed my camera bag, checked my tripod, and began running down the dirty path leading the beach. I finally arrived at the location you see above with just one minute to spare. I had never set up my gear so fast in my life.
If you’re up for a little drive, hop on Highway 17 South (Savannah Highway) toward Edisto Beach. About 45 miles south of Charleston you’ll come across Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area, known by the locals as just Botany Bay. This beautiful area is the site of a former plantation that now serves a self-guided driving tour and public beach access.
When I could not find a name for this beach, I decided to name it myself: Deadwood Beach. I named it thus because of the hundreds of deadwood trees standing in the waves and along the beach. While this is a beautiful beach to visit, you probably won’t be doing much swimming here: the stumps of fallen trees litter the waves, making it a bit unsafe to venture out far.
You can take a leisurely drive around the plantation and make a few stops for some stunning scenic beauty, or you can head out to the beach. It’s a 20-minute walk out to the beach, and then you can head either direction as far as you like for some peace and quiet. Just watch out for the pelicans that fly in formation overhead!
Update Oct 14, 2014: In a previous version of this travel story I listed Fort Moultrie as a freebie. As it turns out, I had been walking through this Civil War-era fort for years without knowing I should have been paying! I would always skip the museum store and gift shop at the parking lot, walk straight across the street, and spend some time exploring the fort. However, a ranger told me this is not uncommon. But please don’t do this on purpose! These parks rely on contributions to sustain the parks. Pay for admission. It’s not that much. And when I learned of my mistake (I’d probably visited the fort twenty times in three years without paying) I made a cash contribution of $75.
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