Charleston

Airport transfer to historic district(20 minutes)

Uber: $15-20 or taxi: $25-30

Walk Rainbow Row and The Battery(1.5 hours)

13 colorful Georgian row houses on East Bay Street (1740). Continue to The Battery promenade with harbor and Fort Sumter views. Free. Best in morning light

Stroll through South of Broad neighborhood(1 hour)

Charleston's most exclusive area — single houses, secret gardens, and the kind of streets that make you speak in hushed tones

Dinner at Husk(2 hours)

Sean Brock's farm-to-table pioneer. Menu changes daily. Mains: $28-42. The cheeseburger at the bar ($18) is legendary. Reserve 2+ weeks ahead

Fort Sumter ferry and tour(2.5 hours)

Island fort where the Civil War started. Ferry from Liberty Square: $30. 3 departures daily. Reserve at nps.gov/fosu. Ranger talks are excellent

Charleston City Market(1.5 hours)

Four-block open-air market. Gullah-Geechee sweetgrass baskets ($50-400+), pralines, benne wafers. Open 9:30AM-5PM

Lunch at Leon's Fine Poultry & Oyster Shop(1 hour)

Fried chicken sandwich: $14. Oysters: $18/dozen. In a converted auto body shop on King Street

King Street shopping(1.5 hours)

Charleston's main shopping artery — independent boutiques, antique shops, and galleries between Calhoun and Broad

Sunset cocktails at The Rooftop at Vendue(1 hour)

Best rooftop bar with harbor views. Cocktails: $14-18

Dinner at FIG(1.5 hours)

Seasonal Lowcountry cuisine. She-crab soup: $12. Mains: $28-38. Reserve well ahead

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens(3.5 hours)

500-acre plantation with gardens since 1676. Entry: $20 grounds, +$8 house tour, +$8 boat tour. The Audubon Swamp Garden boardwalk is stunning. Addresses slavery history directly. 15-min drive from downtown

Lunch at Bertha's Kitchen(1 hour)

Soul food institution in North Charleston. Fried pork chop, mac and cheese, collards: $10-14. Cash only. Closes when food runs out

International African American Museum(2.5 hours)

On former Gadsden's Wharf — largest port of entry for enslaved Africans in North America. Entry: $25. Book timed entry online. The Ancestors Memorial Garden is deeply moving

Dinner at Rodney Scott's BBQ(1 hour)

Pitmaster-smoked whole hog BBQ. Pulled pork plate: $15. Rodney won the James Beard Award. The banana pudding is required

Guided walking tour(2 hours)

Bulldog Tours or Charleston Footprints: $25-35. Church Street, Meeting Street, French Quarter. Dock Street Theatre (1736), St. Michael's Church. Essential for context

Lunch at 167 Raw(1 hour)

Oyster bar on East Bay. Lobster roll: $28. Fresh oysters: $18/dozen. Small space — arrive by 11:30AM or wait

Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul(30 minutes)

Gothic Revival beauty with exceptional stained glass. Free. Air-conditioned — a welcome midday respite

Afternoon cocktails at The Gin Joint(1.5 hours)

Craft cocktails on East Bay. Ask the bartender to make you something based on your flavor preferences — they're brilliant at it. Cocktails: $14-16

Dinner at Slightly North of Broad (S.N.O.B.)(1.5 hours)

Lowcountry institution. Shrimp and grits: $22. The wine list is outstanding

Drive to Folly Beach(20 minutes)

Parking: $10-15/day

Folly Beach pier and surf watching(2 hours)

1,045-foot pier into the Atlantic. The beach is wider and more casual than Sullivan's Island

Lunch at Taco Boy(1 hour)

Beach tacos and margaritas. Fish tacos: $14. Frozen margarita: $10. Patio seating

Return to Charleston for Happy Hour(1 hour)

Widespread 4-6PM specials throughout the historic district

Boone Hall Plantation(2.5 hours)

Avenue of Oaks — nearly 1 mile of live oaks draped in moss. Entry: $26. House tour, Gullah cultural presentations, and original slave cabins. 30 minutes from downtown in Mt. Pleasant

Lunch at The Obstinate Daughter on Sullivan's Island(1.5 hours)

Italian-Lowcountry fusion. Wood-fired pizza: $18. Local seafood pasta: $24. The restaurant is in the old Poe's Tavern building

Sullivan's Island Beach(2 hours)

Quieter and more upscale than Folly. Wide sand, gentle waves. Edgar Allan Poe was stationed at Fort Moultrie here. Free parking

Farewell dinner at Charleston Grill(2 hours)

Elegant Lowcountry fine dining. Tasting menu: $95. Live jazz Thursday-Saturday. One of the city's finest

Early walk through the historic district(1 hour)

Quiet streets before the tour groups arrive. The morning light through Spanish moss is pure magic

Breakfast at Callie's Hot Little Biscuit(45 minutes)

Famous buttermilk biscuits: $4-7. The pimento cheese biscuit is iconic. Small shop on Upper King

Fort Sumter ferry(2.5 hours)

$30

Magnolia Plantation(3.5 hours)

$20+

International African American Museum(2.5 hours)

$25

Guided walking tour(2 hours)

$25-35

Boone Hall Plantation(2.5 hours)

$26

Lowcountry cooking class(3 hours)

Charleston Cooks or Zero George Hotel. Learn shrimp and grits, she-crab soup. Classes: $60-100

Lunch at Poogan's Porch(1 hour)

Southern brunch in a Victorian house. Biscuits and gravy: $14

Afternoon at the Gibbes Museum of Art(1.5 hours)

Entry: $15. American art in a Beaux-Arts building. Charleston Renaissance collection

Ghost tour(2 hours)

Bulldog Tours or Ghost City: $25-35. The Mercer-Williams House, Colonial Park Cemetery, and haunted inns. Even skeptics enjoy it

Walk Bay Street and The Point(1.5 hours)

Antebellum mansions on the Beaufort River. Filming location for The Big Chill, Forrest Gump, and The Prince of Tides

Pat Conroy Literary Center(1 hour)

Dedicated to the beloved author who set many novels here. Free

Lunch at Plums(1 hour)

Waterfront restaurant. Shrimp burger: $16

Penn Center on St. Helena Island(1.5 hours)

One of the first schools for freed slaves (1862). Now a Gullah cultural center. Entry: $10. Deeply significant site

Guided kayak tour through Shem Creek(2.5 hours)

Paddle through marsh creeks. Dolphins, herons, and oyster beds. Tours: $55-75. Coastal Expeditions in Mt. Pleasant

Lunch at The Wreck of the Richard and Charlene(1 hour)

Hidden seafood shack in Mt. Pleasant. No sign outside — ask for directions. Fried shrimp platter: $22. Cash only. Get the hush puppies

Middleton Place gardens(2.5 hours)

America's oldest landscaped gardens (1741). Butterfly lakes, azalea hillside, and working stable yard. Entry: $29. The house museum documents both the Middleton family and the enslaved people who built it

Dinner at Edmund's Oast(1.5 hours)

Brewery-restaurant with exceptional food. Whole roasted fish: $36. Rotating craft beers brewed on-site

Brunch at The Ordinary(1.5 hours)

Oyster bar in a converted bank. Seafood tower: $65. Sunday brunch is outstanding

Afternoon reading in Waterfront Park(2 hours)

The Pineapple Fountain park on the harbor. Swinging bench chairs, oak shade, and harbor breezes

Explore Avondale neighborhood(1.5 hours)

Off-peninsula neighborhood with local bars, restaurants, and shops. Less touristy Charleston

Drayton Hall(2 hours)

Remarkably unrestored 1738 Georgian-Palladian plantation house. Entry: $22. No furnishings — just the bones of the building. The preservation approach is unique and powerful

Angel Oak Tree(1 hour)

Estimated 400-500 years old. Live oak spreading 17,000 square feet of shade. Free. On Johns Island, 30 minutes from downtown. Arrive early for photos without crowds

Lunch at The Tattooed Moose(1 hour)

Casual spot on Johns Island. Duck confit nachos: $15. Great beer selection

Kiawah Island or Isle of Palms beach(2 hours)

Drive to a pristine barrier island beach. Kiawah Beachwalker Park: $10 parking. Wild, undeveloped shoreline

Dinner at McCrady's Tavern(2 hours)

Modern tasting menu in a 1778 building. 7 courses: $110. One of the South's finest

Gullah Tours heritage excursion(2 hours)

Guided tour of Charleston's Gullah heritage sites. $22 per person. Stories of enslavement, resilience, and cultural preservation

McLeod Plantation Historic Site(1.5 hours)

Rare plantation that centers the enslaved people's stories. Original slave cabins, transition row, and freedmen's cottages. Entry: $15

Lunch at Martha Lou's Kitchen(1 hour)

Legendary pink building serving soul food. Fried chicken: $12. May need to search for new location — she's moved over the years

Sweetgrass basket workshop(2 hours)

Learn the basics of this 300-year-old African-origin tradition. Classes occasionally offered through the City Market artisans. Ask at the market or check gullahgeecheecorridor.org

Brunch at The Watch at The Restoration(1.5 hours)

Rooftop restaurant with church steeple views. Eggs Benedict: $18

Farewell dinner at Peninsula Grill(2 hours)

The legendary 12-layer coconut cake ($18 a slice) is reason enough. Lowcountry fine dining in a courtyard setting

Fort Sumter(2.5 hours)

$30

Lowcountry cooking class(3 hours)

$60-100

Ghost tour(2 hours)

$25-35

Shem Creek kayak tour(2.5 hours)

$55-75

Middleton Place(2.5 hours)

$29

Drayton Hall(2 hours)

$22

Angel Oak Tree(1 hour)

Free

Dinner at McCrady's(2 hours)

7 courses: $110

Gullah Tours(2 hours)

$22

McLeod Plantation(1.5 hours)

$15

Lunch at Mrs. Wilkes' Dining Room(1 hour)

$25 family-style soul food. Cash only. Line by 10:30AM

Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve(2 hours)

Free. Boneyard beach with dead trees in the surf. Maritime forest trails. One of the most photogenic spots on the East Coast

Edisto Beach State Park(2 hours)

Entry: $5. Shell collecting, marsh boardwalk, and an uncrowded beach. The campground area has ancient shell middens

Lunch at The Old Post Office(1 hour)

Lowcountry cuisine in a converted post office. Fried green tomatoes: $12

Morning cafe with a book(2 hours)

The Harbinger or Kudu Coffee. The reading culture here is strong

Light dinner at Basic Kitchen(1 hour)

Healthy bowls and salads. Grain bowl: $14

Caw Caw Interpretive Center(2 hours)

Former rice plantation now a wildlife sanctuary. Entry: $2. Alligators, wading birds, and the history of rice culture that shaped Charleston's wealth. Boardwalks through marsh and forest

Cypress Gardens(2 hours)

Blackwater swamp with flat-bottomed boat rides through cypress trees and Spanish moss. Entry: $10. The swamp scenes from The Notebook and The Patriot were filmed here

Visit Philip Simmons' ironwork(1 hour)

The late Philip Simmons was Charleston's master blacksmith. His ornamental gates and fences grace dozens of buildings. Self-guided tour using maps from the Philip Simmons Foundation

Charleston pottery studios(1.5 hours)

Visit studios like Ben Owen Pottery or Charleston crafts shops on King Street. Charleston has a strong ceramic tradition

Lunch at Brown Dog Deli(45 minutes)

Sandwiches: $10-14. Local favorite. Try the pimento cheese

Historic Charleston Foundation Museum Shop(1 hour)

Curated selection of Charleston-made crafts, prints, and books

Dinner at Zero George(2 hours)

Intimate restaurant in a restored 1804 building. Tasting menu: $95. Only 6 tables. Reserve weeks ahead

Dolphin watching boat tour(1.5 hours)

Cruise through Charleston Harbor and the Intracoastal. Bottlenose dolphins guaranteed or your money back. Tours: $35-50 from Isle of Palms Marina

IOP Beach time(3 hours)

Wide golden sand, warmer water than Folly. Less crowded on weekdays

Lunch at The Boathouse(1 hour)

Waterfront restaurant on IOP. Peel-and-eat shrimp: $18

Farewell dinner at Peninsula Grill(2 hours)

12-layer coconut cake: $18 a slice