Things to Do in Charleston, SC: Costs, Hours, Kids, Dogs

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Things to do in Charleston: 16 picks, from the town's and each operator's own pages, with hours, costs as published, and notes for kids, dogs and rainy days. 3 list free entry.

Picks16each with a source
Free Entry3as the operator states
Rainy Day6indoors
Kids or Dogs Noted3 / 4only where stated

Pick by Your Situation

Quick Picks

Rainy Day
South Carolina Aquarium, The Charleston Museum, Nathaniel Russell House and 3 more
indoors
Free
Waterfront Park, Rainbow Row, Nathaniel Russell House
free entry
With Kids
South Carolina Aquarium, Nathaniel Russell House, Boone Hall Plantation
kid notes from the operator

Historic Sites

Rainbow Row
Free
13 frequently photographed pastel-colored homes along East Bay Street. source
Hours
Not stated
Cost
Listed among free things to do
Where
79-107 East Bay Street, Charleston
Boone Hall Plantation
Plantation with general-admission tickets that include all tours presented that day. source Official site
Hours
Monday-Saturday 9 AM-5 PM; Sunday 12 PM-5 PM
Cost
Regular adult $30; seniors, military and AAA $27; children (ages 6-12) $12; children 5 and under free with an adult
Where
1235 Long Point Rd., Mt. Pleasant, S.C. 29464
Kids
Under 5 free with an adult
Drayton Hall
Unrestored plantation house dating to about 1738 with house tours and exhibits. source Official site
Hours
Wednesday through Monday 9:00 am to 4:30 pm; front gate closes at 3:00 pm; closed Tuesdays; gate does not accept cash
Cost
Prices not on page; call (843) 769-2600 or book at fareharbor.com/embeds/book/draytonhall
Where
3380 Ashley River Road, Charleston, SC 29414

Museums

The Charleston Museum
Indoors
Museum at 360 Meeting Street; the visitor bureau says its newest exhibit displays findings from the H.L. Hunley submarine. source Official site
Hours
Per an unofficial summary of the museum's page: Monday-Saturday 9:00 am-5:00 pm, Sunday 12:00-5:00 pm (page itself returned 403 to fetch) (not confirmed on the official page).
Cost
omit
Where
360 Meeting Street, Charleston
Nathaniel Russell House
FreeIndoors
Restored c.1808 National Historic Landmark house with a free-flying staircase; staff-led tours start on the hour and a free self-guided audio tour (about 45 minutes) runs through the HCF app. source
Hours
Monday 1-5 pm; Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm (last admission 4 pm; the FAQ lists different closing times, so confirm); closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Cost
Exact price not on page; a combo ticket with Aiken-Rhett House costs less than two single tickets. Audio tour free.
Where
51 Meeting Street, Charleston
Kids
Not stated
Gibbes Museum of Art
Indoors
Collection of over 10,000 American works. source Official site
Hours
Not read (site returned 403)
Cost
omit
Where
Charleston (street address not read)
International African American Museum
Indoors
Exhibits on African American history and its impact. source Official site
Hours
Not read (site returned 403)
Cost
omit
Where
Charleston (address not read)
Hunley (Friends of The Hunley)
Indoors
Viewing of the Hunley, the first combat submarine. source
Hours
Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM; Sunday 10 AM to 3 PM (weekday hours not listed)
Cost
Not on page; tickets sold via etix.com link
Where
1250 Supply St, North Charleston, SC 29405

Parks

Waterfront Park
Free
Park on Charleston Harbor with a pineapple sculpture fountain and a pier where visitors watch for dolphins. source
Hours
Not published on a page read
Cost
Listed by the visitor bureau among free things to do
Where
Concord Street, Charleston
Dogs
Not stated
White Point Garden (The Battery)
City park with oak trees, a central gazebo, Civil War cannon display, monuments and views of Fort Sumter and Charleston Harbor. source
Hours
9 AM to sunset, 7 days a week
Cost
omit
Where
2 Murray Blvd, Charleston, SC 29401
Dogs
City lists a White Point Garden Off-Leash Area at 2 Murray Blvd, hours dawn to 9am and 5pm to 11pm
Angel Oak Park
Park around the Angel Oak tree; the visitor bureau describes it as a drive-to site with a tree about 1,500 years old. source Official site
Hours
Monday-Saturday 9:00 AM-5:00 PM; Sunday 1:00 PM-5:00 PM; last entrance 4:50 PM; gift shop closes 4:30 PM
Cost
No admission charge
Where
3688 Angel Oak Rd., Charleston, SC 29455
Dogs
Not stated on page

Gardens

Middleton Place
Described by the visitor bureau as the oldest landscaped gardens in America, on 110 acres, with a house museum and a 45-minute program on enslavement at Middleton Place. source Official site
Hours
Not read (site returned 403)
Cost
omit
Where
Ashley River Road, Charleston (street number not read)
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens
Gardens, trails, a wildlife center and historic cabins; the visitor bureau calls it America's oldest public gardens. source Official site
Hours
Not on page read; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas
Cost
Prices not on page; tickets via the site's Tickets link
Where
3550 Ashley River Road (Route 61), Charleston, SC 29414
Dogs
Not stated

Tours

Fort Sumter National Monument (Ferry Tour)
A boat tour to the fort where the Civil War began; Fort Sumter is reachable only by the concession ferry, and the NPS charges no entrance fee. source
Hours
Liberty Square departures Feb 27-Nov 30: 9:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 2:45 p.m.; Dec 1-Dec 24 and Jan 2-Feb 26: 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.; no tours Thanksgiving, Dec 25, Jan 1. Total tour 2 1/4 hours with about 1 hour at the fort. Liberty Square Visitor Center 9:00 am to 4:30 pm daily.
Cost
Ferry prices not published on the pages read (combo tours start at $67.00); call 843-722-2628 or 1-800-789-3678. Liberty Square Visitor Center is free to enter.
Where
Liberty Square, 340 Concord St, Charleston (also departs Patriots Point, 40 Patriots Pt. Rd, Mt. Pleasant)

Attractions

South Carolina Aquarium
Indoors
Aquarium with thousands of animals and a sea turtle rehabilitation center on the harbor. source Official site
Hours
Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., last entry 3:30 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving Day and Dec 25; Dec 24 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; closed Tuesday Oct 27, 2026 for exhibit installation
Cost
Prices not on the page read; tickets and hours are on scaquarium.org/tickets
Where
100 Aquarium Wharf, Charleston, SC 29401
Kids
Page lists kids programs such as Halloween at the A-Scary-um (Oct 31, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.) and Music School for ages two to five (Nov 17, 8:30-9 a.m.)

Markets

Charleston City Market
Open-air sheds and Great Hall with more than 300 vendors, including sweetgrass baskets and Certified Authentic locally made products; a Night Market runs Friday and Saturday evenings. source
Hours
Day market daily, 9:30 am to 5 pm (the page also says 9:30-5:30 pm); closed Dec 25. Night market Friday and Saturday 6:30 to 10:30 pm.
Cost
omit
Where
Market Street between East Bay and Church streets, Charleston (office 188 Meeting Street)

More Guides Within 15 Miles

Coming Up Near Charleston

Through Nov 21Charleston Farmers Market (Marion Square, Saturdays)On nowCharleston · about 1 mi
Oct 30Halloween Night Climb (Palmetto Peaks Climbing, James Island County Park)Charleston · about 1 mi
Oct 31Charleston Southern football vs. Western Illinois (Homecoming)Charleston · about 1 mi
Nov 1Scooby Doo Day / Family Sunday (SC Stingrays vs. Savannah)North Charleston · about 8 mi
Nov 7Airing of the Quilts at MagnoliaCharleston · about 1 mi
Nov 7Charleston Southern football vs. UT Martin (Moncks Corner Appreciation Day)Charleston · about 1 mi

49 more on the full events calendar.

Events within 15 miles, measured in a straight line to the centre of the event's town. Dates come from our checked events list; confirm with the organizer.

FAQ

What is there to do in Charleston on a rainy day?

South Carolina Aquarium, The Charleston Museum, Nathaniel Russell House, Gibbes Museum of Art, International African American Museum are indoors.

What is free to do in Charleston?

Waterfront Park, Rainbow Row, Nathaniel Russell House list free entry on their own pages.

Where do I park downtown and what does it cost?

City garages charge $1 per 20 minutes with a $24 daily max; on-street meters and metered lots are $3 per hour, enforced Monday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and not on Sundays or City holidays. source

Is there a free shuttle downtown?

The visitor bureau recommends parking at the visitor center, 375 Meeting Street, and riding the free DASH shuttle. source

How do I get to Fort Sumter?

By Fort Sumter Tours ferry from Liberty Square (340 Concord St) or Patriots Point; the NPS charges no entrance fee but the ferry needs a ticket, and the tour takes 2 1/4 hours. source

What We Could Not Confirm

Not confirmed: we looked for these on official pages and did not find them. Check with the town or operator before you rely on them.

DASH hours, frequency and fare: CARTA's site (ridecarta.com) blocked or failed automated reads; free status comes from the visitor bureau parking page; route lines come only summary. (not confirmed on the official page)
Fort Sumter ferry adult/child prices: not on fortsumtertours.com page or NPS pages read.
Aquarium, Magnolia, Drayton Hall, Middleton Place, Hunley, Gibbes, IAAM admission prices: not stated on pages read (some sites returned 403).
Waterfront Park hours and address on an official page: not found (Parks Conservancy page 404).
Charleston Museum hours came summary of its page; direct fetch returned 403. Admission not read. (not confirmed on the official page)
Charleston founding or incorporation year: not stated on pages read.
Amtrak or intercity bus service: not found on pages read.
NOAA hurricane dates came summary of NOAA pages, not a direct fetch (nhc.noaa.gov page did not contain them). (not confirmed on the official page)
Dogs at Magnolia, Fort Sumter, Angel Oak: not stated.

Sources

Read on October 26, 2026. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.

Cite this page: It's South Carolina, “Things to Do in Charleston, SC”, itssouthcarolina.com/destinations/lowcountry/things-to-do-in-charleston-sc/ (updated 2026-10-26). By the It's South Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.

Things to Do in Charleston, SC