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Itineraries › 2 Days in Charleston
2 Days In Charleston: a 2-day plan with 8 stops, with hours, costs and closed days from each operator's page and the date we read it. No drive times, because no official page gives them.
- Days2plan, then adjust
- Stops8each with a source
- Free0as the operator states
- Indoors2for a rainy slot
Trip Kit
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- Day 1 Downtown on footWhite Point Garden (The Battery) › Rainbow Row (view from the street) › Nathaniel Russell House Museum › Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon › Charleston City MarketRoute
- Day 2 The harbor and an oakFort Sumter (ferry from Liberty Square or Patriots Point) › Fort Sumter (ferry from Liberty Square or Patriots Point) › Angel Oak ParkRoute
Day 1 Downtown on Foot
Walk the historic peninsula from the Battery north to the Market.
White Point Garden (The Battery)
Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau describes White Point Garden, at The Battery, as a park that played a role in Charleston's defense during the Civil War, with cannons and mortars still on display, and views of Charleston Harbor. source
- Read
- October 26, 2026
Rainbow Row (View From The Street)
Charleston CVB: thirteen homes stretch from 79 to 107 East Bay Street; in 1932 homeowner Dorothy Porcher Legge had the idea of repainting her house in a new color, and the row followed. The houses are private homes; visitors view them from the sidewalk. source
- Where
- 79-107 East Bay Street, Charleston
- Read
- October 26, 2026
Nathaniel Russell House Museum
Indoors
Historic Charleston Foundation house museum at 51 Meeting Street with a free-flying three-story staircase; offers staff-led tours and a self-paced audio tour. source
- Hours
- Monday 1-4 pm; Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-4 pm. Staff-led tours start on the hour, last staff-led tour 3:00 pm; last admission 4 pm.
- Time
- Self-paced audio tour 'lasts approximately 45 minutes' (page)
- Closed
- Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day ('select major holidays')
- Where
- 51 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC
- Read
- October 26, 2026
Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon
Indoors
Built in 1771 as a commercial exchange and custom house; now a non-profit historic site focused on the American Revolution and colonial Charleston. The NPS Charleston travel page says many significant events of the American Revolution and early Federal period occurred at the Exchange and Provost Building. source
- Hours
- Monday-Saturday 9 AM-5 PM; Sunday 11 AM-5 PM (footer of page prints Sunday as '11PM', apparently a typo)
- Cost
- Adults $16; children 6-12 $12 (page footer says 7-12); children 0-6 free (footer says under 6). Tickets can be bought on site.
- Kids
- School group programs on colonial and Revolutionary-era Charleston are listed; children's prices above.
- Closed
- None listed on page
- Where
- 122 East Bay Street, Charleston, SC 29401
- Read
- October 26, 2026
Charleston City Market
Public market with a Great Hall and open-air sheds; the page calls it one of America's oldest public markets. source
- Hours
- Day Market: banner says 'Open daily 9:30-5:00 pm', sidebar says '9:30-5:30 pm' (the two disagree on the page). Night Market: 'Fri & Saturday Night 6:30-10:30 pm'.
- Cost
- Page states no admission fee or cost.
- Closed
- Open every day except December 25
- Where
- 188 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29401 (office address)
- Read
- October 26, 2026
Day 2 The Harbor and an Oak
The Fort Sumter ferry needs a booked departure; Angel Oak is a short drive from downtown.
Fort Sumter (Ferry From Liberty Square or Patriots Point)
NPS: Fort Sumter is in the middle of Charleston Harbor and reachable only by ferry; Fort Sumter Tours provides the only NPS-authorized access. Private boats are not permitted at the fort. The Fort Sumter Visitor Center at Liberty Square is open to all, with free exhibits. source
- Hours
- Fort Sumter Visitor Center (340 Concord St): daily 9:00 am-4:30 pm. Ferry departures: Liberty Square Feb 27-Nov 30 and Dec 26-31 at 9:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 2:45 p.m. (Jan 2-Feb 26 and Dec 1-24: 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m.). Patriots Point Feb 27-Nov 30 and Dec 26-31 at 10:45 a.m., 1:30 p.m. (Jan 2-Feb 26 and Dec 1-24: 12:30 p.m.). Schedule 'subject to change and cancellation at anytime' (NPS).
- Cost
- Standard ferry price not shown on the fortsumtertours.com page. Combo tours listed: USS Yorktown & Fort Sumter $71.00; Charleston Strolls & Fort Sumter $78.00; Gray Line City Tour & Fort Sumter $71.00; Boone Hall Plantation & Fort Sumter $67.00. Ferry is not covered by the America the Beautiful pass (NPS). Visitor center building and exhibits are free.
- Time
- Total tour about 2 1/4 hours with roughly 60 minutes at the fort (fortsumtertours.com)
- Dogs
- Pets are not permitted at Fort Sumter or aboard Fort Sumter Tours vessels; leashed pets allowed on Liberty Square grounds and walking paths, not inside the visitor center building (NPS).
- Closed
- NPS park sites closed New Year's, Thanksgiving and Christmas Days; no tours Thanksgiving, December 25, January 1 (ferry operator)
- Where
- Fort Sumter Visitor Center, 340 Concord Street, Charleston, SC 29401; Patriots Point departures: 40 Patriots Pt. Rd., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
- Read
- October 26, 2026
Fort Sumter (Ferry From Liberty Square or Patriots Point)
NPS: Fort Sumter is in the middle of Charleston Harbor and reachable only by ferry; Fort Sumter Tours provides the only NPS-authorized access. Private boats are not permitted at the fort. The Fort Sumter Visitor Center at Liberty Square is open to all, with free exhibits. source
- Hours
- Fort Sumter Visitor Center (340 Concord St): daily 9:00 am-4:30 pm. Ferry departures: Liberty Square Feb 27-Nov 30 and Dec 26-31 at 9:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 2:45 p.m. (Jan 2-Feb 26 and Dec 1-24: 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m.). Patriots Point Feb 27-Nov 30 and Dec 26-31 at 10:45 a.m., 1:30 p.m. (Jan 2-Feb 26 and Dec 1-24: 12:30 p.m.). Schedule 'subject to change and cancellation at anytime' (NPS).
- Cost
- Standard ferry price not shown on the fortsumtertours.com page. Combo tours listed: USS Yorktown & Fort Sumter $71.00; Charleston Strolls & Fort Sumter $78.00; Gray Line City Tour & Fort Sumter $71.00; Boone Hall Plantation & Fort Sumter $67.00. Ferry is not covered by the America the Beautiful pass (NPS). Visitor center building and exhibits are free.
- Time
- Total tour about 2 1/4 hours with roughly 60 minutes at the fort (fortsumtertours.com)
- Dogs
- Pets are not permitted at Fort Sumter or aboard Fort Sumter Tours vessels; leashed pets allowed on Liberty Square grounds and walking paths, not inside the visitor center building (NPS).
- Closed
- NPS park sites closed New Year's, Thanksgiving and Christmas Days; no tours Thanksgiving, December 25, January 1 (ferry operator)
- Where
- Fort Sumter Visitor Center, 340 Concord Street, Charleston, SC 29401; Patriots Point departures: 40 Patriots Pt. Rd., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
- Read
- October 26, 2026
Angel Oak Park
City of Charleston: park on Johns Island with a live oak estimated at 300-400 years old, 65 feet high, trunk circumference 25.5 feet, shade area 17,000 square feet. The city acquired the park in 1991. Park also has a gift shop and picnic area. source
- Cost
- No admission charge (city page)
- Read
- October 26, 2026
More Stops If You Have Time
International African American Museum
Museum on Charleston's waterfront; admission includes the Center for Family History and the Special Exhibitions Gallery. source
- Hours
- Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm; Sunday 12pm-5pm (Sunday time marked 'effective July 2026'); last entry 4pm; timed-entry tickets.
- Cost
- Non-SC residents: adults (17+) $22.50, youth (6-16) $10.50, seniors (62+) $14.50, military with ID $14.50, under 6 free. SC residents (with SC ID): adults $15.50, youth $7.50, seniors $9.50, military $9.50, under 6 free. SNAP/EBT card holders (Museums for All, four guests per card, bought at the Visitor Services Desk): $2.50 each, under 6 free.
- Kids
- Under 6 free; youth 6-16 have a reduced price.
- Closed
- Closed Monday, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
- Where
- 14 Wharfside Street, Charleston, SC 29401
- Read
- November 3, 2026
FAQ
Is two days enough for Charleston?
It is enough for the Historic District on foot and one harbor trip. The 3-day and 4-day plans add houses, gardens and plantations.
Are the hours current?
Each stop shows the date we read the operator’s page. Hours and prices change by season, so use the source link before you go.
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.
- Driving and walking times between stops: we give none, because no official page states them. Each day links a route button for current directions.
- Hours and prices change by season. Each stop shows the date we read it and links its source; confirm before you go.
- Fort Sumter ticket prices and departure times: see our Fort Sumter page, which reads the operator's own page.
Sources
- White Point Garden (The Battery)
- Rainbow Row (view from the street)
- Nathaniel Russell House Museum
- Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon
- Charleston City Market
- Fort Sumter (ferry from Liberty Square or Patriots Point)
- Angel Oak Park
- International African American Museum
Read on October 26, 2026. Stops dated October 26, 2026 were read on that day; stops dated November 3, 2026 were read this session. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.
Cite this page: It's South Carolina, “2 Days in Charleston”, itssouthcarolina.com/itineraries/2-days-in-charleston/ (updated ). 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.