Charleston, SC Travel Guide: Parking, Areas and Events

Destinations › Lowcountry › Charleston

Charleston is in Charleston County, in South Carolina's Lowcountry, with about 157,665 residents (Census estimate for July 2024). Charleston's visitor bureau describes the city as a destination for historic tours, beaches, coastal culture, gardens, dining and shopping. This guide covers getting there, parking, the areas visitors use, what is on and the towns nearby, each fact from an official page.

Population157,665Census estimate, July 2024
CountyCharleston CountyLowcountry region
Our Guides Nearby24parks, attractions, venues within 25 mi
Things to Do16 pickshours, costs, kids, dogs

Plan It in Three Lines

Things to Do
16 picks with hours, costs and kid, dog and rain notes.
Open the list
Where to Park
City garages (13): Aquarium 24 Calhoun St; Camden/Exchange 35 John St; Charleston Place 85 Hasell St; Charleston Tech Center 4 Conroy St; Concord/Cumberland 1 Cumberland St; East Bay/Prioleau 25 Prioleau St; Gaillard 32 Alexander St; Majestic 211 King St; Marion Square 399 King St; Midtown 558 King St; 93 Queen Street 93 Queen St; 34 Saint Philip; 99 West Edge St: $1 per 20 min; daily max $24
All parking below
What's On
Dated events in and around Charleston, checked on organizer pages.
Events page

Things to Do in Charleston Charleston Events

About Charleston

Charleston's visitor bureau describes the city as a destination for historic tours, beaches, coastal culture, gardens, dining and shopping. source
The visitor bureau describes downtown as a window into colonial America, with antebellum buildings and cobblestone streets. source
Fort Sumter, where the Confederacy fired on the U.S. garrison on April 12, 1861 to open the Civil War, is reached by boat from downtown Charleston; the National Park Service runs Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park. source
The Charleston-area beach towns named by the visitor bureau are Isle of Palms, Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island, Sullivan's Island and Folly Beach. source

Areas Visitors Use

Historic downtown peninsula Rainbow Row, the Battery and White Point Garden, City Market, King Street shopping and the museums below are all on the downtown peninsula. source
Upper King / Cannonborough The visitor bureau lists Cannonborough as an area to explore (no description given) and a food tour of the Upper King restaurant district. source
Mount Pleasant Coastal area across the Cooper River with historic homes and waterfront views; Old Village is a small-town waterfront district with shops and restaurants. source
North Charleston About 15 minutes from downtown, known for dining, craft beer and shopping; Park Circle is a neighborhood with local eateries and brewpubs. source
Ashley River Road plantations Drayton Hall, Magnolia Plantation and Middleton Place sit along Ashley River Road west of downtown. source
Beach towns Folly Beach, Sullivan's Island, Isle of Palms and Kiawah Island are the area beach towns; see their own pages. source

Getting There and Around

Charleston International Airport (CHS) is approximately 11 miles from downtown Charleston. Taxis and shuttles run from 5 a.m. until 30 minutes after the last arriving flight (typically around 12:30 a.m.), picking up in front of the terminal outside baggage claim. Avis, Hertz, National, Enterprise and Budget operate at the Rental Car Pavilion in the terminal. source
The visitor bureau recommends parking at the Official Charleston Area Visitor Center at 375 Meeting Street and riding the free DASH shuttle. source
An unofficial summary of CARTA's DASH page lists three downtown DASH lines at no charge: Orange (Route 210, College of Charleston/Aquarium), Green (Route 211, Meeting Street/King Street) and Purple (Route 213, Lockwood Drive/Calhoun Street); all stop at the visitor center. CARTA's own page could not be read (site blocks automated reads), so hours are not confirmed. source

Visitor center: Charleston Visitor Center. 375 Meeting Street, Charleston; 8:30am – 5:00pm, open daily; closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day; (800) 774-0006 source

Parking in Charleston

Where	Rate	When	Notes	Source
City garages (13): Aquarium 24 Calhoun St; Camden/Exchange 35 John St; Charleston Place 85 Hasell St; Charleston Tech Center 4 Conroy St; Concord/Cumberland 1 Cumberland St; East Bay/Prioleau 25 Prioleau St; Gaillard 32 Alexander St; Majestic 211 King St; Marion Square 399 King St; Midtown 558 King St; 93 Queen Street 93 Queen St; 34 Saint Philip; 99 West Edge St	$1 per 20 min; daily max $24	year-round	Daily max is midnight to midnight per single parking event. Cash and credit card at Aquarium, Concord/Cumberland, Midtown and 34 Saint Philip; credit card only at the others. Lost ticket $50.	source
Discounted evening garage rates	93 Queen Street: $7 flat after 3 p.m. or $5 flat after 5 p.m.; East Bay/Prioleau: $5 flat after 5 p.m.; Majestic: $5 flat after 5 p.m.	year-round	Discounted rates end at 3 a.m., when regular rates resume.	source
On-street meters	$3/hour, 1-hour minimum	Monday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.	Not enforced Sundays or official City holidays. Pay by Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, the City SmartCard ($5 one-time card fee, sold at 180 Lockwood Blvd, 2nd floor), text or app. Broken meters: 843-724-7375.	source
Metered lots: Auditorium Lots (1 George St, 34 and 54 Alexander), Beaufain/Archdale/Market (45 Archdale St), Cone Street, S. Adgers Wharf (19 S Adgers Wharf), Exchange (Gillon St), Market (33 Archdale St)	$3/hour, 1-hour minimum; two-hour limit	9 a.m. to 6 p.m., except Sundays and City holidays	Pay station, text or app. Golf carts not permitted.	source
180 Lockwood Dr non-metered lot	$2 per 20 min; no daily max listed	year-round	Cash or credit card. Lost ticket $60.	source
King Street weekend restriction	n/a	Thursday, Friday, Saturday 6 p.m. to 3 a.m.	Street parking on King Street between Spring and John streets is prohibited; the $1/20 min rate is available at the Midtown and Marion Square garages in that period.	source
Disability placards	Free at metered or timed spaces and City, County and State facilities	year-round	Valid state-issued placards or plates, including out-of-state. Not accepted at privately owned facilities or commercial loading zones.	source
Visitor bureau parking page (conflicts with city page)	States $2 per hour with 2-hour limit for meters and surface lots; meters Monday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.	n/a	The city page above says $3/hour; use the city figure. The bureau also says the city owns 12 garages with nearly 6,700 public spaces.	source

Beaches in Charleston

Beach	Access and parking	Dogs	Lifeguards	Source
Folly Beach, Sullivan's Island, Isle of Palms, Kiawah Island	The visitor bureau lists beaches 9 to 27 miles from downtown (Sullivan's 9, Folly 13, Isle of Palms 17, Kiawah 27); see each town's own file.	Rules differ by town; see each town file.	See each town file.	source

Comparing beaches? See which South Carolina beach to pick.

Dogs

City fenced dog parks (dawn to dusk): Ackerman Park 55 Sycamore Ave; Grove Street 83-147 Grove St; Bees Landing Rec Center 1580 Ashley Gardens Blvd; James Island Rec Center 1088 Quail Dr; S Adgers Wharf 41 S Adgers Wharf; Medway Park 2113 Medway Rd; Governor's Park 165 Fairbanks Dr. source
City off-leash areas near downtown: Hazel Parker 70 E Bay Street (dawn to 9am and 5pm to dusk); Cannon Park 131 Rutledge Ave (dawn to 9am and 5pm to dusk); White Point Garden 2 Murray Blvd (dawn to 9am and 5pm to 11pm); Brittlebank Park 185 Lockwood Dr and Horse Lot 2 Chisolm St (dawn to dusk). source

When to Go

Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30 (per NOAA; peak September 10). (not confirmed on the official page) source
Fort Sumter ferry schedule changes by season: Feb 27-Nov 30 has three Liberty Square departures a day; Dec 1-Dec 24 and Jan 2-Feb 26 have two. source
On the second Sunday of each month King Street closes to vehicles with live music, shopping and dining, per the visitor bureau. source

Food

The visitor bureau says City Market visitors can browse sweetgrass baskets, Lowcountry recipe books and benne wafers. source

Coming Up in and 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.

Near Charleston

Around Charleston within 25 miles

1Charles Towne Landing State Historic SiteState Historic Siteabout 2 mi
2Johnson Hagood Stadiumstadiumabout 3 mi
3Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Parkballparkabout 3 mi
4The Charleston Museumhistory museumabout 3 mi
5West Ashley Greenwayrail trailabout 4 mi
6Charleston Gaillard Centerperforming arts centerabout 4 mi
7South Carolina Aquariumaquariumabout 4 mi
8North Charleston Performing Arts Centerperforming arts centerabout 4 mi
9International African American Museumhistory museumabout 4 mi
10North Charleston Coliseumarenaabout 4 mi

Straight-line distances between map points, not driving miles. Dots sit in their true compass direction; distance is stretched near the middle so close neighbors stay readable.

Nearby Towns With Their Own Guide

Weighing Charleston against Savannah? Our sister site has Savannah vs Charleston and a Savannah guide.

Plan Your Stay

FAQ

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

Can I bring my dog downtown?

The city has fenced dog parks and off-leash areas, including White Point Garden and Hazel Parker at 70 E Bay Street, with hours listed on the city page. source

How far is the airport from downtown?

Charleston International Airport (CHS) is approximately 11 miles from downtown. source

What are good rainy-day options?

Indoor options with published hours include the South Carolina Aquarium (daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), the Nathaniel Russell House and the Hunley. source

How many people live in Charleston?

About 157,665, the U.S. Census Bureau’s estimate for July 1, 2024 (Census table).

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, “Charleston, SC Travel Guide”, itssouthcarolina.com/destinations/lowcountry/charleston/ (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.

Charleston, SC Travel Guide

Things to Do

Where to Park

What's On