Charleston is a beautiful, historic town in South Carolina that sits on the Atlantic Ocean, and it’s a must-visit city when traveling to the southern US. This ultimate travel guide to downtown Charleston, South Carolina, has everything you need to know to have fun when you visit the city.
First, there’s a detailed self-guided walking tour that will take you to all the coolest and most historical places in town. Plus there is a list of the best bars so you can enjoy the nightlife and a list of the restaurants with the best food. And, there’s a map that has everything on it so you can easily get around the city!
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Downtown Charleston, South Carolina Self-Guided Walking Tour
If you want to see the best parts of downtown Charleston in one day, follow this walking tour. This is the order I highly recommend you go in if you want to minimize your walking while still seeing everything.
The walking tour is at least 1 mile long if you end it at White Point Garden. But you will end up walking 2 to 3 miles if you go up King Street.
Historic Charleston Market
The Historic Charleston Market is the perfect place to start your day! The market stretches across four blocks and is the top attraction in Charleston.
Many local artisans sell handmade goods, food, and souvenirs here. You can grab a coffee and a snack while you shop.
Waterfront Park
The Waterfront Park is a great place to spend a nice day or take a walk.
The pier has a great view of the Cooper River, the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, and some swings and benches for relaxing.
There is also plenty of green space for picnics and relaxing and palm tree-lined paths for walking.
And the Pineapple Fountain is in the park!
Pineapple Fountain
The Pineapple Fountain is a cute and unique part of Charleston. It’s in the Waterfront Park right between the river and the City Gallery.
So why a pineapple?
The Pineapple Fountain is a way to welcome people to Charleston and signals hospitality. A couple of centuries ago, people would place pineapples on their doorsteps to signal that they were home and ready to welcome visitors. This act was common by sailors and their wives to signal to neighbors that their husband was home safe.
Now Charleston has a giant pineapple ready to welcome you to the city 🙂
Rainbow Row
Rainbow Row is one of the most recognizable and instagrammable spots in Charleston.
These 13 houses were the only ones that survived a 1778 fire in the neighborhood. They were finally renovated in the early 1900s, and a few were painted pink to match a colonial Caribbean color scheme.
The other owners painted their houses different pastel colors to keep the pattern and aesthetic. The light colors also keep the homes cool on the inside.
The rainbow of colors is how the street got its name, and it’s one of my favorite places in Charleston.
The Battery
The Battery is an old defensive seawall that is now a pedestrian walkway.
On one side of the Battery, you’ll have great views of the water, and the other side has some of Charleston’s most beautiful homes.
White Point Garden
Across the street from part of the Battery is the beautiful White Point Garden. This park sits on the most southern tip of Charleston’s downtown peninsula.
The park has many of Charleston’s historical monuments and military relics like cannons used in the Civil War. The park is almost 6 acres, and it’s an excellent place for anyone who enjoys learning about the city’s history. You can spend a decent amount of time here learning and admiring all the park’s historic features.
If you don’t care too much about food, bars, and passing by beautiful historic houses, you can end your tour here, which will keep you from walking too much.
But, if you want to see some beautiful houses and grab some food and drinks or do some shopping, I would continue on, which I will detail next 🙂
Meeting St.
Meeting St. is one of Charleston’s main streets that runs north to south. It has a lot of beautiful churches and old houses lining it.
You can walk up on Meeting St. if you want to end up back where you started at the Historic Market. Otherwise, I would cut over one block west to King St.
King St. – Eat, Drink, and Shop!
King St. is one street west of Meeting St., and it has plenty of things to do to fill the rest of your day downtown. It’s a great place to end your walking tour, and you can spend as much or as little time as you want walking around here.
On King St., you’ll find all of Charleston’s best restaurants, shops, and bars. Most of the bars I recommend below are close together on King St.
The shops on King vary from popular stores like Sephora, Gucci, and H&M to small boutique stores that sell clothes, candles, jewelry, and much more.
You’ll also find Marion Square, a vast green space surrounded by beautiful churches and buildings. There is a Christmas tree here during the holiday season, and lots of people relaxing or playing sports here when the weather is nice.
Downtown Charleston Walking Tour Map
Here is the map of the Downtown Charleston Walking tour. King St. and Meeting St. run north from White Point Garden if you choose to continue the tour.
And, enter your email below to get a PDF with a walking tour map, a step-by-step walking guide, and information on all the bars and restaurants below. It’ll be sent directly to your inbox!
Downtown Charleston, South Carolina Restaurants
Downtown Charleston has a great selection of restaurants!
The restaurants on this list include ones I loved and ones that I haven’t been to (yet!) but were recommended by multiple locals. (Mostly in Ubers, which is seriously the best way to get recommendations when you travel!!)
Carmella’s Cafe and Dessert Bar
Carmella’s is a must-visit place in Charleston. They are a dessert bar with some of the best treats in the city.
All of their desserts look amazing, but I had the Cannoli Cake, and it was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.
They also have sandwiches, cocktails, wine, charcuterie, and more.
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Henry’s On The Market
Henry’s is another upscale pub with rooftop seating and live music.
They were renovating when I visited, so they didn’t have a full menu, but it was highly recommended by all the locals.
It is at the top of my list for when I visit again!
Blind Tiger Pub
The Blind Tiger Pub has a typical bar/pub vibe, but they have the cutest patio in the back with its own bar.
Their food is delicious, especially their appetizers to pair with a drink. And, they have fun specialty drinks that change with the seasons.
Frannie & The Fox
Frannie & The Fox is in the Emeline Hotel. They serve breakfast and dinner throughout the week and brunch on weekends.
They have indoor and outdoor seating, and it’s all so cute. I had brunch here and tried a few different dishes, including the Blue Crab Fritters, the Bunch Sandwich, and the Wood Oven Baked Eggs.
It was all delicious!
The Griffon
The Griffon is another restaurant that was often recommended by locals. It’s an English Pub-style bar, and the walls are covered in dollar bills.
It’s another one I will definitely be visiting on my next trip to Charleston 🙂
Bay Street Biergarten
My final restaurant recommendation is the Bay Street Biergarten. They have a great outdoor patio with its own bar and a massive indoor area with southern decor.
The food is an excellent mix of German and southern. And, the bar has trivia on Wednesday nights!
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Bars & Breweries in Downtown Charleston, South Carolina
The bars in downtown Charleston, South Carolina are a lot of fun, and there is a great variety for people of all ages and different bar styles and vibes.
Charleston would be a great bachelor or bachelorette destination, or bar-hopping because there are so many bars all together on King St., which runs through downtown.
Everything on this list is on King St. except for The Citrus Club, which is one block east on Meeting Street and well worth the detour.
INK Rooftop & Lounge
INK is a fantastic lounge and bar with a fun vibe no matter what day or time you visit. The decorations here are bright and vibrant, and it’s a great place to grab a drink before visiting other bars or grabbing some dinner.
Prohibition
When it comes to decor and vibe, Prohibition is completely the opposite of INK in the best way. Prohibition is very dark, but it makes you feel like you are in a modern-day speakeasy. The bartenders all dress in an old-fashioned way, and the drink menu is very diverse.
Prohibition has a DJ on weekends with a great dance floor in the back, so if you want something unique and fun, this is the place to go.
Also, their bathroom is super cute!
Vintage Lounge
Vintage is another classy bar and lounge that I would recommend if you want something quiet. They have a great selection of wine and small plates that pair well with wine. They also have a great selection of mixed drinks.
Republic Garden & Lounge
Republic is similar to INK in that its vibe is bright and low-key. There is an outdoor garden/patio with its own bar, and the inside has another bar and more seating.
The patio is popular when the weather is nice, but even in the colder weather, you can enjoy the patio since they have heaters.
Chucktown Brewery
As always, I had to try at least one brewery in Charleston. Chucktown has a smaller beer menu, but the vibe was chill. They also have a great food selection and a full bar, which is great when you’re traveling with non-beer drinkers.
Uncork Charleston
Uncork is Charleston’s pour your own wine bar. They have 40 wines available, and you pay by the ounce, so you can try as much or as little wine as you want.
They also have brunch, lunch, and dinner menus with delicious food!
The Citrus Club
The Citrus Club is the Dewberry Hotel’s rooftop bar on their 8th floor. It’s the highest rooftop in the city and has the best views of Charleston and the surrounding rivers.
The drinks here are more expensive than most bars on the list ($15-20+ for a specialty cocktail), but the views are worth it. Plus, the vibe is great, especially when the weather is nice. You can also order food like seafood, wings, and dessert.
Enjoy Downtown Charleston, South Carolina!
Remember to download the PDF walking tour map! You can see the historical sites, the bars, and restaurants, plus addresses and step-by-step directions.
Downtown Charleston, South Carolina, is a lovely place to visit year-round. You should enjoy the sites, eat some good food, and get some drinks at one of the unique bars!
If you want more United States travel, check out these other guides:
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All information is current as of publication. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect travel, and all destinations have different rules and restrictions in place. The pandemic may also affect the opening times of the attractions and establishments listed. Please do independent research before traveling anywhere, and consider the risks involved.