

Things to do in Charleston
Charleston's best experiences are small: house museum tours with an architectural historian, Gullah heritage walks, harbour sails at sunset and Lowcountry food crawls through the market district. Plantation day trips vary enormously in how honestly they handle the history, and our ranking factors that in directly.
Quick answer
What are the best things to do in Charleston?
Outty ranks 327 bookable experiences in Charleston, United States. The highest scoring is Charleston historical walking tour with a Professor of History at The Citadel at 93 out of 100, followed by Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour, Hidden Alleyways and Historic Sites Small-Group Walking Tour, Highlights of Charleston Guided Walking Tour. Prices start at $7 per person and 4 experiences score 90 or above, putting them in the Outty 90+ Club. March to May and September to November, the two mild shoulder windows.
- Ranked experiences
- 327
- In the 90+ Club
- 4
- From
- $7 per person
- Bookable today
- 120
Top attractions in Charleston
Landmark by landmark: every ranked tour, ticket and guided visit in one place.

Rainbow Row
57 experiences • 4.9/5

Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon
57 experiences • 4.8/5

The Battery and White Point Garden
46 experiences • 4.8/5

Charleston City Market
44 experiences • 4.8/5

Fort Sumter National Monument
33 experiences • 4.6/5

St. Philips Church
33 experiences • 4.7/5

Circular Congregational Church
28 experiences • 4.7/5

St. Michael's Church
27 experiences • 4.8/5

Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge (Cooper River Bridge)
23 experiences • 4.5/5

Charleston Waterfront Park
23 experiences • 4.6/5

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum
17 experiences • 4.6/5

Nathaniel Russell House
10 experiences • 4.8/5
Top tour operators in Charleston
The companies behind the experiences, ranked by how much of Charleston they cover.
taxiGo.online - Booking Transfer & Taxi
1964 experiences across 302 cities
taxiGo DMC
1181 experiences across 264 cities
VoiceMap Audio Tours
703 experiences across 222 cities
Let's Roam
373 experiences across 156 cities
Alley Kat Adventures
343 experiences across 203 cities
Questo
335 experiences across 154 cities
BARBIL TOURS
310 experiences across 41 cities
Opatrip.com US LLC – Local Tours in USA
302 experiences across 66 cities
Most Popular in Charleston
The experiences travelers book most right now.


Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour

Hidden Alleyways and Historic Sites Small-Group Walking Tour

Highlights of Charleston Guided Walking Tour

Charleston Haunted Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour

Charleston Eco Boat Cruise with stop at Morris Island Lighthouse
Most Highly Reviewed in Charleston
Highest traveler sentiment with enough reviews to trust it.

Charleston historical walking tour with a Professor of History at The Citadel

Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour

Hidden Alleyways and Historic Sites Small-Group Walking Tour

Highlights of Charleston Guided Walking Tour

Charleston Haunted Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour

Charleston Eco Boat Cruise with stop at Morris Island Lighthouse
Last Minute in Charleston
Confirmed availability today or tomorrow.

Charleston historical walking tour with a Professor of History at The Citadel

Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour

Hidden Alleyways and Historic Sites Small-Group Walking Tour

Highlights of Charleston Guided Walking Tour

Charleston Haunted Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour

Charleston Eco Boat Cruise with stop at Morris Island Lighthouse
Family Friendly in Charleston
Works with children in tow, by age policy and pacing.

Pirates of Charleston: Pirate Adventures and River cruises

Private Luxury Yacht Charters, BYOB & Dolphins

Storied Charleston Walking Tour by Author Liz Butler

Folly Beach Eco Boat Excursion and Morris Island Drop Off

Charleston Dolphin Adventure (Private or Public) to 14 guests

Junior Nighttime Passport Experience for Families in Charleston
Food & Drink in Charleston
Food tours, tastings, markets and dinner experiences.

Charleston French Quarter or Brunch Food Tour with 7+ Tastings

Undiscovered Charleston: Half Day Food, Wine & History Tour with Cooking Class

Charleston History Tour /

Charleston Harbor Sunset Cruise

Old Town Trolley Charleston Sightseeing Tour

Charleston Brunch Food Tour: Biscuits, Shrimps, Grits and More
Culture & History in Charleston
Museums, landmarks and stories behind the streets.

Charleston historical walking tour with a Professor of History at The Citadel

Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour

Hidden Alleyways and Historic Sites Small-Group Walking Tour

Highlights of Charleston Guided Walking Tour

Charleston Haunted Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour

Charleston Eco Boat Cruise with stop at Morris Island Lighthouse
Outdoors in Charleston
Fresh air, water, trails and skyline views.

Charleston Eco Boat Cruise with stop at Morris Island Lighthouse

Charleston French Quarter or Brunch Food Tour with 7+ Tastings

2-Hour Guided Kayak Eco Tour in Charleston

Fort Sumter Access and Self-Guided Tour with Roundtrip Ferry

Pirates of Charleston: Pirate Adventures and River cruises

Charleston Horse-Drawn Carriage Tour: Explore Historic Charleston
Nightlife in Charleston
After dark: bars, shows and evening cruises.

Highlights of Charleston Guided Walking Tour

Charleston Haunted Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour

Charleston’s Best Highlights: History, Culture & Architecture

Real Hauntings of Charleston! (Small Group Ghost Tour)

Charleston History and Hops Tour: Bar and History Walk

Charleston's Pleasing Terrors Night-Time Walking Ghost Tour
Highest rated in Charleston
The top of the Outty Ranking across 327 local experiences
- 1Charleston historical walking tour with a Professor of History at The Citadel3h • from $4092.6
- 2Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour2h • from $3091.8
- 3Hidden Alleyways and Historic Sites Small-Group Walking Tour2h • from $3491.3
- 4Highlights of Charleston Guided Walking Tour2h • from $2691.2
- 5Charleston Haunted Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour2.5h • from $3989.8
- 6Charleston Eco Boat Cruise with stop at Morris Island Lighthouse2.5h • from $5688.8
- 7Charleston’s Best Highlights: History, Culture & Architecture2h • from $2588.4
- 8Charleston French Quarter or Brunch Food Tour with 7+ Tastings3h • from $8986.0
- 9Real Hauntings of Charleston! (Small Group Ghost Tour)1.5h • from $3285.7
- 10Charleston History and Hops Tour: Bar and History Walk2h • from $3585.7
- 11Charleston's Pleasing Terrors Night-Time Walking Ghost Tour1.5h • from $2984.3
- 122-Hour Guided Kayak Eco Tour in Charleston2h • from $5484.1
People also ask
What are the top 15 things to do in Charleston?
Our ranked guide lists the 15 best experiences in Charleston with prices, time needed and quick picks for families, rainy days and last-minute plans. Read the answer
Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon or Rainbow Row: which should I do first?
A side-by-side of price, time needed, ranking and flexibility, with a clear verdict. Read the answer
Rainbow Row or The Battery and White Point Garden: which should I do first?
A side-by-side of price, time needed, ranking and flexibility, with a clear verdict. Read the answer
Charleston City Market or Rainbow Row: which should I do first?
A side-by-side of price, time needed, ranking and flexibility, with a clear verdict. Read the answer
Fort Sumter National Monument or Rainbow Row: which should I do first?
A side-by-side of price, time needed, ranking and flexibility, with a clear verdict. Read the answer
What is the best Rainbow Row tour?
We compare all 57 ranked ways to see Rainbow Row, best first. Read the answer
What is the best Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon tour?
We compare all 57 ranked ways to see Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon, best first. Read the answer
Planning questions about Charleston
- What are the best things to do in Charleston?
- Charleston historical walking tour with a Professor of History at The Citadel is the highest ranked experience in Charleston, scoring 93 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking from 1,518 traveler reviews. Historic Charleston Guided Sightseeing Walking Tour, Hidden Alleyways and Historic Sites Small-Group Walking Tour, Highlights of Charleston Guided Walking Tour, Charleston Haunted Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour round out the top five. Outty ranks 327 bookable experiences in Charleston, United States, and 4 of them score 90 or above.
- Which attractions should I visit in Charleston?
- The landmarks with the deepest choice of tours and tickets are Rainbow Row, Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon, The Battery and White Point Garden, Charleston City Market, Fort Sumter National Monument, St. Philips Church. Each has its own page on Outty listing every ranked way to visit, from timed entry tickets to guided and combination tours.
- How much do activities in Charleston cost?
- The median price across everything we rank in Charleston is $41 per person, and the cheapest starting price is $7 on Charleston's Haunted Ghost Tour - Solo Smart Phone Guided Tour. Guided, small-group and skip-the-line versions sit above the median, and peak weekends price higher than midweek mornings.
- Can I book something in Charleston for today?
- Yes. 120 of the top 120 experiences we rank in Charleston currently show same-day availability. Same-day slots are limited, so book early in the day where you can.
- Is Charleston good for families?
- Yes. 15 of the experiences we rank in Charleston are family friendly, covering short, low-cost activities as well as full-day outings. Check the minimum age on each experience page before booking.
- How many days do you need in Charleston?
- Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting: one anchor experience each morning, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
- When is the best time to visit Charleston?
- March to May and September to November, the two mild shoulder windows. Prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
- Can I cancel a booking in Charleston?
- 120 of the 120 experiences we rank in Charleston offer free cancellation, usually up to 24 hours before the start time. The exact window is shown on each experience page before you book.
- How does the Outty Ranking work?
- Every experience in Charleston gets a single 0 to 100 score built from traveler sentiment, the depth of review evidence, recent booking momentum, price fairness against comparable options in the same city, operator standing and cancellation flexibility. Scores are benchmarked within Charleston so a strong local option is not buried by global volume, and anything at 90 or above joins the Outty 90+ Club.