Charleston Attractions

Explore the area surrounding the City Market in the heart of Charleston's Historic Downtown which offers the best of Charleston's history and food. Showcasing some of Charleston's traditional foods as well as more recent innovations.

Explore Charleston history on foot, through age-old graveyards & landmarks. Closely inspect the headstones to see what you might learn, and take a moment to step across the graves, if you dare.

Immerse yourself in the Lowcountry's rich pirate history! Award-winning guides share Charleston's piratical past, from Blackbeard's true past and why he blockaded our harbor; ghostly tales of duels & unrequited love; or even Charleston's only kid's Pirate Treasure Hunt.

The South Carolina Aquarium is Charleston's #1 family attraction with 60 unique exhibits and more than 5,000 animals. Feed stingrays, visit the Touch Tank for a hands-on encounter, and connect with Aquarium staff during daily interactive dive shows from the tallest tank in North America.

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The Charleston Museum is America's first museum and is filled with the history of the city and the Lowcountry. Its permanent exhibits include: Lowcountry History Hall, Becoming Americans, City Under Siege: Charleston in the Civil War, and more; including a great selection of rotating exhibits. 

The Children's Museum of the Lowcountry is a non-profit organization whose mission is to engage young children's potential by inviting families of all backgrounds to explore environments and experiences that spark imagination and stimulate curiosity through the power of play. 

The Gibbes Museum of Art is home to the foremost collection of American Art that incorporates the story of Charleston. The Museum connects the city and region's artistic past to a vibrant contemporary art scene.  

The Center for Birds of Prey is a family friendly experience perfect for naturalists, conservationists, or those who want to see some really beautiful birds in their natural Lowcountry habitat.  

Patriots Point Development Authority was established in the 1970s to develop a naval & maritime museum on Charleston Harbor with the World War II aircraft carrier, USS YORKTOWN as its centerpiece. It’s also home to the Patriots Point Museum and a fleet of National Historic Landmark ships, the Cold War Memorial and the only Vietnam Experience Exhibit in the U.S., the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, and the agency's official Medal of Honor Museum.

Palmetto Carriage Works is the oldest carriage tour company in Charleston. Hop on a tour offers a blend of knowledge, wit, humor, history. Carriage tours are a seamless fusion of 19th century conveyance in a 21st century city.

Opened in 2023, the International African American Museum in Charleston, South Carolina is located at the historically significant Gadsden's Wharf where an estimated 40 percent of enslaved Africans entered the country. Visitors will learn about the trauma, triumph, and resilience of the African American journey.