20 Free Things to Do In Charleston, SC in 2024 - Road Trips & Coffee | Resource for All Things Road Trips (2024)

Hotels, restaurants, and parking. Charleston is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. But a weekend getaway can quickly drain your bank account. Fortunately, there are many free things to do – and some of these are the most iconic places to visit in Charleston.

Walking is one of the best ways to explore the city’s architecture and history. From the historic Battery to the charming Rainbow Row, exploring Charleston by foot is free and fun. Go for a short drive to Mount Pleasant for even more scenic walks and a free national park site.

My first visit to Charleston was in 2010. It was an overcast August day. The only place I visited was Waterfront Park. Years later, I realized this was my favorite place in Charleston.

I love taking guided tours, visiting museums, and taking scenic boat rides. But when my travel budget ran out, I switched to the free things to do. Charleston has as many free things to do and places to go as it does award-winning restaurants and historic attractions.

That’s why it took me ten years to visit every place on this list. So, browse through my list of free things to do and leave me a comment below with the one you’d enjoy the most.

Map of Free Things to Do in Charleston

How to use this map | Click the icon in the top-left corner to open the Map Legend, then click on any of the legend items to display more information. If you have a Google account, click the (very faint) star at the end of the map’s name to save this map to your account, then access the map from your smartphone during your trip.

How to use this map | Click the icon in the top-left corner to open the Map Legend, then click on any of the legend items to display more information. If you have a Google account, click the (very faint) star at the end of the map’s name to save this map to your account, then access the map from your smartphone during your trip.

No. 1

Visit White Point Garden

The southern tip was mainly underwater when Charleston developed on the peninsula in the late 1600s. During low tide, thousands of brilliant white oyster shells sparkled in the sunset. The locals dubbed it White Point.

In 1838, Mayor Robert Hayne announced an ambitious plan to backfill the point and build a public park. White Point Garden was completed in 1852.

Read More | Fun Things to Do in the South of Broad Neighborhood in Charleston, SC

Walk the gravel paths beneath the shade of giant oak trees. Visit the Bandstand in the park’s center, a gift from Martha Carrington, who once lived in a nearby home. Look for one of the park’s many statues, like the Little Dancer Girl by sculptor William Newman Hirsch.

Info | 2 Murray Boulevard, Charleston, SC 29401

No. 2

Walk Along the Battery

The Battery offers a commanding view of the harbor at the peninsula’s southern tip. In the distance, Fort Sumter stands like a centurion at the harbor’s entrance. Even closer is the often-forgotten Castle Pinckney on a tiny island.

Read More | How to Visit the Battery in Charleston and the History of the Fortified Seawall

The Battery consists of the High Battery Seawall and Low Battery Seawall. Building the high wall took over one hundred years and four attempts. The low seawall was started in 1836 when Mayor Robert Hayne announced an ambitious plan to backfill the end of the peninsula and build a public park.

Parking along Murray Boulevard is free but limited to two hours. And, of course, it’s free to walk along the Battery from the point of the peninsula to the Historic Charleston Foundation.

Info | 2 Murray Boulevard, Charleston, SC 29401

No. 3

See Rainbow Row

A one-block section of East Bay Street, known as Rainbow Row, is one of Charleston’s most iconic and visited destinations. The row houses were built between 1740 and 1792 for the bustling merchant business at the wharves across the street. The bottom floors were used as office space supporting the merchants, while the upper floors were residences for the business owners.

Read More | How to Visit (and the History Behind) the Iconic Rainbow Row in Charleston, SC

The Civil War caused significant damage to the city and ended the economy of the South. The houses along Rainbow Row were left to ruins, falling into further disrepair into the early 1900s. The city announced plans to demolish the entire row of houses. With an eye for historic architectural preservation, Susan Pringle Frost took out a personal loan and purchased several of the homes to save them from demolition.

Several years later, Dorothy Porcher Legge purchased 97-101 East Bay Street and began a renovation. She restored the double house into the original single home and kept 99-101 for her own residence. Legge chose to paint the homes shades of a Colonial Caribbean scheme, and a legend was born in Charleston.

Info | 83-107 East Bay Street, Charleston, SC 29401

No. 4

Visit Saint Michael’s Church

Churches were a vital part of colonial Charleston. Shortly after the settlement moved to the peninsula in 1680, a congregation formed at the present location of Saint Michael’s Church. When the congregation outgrew the church, a new church was built at Saint Phillip’s in 1723.

But by 1761, the congregation once again outgrew the church. So, the congregation split, half returning to the original site and building the present Saint Michael’s Church.

President George Washington visited Charleston in 1791 during his Southern Tour after the Revolutionary War. While visiting the city, he worshipped at Saint Michael’s Church. Visitors can enter the church during non-service times and see a plaque noting the pew box where Washington sat.

Info | 71 Broad Street, Charleston, SC 29401 | 843-723-0603 | www.stmichaelschurch.net

No. 5

Step Inside the Charleston City Hall

The Adamesque-style Charleston City Hall was completed in 1804 in the early days of the United States. The building was designed by noted Charleston architect Gabriel Manigault. The building was initially intended as a bank, but in 1818, the bank failed, and the building became the home of the city’s government.

The ground floor features one of the few public restrooms in Charleston and a small museum. The second-floor council chamber is open for visitors when not in use.

Info | 80 Broad Street, Charleston, SC 29401 | 843-577-6970 | www.charleston-sc.gov

No. 6

Visit Washington Square

Behind Charleston City Hall, Washington Square was dedicated to General George Washington during the centennial celebration of Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown. Since then, several monuments and memorials about the Revolutionary War have been installed in the public park.

A bronze plaque on the brick wall surrounding part of the square is dedicated to Francis Salvador, the first Jewish casualty of the Revolutionary War. He died during the Cherokee War of 1776 when his unit was ambushed near the Cherokee town of Seneca.

A statue dedicated to Elizabeth Hutchinson Jackson draws attention to President Andrew Jackson’s mother. Shortly after Andrew and his older brother, Robert, were freed from British captivity in Camden, Elizabeth traveled to Charleston to tend to the prisoners of war held on barges. She contracted a deadly illness during work and was unceremoniously buried in an unmarked grave outside the city.

In 1999, the Statue of George Washington was unveiled. Designed by sculptor John N. Michel, the statue depicts Washington with a walking cane as he appeared during his 1791 visit to Charleston. The bronze plaque on the brick base details the president’s life during the Revolutionary War and his visit to Charleston during his Southern Tour.

No. 7

Take a Stroll Through Waterfront Park

Waterfront Park is home to the iconic Pineapple Fountain, the most photographed spot in Charleston. The churning fountain is frequently a backdrop for selfies and professional portraits alike. But it’s not the only thing to do in the charming park.

Go for a walk beneath the sprawling oak trees, where you’ll find niches of park benches perfect for a break. Lounge on the comfortable lawn with a good book or to-go meal from one of the local delis on East Bay Street. Stroll along the pier to the end overlooking the Cooper River with a front-row view of the USS Yorktown, a World War II-era aircraft carrier on display at the .

Read More | Strolling Through Waterfront Park in Charleston, South Carolina

No. 8

Explore the Gateway Walk

The Gateway Walk is a scenic path between Meeting Street and Archdale Street, passing through several properties and an alleyway. The path opened during the city’s 250th anniversary in 1930. It was named after a series of wrought iron gates visitors had to pass through.

The path was the first civic project of The Garden Club of Charleston. Several flower gardens and beautiful displays along the path make it one of the most scenic walks in the city.

The Gateway Walk begins next to the Gibbes Museum of Art on Meeting Street. It passes behind the museum and beside the Charleston Library Society, crossing King Street. Then, the path traverses an alleyway into the churchyard behind the Unitarian Church, ending on Archdale Street.

No. 9

Spend an Evening at Marion Square

When the Revolutionary War came to South Carolina, the northern boundary of Charleston was Calhoun Street. A fortified wall was built across the neck of the peninsula just beyond the city’s border to protect it from the inevitable British invasion. A small piece of the wall – the Horn Work – remains in the park today.

The public square was named after Revolutionary War hero General Francis Marion – also known as the Swamp Fox for his uncanny ability to attack the British and disappear into the swamps.

Marion Square is an excellent place to lounge with something to read from nearby Blue Bicycle Books. Festivals frequently dominate the square throughout the year, like the Charleston Wine + Food Festival in March, the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in late spring, and the annual weekend Charleston Farmers Market.

No. 10

Visit the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center

The Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park preserves the forts where the Civil War began in 1861. The only way to visit Fort Sumter is to buy a ticket for a boat ride, and visitors to Fort Moultrie must pay an admission fee.

But in Charleston, the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center is free.

Read More | Exploring Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park

The education center is beside the South Carolina Aquarium on a wharf overlooking the Cooper River. The education center has a nice museum to explore the local history of the Civil War and learn about Fort Sumter’s construction. The center includes public restrooms and a gift shop with souvenirs and snacks.

Info | 340 Concord Street, Charleston, SC 29401 | 843-577-0242 | www.nps.gov/fosu

No. 11

Walk Across the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge

After the previous bridges crossing the Cooper River were declared “functionally obsolete” in 1979, planning began on the epic replacement. The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, a 2.5-mile-long cable-stayed bridge, opened in 2006 after five years of construction.

But a local tragedy changed the initial design.

In 2004, Garrett Wonders was struck by a car and killed while bicycling across the narrow Cooper River Bridge. The United States Navy ensign was training for the upcoming Olympic Trials. A grassroots movement quickly developed, urging the bridge’s engineers to include a pedestrian and bicycling path on the Ravenel Bridge.

Wonders Way is a 12-foot-wide multi-use pedestrian path on the south side of the bridge. Visitors can enter the path in downtown Charleston on East Bay Street or from the Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park. It’s a great place for a vigorous walk, enjoying spectacular sunset views, and watching enormous cargo ships pass beneath.

Read More | Take a Walk on Wonders Way Across the Ravenel Bridge in Charleston, SC

No. 12

Visit the Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park

When the Cooper River Bridge was demolished, the footprint was converted into the Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park. Parking is free, and there is no admission charge for walking along the fishing pier beneath the towering Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge.

A visitor center has information about Mount Pleasant and public restrooms. The War Memorial is dedicated to veterans of all wars from South Carolina. The fishing pier stretches about 1,000 feet into the Cooper River, with many benches where you can sit and watch giant cargo ships travel up and down the river.

Info | 99 Harry M. Hallman Jr Boulevard, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464 | 843-884-8517 | www.tompsc.com/Facilities/Facility/Details/35

No. 13

Go for a Walk at Shem Creek Park

Shem Creek Park is one of the most beautiful places in Mount Pleasant to stretch your legs – and it’s almost entirely free. There is no admission charge to walk the lengthy boardwalk, but you’ll have to pay for parking.

The boardwalk crosses a salt marsh along Shem Creek, ending at a covered shelter with a view of the Cooper River. You can see the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge and downtown Charleston from the shelter.

The boardwalk is a popular place for fishing, sightseeing, and kayaking. If you’re there when one of the fishing boats returns from sea, you might see dolphins and pelicans trailing behind.

No. 14

Visit the Pitt Street Bridge

Before the Revolutionary War, a simple wooden plank bridge floating on barrels connected Mount Pleasant to Sullivan’s Island. In 1898, a trolley bridge was built across the narrow waterway to provide access to the island. The trolley bridge was replaced by a concrete bridge for cars in 1927 – the Pitt Street Bridge.

When it was replaced by a more modern swing bridge, the site was converted into a public park. Only a portion of the bridge’s supports remain. A wooden boardwalk was built across the spans, providing a place to fish or enjoy the scenery.

The park features a stunning view of downtown Charleston across the Cooper River. Several benches and a large grassy area invite people to stay awhile. And why not? It’s free.

Info | 972 Pitt Street, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464

No. 15

See the Ocean at the Station 12 Beach Access

Charleston is renowned for gorgeous architecture, early American history, and world-class food. But less than an hour from the cobblestone streets, visitors can dip their feet in the sand, catch a wave, and bask in the sun on one of the area’s beaches.

Isle of Palms is a chic experience at the beach, and Folly Beach features a sprawling waterfront park and fishing pier. But in the middle, Sullivan’s Island is a peaceful getaway with a national park site, many local restaurants, and one of the free public beach accesses in Charleston.

Station 12 Public Beach Access is beside the historic Fort Moultrie, part of the Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historic Park. The parking lots fill up quickly on summer days and weekends, with capacity for only about two dozen passenger vehicles. A long beach stretches toward the end of the island, where visitors can lounge in the sun, go fishing in the surf, and watch dolphins swim by at sunset.

Read More | Leave the Cobblestone Streets Behind for One of These Beaches Near Charleston

No. 16

Visit Charles Pinckney National Historic Site

The Charles Pinckney National Historic Site preserves all that remains of the family plantation where the “Forgotten Founder” lived in the 1700s. After his capture by the British in 1780 during the Revolutionary War, Charles Pinckney was exiled to the plantation in Mount Pleasant. After the war, he was instrumental in drafting the United States Constitution, creating the Pinckney Draft.

Read More | Learn the Story of the Forgotten Founder at the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site in Mount Pleasant, SC

The national historic site is free to visit. The house sits on the foundation of the original plantation home. Inside, the rooms feature exhibits about the Pinckney family, the drafting of the Constitution, and slavery on the plantation.

Info | 1254 Long Point Road, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464 | 843-881-5516 | www.nps.gov/chpi

No. 17

Explore Magnolia Cemetery

Magnolia Cemetery opened in 1850 near the present-day Charlestonend of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. The historic cemetery is the final burial ground for many notable figures in Charleston’s history, like the crew of the H.L. Hunley.

Visitors can explore the cemetery during business hours. The pyramid-shaped crypt of William Smith is one of the most interesting burial plots in the sprawling cemetery. Blue herons and egrets frequently occupy a large pond in the cemetery’s center. The cemetery is a gorgeous place to explore by foot – if you enjoy that sort of exploration.

Info | 70 Cunnington Avenue, Charleston, SC 29405 | 843-722-8638 | www.magnoliacemetery.net

No. 18

Go for a Ride on the West Ashley Greenway

The West Ashley Greenway (bookmark on AllTrails) is a 15.7-mile pedestrian and bicycling rail-to-trail. The trail runs parallel to U.S. Highway 17 through the neighborhood west of downtown Charleston. The eastern terminus is near several hotels along the Ashley River.

In 2023, construction began on a cable-stayed pedestrian bridge across the Ashley River. The bridge will connect the West Ashley Greenway with downtown Charleston, making riding a bicycle to explore the city easy.

No. 19

Visit the Angel Oak Tree

It’s 500 years old, 65 feet tall, and covers 17,000 square feet. The Angel Oak Tree is an astounding natural attraction in the Charleston area. And what’s even more astounding is that the city owned property is free of charge to visit.

Read More | How to See the Angel Oak Tree in Charleston – One of the Oldest Trees in the Southeast

400,000 people wander beneath the sprawling limbs of the ginormous oak tree every year. Surrounded by an unsightly chain link fence, the property features picnic tables and a gift shop with souvenirs and snacks.

Info | 3688 Angel Oak Road, Johns Island, SC 29455 | 843-559-3496 | www.charleston-sc.gov/153/Angel-Oak