Folks think of Charleston as a small town, and that’s true if you’re just looking at the numbers. But when you consider history, culture, food, and charm, this city punches like a giant. You’ve heard of the eats scene, no doubt—the city’s biggest draw these days, and one that routinely exceeds the hype. Not only can you get world-class barbecue, seafood, and regional Lowcountry classics; you can get them done extraordinarily well in both traditional and modern interpretations. And in extraordinary settings. Everywhere you look, the city has a gorgeous mansion or cobblestone street to explore—the most elegant version of Southern charm, juxtaposed with contemporary art and snappy street fashion. The city's roots may be its rich Southern history, but Charleston stands fully in the now.
Charleston Travel Guide
Plan Your Charleston Trip
An Ethical Guide to Plantation Tours
Plantation tours range widely, from those that do nothing more than celebrate the slave-owners’ opulent house to those that center Black voices. This guide will help travelers find the tours that combat racism through education.
By Sarah Enelow-Snyder
I Drove 300 Miles Through the Low Country for Life-Changing Food
At a low point in life, one writer sets out for Maine in search of a therapeutic lobster roll and instead finds food and friendship in the Low Country of South Carolina and Georgia.
By Osayi Endolyn
Featured
Through Guided Tours, Chef Sallie Ann Robinson Is Preserving Daufuskie Island’s Gullah Geechee History
How one sixth-generation ‘Gullah Diva’ is building upon the foundation her ancestors laid to keep their legacy alive.
By Briona Lamback
How a Charleston Guide Reckons with the City’s Past—and Celebrates Its Present
Toby Smith, who leads tours at the McLeod Plantation, shares the neighborhood she frequents and the sites of reflection she visits.
By Erin Florio
You Haven't Experienced the Lowcountry Until You've Been to a Charleston Oyster Roast
There's nothing like a pile of hot oysters to bring you into the fold.
By Stephanie Burt
15 Best Hotels in Charleston
The best rooms and suites in the charming Holy City, from King Street to Kiawah Island.
By Allston McCrady
Editor Hotel Recommendations
- Zero George$$ | 0 George St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401Read full reviewZero George is pure Charleston fantasy.Readers Choice Awards
Gold ListPowered By: Expedia - The Spectator Hotel$$ | 67 State St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401Read full reviewA beautifully designed boutique hotel with a sexy bar just steps from Charleston's historic market.Readers Choice AwardsPowered By: Expedia
- French Quarter Inn$$ | 166 Church St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401Read full reviewThis fan-favorite hotel knows it's the details that count.Readers Choice AwardsPowered By: Expedia
- Hotel Bennett$$ | 404 King St., Charleston, South Carolina 29403Read full reviewOld word grandeur and good ol' Southern charm make this Marion Square hotel irresistible.Readers Choice AwardsPowered By: Expedia
- The Pinch$$ | 36 George Street, Charleston, South Carolina 29401Read full reviewCentrally located, chic, clever, stylish—a great addition to the city.Readers Choice Awards
Hot ListPowered By: Expedia - The Vendue$$ | 19 Vendue Range, Charleston, South Carolina 29401Read full reviewCharleston's first art hotel concept.Readers Choice AwardsPowered By: Expedia
- The Dewberry Charleston$$$ | 334 Meeting St, Charleston, South Carolina 29403Read full reviewA successful quest to turn a drab federal building into a modernist work of art.Readers Choice Awards
Gold List Hot ListPowered By: Expedia - The Restoration$$ | 75 Wentworth St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401Read full reviewSpacious rooms, intriguing photography, and rooftop happy hour views. What's not to love?Readers Choice AwardsPowered By: Expedia
- The Charleston Place$$$ | 205 Meeting St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401Read full reviewUnderstated opulence with all the perks.Readers Choice AwardsPowered By: Expedia
- The Loutrel$$ | 61 State St, Charleston, South Carolina 29401Read full reviewThis boutique 50-room property looks and feels stylishly contemporary, with a rooftop terrace that crests the tree line of Charleston’s historic French Quarter to boot.Readers Choice Awards
Hot ListPowered By: Expedia - The Inn & Club at Harbour Town$$$ | 7 Lighthouse Ln., Hilton Head Island, South Carolina 29928Read full reviewPalm tree-lined gardens give way to this modern-looking country club-hotel hybrid, where three world-class golf courses are the main attraction.Readers Choice AwardsPowered By: Expedia
- Wentworth Mansion$$$ | 149 Wentworth St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401Read full reviewNo doubt this mansion was a bit ostentatious in its 19th-century heyday, but you won't find guests complaining about the regal splendor.Readers Choice Awards
Gold ListPowered By: Expedia - The Ryder Hotel$$ | 237 Meeting St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401Read full reviewLocals and newcomers mix at this stylishly modern boutique hotel in the heart of downtown Charleston.Readers Choice Awards
Hot ListPowered By: Expedia - The Beach Club at Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina$$ | 28 Patriots Point Rd. , Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina 29464Readers Choice Awards
The Best Things to Do in Charleston
- 15 Best Things to Do in CharlestonFor a small city, there's an outsized number of options. Here's where to start.
By Allston McCrady
- The Best Beaches in Charleston for a Little R&RSun, sand, surf, trails—in this city, you're never far from a shoreline.
By Stephanie Burt
- 10 Best Historic House Tours in CharlestonThe city is rife with them; check this list out first.
By Allston McCrady
Editor Recommendations
- Preservation Society of Charleston147 King St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401Read full reviewFull of authentic Charleston souvenirs.
- The Charleston Museum360 Meeting St., Charleston, South Carolina 29403Read full reviewA relaxing stroll through Charleston history
- Sullivan's Island BeachCharleston, South CarolinaRead full reviewOne of Charleston's most family-friendly beaches
- Gibbes Museum of Art135 Meeting Street, Charleston, South Carolina 29401Read full reviewTells a Charleston story.
- Cypress Gardens3030 Cypress Gardens Road, Moncks Corner, South Carolina 29461Read full reviewWildly picturesque and well-managed, you'll recognize it from films such as The Notebook.
- Center for Birds of Prey4719 N. Highway 17, Awendaw, South Carolina 29429Read full reviewWhere the record for bald eagle sightings in a single day is forty! If you don't spot at least a dozen, you're doing something wrong.
- Sullivan's IslandCharleston, South Carolina 29492Read full reviewThough it's pretty quiet in the off-season, Sullivan’s Island—once home to Edgar Allan Poe—is a hive of activity come spring and summer.
- Bulls IslandCharleston, South Carolina 29429Read full reviewYou'll feel as though you're totally adrift on Bulls Island, as opposed to just a few miles off the coast of prim Charleston.
- Capers IslandCharleston, South Carolina 29429Read full reviewThis undeveloped barrier island is one of the most dramatic spots along the entirety of the South Carolina coast.
- Seabrook IslandSeabrook Island, South Carolina 29455Read full reviewWhat this residential beach lacks in amenities, it makes up for in soft sand and relative silence.
- Isle of Palms1 14th Avenue, Isle of Palms, Charleston, South Carolina 29451Read full reviewWith its seven miles of crystalline shores and close seaside community, Isle of Palms is one of the area's most family-friendly beaches.
- Edisto Beach8377 State Cabin Rd, Edisto Island, South Carolina 29438Read full reviewEdisto Beach's beach's four-and-a-half miles of mostly untouched coastline make it an absolute must.
- Folly BeachArctic Ave, Folly Beach, South Carolina 29439Read full reviewFolly is an easy beach to visit and to love, with enough natural beauty to justify the drive and plenty of amenities.
- Charleston Bike Taxi1 Pinckney St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401Read full reviewEven locals enjoy a ride now and again.
- Two Sisters Tours80 Broad St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401Read full reviewFor a balanced introduction to Charleston, from grand houses to former slave quarters.
How Charleston's Black Residents Have Shaped the City
The Black residents of Charleston have always shaped the city's identity, and their influence today is as palpable as ever, from food to art.
By Chase Quinn
The Best Places to Eat and Drink in Charleston
- 31 Best Restaurants in CharlestonSome of the highest quality food in the Lowcountry.
By Stephanie Burt
- 10 Best Rooftop Bars in CharlestonWhen you want a view that's as inspired as your drink.
By Paul Oswell
- 10 Best Brunches in CharlestonIn this town, when a griddle calls, you leave your diet at the door.
By Paul Oswell
- 10 Best Seafood Restaurants in CharlestonIn this water-adjacent town, lightly fried filets and smoked oysters are practically an art form.
By Paul Oswell
Editor Restaurant and Bar Recommendations
- Lenoir$$ | 68 Wentworth Street, Charleston, South Carolina 29401Vivian Howard's Charleston fine dining debut.
- Vern's$$$ | 41 Bogard Street A, Charleston, South Carolina 29403One of the hottest tables in Charleston for unfussy everthing, from escargots with sourdough to pastas, rabbit, and Lowcountry mushrooms.
- Citrus Club$$ | 334 Meeting St., 8th Floor, Charleston, South Carolina 29403The views speak for themselves.
- Bluegrass Brunch at High Cotton$$ | 199 East Bay Street, Charleston, South Carolina 29401Bring your family (cinnamon rolls and beignets for kids). Bring your friends. Tap your toes to the upright bass, and feel your mood lift.
- The Caviar Bar at Zero George$$$ | Zero George St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401
- Sushi-Wa$$$ | 1503 King Street Extension, Charleston, South Carolina 29405A stellar sushi experience where all you have to do is trust the chefs.
- Basic Kitchen$$ | 82 Wentworth St, Charleston, South Carolina 29401The food is supremely satisfying—something not always achieved by a vegetarian-focused restaurant.
- Frannie & The Fox$$$ | 181 Church St, Charleston, South Carolina 29401Italian sensibility with a care for local ingredients—and a restaurant where most people can find their favorite dish on the menu.
- Berkeley's$$ | 624 1/2 Rutledge Avenue, Charleston, South Carolina 29403One glance at the drinks list and one bite of a salmon BLT and you know that something special is happening here.
- Wood & Grain$$ | 778 South Shelmore Boulevard #102, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina 29464For all things savory and satisfying, from pizza to baked oysters.
- Pink Bellies$$ | 595 King Street, Suite 1, Charleston, South Carolina 29403Food that is whimsical, sometimes theatrical, and made with a (delicious) sense of humor.
- Circa 1886$$$ | 149 Wentworth Street, Charleston, South Carolina 29401A historic setting that serves up a tasting menu option with lot of varied bites—from a grilled cheese with caviar to the lobster tail.
- Oak Steakhouse$$$ | 17 Broad Street, Charleston, South Carolina 29401In a city known for its stellar seafood, this is one can't-miss steakhouse.
- Babas on Cannon$$ | 11 Cannon Street, Charleston, South Carolina 29403Coffee, cocktails, caviar sandwiches: Need we say more?
- The Glass Onion$$ | 1219 Savannah Hwy., Charleston, South Carolina 29407If you've found a spot in the parking lot of this meat-and-three, consider yourself lucky.
Exploring Charleston Through Its Hotels
Produced by Condé Nast Traveler for Explore Charleston | From the architectural details at Wentworth Mansion to the golf course at Kiawah Resort and the delicious food at Charleston Place—follow along as we explore the history, hospitality, and uniqueness of Charleston through the places that portray it best—its hotels.
More from Charleston
Readers' Choice Awards
2023 Readers’ Choice Awards: The Top Hotels in Charleston
Nothing beats the pleasure of checking into a great hotel. Here are the top ones in Charleston, as voted by Traveler readers.
By CNT Editors
Inspiration
In Charleston, Leaving Nostalgia Behind
The Holy City's complicated history has sometimes been eclipsed by its myriad Southern charms. But now, Charleston is taking steps to confront—and honor—the difficult parts of its past.
By Latria Graham
Places to Stay
17 Charming Airbnbs in Charleston, From Brick Cottages to Light-Filled Lofts
Start planning your next getaway to the South Carolina city with these top vacation rentals on King Street, Spring Street, and in Folly Beach.
By Allston McCrady
Readers' Choice Awards
Charleston Is the Best Small City in the U.S.
As voted by you in the 2022 Readers' Choice Awards.
By Caitlin Morton
Destinations
What to Do in Charleston This Spring
Here's what's happening in the city in April, May, and June 2019.
By Stephanie Burt
Places to Stay
What Happens When a Hotel Loyalist Tries Airbnb
Millions of travelers use the popular online rental marketplace, but it's not a hit with everyone.
By Jennifer M. Wood
Sponsored Content
Five Things You Should Absolutely Eat and Drink in Charleston
Charleston might be considered a small-ish city, but it’s easily one of the most phenomenal food destinations in America right now. Here’s what you can’t miss on that food crawl you should definitely be planning here already.
By CNT Editors and The Bon Appétit Editors
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