Charleston in 4 Days: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit

Four days in a southern American city? For some, this sounds like a nightmare. But I'm pretty sure that if they think so, it's because they don't know the wonders of this region and especially of Charleston, a city where there's plenty to see and do at any time of the year. If you have the option of visiting Charleston for four days, I promise you won 't be bored.

This southern city has several different waterfronts that you can explore, both by foot and by boat. There are also plenty of historic buildings that are thought-provoking and thought-provoking. Not to mention the important plantations that surround the city and that marked the slave-owning past, but today are a haven for nature. Do you want to know what to do in Charleston? Read on and I promise you a packed agenda over the next four days.

Let's get started! You may arrive in the city by plane or by car. If you arrive by car, there's no problem: you'll just need to take it to the hotel car park you booked and start your day or even take it with you on the first day's itinerary. However, if you arrive by plane, I recommend you book a transfer from the airport so that you are comfortable.

This first day, starting in the morning, you will be able to do many things in this beautiful city. My advice is that you try to discover the most dynamic part of the city, with its commercial, gastronomic and cultural parts through a walking tour. For this, I will guide you step by step.

Transfer from the airport to the hotel

Welcome to Charleston! If you are arriving in the city by plane, there will be no problem getting to your hotel. First of all, remember that you're in the United States, so without a car it's difficult to get around outside the city. However, it's also not a huge problem if you're in downtown Charleston, so when you arrive at Charleston International Airport, you'll have several options.

The first is, as I suggest, to rent a car from a car rental company for the four days you'll be there, which will drop you off in 20 minutes in the city centre. This will allow you to get around the city, but may be a hindrance if you stay downtown.

If you don't want to drive or can't drive during your stay, then it's best to take a bus from the airport to the city centre or the surrounding area, where your hotel will probably be.

In that case, I suggest the Charleston Area Regional Authority bus, which stops just outside the airport. Other options include taxis, but also shuttles offered by different hotels in the city.

Start with a sightseeing bus tour

Once you've settled in, I recommend you start your day getting to know Charleston on foot. It all depends on what time you arrive. If it's early in the morning, then you'll need to get breakfast first, for which I recommend you try eating at your hotel or an ideal toast restaurant before heading out.

However, if you arrive late, it doesn't matter: I recommend you start with a sightseeing bus tour of Charleston to introduce you to the city.

You can often book a tour bus in advance or your hotel will provide you with specific information. During the morning you don't have to worry about them, as they leave every few hours, but if you arrive after midday, you can take one that runs along the southeast side of the city.

Tours usually start in the north, near the Ashley River, passing The Citadel, one of the **country'**s most important military colleges. Several of these routes also pass through the Old Town Market and along the city's southern waterfront, especially the French Quarter, one of Charleston's most picturesque.

This entire sightseeing bus tour will take you no more than two hours. Once you're done, you'll have a chance to explore King Street, museums and shops.

Lunch on King Street

It is possible that the bus tour will drop you off at the top of King Street, which is undoubtedly the most famous street in Charleston.

In total, it measures 3.22 kilometres and is one of the economic centres of the city, as you'll find restaurants, clothing and retail shops, as well as private businesses. If you start at the top of the street, you'll be in the restaurant district.

Although there are Spanish, Vietnamese, Mexican and fast-food restaurants, my advice is to look for something local to Charleston, and in front of that, the seafood restaurant is the standout, particularly the oysters. One of the best known restaurants in the area is The Ordinary which has great tastings for your palate.

If you prefer something more touristy, then Stars Rooftop & Grill Room, an American restaurant with an international menu and a notable presence of meats, would be great. Here you can go up to the rooftop and have a magnificent view of the city.

Continue shopping on King Street

Ready for lunch? Then I suggest you spend the rest of the afternoon on King Street. This is a street worth walking from end to end, because there is so much to see.

If you like shopping, don't think you can't do it in Charleston, because King Street is the place to be. In the middle part of the street, you'll find all the clothing franchises and many of them have great prices.

But we're not just talking about clothes. As you get closer to the waterfront, in the lower part, you'll find an area that has different businesses dedicated to antiques.

A lot of them are big pieces of furniture that you'll be hard pressed to take home, but there are some amazing little things you can see in these shops, especially if you or someone in your family is a collector.

Enter the Gibbes Museum of Art

Before you end the day, there is one more stop I suggest. This is the Gibbes Museum of Art, also known as the Gibbes Museum of American Art.

It is one of the most important institutions of its kind in all of South Carolina and its exhibits, which focus on the past and present of the United States, are truly fantastic and varied, with over 10,000 works of art.

The museum is open between 10am and 5pm, so be sure to arrive before closing time. To get there, you can't miss it: as you make your way along the middle part of King Street, cross east along Horlbeck Alley and immediately go down Meeting Street, where a few steps further on you'll come across the museum.

Finally, you can close the day by walking to the end of King Street to reach Murray Boulevard, where you can watch the sunset, take in the vastness of the sea and relax after a busy day.

• Gibbes Museum of Art location: 135 Meeting St, 29401
• Price: around €12 general admission and €10 for university students and over 62s. Admission for 4-17 year olds is half price and children 3 and under are free.
• Opening hours: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

To be in Charleston and not go to a plantation would really be a sin. I recommend a full day or at least a half-day visit to a plantation.

The plantations played an important part in the history of Charleston and all of South Carolina, as they were the main sites of the region's slave trade.

The history of the south of the United States is very much marked by slavery and the plantations are an essential place to understand these hard times. That's why I recommend you dedicate a day to them, which will be quite relaxing. You can visit one plantation in the morning and another in the afternoon.

Start at Middleton Place

There are different plantations that are quite far from Charleston, but Middleton Place is one of the closest.

However, getting there can be a bit tricky, as you'll have to cross to the west bank of the Ashley River and drive along Ashley River Road. If you're driving, you won't get lost, just go straight ahead, but if you don't have a car, then it's best to take one of the plantation tours that leave from Charleston.

What makes Middleton Place so special? This plantation has National Historic Land mark status and is a blend of relaxation, nature and a history that's still hard to face today. The best way to be here is on a guided tour that includes transport and lunch. When you arrive, you will be given contextual information about the site and its significance.

But the most beautiful thing about the plantation is its gardens, chapel and museum. This property belonged to Henry Middleton who signed the American Declaration of Independence. There were over 800 slaves here and your tour of the museum will make that clear.

Before you leave, be sure to have lunch at the plantation's amazing restaurant which serves the best southern food and may be included in the package you buy. Or, if it's to your liking, you can pop into the museum shop.

• Location: 4300 Ashley River Rd, 29414
• Price: Approximately €100 if you book a tour with transport and lunch, but general admission is usually around €30.
• Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Visit Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

Near Middleton Place is the Magnolia Plantation and Gardens.

It is also a plantation located west of the Ashley River and is steeped in history and can be reached within a ten minute drive from Middleton Place. This is a beautiful garden, steeped in history and ideal for visiting Charleston as a couple, because it's not only knowledgeable, it's also very peaceful.

After lunch, this is a great place to spend the rest of the afternoon. Once you pay the entrance fee, you can access the beautiful gardens and walk around them all. Don't miss the narrated tram which is a sort of historical tour of the plantation and takes about 40 minutes.

Also, if you are interested in history, you can pay the entrance fee to the house museum and learn about the past of the whole region and this specific plantation. You can leave close to closing time at 5pm and have dinner in Charleston to end your day.

• Location: 3550 Ashley River Rd, 29414
• Price: General admission is about £30, but access to the historic house, narrated tram, historic garden, marsh and narrated boat costs about £10 each, so in total it can cost about £70.
• Opening hours: 9:00 h to 17:00 h

Charleston is at the confluence of rivers, streams, marshes and a vast sea. All this geography that looks like a delta because of the number of islands and channels that have formed is something you can't miss in any case.

That's why I recommend you to dedicate the whole third day to get to know the aquatic bodies of Charleston, enjoy its landscapes and travel through them.

When you are in this beautiful city, you can take a ferry ride, walk along boulevards and even travel to islands where you can see wonderful fortifications, such as Fort Sumter. Are you up for a day dedicated to Charleston's waterfront?

Stroll through Waterfront Park

I recommend starting your water tour with a stroll through Waterfront Park. This is one of the most beautiful parks in all of Charleston and although it's not too big, it's full of dazzling vegetation and you'll be able to take the best pictures of it.

This park looks like the eastern shore of the French Quarter, so it shares some of that architecture among some phenomenal gardens.

Once you're in the park, I recommend that you don't miss the Pineapple Fountain, where you're sure to find quite a few tourists taking pictures. This fountain is one of the icons of Charleston and you can't miss it.

You can also stop to take pictures of the Cooper River, as well as the entire waterfront, bridges and boats. My advice is to stay in this park until about 11am, enjoying the atmosphere and the peace and quiet.

Take a ferry across the Cooper River

Have you got enough pictures of the Waterfront Park? Wait for the ones you can take directly on the Cooper River, when you take a boat ride around the area.

I recommend you go to the end of the park's pier and take a ferry that will take you northbound on the Cooper River to the edge of Daniel Island, where you'll disembark.

This trip takes about half an hour each way and another half an hour return and costs about €25 each way, although it depends on the company you hire. While there is plenty to see on this river, as you head north you' ll be able to spot several small islands, such as Drum Island.

My advice is that once you get to Daniel Island, you should go down to a traditional restaurant for lunch. One of the options I highly recommend is The Kingstide restaurant which combines the best of the region's seafood with fast food of grand proportions.

At the end of the tour you can also visit the Wando River. On the way back, the tour will drop you off at the Waterfront Park.

Traveller Tip

Many of these tours tend to be done in very fast boats that splash a lot of water and can cause seasickness. If you have a problem with this, it's best to avoid them and find a more stable boat for the tour.

Take a tour to Fort Sumter and watch the sunset

I hope you didn't get tired of the boats, because there's still one more to go. If you've had your lunch and you're back at Waterfront Park, then I recommend that in the afternoon you don't miss the tour to Fort Sumter, one of the most famous forts in the entire southern United States.

To get there, you'll have to take a boat, as this fort is located on a small island in the Cooper River.

If you walk 20 minutes north to Liberty Square, you'll be at the spot where these boats set sail for Fort Sumter. My advice is to save this tour for the late afternoon, as there are many different tours and private packages that focus on watching the sunset rather than just seeing what's at Fort Sumter.

This military fort is today just a bucolic space where you can breathe peace and quiet, but it has an unparalleled importance in the United States: it was in this fort where the American Civil War began, between Confederates and Unionists.

Once you've finished the tour, you'll return to the starting point and all you have left to do is have dinner, for which I recommend you go to the East Bay Deli - Downtown restaurant, which is a mix of American food, healthy food and lots of soups with seafood flavours.

From the first day of sightseeing in the city, you can see that Charleston's history is everywhere. However, my advice is to spend your fourth and final day in Charleston exploring the institutions and museums that are now historic sites, as well as buildings that date back centuries.

If you dedicate a day to learning about Charleston's history, you'll be able to do a variety of activities such as carriage tours, prison tours and market tours. Sign up and read on.

Don't miss out on a historic carriage tour

Have breakfast at your hotel or nearby so that early in the morning you can start your first activity: a historic carriage tour of Charleston.

History isn't just about seeing museum exhibits and reading legends, you can emulate it and feel like you're in the 19th century on this tour.

Although there is quite a variety of tours in Charleston, I recommend starting in the northwest part of the city. From here, you'll be taken to the French Quarter and the South Shore, where some small cobblestone spaces remain and the experience will be more authentic.

These carriages are very photogenic because they are horse-drawn. You'll be taking pictures, so it's a great activity to do with kids in Charleston and they 'll be fascinated by the animals and the carriage decorations.

This tour usually costs around €60, although family plans are available. The final stop is often on Bay Street, from where you can continue your tour.

Visit the Old Charleston Jail

Ready for your carriage tour? You know how people were transported in the city in the 19th century. Now it's time to visit one of the oldest jails in the region, now known as the Old Charleston Jail. You can be here mid-morning and enjoy this place for a couple of hours.

To get to this street, you'll have to cross at Beaufain Street and then Wilson Street, about a ten-minute walk. You can't miss it and the architecture of the building is truly impressive.

It's also known to many because it was home to some very famous prisoners, mainly pirates, but it also played an important role in the Civil War, first in Confederate and finally in Union hands.

Apart from the history there are the legends and, if you are interested, there is plenty to learn about. Mainly it is said that ghosts appear in this prison and it is one of the sites included in the best ghost tours of Charleston. Some say that different inmates appear again in their cells. Would you like to try and check it out?

• Location: 21 Magazine Street
• Price: For tours, the cost is usually between 50 and 70 €.
• Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, but will also depend on the time of the tour booked.

See the Museum at Market Hall

Keep walking a little further east and head up Logan Street. At the second junction, turn right and you'll be on the fantastic Market Street, another of the city's iconic streets.

As you walk along, you'll first come across the Museum at Market Hall, a major museum in the city dedicated to the American Civil War, specifically the Confederate side.

My advice is to enter this museum for a short one-hour visit, so that you can be free by 1 or 2pm for lunch. The main attraction of this museum is the flags and insignia, so if you like vexillology or flags in general, this is the place for you. Admission is quite cheap at around €7.

• Location: 188 Meeting St, 29401
• Price: usually around 7 €.
• Hours: 11:00 am to 4:00 pm

Taste the best flavors at the Charleston City Market

Once you're out of there, it's time for lunch, and what better than a short walk to the Charleston City Market?

This is one of the most charming places in the city. Since the 19th century it has served as a food market, mainly for vegetables and meats. Nowadays it is not so popular among locals because it is more dedicated to tourism, so I invite you to come and see its beautiful architecture.

This is also a place where you can have lunch. If you want to grab a bite to eat and continue on your way, you can buy bread at Callie's Hot Little Biscuit, located on the first floor. But that's not the only thing they sell: there are also fantastic sandwiches and different shortbreads that you can eat as part of your lunch.

Here, you can enjoy the best of the local bakery. If you're looking for something stronger, however, I recommend leaving the market and heading halfway down the street to Toast All Day, a southern food restaurant.

Learn at the Old Slave Mart Museum

Once lunch is ready, I invite you to walk a little further. Just cross at Church Street, walk about five minutes south and cross at Chalmers Street, where you'll come across the Old Slave Mart Museum.

It's the oldest museum of African-American history in the country, which is why it's so significant, having rescued an old slave market, the most important in the city.

Today it seems incredible that in the middle of the 19th century, human beings were sold in such a building, and this is partly what a visit to the Old Slave Mart Museum makes you think about. The best thing is that admission to this remarkable site is quite cheap, costing around €8, although there are reduced tickets of around €5 or €6 for seniors, students and children.

• Location: 6 Chalmers St, 29401
• Price: usually around €8
• Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Closed on Sundays

End the day at the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon

It should be around 3 or 4pm by now and it's time to make the last stop on this historic tour that will bring your Charleston itinerary to a close. I recommend ending the day at the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon.

To get there, you'll only have to walk about three minutes down State Street and turn left onto Broad Street, so you can't miss it.

This building dates back to 1771, a few years before American independence. Throughout its history it has been a historic home to the city's government institutions, including the post office, town hall, military barracks and even a museum, which is its current use.

In addition to its architecture, you can learn about the independence part of the history of the United States and its name Provost Dungeon refers to a dungeon used by the British forces to imprison the independence fighters.

Entry costs around €12 and you have until 5pm to visit the site. Once you've finished, you can return to your hotel to pack your bags and plan your return journey.

Charleston is not exactly a big city and that's a huge advantage if you're going to tour it in four days, because everything in downtown Charleston is within walking distance. That said, it's essential that you pack a good pair of trainers that will make you feel comfortable for the whole trip, so that there's no inconvenience or discomfort.

On the other hand, if you're renting a car to go to the plantations, it's important to have a valid driver's licence and be aware of the traffic laws in the area.

You don't need to worry about the season, because even if you're going in winter it's important to have a jumper, but coats are probably not necessary. I also recommend bringing an umbrella if you're in town in spring and plenty of hydration for the hike.