Things To Do In Charleston SC With Kids: The Ultimate Family Guide

We fell in love with Charleston, South Carolina. It is one of the most beautiful cities we explored while we were living in America. There are so many great things to do in Charleston SC, with kids. It’s also a beautiful place to explore. Visiting here was a truly magical experience!

We visited Charleston with our boys in November 2023 and spent 3 full days there. If you’re visiting in the warmer months, you might want to add an extra day or two for the beach! We were there for our eldest’s 4th birthday, and our baby was 9 months. So a baby and a toddler/preschooler!

When we travel, we like to do a mix of activities for us as parents and for the kids to enjoy, so this is a family-friendly guide that I hope will help you make the most of your trip to Charleston! I’ve included the places we personally visited, along with a few popular Charleston family attractions we didn’t get to on this trip but that may be worth considering.

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How Many Days Do You Need in Charleston With Kids?

I’d recommend spending three to five days in Charleston with kids if you want to see the historic centre without feeling like you’re rushing from one attraction to the next.

We spent three full days in Charleston with our boys and found this gave us enough time to explore the historic centre, visit some of the city’s parks and playgrounds and enjoy a few of the attractions outside the downtown area.

If you’re visiting Charleston in summer, an extra day or two to spend at the beach would be a lovely option for families.

Where to Stay in Charleston SC with Kids

When visiting Charleston with kids, I recommend staying in Downtown Charleston’s Historic District if you want to be within easy walking distance of many of the city’s main attractions. You’ll be close to places including Waterfront Park, Rainbow Row, Charleston City Market and the South Carolina Aquarium, as well as plenty of restaurants and cafés.

We stayed in a charming Airbnb. Unfortunately, the exact property we stayed in is no longer available, so I have linked some other options below.

Where to Stay in Charleston’s Historic District:

The Historic District is a particularly good choice for a first visit to Charleston, as you can explore much of the city on foot without needing to get in the car for every activity.

Some family-friendly options in the Historic District include:

• Mills House Charleston, Curio Collection by Hilton: is a beautiful choice, showcasing classic Charleston charm with a pool for kids to enjoy after a day of sightseeing.
• Moxy Charleston Downtown: is a more budget-friendly option, offering stylish, modern rooms with fun communal spaces and a convenient location.

Staying Near Sullivan’s Island:

If you’re visiting Charleston in the warmer months and would like to combine sightseeing with plenty of beach time, you could consider staying around Sullivan’s Island instead.

This gives you easier access to Sullivan’s Island and the surrounding beaches, while you can still drive into historic Charleston for a day or two of sightseeing. However, I’d recommend having a car, as public transport between the beach areas and historic Charleston is limited. I always use Discover Cars to compare rental car prices.

Some family-friendly Mount Pleasant/Sullivan’s Island options include:

• Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant – Comfortable and spacious, ideal for families with kids.
• Charleston Harbour Resort & Marina – Resort-style accommodations with great views and easy access to water activities.

If you’re not sure which area is best for your trip, you can also browse family-friendly hotels in Charleston here to compare options and find the best fit for your trip.

How to Get Around Charleston With Kids

We found most of Charleston can be explored on foot and is overall very stroller (pushchair) friendly. However, some of our favourite attractions, like Cypress Gardens and beaches on Sullivan’s Island, aren’t easily accessible by public transport. So having a rental car makes visiting all the best spots much easier, especially if you’re visiting Charleston with children.

We visited Charleston as part of a road trip, starting in Atlanta, going via Great Wolfe Lodge and returning to New York City. I’ve linked our guides on Atlanta and NYC if you’d also like to do this route.

Map of The Best Things to do in Charleston, South Carolina as a Family

Planning your Charleston family trip? I’ve marked all of the attractions, parks, beaches and other family-friendly places mentioned in this guide on the map below, so you can easily see what’s close together and plan your days. This is an interactive map; simply click on the top right-hand corner to open it in Google Maps.

The Best Things to Do in Charleston SC with Kids

There are lots of great things to do on your family vacation to Charleston. I’m going to share them all below.

Visit Waterfront Park

Waterfront Park is a great place to visit in Charleston that both parents and kids will enjoy. It is completely free and would make a great place for a picnic if you’re visiting Charleston on a budget.

The pineapple fountain is an iconic thing to see in Charleston, and the pier is also cute. Our 4-year-old loved running on the grass, dancing on the little ‘stage’ and even walking along the wall is fun for toddlers.

Pose at Rainbow Row

Just a short walk from Waterfront Park, you’ll find a street called Rainbow Row. This is a little row of houses painted in pretty, rainbow colours.

While this is a quick stop, rather than a major attraction, it is still something worth stopping by when you’re in Charleston. The simple memories from here are some of our favourites from this trip. Spinning around the lamppost was great fun for kids, and we ended up with some lovely photos.

We were advised to get here really early to take crowd-free photos. While we didn’t do this, we still found it wasn’t that busy. If you’re looking for more great photo spots in Charleston, read this guide next.

Play in Hazel Parker Playground

Playgrounds are an essential activity for us when we travel with our kids. They love to run about and burn some energy. They’re also a great free activity for them. Hazel Parker Playground was a fun find and was located right near Rainbow Row.

If you’re travelling with younger children, this is an easy place to build into a walking day around downtown Charleston.

Fire Cannons at White Point Gardens

Right at the South of Charleston’s historic district, there is another beautiful park called White Point Gardens. The boys loved exploring here and climbing on/ playing with, and pretending to fire the cannons.

Stroll Down King Street

King Street is one of the nicest streets we’ve ever been to. It’s beautiful and lined with shops, cafes, restaurants and palm trees. There are lots of independent boutiques and also mainstream stores such as H&M and luxury brands like Louis Vuitton.

I could have spent a full day shopping here. However, as I was with the kids, I was selective about which stores to go into! (We were on the hunt for a Christmas decoration.)

Wander the Charleston City Market

The Charleston City Market is an adorable market right in the heart of Charleston. It’s a lovely place for a wander and is full of gift stalls, independent businesses and also a couple of food sellers. This is actually where we found that Charleston Christmas decoration we were looking for!

It’s not somewhere I’d plan a whole afternoon around with children, but it’s an easy stop to add to a day exploring downtown Charleston.

If you’re visiting Charleston with kids, I’d combine the City Market with nearby attractions such as King Street, Waterfront Park and Rainbow Row, rather than making a separate trip just for the market.

Stop by Charleston Fire Station

We stumbled on here by accident. Located on the corner of Wentworth and Meeting Streets. Not only is this the cutest firehouse I’ve ever seen, but the firefighters were incredibly friendly. They let the boys sit in the fire engine and also gave them fireman hats and badges for free! This is a very sweet kids’ activity in Charleston!

It’s not a guarantee you can do this. If there is an emergency, obviously, they have to go, but if you’re passing, you might be lucky.

Try Callie’s Hot Little Biscuits

This came highly recommended to us, and it didn’t disappoint! We got these from the King Street location and ate them in Marion Square, which is just down the road. Callie’s Hot Little Biscuits is a tiny store, so use Google Maps or you might miss it!

They also have a location in the City Market.

For my English readers, these are traditional Southern American biscuits. They are completely different to the biscuits you would have with a cup of tea! I would compare them more to a savoury scone, perfect for a snack!

More Play in Gadsdenboro Park

If you need another playground, Gadsdenboro Park is a good thing to do in Charleston SC, with kids!

As I mentioned, playgrounds are life to our kids and adding them to our itinerary makes a huge difference. Even a short stop keeps my toddler happy! Gadsdenboro Park is located just down the road from the South Carolina Aquarium.

Visit the South Carolina Aquarium

If you’re looking for a family-friendly attraction in Charleston, the South Carolina Aquarium is a great option, particularly if you need something to do on a rainy day.

We didn’t visit the aquarium ourselves because we’d come to Charleston from Atlanta and had just visited the Georgia Aquarium there, but it’s one of the most popular family attractions in Charleston.

The aquarium is home to thousands of animals, with exhibits covering everything from local South Carolina wildlife to sharks, sea turtles and alligators. One of the highlights is the Sea Turtle Care Center, where you can learn about the aquarium’s work rehabilitating injured sea turtles.

I particularly think this would be a good option for families with toddlers and younger children. It’s indoors, interactive and easy to combine with other attractions in the Historic District. I’d allow at least 1.5–2 hours for your visit here.

Enjoy Hampton Park

Hampton Park is another hidden gem that we found when we were exploring Charleston with our kids. I didn’t see this park recommended in any other guides; I just happened to see it on Google Maps!

It’s a beautiful park, and it was located fairly close to our Airbnb. When travelling with kids, I find it important to plan relaxed times in places they can explore freely.

I’m so pleased we went there. Not only is it extremely beautiful, but there’s a fun playground, and the trees are amazing fun for kids to climb on!

Take a Day Trip to Cypress Gardens

This is a real hidden gem in Charleston. It’s about a half-hour drive from the main city, and it was so worth it! We went here for my son’s fourth birthday. Cypress Gardens is a preserved area of wetlands and gardens, home to alligators. It’s also where the boating scene from the iconic film The Notebook was shot.

Tickets cost $10 per adult (free for under-6s and $5 for children under 17’s.) This includes a self-guided swamp boat ride, which we highly recommend.

We did the swamp tour and loved it! (Even I, a real city girl, enjoyed it!) Alligators do live in the swamp, but apparently, they rarely surface in cooler months, so we didn’t see any. The boat tour takes around 1.5 hours, but there is a shorter route if your kids aren’t feeling it.

Also in the gardens, there’s a large playground, a butterfly house and a ‘Swamparium’. You can find more information on the Cypress Gardens website. This was one of the best things to do in Charleston SC, with kids!

Spend a Day at Sullivan’s Island

If you’re visiting Charleston with kids during the warmer months, spending some time at the beach can be a lovely way to balance all the sightseeing. Sullivan’s Island is one of the beaches near Charleston that is worth considering for a family day out.

Unfortunately, during our trip (in November) it wasn’t ideal beach weather, so we just made a quick stop here to check it out. The beach at Sullivan’s Island is gorgeous, and we had a short but wonderful time playing there. In the summer months, this is a must-do on a Charleston family vacation.

Sullivan’s Island has a more laid-back feel than some of the busier beaches in the area, with a wide stretch of sandy beach that’s great for playing, paddling and enjoying a slower-paced day away from downtown Charleston.

Sullivan’s Island is around a 20–30 minute drive from the Historic District, depending on traffic, so you’ll generally want a car if you’re staying in downtown Charleston. There is limited public transport between the historic centre and the beach, so I wouldn’t recommend relying on it for a family beach day.

If you’re deciding between the beaches around Charleston, Folly Beach and Isle of Palms are also popular options for families. Sullivan’s Island is particularly appealing if you’d like to combine your beach time with exploring the nearby Mount Pleasant area.

If you’re visiting Charleston outside the summer months, you can still visit Sullivan’s Island for a walk along the beach and some fresh air, although swimming will obviously be much more weather-dependent.

We also did the Sullivan’s Island Nature Trail. This is just a short, 0.6-mile each-way walk through the woods. I wouldn’t say it was amazing, but it was a good trail for little kids; however, not stroller/pushchair friendly!

More Things to Do in Charleston With Kids

I am a firm believer that you don’t necessarily need to try and do everything, especially when travelling with younger children. So, we didn’t manage to visit everything during our time in Charleston. Here are some additional attractions in Charleston that we didn’t visit, but, they are popular options for families and could be worth adding to your itinerary if you have more time.

Visit Patriots Point

If your children are interested in history, ships or anything military-related, Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum is worth considering.

Located in Mount Pleasant, just across the Cooper River from downtown Charleston, Patriots Point is home to the USS Yorktown, a historic aircraft carrier that you can explore, along with other military exhibits and vessels.

There is a lot to see here, so I’d allow several hours if you want to explore properly. It’s particularly likely to appeal to older children who enjoy getting up close to historic ships and learning about life at sea.

Explore the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry

While we didn’t go to the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry, we have been to similar versions in other states. They are a great option if you’re visiting Charleston with younger children and want somewhere specifically designed for them to play, explore and learn.

The museum has a range of hands-on exhibits and activities aimed at children, making it a useful addition to your itinerary if you need a break from sightseeing.

This could also be a good option for a rainy day, particularly if you’re travelling with toddlers or younger children who need some time to play rather than look at exhibits.

Discover the Charleston Museum

The Charleston Museum is another thing to do in Charleston for families interested in learning more about the history and culture of the city and the wider Lowcountry region.

Established in 1773, it is considered America’s first museum and has collections covering natural history, decorative arts and Charleston’s past.

For families, look out for Kidstory, a hands-on gallery designed to make the museum’s collections more accessible and engaging for children.

Spend a Day at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens

Just outside Charleston, Magnolia Plantation & Gardens is another popular attraction to consider. We decided to visit Cypress Gardens instead but both places look great.

The historic plantation is particularly known for its beautiful gardens, which make it a good option for families who enjoy being outdoors. There are also walking trails, wildlife and other attractions across the estate, so you can easily spend several hours exploring.

FAQs About Visiting Charleston with Kids

Final Thoughts on Visiting Charleston With Kids

Charleston is a wonderful destination for a family trip, particularly if you’re looking for somewhere that offers more than just traditional children’s attractions.

We loved being able to explore the beautiful historic streets, stop for good food and coffee, visit parks and playgrounds and spend time outdoors, while still having plenty of things for our children to enjoy. It really felt like a destination where the whole family could have a great time, rather than one where every activity had to be centred around the children.

If you’re visiting for the first time, I’d recommend allowing at least three full days in Charleston, with four or five days giving you more time to slow down and add a beach day or explore further afield.

For us, Cypress Gardens, Hampton Park and simply exploring the Historic District were some of the highlights of our trip. And with beaches, family attractions and plenty of green space nearby, there’s plenty to keep you busy if you’re travelling with younger children too.

I hope this guide has given you plenty of ideas for things to do in Charleston with kids and helps you plan a family trip that balances sightseeing with plenty of time to simply enjoy this beautiful South Carolina city.

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Thank you for reading this post on the best things to do in Charleston SC with kids. I hope you enjoy your trip to South Carolina as much as we did.

Happy Exploring,