23 Can’t Miss Hidden Gems in Charleston

Charleston is one of South Carolina’s most popular city break destinations thanks to its fascinating colonial history and elegant heritage architecture.

There are plenty of popular historic sites and attractions to explore but if you prefer to wander away from the beaten path, you might be curious about the lesser-known sights that the Charleston area has to offer. Here are 23 of the city’s best hidden gems to help you escape the crowds.

1. Marion Square

• Address: 329 Meeting St, Charleston, SC
• Website: charleston-sc.gov/facilities/facility/details/Marion-Square-83
• Opening Hours: 24/7

Marion Square, known by locals as Charleston’s ‘Central Park’, is a six-acre grassy area that lies between Meeting Street and King Street at the heart of Downtown Charleston. It’s adorned with a fountain and several memorials and historic monuments. Take a peaceful break here while you’re wandering around the historic district.

2. Saltwater Cycle

• Address: 8 Ashley Point Dr, Charleston, SC
• Website: saltwatercycle.com

The Saltwater Cycle is a pedal boat that sets off from Ripley Light Marina. Bring your own booze and get ready to cycle your way through Charleston Harbor. This is an incredibly fun way of touring the Holy City, particularly if you’re visiting with a group of friends large enough to book out the entire 16-seat boat.

3. Hampton Park

• Address: 30 Mary Murray Dr, Charleston, SC
• Website: charleston-sc.gov
• Opening Hours: Sunrise – sunset daily

You can walk, cycle, skate, or sunbathe in Hampton Park which has extensive trails to explore and plenty of picnic tables. It’s renowned for its floral displays, which are carefully curated to ensure blooms year round. The park has restrooms, on-site parking, and even free WiFi.

4. Giant’s Causeway Pillar

One section of a basalt pillar from Northern Ireland’s Gaint’s Causeway found its way to Charleston in 1851, a decade after Irish immigrants began to arrive in Carolina. This quirky little attraction is steeped in both Irish folklore and Charleston history.

5. Charleston Bike Taxi

• Address: 1 Pinckney St, Charleston, SC
• Website: biketaxi.net

It’s easy to get around Downtown Charleston on foot, but if your legs need a break, hail a bike taxi instead. The eco-friendly pedicabs let you enjoy fantastic views as you’re chauffeured to your destination, and they often help you get there faster than a regular taxi as your rider can deftly skip the traffic.

6. Stede Bonnet Hanging Site

• Address: 2 Murray Blvd, Charleston, SC
• Website: charlestonparksconservancy.org/park-finder/white-point-garden
• Opening Hours: 9 am – sunset daily

Stede Bonnet was a notorious pirate who worked with the infamous Blackbeard in the early 1700s. He was outmatched by Colonel William Rhett in 1718 and led to the gallows to be publicly executed along with his crew. The so-called ‘Gentleman Pirate’ hanging site in White Point Garden remains marked by a stone.

7. Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site

• Address: 1500 Old Towne Rd, Charleston, SC
• Website: southcarolinaparks.com/charles-towne-landing
• Hours: April – October 9 am – 6 pm daily / November – March 9 am – 5 pm daily

Charles Towne Landing, which lies along the Ashley River, was Carolina’s first permanent settlement of English colonists, and when you visit today, you can discover how early settlers lived back in 1670.

There’s a museum to learn from, a replica boat on the marsh, and even a natural habitat zoo, which is home to indigenous, once-extinct Lowcountry species such as bison and pumas.

8. Macaulay Museum of Dental History

• Address: 177 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC
• Website: waring.library.musc.edu/exhibits/macaulay
• Hours: 10 am – 4 pm Monday to Friday

This quirky museum offers fascinating insights into the evolution of modern dentistry for fans of medical history. It features a huge collection of dental instruments collected by Dr. Neill W. Macaulay.

9. Old City Jail

• Address: 21 Magazine St, Charleston, SC
• Website: bulldogtours.com/tours/charleston-haunted-jail-tour
• Opening Hours: 7 pm – 10 pm daily

The Old City Jail was built in 1802, and for over 100 years, it held thousands of criminals and Civil War POWs. Some inmates were hanged for their offenses here, while others died of disease or natural causes. It’s said that many souls remain tethered to the building, which is considered one of the most haunted properties in Charleston.

10. Cyprus Gardens

• Address: 3030 Cypress Gardens Rd, Moncks Corner, SC
• Website: cypressgardens.berkeleycountysc.gov
• Opening Hours: 9 am – 5 pm daily

This beautiful blackwater swamp was featured in the beloved Hollywood romance movie The Notebook. You can recreate that iconic rowing boat scene when you rent a boat, or if you’re happy to forgo the romance, you could hire a local guide to tell you about the area’s native wildlife instead.

11. Unitarian Church Cemetery

• Address: 8 Archdale St, Charleston, SC
• Website: charlestonuu.org/tours
• Opening Hours: 9 am – 2 pm daily

The Unitarian Church was originally built in 1772 which means some of the graves in its cemetery are more than 200 years old. There are many spooky stories about the souls said to reside here. One of them centers around Annabel Lee, the subject of Edgar Allen Poe’s renowned poem of the same name.

12. Mount Pleasant Pier

• Address: 71 Harry M. Hallman Jr Blvd, Mt Pleasant, SC
• Website: www.ccprc.com/1171/Mount-Pleasant-Pier
• Opening Hours: 7 am – 10 pm daily

Mount Pleasant lies just over Arthur Ravenel Bridge, and its 1250-foot-long pier offers fantastic views of Charleston Harbor. The pier has swings, rocking chairs, picnic tables, fishing equipment rentals, and a snack bar.

13. The Tavern at Rainbow Row

• Address: 120 E Bay St, Charleston, SC
• Website: charlestonspirits.com
• Opening Hours: 10 am – 8 pm Sunday to Wednesday / 10 am – 9 pm Friday & Saturday

The Tavern at Rainbow Row is the oldest liquor store in America and was marked as a seafarer’s tavern on hand-drawn maps that date back to 1686. Although its name has changed countless times over the centuries, the tavern has continued to serve alcohol ever since — even during Prohibition.

Be sure to swing by to sample local and rare spirits when you visit the iconic Rainbow Row.

14. The Powder Magazine Museum

• Address: 79 Cumberland St, Charleston, SC
• Website: powdermagazinemuseum.org
• Opening Hours: 10 am – 4 pm Tuesday to Sunday

The Powder Magazine was completed in 1713 and served as a storage facility for gunpowder until the end of the Revolutionary War. Since then, it has been a livery stable, a print shop, a wine cellar, and a carriage house. Today, it houses a museum that outlines the building’s heritage and shares insights into the early history of Charleston.

15. French Huguenot Church

• Address: 136 Church Street Charleston, SC
• Website: huguenot-church.org
• Opening Hours: Sunday Worship at 10.30 am

French Huguenot Church is one of the French Quarter’s most impressive landmarks. Finished in 1845, it was the first Gothic Revival structure erected in Charleston. Fans of great architecture will appreciate its intricate stonework, ironwork, and ornamented windows. Drop by for the Sunday service to see the space at its best.

16. Gateway Walk

• Address: Start at St John’s Lutheran Church, 5 Clifford St, Charleston, SC
• Website: thegardenclubofcharleston.org/gateway-walk

The Gateway Walk was created by The Garden Club of Charleston in 1930, and it was designed to encourage people to wander through some of the beautiful gardens and graveyards that can be found throughout the city. It’s named as such because the trail passes through many traditional wrought iron gates.

17. Charleston’s Hidden Alleyways

Philadelphia Alley, Longitude Lane, and Stoll’s Alley all began life as shortcuts between established streets, but over time, properties were built along them, and they became public streets. There’s no better way to wander off the beaten path on a walking tour of Downtown than to hunt out these alleys, which offer fantastic shade on hot summer days.

18. Poogan’s Porch

• Address: 72 Queen St, Charleston, SC
• Website: poogansporch.com
• Opening Hours: Brunch 9 am – 3 pm daily / Dinner 4.30 pm – 9.30 pm daily

Poogan’s is one of the oldest and most beloved eateries in Charleston. It’s one of the best places in the city to try delicious classic Southern dishes like she-crab soup, biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits, and buttermilk fried chicken.

19. Charleston Tea Garden

• Address: 6617 Maybank Hwy, Wadmalaw Island, SC
• Website: charlestonteagarden.com
• Opening Hours: 10 am – 4 pm daily

The Charleston Tea Plantation lies on Wadmalaw Island, west of Johns Island. It played a vital role in the propagation of American-grown tea in the 1960s, and today, you can take a tour of the factory to learn about the history of tea in America and how it’s processed.

Admission is free, but there’s a fee for the scenic trolley ride, which transports you around the 127-acre plantation. If you plan to drive out here, be sure to drop by the impressive Angel Oak, a huge live oak tree thought to be between 300 and 400 years old.

20. Charles Pinckney National Historic Site

• Address: 1254 Long Point Rd, Mt Pleasant, SC
• Website: nps.gov/chpi/index.htm
• Opening Hours: 9 am – 5 pm Wednesday to Sunday

Charles Pinckney National Historic Site is the remains of a plantation that once belonged to its namesake, an American Founding Father. It is not as renowned or grand as the likes of Boone Hall, Magnolia Plantation, or Mcleod Plantation, but it shares fascinating insights into the life of Charles Pinckney and his contributions to the US Constitution.

21. Morris Island Lighthouse

Morris Island Lighthouse lies north of popular Folly Beach on James Island. It is no longer in operation having been replaced by Charleston Light on nearby Sullivan’s Island, but it remains a striking landmark. You can even take a kayak, paddleboard, or boat tour out to Morris Island for a close-up look at the 161-foot lighthouse, which dates back to 1876.

22. Beachwalker Park

• Address: 8 Beachwalker Drive, Kiawah Island, SC
• Website: ccprc.com/1411/Kiawah-Beachwalker-Park
• Opening Hours: April – September 9 am – sunset daily / October – March 10 am – sunset daily

Kiawah Island is a good 50-minute drive from Charleston city center, which makes its Beachwalker Park one of the county’s best-kept secrets. Crowds are smaller here than at other Charleston beaches, but the facilities are just as good.

There are lifeguards, showers, restrooms, changing rooms, and chair and umbrella rentals. Look out for dolphins feeding in the Kiawah River.

23. Pitt Street Bridge

• Address: 100 Ann Edwards Lane, Mt Pleasant, SC
• Website: experiencemountpleasant.com/pitt-street-bridge

The pedestrianized Pitt Street Bridge offers scenic views over marshes and Charleston Harbor. It was once the sole passageway between Mount Pleasant and Sullivan’s Island, having started life as a plank bridge built on barrels before the Revolutionary War. For many years, it was a trolley bridge; the, it was replaced with a vehicle bridge in 1927.

In 1945, the Ben Sawyer Bridge opened nearby, and traffic from the Pitt Street crossing was banned. Today, it’s one of the best places in Charleston for fishing and makes for a beautiful place for a stroll.

Explore Charleston’s Hidden Gems On Your Next Visit

These are some of Charleston’s best secret spots and eclectic attractions. Which ones will you discover on your next visit to this fascinating city?