5 Memorable Things to Do in Charleston, SC

We had planned to navigate Gulliver to Charleston, South Carolina, with Tagalong in tow. But when the weather forecast called for rain, we decided to leave Tagalong behind in Virginia and rent a house in Charleston through Vrbo for five nights. We wanted to explore the city before boarding a cruise ship to the Bahamas. 

Charleston is a historical locale with varied architectural styles, delicious cuisine, and a beautiful waterfront offering plentiful activities. Friends Jim and Jenny climbed into Gulliver with us for a seven-hour ride that included a stop at our first Buc-ees, an overwhelming experience. Upon arrival at our destination, we found five memorable things to do in Charleston.

1. Tour a Military Ship or 2

Aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, a veteran of WWII and Vietnam, is proudly perched on the Cooper River in the heart of the city. Part of the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum, she’s a beauty to behold. 

Wanting an up-close view, we paid about $30 each and spent five hours exploring the ins and outs of the ship. Four clearly marked tours allow visitors to guide themselves up and down the many ladders and through the narrow corridors where those who fought for our freedom walked and lived. We saw the engine room, bridge, catapult room, sick bay, brig, captain’s quarters, crew berths, galley, and much more.

The ship features a collection of about 20 aircraft that span its flight deck and main deck, including an F-4 Phantom, an F-14 Tomcat, a Corsair, a TBM Avenger, and a B-25. In addition, the ship displays a replica of a space capsule in commemoration of the role it played in retrieving the astronauts and capsule from the Apollo 8 NASA mission.

For those who want more to explore, the museum also includes a destroyer ship. USS Laffey is the most decorated WWII ship that still exists, according to the museum. Having visited the USS Alabama battleship in Mobile about a month earlier, we opted not to tour the destroyer.

2. Be Part of a Flag Raising

One of Charleston’s biggest claims to fame is Fort Sumter, where the first shots were fired in the Civil War. Visitors can take a 30-minute ferry ride for $37 per person from Patriots Point or from downtown to investigate what’s left of the fort. If you take the first ferry of the day from Liberty Square in downtown, you can participate in a flag-raising ceremony. 

We took advantage of that option on Memorial Day, boarded a three-deck boat, and found seats at the back of the top deck. En route with the wind in our faces, national park rangers and volunteers regaled us with historical details about the site. 

After reaching it, we walked through a gated opening in the brick wall around the fort, got up close to cannons and what’s left of the brick walls, and toured a museum there. The best part was watching in amazement as a gigantic flag ascended a pole to fly proudly over the fort, an achievement that took about 30 to 40 volunteers.

3. Go on a Downtown Adventure

To get a closer look at the city’s architecture, you can participate in a self-led scavenger hunt. We purchased the Charleston adventure through Urban Adventure Quest for $49 and were not disappointed. 

Starting at the Four Corners of Law — a unique intersection that houses four buildings representing federal, state, city, and religious law — the quest led us through the city to various points of interest. We navigated to an 1800s bell tower, a couple of cemeteries, a museum displaying a replica of the H.L. Hunley submarine with a storied past, the waterfront, and Rainbow Row.

We enjoyed learning about the history of the area while solving puzzles to find clues to our next destinations, a three-hour ordeal, including a stop for ice cream at Off Track.

4. Visit a Plantation

Charleston is home to more than 300 expansive plantations full of interesting artifacts. Bob, Jim, and Jenny toured the Boone Hall Plantation one morning while I worked. They returned with beautiful photos of foliage and loads of intriguing facts. One of the most interesting facts: For how much of an oak tree you see above ground, there’s an equal amount under the ground.​

​Founded in 1861, this particular plantation provides a live presentation of the Gullah culture, a subgroup of African-Americans who live in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina and Georgia. Unlike most plantations, this one is still home to a resident and is a working farm. Guests can take a tractor tour around the 738 acres and go inside the plantation house.
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5. Bring Out Your Inner Child

In the middle of a half-mile rotary in North Charleston sits the largest inclusive park in the world. Aptly named Park Circle Playground, it offers activities for all ages and abilities, including those with autism, sight and hearing impairments, and Down syndrome. It’s a safe space surrounded by a short fence, with rubbery ground and overhead shades.

​We spent probably an hour there trying out the various equipment, seesawing, swinging, “ziplining,” climbing a rock wall, and taking a stab at “American Ninja Warrior”-type training equipment. It’s an amazing place to visit. 

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