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For my husband’s birthday and before summer’s busy season came around, we decided to take a quick vacation up the coast to the charming city of Charleston, South Carolina. This 3 day Charleston itinerary has all the best activities to fill your three days in Charleston with fun, history and good food!

This was our first family vacation since having my baby. We brought Roman along and had so much fun making family memories. That said, Roman is only four months old and we definitely had to adjust our travel style to travel with a baby. I will be adding my tips for visiting Charleston, SC with a baby throughout the post in case any of you are in the same boat!

Charleston was the perfect weekend getaway because it was relaxing and fun but there was still plenty to do. In fact there is more than enough to do to fill three days so to make the most of your short time in Charleston, SC I recommend grouping your things to do by location whenever possible.

One thing I will note is that our hotel provided breakfast so we only ate out once for breakfast. I like to find hotels that offer breakfast to cut down on the cost of eating out when we travel! Here is our Charleston itinerary for a three day vacation.

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Day 1: Plantations and More

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

We started our vacation in Charleston by visiting one of the many plantation-turned-museums in the area. Charleston and the surrounding area is steeped in history surrounding slavery, the deep south and key american historical events. Visiting a plantation can give you a picture of what life was like back then.

It costs $20 per person for basic admission and $8 per tour. There are several tour options but the house toured the slavery to freedom tour peaked my interest the most.

We chose to visit Magnolia Plantation; one of the most popular plantations in the area. I felt it was a great choice. First thing after purchasing our tickets we visited the small zoo on the property. There are small local animals like snakes, alligators, and groundhogs to look at. There are also animals like peacocks, chicken, deer and goats walking around that you can feed with the food you can purchase for $0.25 cents. Outside the gate there are also small horses in a pen that you can pet and visit with.

Afterwards we were hungry so we ate at the Peacock Cafe on site. We both had the pulled pork sandwich which was good but nothing special. The cafe is overpriced for what you get but the food was good, just not great. I would recommend bringing your own food in to save money. 

After eating we spent a long while walking around the house and grounds. The gardens were absolutely beautiful. The grounds are HUGE so this can take as long or as short of a time as you want. It was Roman’s nap time so we walked for a long ways while he slept.

More Charleston Plantation Options:

• Boone Hall Plantation
• Drayton Hall
• Mcleod Plantation
• Middleton Place

Angel Oak Tree

After the Plantation (and a quick stop at Target to get diapers) we headed about 20 minutes southeast to visit the Angel Oak Tree. The Angel Oak is a 400+ year old tree with a very impressive set of branches.

The tree is completely free to visit and can be a fun place to let kids run around. They won’t be able to play on the tree as it is a protected landmark with hollow branches that could break. However there are picnic tables and open spaces where you could eat a picnic and kids can play.

Dinner at Pearlz Oyster House

Since Charleston is on the coast seafood is everywhere! Great if you are a seafood lover like my husband, maybe not as exciting if you’re not a fan of seafood like myself. Since this trip was for my husband’s birthday he chose to have oysters as his birthday meal.

He really enjoyed the oysters at Pearlz Oyster House and we both loved their broccoli slaw. I wasn’t a huge fan of my fried chicken sandwich, but I never have high hopes for non seafood options at seafood restaurants. 

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Day 2: Downtown Charleston

Walk the Streets of Charleston

Day two of this Charleston itinerary was probably my favorite of our three days in Charleston. We spent the morning walking through the downtown area. This is where all the historic homes, local parks and museums are located. Many of Charleston’s most iconic places to visit like King Street, Queen Street, Waterfront Park and Rainbow Row are located in the city center and are all within walking distance of each other.

Waterfront Park is home to the iconic Pineapple Fountain which is a great spot to start your second day before it gets too crowded. The pier inside the park offers great views over Charleston Harbor. Then just down the street a short way is Rainbow Row which is a great spot to snag a couple pictures.

Make sure you turn down many different streets to see all the colorful charming historic homes. Visit King St. and Queen St. for great shopping and restaurants. And keep your eye out for the steeples of the 400+ churches that line the streets of Charleston, many of which you are free to visit.

Eat Lunch at Bertha’s Kitchen

Now that you’ve worked up an appetite it is time to eat lunch. Or if it’s the weekend then enjoy the brunch menu runs through lunch hours at many restaurants. Just make sure that you make a reservation first if a restaurant allows it. We didn’t and we were quoted wait times of 2+ hours. We decided to drive twelve minutes out of Central Downtown to Bertha’s Kitchen.

Great choice! There was no wait time and we got true southern food served by the kindest people. The food is served cafeteria style and you can eat it at their upstairs tables, outside dining or take it to go. I loved their red rice, the green beans and baked chicken. Robin got shrimp and okra soup he loved. And the sweet potato dessert was one of the best things I ate all trip.

Plus the servings were big and overall a great price for what you got. I can’t say the same for the other places we were considering.

If you decide not to drive options I wanted to try are: Husk, Eli’s Table, and Toast.

Visit a Museum or Two

After lunch we visited the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon museum which worked out perfectly because it started raining. The Old Exchange is one of four historic buildings still remaining where the United States Constitution was ratified. Many great men and women have walked its halls.

It also has a darker past such as being part of the slave trade. This was one location in town where slaves were bought and sold. The basement level was the city’s “dungeon” or prison for a while. Your ticket includes a short tour of the dungeon and our tour guide did a great job telling the rich history of the dungeon (it served as a military prison at one point) and the conditions and various uses it has been through.

Other museums I hope to visit in future visits are the Old Slave Mart Museum to learn more about the history of slavery in the area, the Maritime Museum to tour the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier and the Charleston Museum which includes a couple of historic homes. History buffs will have no shortage of places to explore in this beautiful city.

Charleston City Market

Next we headed up the street to visit the Historic Charleston City Market. Here there are many shopping stalls filled with souvenirs, small business wares and crafts along with a few food stalls.

I picked up my staple keychain souvenir that I collect from every place we visit and enjoyed looking at all the other goods.

Next door to the market was Savannah’s Candy Kitchen of Charleston where we stopped in and grabbed some delicious truffles and free praline samples!

BBQ for Dinner

After taking a quick nursing break at our car (I would have just nursed on a park bench to enjoy the city more but it was raining) we headed to dinner. We both enjoy BBQ and I had read good things about Charleston’s BBQ and knew it had to be on our Charleston 3 day itinerary. We ate at Poogan’s Smokehouse because of its great downtown location. Not to be confused with Poogan’s Porch another popular restaurant.

I really enjoyed the ribs and pulled pork while Robin’s favorite was the smoked sausage. I would definitely eat here again but in full transparency I did not think Charleston’s BBQ was as good as Kansas Cities or Dallas’. (Shrug Emoji)

Dessert, Duh

And finally to finish off our full day of exploring we stopped at Carmella’s Cafe and Dessert Bar. I had a classic cookie sandwich which had vanilla gelato inside edible cookie dough squares. It was delicious. Robin had a yummy fruit smoothie.

There is something for everyone here. From small sharable cakes to dessert cocktails they have a wide variety of desserts and sweet treats. Definitely worth stopping by.

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• A Locals Guide on What to Do in Kansas City, Missouri
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• Day Trip to Anna Maria Island from Tampa, FL

Day 3: Beach Day near Charleston

Duck Donuts

I had a craving for donuts so before heading out for the day we stopped by Duck Donuts to grab a few for breakfast. I have never been but it is a chain located throughout the southeast.

You can customize what is on each donut or choose an option from their menu of popular combinations. Then they fry each donut fresh in front of you. When you get them they are warm and absolutely delicious.

We tried lemon glaze with raspberry drizzle, powdered, strawberry cheesecake, and maple bacon with caramel drizzle! Each one tasted so good!!

Folly Beach

There are some beautiful beaches outside the city so for or our final day in Charleston we headed to Folly Beach for a beach day. The beach is only a 30 minute drive outside of Charleston and the small beach town is very fun to visit.

Parking cost us $20 a day which is a little pricey in my opinion since we were only staying from 11-3. It’s a more acceptable price if you really are spending the entire day there though.

The beach was nice with golden brown sand and a few waves that were great for playing in. Since it was chilly when we went due to rain we didn’t get in but I bet the cool water feels great on a hot summer day. Nobody seemed to mind the crowds and we had a good time anyways. It is a great place to bring a chair (or rent one there) and relax on the sand.

Eat Lunch

Next we headed into town to grab a bite to eat. We ended up choosing Snapper Jacks and really enjoyed it. I had the fried chicken tacos and Robin ate the oysters rockefeller and the maryland style shrimp. He even said the oysters were better than at Pearlz from out first day!

They have indoor seating as well as rooftop and bar seating and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Pineapple Whip Treat

The last thing we did before heading home was visit The Pineapple Hut to try their pineapple whip. Whether you are heading home or back to the beach this refreshing treat is worth the line you’re going to have to wait in to get it! We splurged on the Paradise whip which is the dole whip served in a half pineapple with pineapple chunks. The dole whip is perfectly creamy and really all around the perfect beach treat.

I only wish they hadn’t run out of their raspberry flavor so that I could have tried both. They are just that good though I guess. Next time!

Charleston Tours

If you would like to get some insider knowledge about Charleston, SC then a guided tour is a great way to learn more. This is a great activity to add to your three day Charleston itinerary. Luckily for you there are a lot of tours to choose from so one is sure to fit your interests. Two in particular that sound fun are the Historic City Highlights tour which is a 90 minute walking tour which hits some of the best places all over town that are full of history. The other is a haunted ghost tour which will show you some of the spookiest spots in town!

How Many Days to Spend in Charleston

This was a three day Charleston itinerary and a long weekend was a great amount of time to spend in South Carolina. However, we didn’t have enough time to do everything I wanted to and I would love to go back some day to catch everything we missed.

I think 4-5 days would be the perfect amount of time to spend in Charleston to do just about everything you would want to. That said, it is a charming city with a lot to offer so if you took multiple weekend trips over the years you would not run out of new things to do and explore.

Getting to Lowcountry

To get to Charleston you can either fly into the Charleston International Airport or you can road trip into town.

We chose to drive from Tampa to Charleston and it was a six and a half hour drive. There was no traffic and it was a really smooth trip. I almost always prefer to drive when possible so that I have a car at my destination. We did this trip with our four month old son and he handled it like a champ. He only really got fussy for the last hour or so of the drive.

Getting Around Charleston, South Carolina

While in Charleston you are going to want a car for at least part of your trip especially if you follow this itinerary. The downtown charleston area is fairly compact and very easily walkable but many activities like the plantations and the beach require a car to get there.

There is a free DASH trolley provided by the city as well that is a great way to get around the downtown area. Between the trolley and walking you don’t need a car if your hotel is in the downtown area and if you plan on staying around central downtown.

If you want to visit other areas like the plantations or your hotel is further away then you will want to consider a car rental or perhaps a ride share app like Uber.

Best Restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina

In three days we couldn’t possibly eat at every restaurant in Charleston. But here is a list of some of the amazing options I wanted to try! Many of them require advanced reservations which we did not plan ahead and do, make sure you do though so you can add them to your three day Charleston itinerary. Another great way to try a lot of unique foods in a short time is a food tour!

• Magnolias
• Hot Little Biscuit
• The Grocery
• Husk
• Fig
• Grace & Grit
• Minero
• Swig & Swine BBQ
• Coastal Crust
• Circa 1886

Where to Stay When Visiting The Holy City

Staying in Charleston’s Historic District would be my first suggestion as it is centrally located and has many beautiful options to choose from. Staying downtown does come with a hefty price tag though so if your budget won’t allow it then I recommend looking slightly further out.

We stayed in West Ashley which is only a 15 minute drive outside of downtown but cut our cost significantly. We booked the Holiday Inn Express and I found it to be very clean, comfortable and the staff was awesome! They had several measures in place for the COVID virus so everyone felt totally comfortable. They also offered free parking and continental breakfast which helped us save money while traveling.

The Best Time to Visit Charleston

We visited in the spring at the end of April. The weather was good although we did run into some rain. I wish we had been able to visit two weeks earlier when we had originally planned to visit because we just missed all the blooms at the plantation and the wisteria blooms downtown.

Spring is a great time to visit to see flowers blooming, enjoy spring and beat the summer heat!

Facts and Tips For Visiting Charleston

Facts:

• Charleston is home to the Charleston Museum which is the oldest museum in the US.
• Charleston used to often be attacked by pirates, including the infamous Black Beard himself.

Tips:

• Many buildings throughout the Historic district have plaques detailing when they were built and facts about notable people who lived in them or what the building used to be used for. Keep an eye out as you explore!
• There are several cobblestone streets and many of the sidewalks are made of large pavers, bricks or gravel. Plus the shops and restaurants can be small. I recommend using a baby carrier instead of a stroller while visiting Charleston, SC with an infant or toddler.
• Parking can be expensive and hard to find, if you are visiting in the evening or on the weekend the Wells Fargo Bank parking lot is free and not too busy.

Charleston Itinerary

I hope you found this Charleston itinerary for three days in Charleston, SC with a baby (or without) helpful to planning your trip! Charleston is one of America’s most historical cities with so much to do and see. It is a great place to visit for a girls weekend or a couples getaway and we loved it for a family vacation.

Safe travels and let me know if you have any questions or suggestions!