HOW TO SPEND TWO DAYS IN CHARLESTON WITH KIDS
After our son returned from serving two years in Afghanistan, we decided to road trip with him as he moved to his new duty station in North Carolina. We thought we’d take the long way back to Dallas stopping in Charleston, Savannah, Atlanta and visiting some Civil Rights locations in Alabama that have been on our list for a very long time.
Charleston turned out to be a perfect stop for us for two days. The city is fairly compact and I would dare say if you fly in, you could get away with not needing a rental car if you stay in the historic city center. Charleston is one of the most beautiful cities in the United States filled with so much history and charm. While two days isn’t enough to see it all, our guide will let you hit the highlights!
HOW TO GET HERE
Charleston is located in coastal South Carolina and has a large airport that is serviced by all major U.S. airline carriers. Our stop in Charleston was part of a six state road trip and if you’re driving I highly recommend pairing your trip with a stop in Savannah which is just two hours away!
We used points to stay free at the Hyatt Place Charleston
WHERE TO STAY
Hyatt Place Charleston Historic District - The hotel is located in the Upper King Historic District and just a short walk to the French Quarter and Battery. It is adjoining the Hyatt House hotel and both hotels share a large dining room for breakfast and rooftop bar and indoor pool.
Standard award nights book for 12k points/night for a two queen plus sofa bed room
Full breakfast
Valet parking is $32/day with in and out privileges. There is a city owned parking garage next door.
We booked two nights here using our annual free night certificates from holding the World of Hyatt Credit Card (click: Category>hotel). My husband and I each had one to use. The cash rate at the time of booking was $437 a night. Every year we renew our card and pay the $95 annual fee, we get a free night that we can use at any Category 4 Hyatt. So, we basically paid $95 a night for a $437 room. I love miles and points!
Other points hotels in the area great for families are:
Hyatt House Charleston Historic District - As I mentioned above, this property is connected to the Hyatt Place and they share common spaces including parking, checking, dining room, pool, etc. Rooms are different here as they have a full kitchen and I couldn’t find rooms that fit five.
Standard award nights book for 15k points/night for a king room plus soft and full kitchen
Free Breakfast
Valet parking is $32/day with in and out privileges. There is a city owned parking garage next door.
Courtyard Charleston Historic District - This Marriott property is located in the heart of the historic city center and kids will love that it has an outdoor pool. Cash rates start at over $400/ night so this is a great place to use your 50k night award if you hold the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card.
Standard award night books for 48k points for a two queen room
On-site restaurant
Parking: Valet $37 a day
Embassy Suites Charleston Historic District - I’m including this one because it’s in a great location and I love Embassy Suites for family trips. This hotel has an outdoor pool as well. You can earn Hilton points from several cards like the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Standard award night books at 70k points a night for a 2 room suite - 1 king bed, separate living room and wet bar with mini fridge, microwave and coffeemaker
Free made to order breakfast
Complimentary evening reception
Self parking is $25 a day
GETTING AROUND
Most of the main sights are walkable if you are staying in the historic district. For sights that are further apart, just hop on the DASH which is a FREE Hop on Hop off shuttle that has three different routes from one end of the historic district to the other. You can locate the route maps here. To access the beaches, plantations and Cypress Gardens you will need a car.
THINGS TO SEE AND DO
Explore! We did a lot of walking on this trip. Stroll down King Street and explore the shops, visit the Old Exchange (one of the three most historic Colonial Public Buildings in the United States!) and charming Philadelphia Alley (a forming dueling site). Every street is lined with the famous Palmetto palms - a feast for the eye
Fort Sumter - The first shots of the Civil War were fired from here on April 12, 1861. Located in Charleston Harbor, only accessible by boat. Admission to Fort Sumter is free, but you must purchase a ticket for the boat ride/tour. Once you’re on the island, I highly recommend taking the ten minute Ranger led tour to start your visit.
Rainbow Row - A series of 17 pastel colored Georgian houses located at 83-107 East Bay St and made Instagram famous several years ago. I suggest visiting twice, once during the day and again at dusk when the flames of the gas lamps are flickering.
Pineapple Fountain - Another Instagram famous spot. Located in the gorgeous Joe Riley Waterfront park . It was over 90 degrees when we visited and the fountain was full of kids splashing around. Parking was very difficult to find so I suggest getting here by free shuttle!
One of the many antebellum homes along Battery Park
Battery Park - This large park situated above the seawall of the harbor is a perfect place to start your Antebellum mansion walk. Parking is free. Walk along and up the Battery wall to admire the huge homes
Cypress Gardens - A 180 acre preserve and gardens, the center piece is the 80 acre blackwater swamp with huge moss covered cypress trees. Arrive early or in the evening to avoid the heat of the day if you’re visiting in the summer
Boone Hall Plantation - With a strong focus on the life of the enslaved, we chose to visit this plantation and spent the majority of our time listening to presentations and videos about what life on the plantation was like for the enslaved. There is a row of nine former slave cabins that are full of photos, stories and videos detailing the history of the black person and Gullah culture. A bright spot was driving down the Avenue of the Oaks, prepared to be amazed.
Charleston City Market - Built in the 1800’s, it’s one of the older public markets in the United States. This is a great place to escape the heat of the day and support local artisans and small business owners.
The beach - We always try to do something that kids would like and after walking and sightseeings, we were all on board to spend a couple of hours at the beach. We ended up at the Isle of Palms about 30 minutes from downtown Charleston. We stopped in to a local Target, bought some towels and sand buckets and headed out. It was so fun and we got to watch the sunset on the beach.
Angel Oak - This was a little bit outside of town, but totally worth seeing. In the middle of a small public park sits a 400 year old live oak with branches that spread onto the ground 80 feet long. It’s quite a sight to see! If you have a car, put this one on your list!
Carriage Ride - This is one of the most popular things to do in Charleston, but I must admit I was really on the fence about doing this. We had never done a carriage ridge before and I was really concerned about the heat and the condition of the horses. We did last minute research and found a carriage company that reports that they give their horses breaks, take their temperatures, etc. and we made the decision to do it. Because there are so many horse pull carriage companies in Charleston, they have divided the historic district by routes. You have no idea which route your carriage will be on until you are on board and the driver pulls up to the “lottery window” where they are handed the route they’ll take. Ours was not the route that goes down to Battery Park by the mansions, but it was very interesting. In the future, we would avoid the horse carriage ride and do a walking tour of the area.
GOOD TO KNOW
It’s hot! Charleston is hot and sticky. If you’re visiting in the summer, make sure to head out early and wear sunscreen, light clothing and a hat.
Wear comfortable shoes. Walking on cobblestones in shoes with any kind of heel is no fun. Keep this in mind as you head out for the day.
Parking - Parking is tough here! I recommend leaving your car at the hotel and walking or riding the free shuttle as much as possible. Another tip is to research the public parking garage locations ahead of time so you don’t end up driving around and around.
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