Charleston Off the Beaten Path: Hidden Gems Only Locals Know
Most people come to Charleston, eat at a few great restaurants, do some shopping on King Street, and call it a trip. And I get it. The food scene alone makes a trip to Charleston worth it.
But, if that’s all you do, you’ve barely scratched the surface of the complicated and fascinating city.
Jason and I have been coming to Charleston for years. We’ve stayed at the Charleston Place hotel since back when it was the Belmond. We love this city. And we still find something new every single time, because Charleston is one of those places with stories built into every street corner, every alleyway, every building facade, if you know where to look.
This is the post for people who want to know where to look. Consider it your guide to Charleston off the beaten path. We’re finding the hidden gems in Charleston SC that most visitors don’t know to look for.
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What the Tourists Miss in Downtown Charleston
The Charleston Place Courtyard
Tucked behind The Charleston Place hotel is a beautiful little courtyard that reminds me of the secret gardens of some of the stately homes South of Broad street. Only this one is open to the public.
You don’t have to be a guest at The Charleston Place to enjoy a break from the chaos of King and Market Streets. Grab a coffee from Community Perk or a glass of wine from The Thoroughbred Club inside.
The hotel calls its lobby “Charleston’s living room”, so I guess this would be Charleston’s secret garden.
Philadelphia Alley
Philadelphia Alley is one of Charleston’s oldest pass-through streets, connecting Queen and Cumberland Streets. On its own, it’s just a quiet cobblestone alley. But the history is what makes it worth the detour.
The year was 1786 and a 22-year-old poet and physician named Joseph Brown Ladd was known throughout Charleston for whistling as he made his rounds. A newcomer to Charleston, he had quickly risen in society’s ranks becoming popular among the wealthy.
Jealous of his friend’s new place in society, Ralph Isaacs lashed out against Ladd accusing him of being a scoundrel (tough words in those days). He challenged Ladd to a duel, supposedly held in Philadelphia Alley.
Dr. Ladd aimed high on purpose to miss his one time friend. Isaacs did not, shooting Ladd in the knee. Lad died a few days later from the infection. Locals say that on quiet nights you can still hear Ladd’s whistling in the alley.
Whether or not that’s true, this is the only spot in Charleston with a historical marker that acknowledges that the property may be haunted.
Want to Go Deeper Into Charleston’s Dark History?
Charleston’s ghost tours take you through many of the same streets and stories we’ve been talking about. A few worth booking:
- Ghost & Graveyard Night Tour After-hours access to Charleston’s oldest cemetery, graveyard hauntings, voodoo, and botched burials.
- Ghost and Dungeon Walking Tour Includes entry to the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon, one of Charleston’s most haunted buildings.
- Ghosts of Charleston with Unitarian Church Graveyard — After-hours graveyard access plus a walking tour of haunted downtown. Departs from Buxton Books on King Street.
Get Lost SOB
SOB is what locals call the neighborhood south of Broad Street, and it’s not an insult. This is where Charleston’s oldest and most significant homes are.
Most visitors see Charleston’s oldest residential area from one of the many carriage tours. And those are great! Tour guides can give you insights into Charleston’s history that you wouldn’t necessarily get on your own.
But, the downside to seeing this neighborhood from a passing tour is that you can miss some of the details that can only be seen close up. For that reason, I recommend you walk the area even if you also do a carriage tour.
The architecture is stunning up close. Look for the wrought iron gates, fences, balcony railings. The detail in that ironwork is extraordinary and you have to be standing right in front of it to appreciate it.
And keep an eye out for the half addresses, little numbers like 14½, tucked beside full addresses on the street. Those are the old outbuildings, kitchens and carriage houses from the 1700s and 1800s, that were eventually converted into their own residences.
There are no shops or restaurants down here. Just streets that have looked more or less the same since the 1700s. Stop to read the historical markers on the homes in between taking Instagram pics. Just be respectful that this is a neighborhood and locals do actually live in these homes.
Want Someone to Show You What to Look For?
The architecture in this neighborhood is genuinely worth a guided tour. A local expert will catch details you’d walk right past on your own.
- History, Homes and Architecture Walking Tour Covers SOB, the French Quarter, Rainbow Row and the Battery with a licensed guide.
- Charleston Alleys and Hidden Passages Tour Includes Philadelphia Alley and several other hidden spots most visitors never find. Small group.
Redux Contemporary Art Center
Most visitors to Charleston experience the arts through its museums and galleries. Redux Contemporary Art Center on King Street is something a little different. It’s a working studio space where local artists actually create, alongside free rotating exhibitions that showcase Charleston’s contemporary art scene.
The Redux Center gives you some insight into Charleston’s creative culture that a traditional gallery never could. They also offer drop-in figure drawing classes if you want to do more than just look around.
→ READ NEXT: Where to Stay in Charleston SC: The Best Hotels Downtown ←
Skip the Big Names: Shop Local on Charleston’s King Street
So, King Street isn’t exactly hidden. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a Charleston guide that doesn’t point to King Street as the epitome of downtown Charleston’s charm.
But, beyond the designer names and mega stores like Anthropologie, Gucci, Tecovas, and JCrew, we think these these locally owned shops are the ones we keep going back to..
Croghan’s Jewel Box
Croghan’s is a family owned, classic jewelry store that has been on King Street for over 100 years. The pieces lean into a very Southern design sensibility. Their jewelry is elegant and classic, not trendy. I bought a gold bracelet here as a souvenir, which is something I do in cities I love. The staff is wonderful and the selection is extensive for such a small space.
Candlefish
A candle library with 100 different scents, all available to smell before you commit. Candlefish was founded right here in Charleston and it’s genuinely hard to walk out of here empty handed. They also offer candle making classes if you want to do more than shop.
George C. Birlant & Co
One of the oldest and most respected antique shops in the South, George C Birlant & Co celebrated 100 years of business in 2022. We stopped here while waiting for our table at 167 Raw next door.
Fair warning: This is not an inexpensive shop. The antiques are upscale and valuable. So, while we didn’t bring anything home, I did covet several things!
They also carry reproductions of the authentic Charleston Battery Benches that you see in parks around the Holy City. Each bench is custom made to order and would be a really cool souvenir.
Berlins
This menswear store has been dressing Charleston’s gentlemen in custom garments since 1883. Founded by Henry Berlinski, an immigrant who arrived in the US with $1.38 in his pocket, the shop has been family run by four generations with the same focus on style, taste, and quality. Berlin’s Women offers designers such as Halston, Paige, and Shoshanna.
Buxton Books
A locally owned independent bookstore at 160 King Street with a well curated selection, signed copies from local authors, and a staff that actually knows their inventory. Worth a stop even if you’re not a big reader.
One More Stop: Urban Outfitters
Yes, really! But, not for the shopping. You have to see the building even if you have zero interest in Urban Outfitters.
The building at 371 King Street opened in 1918 as the Garden Theatre, a vaudeville house that eventually became a cinema before closing in the 1970s. The original theater architecture is stunning and be sure to walk up to the balcony for the best view in the store.
Beyond Downtown: Charleston Off the Beaten Path
Park Circle
Most Charleston travel guides skip right past Park Circle, and we think that’s a mistake. This North Charleston neighborhood is about ten minutes from downtown and feels like a completely different city. It’s still walkable and full of genuinely good food and bars but without the downtown crowds.
The Tattooed Moose is how we found Park Circle. It was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives nearly 10 years ago. Back then it was a true dive bar in its original location.
When it moved to Park Circle, we followed. The Park Circle spot is obviously newer, but they’ve kept the feel and the duck club sandwich and duck fat fries that made us drive there in the first place are still on the menu.
While you’re there, East Montague Avenue is worth a wander. Stems and Skins is a James Beard nominated natural wine bar that Food and Wine Magazine called one of the most important in the country. EVO does wood fired pizza that locals swear by. And Commonhouse Aleworks has a great beer garden if you want to end the night outside.
→ READ NEXT: The Closest Beaches to Charleston SC ←
Ravenel Bridge
Everyone drives the Ravenel Bridge. But many visitors don’t know you can actually walk across it.
The bridge has a dedicated pedestrian and bike path called Wonders’ Way that runs the full 2.5 miles across. The views of Charleston Harbor from the top are the kind you can’t get any other way.
If you’re going in the summer, go early. There’s no shade on the bridge and it gets hot fast. We walk the Biloxi Bay Bridge in Ocean Springs in the morning for the same reason. Southern summer heat and humidity can be brutal.
Park on the Mount Pleasant side at Waterfront Park for the easiest access and free parking with restrooms. The downtown side has free parking off East Bay Street but no restrooms and a longer walk to the bridge entrance.
Either way, you can walk halfway to the top and turn back if the full five mile round trip isn’t your thing.
→ READ NEXT: 58 Best Things to Do in Charleston SC for Couples ←
Magnolia Cemetery
The history buried here reads like a who’s who of Charleston. According to one historian, you’ll find planters, politicians, military leaders, bootleggers, and even whorehouse madams. Basically, if they lived in Charleston in the past 150 years, they could be here.
Established in 1850 on the site of a former rice plantation, it’s 92 acres of Victorian era monuments, sculpture, and landscaping sitting on the banks of the Cooper River. It’s free and open daily.
Pick up a walking map at the superintendent’s office when you arrive. If you want a guided experience, Bulldog Tours offers a 90 minute nighttime walking tour with exclusive access. A portion of your ticket goes back into preserving the cemetery.
Charleston’s Plantations
No visit to Charleston is complete without spending time at one of its historic plantations. They are complicated, important, and worth visiting.
McLeod Plantation on James Island is the closest to downtown, about ten minutes away, and one of only two plantations in the country that tells the story primarily from the perspective of the enslaved people who lived and worked there. It is a powerful tour.
Boone Hall in Mount Pleasant is about fifteen minutes from downtown and is one of the most photographed plantations in America. The Avenue of Oaks alone is worth the drive, and their Gullah cultural program is one of the best in the area.
Ready to Book a Visit?
None of the plantations are far from downtown but having transportation included makes the day a lot easier.
- Boone Hall with Transportation 4.5 hours, pickup from the Charleston Visitor Center, includes the house tour and Gullah cultural presentation.
- Magnolia Plantation with Transportation — Full day, includes house tour, tram ride through the Audubon Swamp, and the Slavery to Freedom tour.
Cypress Gardens
Cypress Gardens is about 40 minutes outside of Charleston and worth the half day trip. The 175 acre blackwater swamp garden has been drawing visitors since 1932 and has served as a filming location for several movies including The Patriot and The Notebook.
You can explore miles of walking trails and boardwalks, take a swamp boat tour, or rent a rowboat and paddle through the same cypress lined waterways where several iconic Notebook scenes were filmed. The wildlife alone makes it worth the drive: herons, egrets, turtles, wood ducks, and yes, alligators.
Morris Island Lighthouse
The Morris Island Lighthouse has been standing at the entrance to Charleston Harbor since 1876. When it was built it was 1,200 feet from the water’s edge. Erosion has since separated it from the shore entirely and it now sits about 1,600 feet offshore.
You can’t access it by land, but you can see it clearly from the northeast tip of Folly Beach. On a clear day you can also spot it from the Fort Sumter ferry.
Guided Excursions to Get Close to Morris Island
- Morning Dolphin Boat Trip to Morris Island Depart from Folly Beach for a morning cruise to Morris Island with dolphin watching along the way.
- Sunset Dolphin Boat Tour to Morris Island Same route as the morning trip but timed for golden hour. Watch dolphins in the tidal creeks, see the lighthouse from the water, and catch the sunset over the Lowcountry.
- Morris Island Lighthouse Eco-Boat Tour Departs from Bowens Island, navigates the tidal creeks with a naturalist captain, and lands on Morris Island for an hour of beachcombing for shells, fossils, and shark teeth.
Charleston’s Local Beaches
Charleston’s beaches are close enough for an easy half day trip from downtown. Sullivan’s Island and Folly Beach are both within about 30 minutes, and Kiawah Island is about 45 minutes south. Each beach has a completely different personality.
Small Kitchens, Big Food
Charleston has no shortage of great restaurants. But these two are worth calling out specifically because they offer something most places don’t, the feeling that someone is cooking just for you.
R Kitchen
R Kitchen calls itself “a kitchen, not a restaurant” and its a true hidden gem restaurant in Charleston. Five courses, $70 a head, different every single night based on what the chef found that morning. You don’t see a menu before you arrive. You just show up, sit down, and eat whatever they feel like making.
The chefs cook right in front of you and they will talk to you. Fair warning though. The website notes the language may be rated TV-MA, so this may be one for date night not family dinner
→ READ NEXT: The 10 Best Oyster Bars in Charleston SC ←
The Shellmore
The Shellmore is in Mount Pleasant in the I’On neighborhood, and it is tiny on purpose. We’re talking maybe 25 seats. Chef Eric Milley runs the kitchen himself and the menu changes constantly based on what’s fresh. Dining at The Shellmore feels like you’ve been invited into someone’s home for dinner. The oysters were the best I had in Charleston.
Want to Explore Charleston’s Food Scene Further?
- Charleston Downtown Culinary Walking Tour A guided walk through the French Quarter with tastings at four local award-winning restaurants, ending with a sweet treat. Most people leave full enough that it counts as a meal.
- French Quarter Guided Food Tour with 7+ Tastings A walk through the French Quarter that hits all the Lowcountry classics like chicken bog, she-crab soup, shrimp and grits, benne wafers, and a secret dish with stops at Philadelphia Alley and other historic landmarks along the way.
FAQs About Charleston’s Hidden Gems
What are some hidden gems in Charleston?
A few of Charleston’s best-kept secrets: the Charleston Place courtyard, a quiet garden tucked behind the hotel that’s open to the public; Philadelphia Alley, a cobblestone dueling alley locals say is haunted; Park Circle in North Charleston for food and bars without the downtown crowds; and walking across the Ravenel Bridge on the Wonders’ Way path for the best harbor views in the city. The trick is getting a few blocks off King Street.
What are the best lesser-known attractions in Charleston?
Beyond the carriage tours and Rainbow Row, the attractions most visitors miss are Magnolia Cemetery, 92 acres of Victorian monuments on the Cooper River; the Aiken-Rhett House, preserved untouched rather than restored; and Cypress Gardens, the blackwater swamp where parts of The Notebook were filmed. Each one tells you something about Charleston you won’t get downtown.
What is the best non-touristy thing to do in Charleston?
The most rewarding non-touristy thing to do is simply walk South of Broad (the neighborhood locals call SOB) early in the morning. Once you cross Broad Street the crowds disappear, and you’re left with three-hundred-year-old streets, wrought-iron gates, and the half-hidden details, the haint-blue porch ceilings, the half-addresses, that the carriage tours roll right past.
Is Charleston worth visiting beyond the main tourist spots?
Absolutely, and arguably the off-the-beaten-path version of Charleston is the better one. The history, food, and character that make the city special run deepest a few streets away from the tourist core. Spend a day on the popular sights, then give yourself another to get genuinely lost.
What are the best hidden gem restaurants in Charleston?
Charleston’s hidden gem restaurants tend to be small, chef-driven, and easy to walk past. On this list, R Kitchen and The Shellmore are the standouts for that cook-just-for-you feeling.
But the city’s under-the-radar food scene runs deeper than two spots, the locals’ oyster joints like Bowens Island and Leon’s are some of the best eating in town, and you’ll find them in our guide to the best oyster house spots in Charleston. For a fuller picture, our roundup of things to do in Charleston for couples covers the date-night restaurants worth booking ahead.
Keep Exploring Charleston
Most visitors see the same square mile of Charleston and head home thinking they’ve seen it. You now know better. The dueling alley, the cemetery on the Cooper River, the North Charleston neighborhood nobody puts on a list, that’s the version of the city that actually sticks with you.
So once you’ve worked through a few of these hidden gems, keep going. If the small, locals-only food spots are what got your attention, our guide to the best hidden gem restaurants and oyster bars in Charleston digs deeper into where the city actually eats.
And when it’s time to pick a home base, we’ve broken down every neighborhood and the best places to stay in Charleston, from the historic district to the quieter streets north of King.
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