April | Things to Do in Charleston, SC

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Spring has arrived, Charleston travelers! You know what that means – sunny days, flowers in full bloom, and oh so many events. Beach days are plentiful and activity options are endless. Take advantage of all the springtime opportunities Charleston has to offer. We’ve compiled some of our favorite things to do this spring, including new popular food and drink spots around town as well as some of the most anticipated April 2023 events.

Festivals, Feasts & Fun in Charleston

The Lowcountry Strawberry Festival at Boone Hall Plantation: March 30 – April 2, April 6,7,8

Rides, a petting zoo, acrobatic dog show, a playground and strawberry pie-eating contests are all part of this family friendly event. Plus, there are plenty of strawberries ripe for the pickin‘ in the U-Pick Fields.  

Summerville Flowertown Festival: March 31, April 1-2 

Summerville Family YMCA is hosting and celebrating its 50th anniversary in the spring of 2023. This event is one of the largest arts and crafts festivals in the Southeast. During this three-day festival, take in the beauty and charm of Summerville while enjoying 300 arts and crafts exhibitors, food, children’s activities and more.

Cooper River Bridge Run/Walk: April 1

Thousands of people will gather for this annual event. The 10K race starts in Mount Pleasant, crosses the Ravenel Bridge and finishes near Marion Square in downtown Charleston.

 Volvo Car Open: Through April 7

The largest women’s only tennis tournament in the United States. The roster of past champions includes Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Tracy Austin, Steffi Graf, Gabriela Sabatini, Martina Hingis, Jennifer Capriati, Venus Williams, Justine Henin, and Serena Williams.  

Festival of Houses and Gardens: March 15 – April 16

Explore the city’s historic district in a series of tours showcasing Charleston’s distinctive architecture, history, gardens and culture.

Kiawah Island Art and House Tour: April 14

Get a rare glimpse into the art and architecture of several private homes on Kiawah Island. Five homes in the gated community will be open for public viewing, each with their own unique style.

High Water Festival: April 15-16

Celebrate Southern food, music and libations at Riverfront Park in North Charleston during this two-day music festival.

World Grits Festival: April 21-23

Small town St. George welcomes visitors to enjoy all things grits. Get ready to eat grits, buy grits, learn how grits are made and even dive into a vat of grits for the Grits Rolling Contest.  

“Spamalot”: April 21- May 7

“Lovingly ripped off” from the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the 2005 Tony Award winner for Best Musical Spamalot, tells the story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table as they embark on their quest for the Holy Grail. Flying cows, killer rabbits, taunting Frenchmen and show-stopping musical numbers are just a few of the reasons you’ll be eating up Spamalot.  The Footlight Players, 20 Queen St. in Charleston.  

Lowcountry Cajun Festival: April 22

Louisiana comes to the Lowcountry for a full day of Zydeco music, Cajun and Creole foods plus kids’ activities, live music and a crawfish-eating contest. Event is noon to 6 p.m. at James Island County Park.

Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival: April 30

Pay tribute to Mount Pleasant’s local shrimping and fishing industry at this event with a boat parade, live music, craft show and lots of free activities at Memorial Waterfront Park in Mount Pleasant.

To view all the events in Charleston, check out our Calendar of Events page: https://travelerofcharleston.com/events/

Enjoy a Meal at These Restaurants

Rancho Lewis, 1503 King St.

Rancho Lewis pulls influences from West Texas, Chihuahua, Mexico, and New Mexico. This is the food famed pitmaster John Lewis and his family grew up eating. Classic fare like enchiladas, burritos, and tacos are there, along with combo plates dedicated to items favorited by Lewis’ grandparents Cora and Lloyd.

Leon’s Oyster Shop, 698 King St. Charleston, SC

Leon’s Fine Poultry & Oyster Shop is a comfortable Southern joint serving fried chicken, oysters, lots of salads, cheap beer, soft serve, Rose on tap, tons of grower Champagne, and good cocktails.

Stroll Through Some of Charleston’s Most Beautiful Parks

Visit some of the area’s most beautiful parks for springtime blooms, walking trails and playgrounds.

  • Riverfront Park: 1061 Everglades Ave. in North Charleston
  • Brittlebank Park: 185 Lockwood Drive in Charleston
  • Palmetto Islands County Park: 444 Needlerush Parkway in Mount Pleasant
  • Hampton Park: 30 Mary Murray Drive in Charleston
  • Azalea Park: 105 W 5th S St. in Summerville

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Charleston FAQ's

Choosing a hotel and where to stay in Charleston all depends on your budget and goals. Do you want to stay Downtown, at the beach or in the outer areas such as North Charleston where you have to drive to get everywhere? For more help on deciding: https://travelerofcharleston.com/articles/hotels/

Charleston has 3 main public beaches which are: Folly, Isle of Palms and Sullivans. Each beach has it’s own atmosphere. The most common beach that people visit is Folly Beach and then Isle of Palms followed by Sullivans Island. For more info on Charleston’s beaches visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/

Charleston, SC is full of historical things to do. Everything from museums, to public sites and free landmark sites such as Rainbow Row and the Battery can be seen. For more info on Charleston’s top historical sites visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/places-to-learn-about-charleston-sc-history/

There are many things that will keep the kids and family entertained and educated in Charleston. There are historic sites such as Fort Sumter, a Children’s Museum, Aquarium and the USS Yorktown…a WWII era aircraft carrier you can tour. For more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-family-fun-activities/

There’s so many  things you could do in Charleston it can be overwhelming. We recommend that first time visitors, checkout the ultimate first-time visitor guide here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-first-time-visitors-guide/

Spring in Charleston, SC is an amazing time of year to visit. The flowers are blooming and the weather is mild and sunny. For more info, check-out our spring guide to Charleston here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-springtime-in-charleston/

Summer in Charleston is a great time to visit. There’s plenty of things to keep you busy and visiting the beach will probably….or should be on your short-list. Also water-based activities and tours are popular. Checkout this summer guide to Charleston for more info: 

Our 10 Favorite Summer Activities in Charleston

Fall is one of the best times to visit. The weather cools down a bit and the skies are typically blue and clear. In addition there are many great events, festivals and the large crowds of summer have gone back to school or work. For more info on visiting in the fall, checkout this article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-12-things-to-do-fall/

There are so many great things to do that it’s difficult to narrow the list down. This article does a great job with figuring out the must do things to do in Charleston

7 Can’t Miss Reasons to Visit Charleston, SC Now

The consensus is a minimum of 3-days is needed to settle in and experience Charleston. For instance, many people take 2 days exploring downtown and another day visiting sites outside of downtown such as the plantations, Angel Oak Tree or beaches. Checkout this page for a list of tours and attractions: 

Charleston’s Top Tours & Attractions | Things to do

Downtown Charleston was made for walking and for sure one of the best way to soak up and experience the history first-hand. This article goes over getting around Charleston with and without a car as well: 

Getting Around Charleston, SC

We’re of course partial to Charleston, but here’s the truth. There are many similarities however there are some differences in our opinion: 

  • Both cities are historic and beautiful. 
  • Both cities are extremely walkable. Savannah, with it’s park-like squares maybe more walkable than Charleston. 
  • Charleston has a more established and food scene with many more options. 
  • Charleston has better hotels and shopping.
  • Both cities have equally good tours.
  • Charleston has better beach options. Savannah has Tybee which is great, however it’s 1 beach vibe versus Charleston which has 3 beaches with different vibes. Checkout this Charleston beach guide article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/
  • In Savannah you can walk with alcoholic beverages on the street. This is not allowed in Charleston. This can be good or bad depending on your stance. 
  • Savannah is more affordable.
  • TourPass offers all-inclusive passes in both cities: https://tourpass.com

There are always great and world-class events happening in Charleston. For a calendar of events and things to do in Charleston, checkout our online calendar of events: https://travelerofcharleston.com/events/

Of course there are free money-saving coupons that you can use. Visit the coupons page for a bunch of ways to save: https://travelerofcharleston.com/coupon/

Charleston has some fantastic can’t miss tours such as Fort Sumter, carriage, ghost, harbor, historic and culinary tours. For a full list with more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/attractions/

Checkout the Charleston Relocation Guide page which will guide you during your move: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-sc-relocation-guide/

Additional Places to Explore