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September | Things to Do in Charleston, SC

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Each month there’s so much to do around Charleston, it can be tough to choose. Here are our picks for September. Share with us your favorite happenings, new restaurants and fun things to do using #CharlestonTraveler.

September Events: 

Second Sunday on King: September 8

Every month on the second Sunday the City of Charleston helps us to shut down King Street (our Main Street) from Queen to Calhoun, to through traffic for 5 blissful hours. That gives us the whole street for people to walk around enjoy Charleston as it would be on any old day without the traffic. Strolling guests see businesses they didn’t know about, stores roll out past the sidewalk to invite shoppers in, carefully curated artists show their work on the street, and unique food vendors tempt guests with their fare. The street closes to through traffic at noon, and opens back up at 5:00 pm.

Drayton Hall At Night: September 14th

The house will be open during this special nighttime event. Drayton Hall archaeologists will be on the landscape to tell you about their most recent finds. Scavenger hunts and colonial games for all ages! Bring a picnic and some lawn chairs. Beer & wine will be available for purchase on-site. 

Sweet Tea Festival: Sept. 21

The Sweet Tea Festival is a celebration of the birthplace of sweet tea, right here in Summerville SC.  The Historic Downtown is transformed into a massive open house / street fair with different food trucks, artisanal vendors and entertainment.  Of course, there is plenty of sweet tea and you can help select the Tea of the Year by sampling and voting for your favorite!

Charleston Food & Wine Classic: Sept 27-29

Experience culinary excellence at the first-ever Food & Wine Classic in Charleston! This landmark three-day celebration, presented by Food & Wine in collaboration with Southern Living and Travel + Leisure, will feature a taste of Charleston like never before: 50+ Celebrity Chef Demos, Wine Seminars, and Panels. Plus 100+ Wines, Spirits, and Foods in the Grand Tasting Pavilion.

MOJA Arts Festival: Sept. 26 – Oct. 6

MOJA Arts Festival is an annual celebration of Black arts and culture and our artistic contributions to the world, especially through African American and Caribbean legacies. Festival events include visual arts, music, food, dance, poetry, theater, storytelling, traditional crafts and family activities.

Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch: September 27, 28, 29

 The Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch has grown to be one of the largest fall festivals in the state. 2024 will be the 28th year for this event which has become an autumn tradition that brings people of all ages together for a day of good old-fashioned fun on the farm.

To view all the events in Charleston, check out our Events Calendar! 

FULL SEPTEMBER 2024 EVENTS CALENDAR

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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/

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