traveler of charleston logo

Springtime Blooms in Charleston

Table of Contents

We love the color of springtime in Charleston. From the window boxes of downtown homes to historic plantations and city parks our area comes alive with color this time of year. After a chilly winter, we’re ready to shake off the gray of winter and soak up the blossoms of the season.

Here are some suggestions to great places to catch the color display:

Photo/Middleton Place
Photo/Middleton Place

Middleton Place: This 18th-century plantation is home to America’s oldest landscaped gardens. Created by Henry Middleton, he established an intricate space crafted in logic and geometry. The garden adapts to the contours of the land, and walkways are adorned with trees and shrubs, green arbors and sculptures. This spring look for dozens of plants, including Confederate Jasmine, wisteria, dogwood trees and plenty of annuals. Check out this list of what’s in bloom each month at Middleton.

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens: Photo opps abound at these gardens, which were first established in the late 17th century. Beginning in April, you’ll see blooms of azaleas, daffodil, dogwoods, honeysuckle, Jasmine, roses, tea olive and wisteria – to name a few. Check out this list of what’s blooming at Magnolia.

Cypress Gardens: It’s worth heading out to Moncks Corner to see the dogwoods, native Iris and azaleas blooming at this swampland sanctuary. Plus, there are a number of bird species to see because they won’t migrate north until late April or early May. The wintertime feathered residents include ruby-crowned Kinglets, solitary warbler, swamp sparrow, yellow-throated vireos and ruby-throated hummingbirds to name a few. See what’s in bloom at Cypress Gardens.

Photo/Charleston Parks Conservancy Cannon Park in downtown Charleston.
Photo/Charleston Parks Conservancy
Cannon Park in downtown Charleston.

Charleston Parks: Local nonprofit the Charleston Parks Conservancy helps make the parks in the city beautiful spaces to relax, play, have a picnic or get some exercise. With plenty of volunteers, the Conservancy planted hundreds of daffodils earlier this year and they are coming to life! See some of their handiwork in Brittlebank Park on Lockwood Boulevard, Allan Park on Ashley Avenue and Cannon Park at Rudledge Avenue and Calhoun Street. Check out the Conservancy’s Park Directory to learn more about all of Charleston’s 120 parks and green spaces.

Some events where you can see both public and some amazing private gardens:

  • April 1-20 Festival of Houses and Gardens – Take a series of walking tours through Charleston’s historic district, getting a glimpse into the private houses and gardens of some of America’s most beautiful historic residences, dating to the 18th century. 843-722-3405
  • April 5 Kiawah Island Art and House Tour – The tour features five Kiawah Island homes. It is sponsored by the Gibbes Museum of Art member auxiliary group, Gibbes, etc. 843-722-2706
  • April 5-6 House and Garden Tours – Hosted by the Garden Club of Charleston, these two walking tours take visitors through private homes and gardens in Charleston’s historic district.
  • April 5-7 YMCA Flowertown Festival – Visit the town of Summerville to see the azaleas in bloom and shop the goods of more than 200 artists who participate in this annual arts and crafts festival. Azalea Park and the surrounding streets are filled with food vendors, activities and rides for children. This event is consistently rated one of the top 20 events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society.

We’d love to hear about the places you’ve visited that are bursting with blooms. And be sure to share some photos with us on Facebook!

Visiting Charleston Just Got Way Easier!

TourPass includes all the top tours and attractions & historic sites. Save up to 40% or more on admissions + skip the lines

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

Traveler Mag Icon
Receive Charleston Updates

Get the First Timers Guide...it's free

We’ll email our online magazine, map, helpful articles. Unsubscribe at anytime.