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Celebrate the Holidays – Charleston Style

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Photo/Charleston County Parks
Photo/Charleston County Parks

It’s not too early to start making your holiday plans for Charleston. The season is packed with festivals, tree lightings, family activities and shopping. Here are a few of our favorites and be sure to visit our calendar for a full listing.

The 24th annual Holiday Festival of Lights is a favorite among visitors and locals alike. Located at James Island County Park, the festival boasts more than 2 million lights in 750 displays. Drive 3 miles through the park to take in the light displays then stop off at the winter wonderland for hot chocolate, shopping and Santa. The festival runs Nov. 8 through Dec. 31.

Middleton Place hosts several holiday events, including a Holiday Market Nov. 29-30 with live musicians performing carols, complimentary hot cider and treats and local artisan displays. Then on Dec. 14, the plantation hosts a holiday event for all ages – the Family Yuletide in the Stableyards. Enjoy storytelling around the fire, caroling and craftspeople working in their shops by candlelight as they prepare for Christmas at Middleton Place.

During the Grand Illumination at Middleton Place Dec. 19-20, visitors can stroll through the gardens illuminated by torchlight, candlelight and starlight and hear costumed interpreters along the way tell stories of the joyous holiday season when the British evacuated Charleston at the end of the Revolutionary War. See the house seasonally decorated and glowing in candlelight, and on the Greensward, enjoy a warm fire, live music and refreshments. The event concludes with a Southern Buffet dinner.

Photo/Middleton Place Grand Illumination at Middleton Place
Photo/Middleton Place
Grand Illumination at Middleton Place

Here’s a sampling of even more holiday fun in Charleston:

  • Nov. 30 – Charleston Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony – Gather in Marion Square at dusk as the tree of lights comes to life for the holiday season. charlestonarts.org | 843-724-7305
  • Dec. 1 Chanukah in the Square – 4-6 p.m. in Marion Square. charlestonarts.org | 843-724-7305
  • Dec. 3 Summerville Christmas Tree Lighting – Downtown Summerville. summervilledream.org
  • Dec. 6, 13 Christmas 1860 at the Edmondston-Alston House – The historic house will be decorated for the holidays much as it would have been in 1860. Living historians in period clothing tell the story of Charleston’s last opulent Christmas before the start of the Civil War and Christmas traditions of the day. Located at 21 East Battery in Charleston. edmondstonalston.com | 843-722-7171
  • Dec. 6-10, 12-15, 19-22 The Charleston Christmas Special – Family friendly variety show with holiday songs, dancing and skits at the Charleston Music Hall. bradandjennifermoranz.com | 843-416-8453
  • Dec. 7 Reindeer Run — Get into the holiday spirit with this family and pet-friendly 5K through downtown Charleston. The event concludes with an after-party. Proceeds benefit the Medical University of South Carolina Children’s Hospital and the Charitable Society of Charleston. reindeerrun.org
  • Dec. 7 Holiday Market & Craft Show – This annual event at the Mount Pleasant Farmers Market Pavilion showcases locally grown produce, baked goods and homemade preserves along with crafts from local artisans. comeonovermp.com | 843-884-8517
  • Dec. 7 Holiday Parade of Boats – Boats decorated in their holiday finest will make their way down the Cooper River, starting on the Mount Pleasant side and ending in the Ashley River. charlestonarts.org
  • Dec. 7, 8 Spirituals Concert – Drayton Hall presents African-American spiritual music with two concerts by Ann Caldwell and The Magnolia Singers. These concerts are a rare opportunity to gather in the atmospheric-raised English basement of Drayton Hall to hear music that could have been heard centuries ago in the surrounding fields and praise houses. draytonhall.org | 843-769-2600
  • Dec. 8 Christmas Light Parade & Tree Lighting – More than 100 floats will march down Coleman Boulevard in Mount Pleasant followed by a tree lighting and fireworks display at Moultrie Middle School. comeonovermp.com | 843-884-8517
  • Dec. 8 Summerville Christmas Parade – Downtown Summerville. summervilledream.org
  • Dec. 13-14 Holiday Pops: A Very Merry Sing-A-Long — The Charleston Symphony Orchestra presents holiday favorites at the Sottile Theatre in downtown Charleston. charlestonsymphony.com | 843-723-7528
  • Dec. 22 Classical Kids Concert: The Night Before Christmas – Sing along to favorite holiday songs and listen as well loved stories come to life with classical music at Sottile Theatre in Charleston. chambermusiccharleston.org | 843-763-4941
  • Dec. 26 Lighting of the Kwanzaa Kinari – Marion Square in downtown Charleston. charlestonarts.org | 843-724-7305
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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

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