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Charleston with Children – Part 2

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In the first part of our series, we looked at some favorite kid-friendly things to do in Charleston. Let’s take a look at a few more.

And you can help us add to the list: post a comment here or share some ideas and photos on our Facebook page.

North Charleston /American LaFrance Fire Museum

Most children (and adults, for that matter) are enthralled with fire trucks. The Fire Museum houses the largest collection of professionally restored American LaFrance fire apparatus in the country. From the 1886 Silsby Steam Pumper to the 1969 “900-Series Dominion” Pumper, all the apparatus in the collection still run and can still put out a fire. Along with a historic perspective of firefighting, children have plenty of hands-on opportunities to learn about the dangers of smoke and fire. End your visit driving the fire truck simulator or with a slide down the fireman’s pole. Children 12 and under are admitted free with a paid adult.

Photo/Charleston County Parks

Water Parks

The Charleston County Park system is home to three water parks. Splash Island in Mount Pleasant has a shallow-water play area just for toddlers and separate areas with a wave pool and slides for older children and pre-teens. Splash Zone at James Island County Park has a Caribbean theme with island-style play structures and slides. Whirlin’ Waters in North Charleston is designed for children of all ages and is the largest of the three water parks. Enjoy summertime discounts on Military Mondays (one discounted admission per ID card) and Two For Tuesdays (buy one general admission, get one free). Check the website for individual park hours, directions and admission fees.

Edisto Island Serpentarium

Kids love creepy crawlies, and the Edisto Island Serpentarium has no shortage of reptiles. Located on the outskirts of Charleston, the serpentarium is comprised of an indoor facility and exhibits plus landscaped outdoor gardens that are home to a wide variety of reptiles native to the southeastern United States. View the snakes over low-walled enclosures for an intimate look at the snakes living in streams, climbing in trees or basking on stumps or logs as they would in the wild. The serpentarium is also home to 19 adult American alligators housed in two separate ponds along with box turtles, red-eared sliders, diamondback terrapins, soft-shelled turtles, alligator snapping turtles and common snapping turtles.

Beaches

The ideal way to wear the kids out is with a trip to the beach. They’ll run the beachfront, splash in the waves and maybe even try their hand at some boogie boarding. Spending a day in the sun will ensure mom and dad get a peaceful night’s sleep. Charleston’s beaches are great for families, particularly Isle of Palms, which has good access to restrooms and showers. IOP and Folly Beach also have season lifeguards on designated areas of the beach. Check out our blog post highlighting Charleston’s public beaches.

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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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