Charleston 🍸Cocktails, Brews & Views | Best Places to Get a Drink

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The best views in Charleston

One of the best ways to enjoy the Holy City is from above. Charleston’s many rooftop bars and restaurants offer panoramic views of the Charleston Harbor and city skyline, a birds-eye view of the area’s church steeples and more. Below is a list of places to enjoy the view from up high. No reservations needed! Pop in anytime at these highly Instagrammable perches.

Vendue Inn Rooftop

9 Vendue Range, Charleston

Open daily, 11:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. (open until midnight Friday and Saturday)
Charleston’s original rooftop bar above Venue Inn, this lively spot boasts several views where you can take your pick—harbor or city skyline. This stylish rooftop bar offers imaginative craft cocktails, salads, flatbreads and poke bowls for lunch and dinner.

Vendue Rooftop Bar, Charleston , SC
Vendue Inn Rooftop

Salty Dog 

1882 Andell Bluff Blvd., Johns Island

Open daily 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Family-friendly Salty Dog at Seabrook comes with postcard waterfront marsh and river views with unbelievable sunset views. The bar has live music and the freshest seafood, salads, steaks, pasta and daily chef specials. The oak tree-lined drive through Johns Island to get to Salty Dog adds to the quintessential Lowcountry vibe.

Tavern & Table

100 Church St., Mt. Pleasant

Open daily, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Tavern & Table, on a lively strip overlooking Mt. Pleasant’s famed Shem Creek, celebrates the food and beauty of the Lowcountry with handcrafted cocktails, an eclectic wine list and a chef-driven menu that uses seasonal ingredients, including a seafood tower. 

Henrys on the Market

54 N. Market St., Charleston

Open daily, 11 a.m. – 2 a.m.

Established in 1932, Henry’s is the oldest continuous restaurant in Charleston and South Carolina. Enjoy the rooftop deck overlooking the historic city market furnished like a traditional Southern porch complete with rocking chairs, swing and canopied shaded outdoor seating to enjoy a great meal.

Stars Rooftop & Grill Room

495 King St., Charleston

Daily 4 p.m – noon; Saturday & Sunday brunch at 10 a.m.

Stars rooftop bar is located in a hip and happening part of King Street and features a 360-degree view of the city’s historic district and seven historic church steeples. The rooftop offers a wide selection of international tap wines, specialty cocktails and craft beers. For delicious bites from a wood-fired grill, head downstairs for seasonally-inspired and locally-sourced cuisine and brunch on the weekends. 

Fiat Lux at Hotel Bennett 

404 King St., Charleston

Open daily, noon- 10 p.m.

Fiat Lux at Hotel Bennett offers panoramic views of downtown Charleston’s skyline and a bird’s eye view of Marion Square. Anyone is welcome to grab a drink at the bar on the ninth floor. If you’re feeling hungry, pop down to Gabrielle restaurant that offers fine dining with Lowcountry staples. 

Citrus Club at the Dewberry Hotel

334 Meeting St., Charleston

Open Wednesday-Sunday noon- 10 p.m.; Monday & Tuesday, 2- 10 p.m.

The Dewberry Hotel’s 8th floor terrace also overlooks Marion Square and its Mid-Century Modern whimsical rooftop cocktail bar, Citrus Club, features citrus-inspired cocktails and fresh lite bites, like oysters on the half-shell and a smash burger.

The Watch Rooftop Kitchen and Spirits

75 Wentworth St., Charleston

Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. -11 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 11 .am. – midnight; Sunday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Located on the 7th floor of The Restoration Hotel, this rooftop restaurant offers a soulful menu showcasing a bounty of locally sourced ingredients all while letting patrons take in amazing sunset views overlooking Charleston’s most historic buildings.

Ritual Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge

145 Calhoun St. Unit 301, Charleston

Monday-Wednesday, 4 p.m. – midnight; Thursday 4 p.m. – 2 p.m.; Friday, noon – 2 a.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. – 2 a.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. – midnight. 

Bursting with boho greenery in the spirit of Tulum, Mexico, Ritual is nestled high above King and Calhoun Street overlooking Marion Square. Enjoy lunch, dinner and weekend brunch on the astro-turf grassy expansive rooftop courtyard under an umbrella or on the covered rooftop patio (reservations required for rooftop patio). Ritual offers an elevated experience in a truly stunning jungle setting.

Top Rated Tours

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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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