traveler of charleston logo

Fun Things to Do in Summerville SC – Eat and Experience

Table of Contents

Enjoy a little bit of small town living and experience fun things to do in Summerville, SC – a short drive from downtown Charleston. The town has history, dining, attractions and events so Charleston area visitors can easily spend a day soaking up the sights in what’s known as “Flowertown in the Pines.”


Brief History of Summerville

Charlestonians first came to Summerville in the late 1700s to escape the summertime heat, mosquitoes and disease. From May to September, plantation families gathered along the Ashley River. According to town history, other pioneer residents descended from those 1696 puritans who settled the nearby former colonial settlement of Dorchester.

The Town of Summerville became more modern in the early 1800s with the arrival of the railroad and the expansion of the area from a small village. Summerville became an official town in 1847, its first law was one prohibiting the cutting of certain-sized trees without permission, and fining offenders a then-hefty $25. That ordinance, one of the oldest of its kind in the United States, is still on the books.

Dorchester State Park - fun things to do in summerville sc
photo/Town of Summerville

Fun Things to Do in Summerville SC

If you’d like to experience fun things to do in Summerville SC, first experience more of the area’s history, visit Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site, marking the location of the trading town of Dorchester that flourished along the Ashley River. The town of Dorchester was abandoned at the start of the Revolutionary War and only a handful of the original structures remain, such as the brick bell tower of St. George’s Anglican Church.

Visit the site and catch archaeologists at work, unearthing the settlement’s history. With historic records and remains, they are painting a picture of life in colonial South Carolina.

The Timrod Library, located in the heart of downtown, is one of only two membership libraries in South Carolina. Governed by a board of directors, the historic library also relies on volunteers to maintain its collection of 50,000 volumes.

In 1897 a group of young Summerville women formed a Chautauqua Reading Circle, which later become the Timrod Library – named for Henry Timrod, poet laureate of the Confederacy. The women donated the books from their reading circle and the membership library was chartered on April 23, 1908. The library is open Monday through Saturday and hosts a number of events.

Carve out some time for shopping the many boutiques around Summerville’s Hutchinson Square. It’s the ideal place to pick up gifts and souveniors to remember your visit to this special place. Every third Thursday of the month, the stores stay open late for special events.

Guerins Pharmacy
Photo/VisitSummerville.com

While you’re shopping, refuel with a latte and sandwich from Cuppa Manna on Main Street or take home a bag of locally roasted beans from Coastal Coffee Roasters. Keep the small town charm going with a stop at Guerin’s Pharmacy, home to an old-fashioned soda fountain where you can enjoy a hot dog and a milkshake with the kids.

No trip to Summerville is complete with a nice tall glass of iced tea. Dubbed “the birthplace of sweet tea,” the town last year celebrated National Tea Day by making the world’s largest sweet tea. Join the town again on June 10 as it once again attempts to break a Guinness World Record with a 2,500-gallon glass of sweet tea. Also check out the Sweet Tea Trail with stops all through town.

Need something a little stronger? Homegrown Brewhouse in downtown Summerville has 40 taps pouring South Carolina’s finest beer. Or check out Summerville’s first local brewery, Oak Road Brewing.

Flowertown Festival
Photo/Summerville YMCA

For some physical activity, take walk through the beautiful Azalea Park, blooming in the spring and home to the town’s annual Flowertown Festival with arts and crafts, food and entertainment. Sawmill Branch Multi-Use Trail starts at Gahagan Road or the parking area on Ashley Drive where you can walk or bike ride this flat, 10-foot wide paved trail, which follows the Sawmill Branch Canal and through a wooded area in the southern part of the town.

For more fun things to do in Summerville SC, check out http://visitsummerville.com/.

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.