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May | Things to Do in Charleston, SC

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The sun is out to greet us every day, flowers are in full bloom, and endless Charleston events await us. It’s one of our favorite times of the year. We love farmers markets and outdoor brunch, plus we have a host of events keeping us busy and out enjoying this this beautiful month of May in the Holy City.

Our Favorite Charleston Events in May 2024 

41st Annual North Charleston Arts Fest: May 1-5

Concerts, street dances, fine art, photography, film, public art installations, lectures, workshops, antique show, kids’ activities and fireworks finale.

Art Walk: May 3

The CGA First Friday Artwalks are back from 5-8pm on the First Friday of the month. Visit more than 40 participating galleries during this free evening artwalk. Visit the website for a map.

Lowcountry Shrimp Festival: May 4

Join the Town of McClellanville for a celebration of shrimp and a blessing of the fleet at the Robert E. Ashley Boat Landing on Jeremy Creek. Live music, local shrimp, frogmore stew, barbecue, hot dogs and beer plus more than 45 local artisans and children’s play area.  

Spoleto Festival USA: May 22-June 9

For 17 days and nights each spring, Spoleto Festival USA fills Charleston, South Carolina’s historic theaters, churches, and outdoor spaces with performances by renowned artists as well as emerging performers in opera; theater; dance; and chamber, symphonic, choral, and jazz music. Now approaching its 47th season, Spoleto Festival USA is internationally recognized as America’s premier performing arts festival.

Piccolo Spoleto: May 24-June 9

Annual arts festival running alongside the bigger Spoleto Festival, with events across the city featuring local and other southern performing and visual artists.

Things to Do in Charleston in May

Book a Water Tour

Charleston is a coastal city, so you need to get out on the water if your visiting in May.  There are a number of different ways to do this…. take the Charleston Water Taxi from downtown to the USS Yorktown, a boat tour to Fort Sumter, a sunset sail aboard the Schooner Pride’s 3 mast tall ship, kayak through Shem Creek with Nature Adventures, venture out to Boneyard beach with Barrier Island Eco Tours or book a fishing charter with Full Circle Fishing Charter. Anyone of these tours will give you the opportunity to really see the beauty of the Low Country.

Take a Carriage Tour

The weather in May is ideal for a carriage tour.  This gives you a great view of the city without getting too hot and tired. The guides are fantastic and are a wealth of knowledge on Charleston. Two carriage tours we recommend are: 

Palmetto Carriage:  Look for their Big Red Barn and feel free to visit the horses before your tour. 

Old South Carriage: They offer both a Daytime Carriage Tour and an Evening Haunted Carriage Tour. 

Grab a Bite to Eat

Charleston is known for fabulous food. Make sure to stop in and taste some of the deliciousness the Low Country has to offer. 

Carmella’s Cafe and Dessert Bar (Downtown):  This is a great place to stop by and grab lunch, dessert, a drink or all three. (No judgement here :))  Their generationally tested gourmet dessert recipes are made fresh every morning and sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.  They don’t take reservations, so feel free to walk in anytime or order online to-go. 

Charleston Fish House (Mount Pleasant): If your looking for a great meal with a great view of the harbor, this is a fantastic option. The Fish House is located at Patriots Point so you can take the Charleston Water Taxi from downtown across the Harbor, visit the Yorktown and then grab lunch or dinner here. 

 

 

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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/

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