The Best Blooms in Charleston

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Camellia at Middleton Place
Photo/Middleton Place

It’s tough to beat the beauty of springtime in Charleston. From the wisteria and jasmine to the azaleas and camellias, the Holy City is literally bursting with colorful. So if you’ve had enough of winter (and who hasn’t), here are some opportunities to get out and enjoy the first blooms of spring.

Camellia Walks at Middleton Place are 11 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday through March 22. Take a guided tour through the gardens to learn all about the camellias that fill the original gardens and the ones planted in a “new” garden in the 1950s. Middleton Place is home to hundreds of varieties of camellias, including the 1786 Reine des Fleurs, one of the first camellias planted in America. Tours are free with the price of admission and last about 90 minutes. 

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens hosts camellia walks daily through March; many camellias continue to bloom into April. The gardens are home to 20,000 camellias, including more than 1,000 cultivars of Japonica, more than any garden in America.

Ancient camellias – those dating pre-1900 – are a specialty at Magnolia Plantation. Throughout the 1840s and 1850s, Magnolia introduced more than 150 cultivars of Japonica to America. In 1854 the Rev. John Grimke-Drayton wrote, “I have discovered that there were a hundred and twenty double varieties there. How many singles, semi-doubles, peony forms and others, I do not pretend to know. I can only describe their number as Legion.”

Azalea Park in downtown Summerville is 12 acres of gardens, bridges, butterfly ponds, gardens, an amphitheater and sculptures – all of which are surrounded by hot pink azaleas, white dogwoods and lavender wisteria. Be sure to stop by during the annual Flowertown Festival, one of the Southeast’s largest arts and crafts festivals, April 4-6 in the park and surrounding streets. 

Two other opportunities to catch Charleston in bloom:

Historic Charleston Foundation tour (photo/Amy Marie Kay photography)
Historic Charleston Foundation tour (photo/Amy Marie Kay photography)

The Historic Charleston Foundation hosts the Spring Festival of Houses and Gardens from March 20 to April 19. Explore the city’s old and historic district in a series of tours showcasing Charleston’s distinctive architecture, history, gardens and culture. Events include morning history walking tours, lectures, wine tastings and tours of private homes and gardens. Info: 843-722-3405

The Garden Club of Charleston’s 79th annual Walking Tour of Private Houses & Gardens is April 11-12. The tour includes some of Charleston’s finest houses and gardens in the historic district as well as flowers arranged by members of The Garden Club of Charleston and refreshments in a Charleston garden. Info: 843-406-7626

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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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