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Fall Things to Do in Charleston, SC – October

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There’s a crispness to the air and the leaves are turning colors…it’s time to get the sweaters out and consume all things flavored pumpkin! We’ve pulled some of the best October events to share with all our travelers of Charleston – we hope to see you at some of these Lowcountry special events. Share with us your favorite happenings, new restaurants and fun things to do using #CharlestonTraveler.

October Events & Things to Do


Fright Nights: through Oct. 31 👻

Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze: through Oct. 31 🎃

Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch

Corn maze, hay mountain, play areas, rock climbing wall, goat walk and more at this family-friendly event. Plus, visit the pumpkin patch to buy pumpkins by the pound. At the Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch choose from a vast field of juicy pumpkins to take home for all your pumpkin carving needs.

The Fall Tours: Home, History & Architecture: Oct. 7 to Nov. 6, 2021

Visit some of the most historic homes and gardens in America on these self-paced tours organized by the Preservation Society of Charleston.

Free Verse Poetry Festival: Oct. 1 to Oct. 29

The City of Charleston’s first poetry festival with eclectic poetry events and workshops at multiple venues around Charleston.

Dock Street Theater
Dock Street Theater

Take a tour

This is the perfect time of year to book a ghost tour! Learn all about Charleston’s spookiest spots while hearing the best ghost stories from years past.

Start with these:

  • Tourpass.com – includes the best things to do in Charleston, SC – Choose from over 40 top attractions where admission is included. Just present your easy to use mobile pass and you’re in!
  • Bulldog Tours: Ghost & Graveyard Walking Tour, Haunted Jail Tour, Charleston Ghost & Dungeon Tour and the Dark Side of Charleston Walking Tour. Tours meet at 18 Anson St.
  • USS Yorktown Ghost Tours: After dark, come aboard the famous “Fighting Lady” on this guided, 90-minute tour. Meet at Patriots Point ticketing area.
  • Sandlapper Tours: Hear the tales of lost fortunes, pirate ships and tragic death while riding Charleston’s dark waves.

Visiting Charleston? You Need a TourPasstour pass

  • TourPass includes 100% full admission to the top tours and attractions in Charleston, Savannah and St. Augustine.
  • Make reservations instantly and skip the lines while saving 40% or more.
  • In addition, their mobile pass shows your exact location via interactive maps, so you’ll never get lost.
  • They have a parking garage map and you can also view the free trolley route map from within the Mobile Pass.

TourPass is available for the following cities: 

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

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