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Where to Dine Outdoors in Charleston, SC

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What happens when you combine Charleston’s gorgeous scenery with some of the best restaurants in the country? You get an al fresco dining experience that’s second to none. Take advantage of incredible surroundings and delicious eats at some of the area’s best rooftop bars, patios and open-air dining rooms.

Here are some of our favorite spots for outdoor dining in Charleston:

Charleston Crab House at 41 S. Market St., Charleston. After shopping the Charleston City Market, stop off here for happy hour specials 4-7 p.m. Monday to Friday or order up a seafood platter with a view of busy downtown.

Pavilion Bar is located at the Market Pavilion Hotel, 225 East Bay St., Charleston. Open daily 11:30 a.m. to midnight, this stylish spot treats guests to views of historic Charleston, a cascading pool, signature cocktails, eclectic cuisine and the city’s most spectacular sunsets.

Hutson Alley, Charleston, SC39 Rue de Jean at 39 John St. in Charleston. Have lunch or dinner in the outdoor courtyard of this French café along the cozy Hutson Alley. Do yourself a favor and order a side of the pommes frites.

The Rooftop at the Vendue Inn is open daily for lunch and dinner at 19 Venue Range, Charleston. Voted “Best Rooftop Bar” by Charleston City Paper since 2007, The Rooftop offers sweeping views of the Charleston Harbor, Waterfront Park, The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge and more.

Stars Rooftop & Grill Room offers a 360-degree view of downtown Charleston at 495 King St., Charleston. The Rooftop bar is open daily, serving up a wide selection of international tap wines, specialty cocktails, and craft beers and outfitted with comfortable wicker furniture and space heaters for chilly evenings.

The Watch: Rooftop Kitchen & Spirits is located in The Restoration hotel at 75 Wentworth St., Charleston. Open daily 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., dine on a menu made from local ingredients, order up a refreshing cocktail and take in the iconic views of the Holy City.

Bay Street Biergarten, 549 East Bay St. in downtown Charleston, opens at 4 p.m. Monday to Wednesday and at 11 a.m. Thursday to Sunday. It’s the perfect spot for happy hour beers or a relaxing weekend lunch. The spacious outdoor area hosts cornhole tournaments, Puppies & Pints plus trivia nights.

dining rooms. This restaurant is open for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch.

The Shelter Kitchen + Bar is located on the spectacular Shem Creek at 202 Coleman Blvd. in Mount Pleasant. Watch kayakers, shrimp boats and maybe even a dolphin at play as you enjoy happy hour cocktails or weekend brunch on the patio.

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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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