How to plan the perfect day trip to Charleston, South Carolina with kids.

 To end a long road trip down the east coast of the USA, we decided to spend the perfect day in Charleston, SC.  This historical city was on my bucket list for quite some time so I was very excited to explore.  Since I was traveling with my husband and two kids ages 11 and 6, I had to make sure that I put together the ultimate itinerary with something for all.

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The perfect day trip to Charleston, SC with kids.

Wake up early, pack your bag with water bottles and sunscreen, and wear your most comfortable sneakers.  This day trip is going to be action packed and full of adventure.

Where to stay?

We stayed at the Meeting Street Inn (link).  We chose this hotel because of it's location.  It's right in the heart of downtown historical Charleston and central to almost everything we wanted to do.  The staff was kind and super attentive.  The courtyard was like something from a romance novel.  All of that aside, the rooms weren't the cleanest, especially for the price tag.  If you can overlook the dusty floors and questionable area rugs, this hotel is a good convenient choice.

We're starting our day off right with one of the best breakfast places I've been to in a long time.  A short walk from the hotel is Another Broken Egg Cafe (link).  The food is delicious, the menu is extensive, the staff is fabulous, and their biscuit beignets pictured above are AMAZING.

After breakfast head over to Old South Carriage Co. (link) for a horse drawn carriage ride filled with history.  The kids typically moan and groan if we ever do a historical tour but this one was different.  They were attentive and excited for the "horse ride".  The tour guide was fun, engaging, and pointed out super cool Lamborghinis for my son. 

Next you're going to explore the town.  Admire the stunning architecture, read the detailed historical markers posted everywhere you look, pop into the gift shops, and don't forget to walk through the Charleston City Market (link).  This market is very old and has quite the history.  If that's not enough to entice you, it's filled with many vendors selling quirky items such as handmade sweetgrass treasures that you're going to want to see.  If you have time, head upstairs and browse through the museum above the market.

After all that walking and explore, you'll be hungry all over again.

Make sure to stop for lunch at the Amen Street Fish & Raw Bar (link) for a spectacular seafood dish.  I can't say enough good things about this restaurant.  My husband devoured his salmon and grits, I loved my crab cake caesar salad, and my son even tried and then quickly spit out a raw oyster!  Everything was fresh, reasonably priced, and very delicious.

This is point of the day trip where you're going to head back to the hotel and grab the car.

We're taking a quick ride to the famous Folly Beach.

Although this beach was much more crowded than I anticipated, we were all glad we took the ride.  Walk along the shoreline to find shark teeth yes, they're really there in the sand.  Don't want to get your feet wet?  No problem.  Instead walk down the long, wooden pier out into the ocean.  Take time to explore the town and peek into the beachy shops.

If you have an extra day, this is where it can go.  You can take a boat ride, learn how to surf, go fishing, or just enjoy a simple beach day.

On the way back from the beach, take a quick drive past the historical Charleston Jail (link).  This abandoned historical site isn't one where you'll linger, but it's definitely worth checking out.  If you're traveling with older kids, they have a ghost tour in this jail at night.

For dinner, we're going the touristy route.  We're trying the famous Hymans Seafood (link) restaurant.  This eatery is full of history, but in two different ways.  It's a historical establishment that dates back to four different generations.  It's also been frequented by many different famous people.  Each table is engraved with the names of the celebrities that sat at that table.  While it was a must see place, I wasn't too impressed with the food.  Their portions were large, but most of the menu was just fried like grease dripping and dry fried food.

To end the night, we watched the sunset from the fabulous courtyard at the hotel.

Is there anything else to do?

Yes!  If you're staying an extra day, take a ride out to the plantations or spend a day at the beach.  Charleston has plenty of both and both are begging to be visited.

- R&W

Related Post:  The ultimate 9 day itinerary for a family vacation to Nova Scotia.