Rainbow Row's pastel houses set the tone in Charleston, one of the most beautiful old cities in the South, and it knows it. The peninsula is a tangle of church steeples (hence the Holy City nickname), gardens at White Point, and a waterfront park with a famous pineapple fountain. Fort Sumter is a short boat ride away, and the plantations along the Ashley River, along with the Old Slave Mart Museum and the International African American Museum, make the history here worth facing honestly. Folly Beach and Sullivan's Island are close for beach days.
The food scene is a big reason people come, and festivals like Spoleto and the Wine and Food Festival keep the calendar full. Living here costs noticeably more than the national average, mostly because of housing, though the market has cooled a bit. Expect brutal summer humidity, hurricane season, and streets that flood at high tide. Crime is above average, so watch for car break-ins near tourist parking and take care around the bar districts late at night.
Cities with a similar character, anywhere on the site.
Out of 10. Open any score to see how it’s worked out. “Data-based” scores come from published figures; “Hey! En Route estimate” scores are worked out from what we know about the city; “Hey! En Route rating” scores were set by our editors.
- Known as
- The Holy City; Chucktown; Lowcountry capital
- Founded
- Founded 1670 (Charles Towne), moved to present peninsula site 1680; incorporated 1783
- Languages
- English; Gullah Geechee (heritage language of Lowcountry Black communities); Spanish (minority)
- Airports
- Charleston International (CHS), about 12 miles northwest of downtown in North Charleston; Savannah/Hilton Head (SAV) about 110 miles; Myrtle Beach (MYR) about 95 miles; Columbia Metropolitan (CAE) about 115 miles
- Tipping
- Restaurants 18-20% of the pre-tax bill; bartenders $1-2 per drink; taxis and rideshare 15-20%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 per night; bellhops $2-3 per bag; carriage and walking tour guides 15-20%; some restaurants add an automatic service charge for large parties
