A Budget-Friendly Weekend in CharlestonThere are tons of free things to do in Charleston! If you're heading to the Holy City, you don't need to spend a lot. One of the best things about Charleston is how walkable it is. You can spend hours wandering the historic streets, the market, or strolling on the beaches! 🐬🌴🍍Authorskerrieturcic
DestinationsCharlestonItinerary

Free Things To Do

King Street
This is the main shopping and sightseeing street in downtown Charleston. The second Sunday of every month, they close the street to cars and it's a lot of fun with extra entertainment, food trucks, and more!
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Pineapple Fountain
An iconic thing to see and totally free! 🍍
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Rainbow Row
The famous Rainbow Row is the perfect place to snap a few pics for your feed. ✨🌷🎀🌈
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Trip Highlight
Charleston is the perfect walking city. Tip: Head south of Broad Street for the most incredible historic homes.
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The Battery
This historic defensive seawall at the southern tip of Charleston is the most epic place for a walk with the water views on one side and Civil War-era mansions on the other.
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Charleston City Market
You can spend all day walking through the market and shopping all the vendors.
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Philadelphia Alley
Another famous spot in Charleston that is 100 percent free to visit. Philadelphia Alley is the perfect spot to snap a pic with its brick walls, cobbled alleyway, and gas lanterns!
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French Huguenot Church
An iconic spot in the French Quarter that costs nothing to see!
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Dock Street Theatre
Across the street from the church is the very first theater built in America! If there’s no show going on at Dock Street Theatre, you can go inside and walk around on a self-guided tour for free. There’s a charming little courtyard out back, too!
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17 Chalmers St
It costs nothing to snap a pic of this historic home that you've most likely seen in your social feeds. The Pink House was built circa 1700 and is located in the French Quarter!
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Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge
Hike up the Ravenel bridge, Charleston's iconic landmark and get an incredible view. There is a big sidewalk made just for this reason and there's a great parking lot on the Mount Pleasant side.
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Shem Creek Boardwalk
A great spot to check out with lots of nearby restaurants just over the Ravenel in Mount Pleasant. This is also a great place to spot pelicans and even dolphins! 🐬
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Angel Oak Tree
This iconic place is a little bit of a drive from downtown, but free (donations are accepted). 🌳
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Ashley River Road
Drive through the Plantation District and experience Charleston's Spanish moss-draped oak trees. You can go to Magnolia or Middleton Place to see the gardens for a fee. Spring is going to be the best time to go since everything will be in bloom! Tip: Pollen is no joke in the Lowcountry—take your allergy meds!
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Fishing Dock at James Island County Park
Okay so this is not free. But there are a lot of free places to fish around Charleston. Because this is a county park, there is a small fee to get in here, buuuuut the park also has a climbing wall and other activities aside from fishing. You can also camp here! So for a small fee, lots to do!
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Beaches

Sullivan's Island Beach
Get there early to find free parking. The beach itself is free.
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Isle of Palms Beach
IOP Beach has free parking and the beach is free. (Get there early in the day for free parking, especially in peak season.)
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Folly Beach
A little bit farther from downtown, but a local favorite. It's harder to find free parking here as it's more popular than the other beaches.
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Affordable Tours

Charleston Water Taxi Cruise with Dolphin Sighting
You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on a dolphin tour. Try taking the water taxi between Charleston and Mount Pleasant instead for as little as $17! The water taxi departs Patriots Point every hour from 9:45 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. or the Maritime Center next to the aquarium in Charleston between 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., so you can do this activity whenever it fits your schedule.
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Charleston Self Guided Walking Tour
Charleston is packed with historic homes, famous landmarks, parks, gardens, and more. Why wander and wonder when, for under $10, you can take a self-guided tour going at your own pace. You'll be able to see the iconic Rainbow Row, the Battery, two parks, statues, secret alleyways and gardens, and hidden gems. The best part is the tour never expires, so you can take it as many times as you want. This is a great tour for locals and visitors alike!
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Charleston: A Walk Through Charleston History
If you'd rather have an expert show you around the Holy City, then this tour comes highly recommended by travelers on Viator! For just $16.70 per person, meet up with a local guide for a 2-hour stroll around some of Charleston's most interesting and historic places, including White Point Gardens, the Battery, Fort Sumter, and Rainbow Row. What makes this tour even more special is your guide's own family history in Charleston. This tour is also wheelchair and stroller accessible.
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Cheap Eats

The Co-Op Gourmet Sandwiches
Inexpensive and delicious foods you can grab and go. Plus, they have frosé machines!
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Callie's Hot Little Biscuit
A super famous spot for biscuits and cheap! The line starts early.
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Toast! All Day
A local chain that has bottomless mimosas and won't cost you a fortune.
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Early Bird Diner
As seen on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives," this place is cheap and really good (but not good for you). Get the chicken and waffles.
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East Bay Deli - Downtown
A local chain with seriously good sandwiches.
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Kudu - Coffee, Craft Beer & Wine
A great spot to grab coffee to go.
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