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If the peninsula is full, look at Upper King, Mount Pleasant or the airport area. Pick whichever is closest to where you need to be in the morning.
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Charleston’s historic peninsula sits between the Ashley and Cooper rivers. Stay near the City Market or King Street and the old streets, restaurants and harbor are all on foot. Cross a bridge for beach days and bigger hotels.
The City Market and French Quarter sit close to Waterfront Park and the Fort Sumter ferry departure at Liberty Square. Walk south past Rainbow Row to the Battery and White Point Garden. The blocks are short, but summer heat and cobblestones wear you down over a long day of walking.
King Street changes as it runs north. The shops near the historic core give way to the restaurants and bars of Upper King. Hotels around Marion Square and the Visitor Center are farther from the harbor but closer to dinner and the downtown buses.
Mount Pleasant is across the Ravenel Bridge, with the Shem Creek restaurants and Patriots Point. Stay there with a car if the beaches are on the list. The bridge cuts it off from the peninsula’s walking routes. West Ashley, across the Ashley River, is the other place to stay if you are driving.
Summer here is sticky, with frequent rain. Spring and autumn afternoons are easier for walking. During hurricane season, keep your plans loose. Check what a peninsula hotel charges for parking before you book, and allow time for the drive in from Charleston International Airport.
The City Market, French Quarter and Waterfront Park are a few minutes apart on foot. It is the place to be for an early Fort Sumter ferry or an evening stroll along East Bay Street. The narrow streets get crowded, and parking can be expensive.
Around here: Charleston City Market, Waterfront Park, French Quarter
Rainbow Row and the Battery line the southern end of the peninsula, with White Point Garden at its tip. Pick a room here for quiet residential streets and harbor walks. Shops and the main dining strip on Upper King are farther north.
Around here: Rainbow Row, The Battery, White Point Garden
King Street north of Calhoun is the restaurant and bar strip, with Marion Square and the Visitor Center nearby. Stay here if dinner and nightlife matter more than waking up by the harbor. The Battery is a long walk south.
Around here: Upper King Street, Marion Square, Charleston Visitor Center
Across the Ravenel Bridge, Mount Pleasant has the Shem Creek restaurants and Patriots Point. The USS Yorktown and the roads to the beaches are on this side of the river. For sightseeing on the peninsula, you will drive or take rideshares.
Around here: Shem Creek, Patriots Point, Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge
West of the Ashley River you get more chain hotels and a head start on the Ashley River historic sites. The peninsula is a drive away. A lower rate here has to cover the traffic and the downtown parking.
Around here: Ashley River Road, Charles Towne Landing, Ashley River
Walking is most comfortable from March through May and again in October and November. June through September is the rainiest stretch, and summer afternoons are humid and hot. Winter is mild, though evenings can turn cool.
Charleston International Airport (CHS) is in North Charleston, about 12 miles northwest of historic downtown. By car or taxi, take I-26 to the peninsula. CARTA buses run there too. Once you are downtown, walk.
12 mi from downtown
You can take a taxi, a rideshare or a rental car from the terminal. CARTA buses also go downtown from the airport, but they take longer than driving.
Try Upper King first if you want downtown evenings. With a car, Mount Pleasant is next. The airport area makes sense for a late arrival.
Only if your flight times matter more than the sightseeing. CHS is in North Charleston, about 12 miles from the historic peninsula.
Maybe. Look around Liberty Square, the City Market and Upper King, then book your ferry separately.
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