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From the Lowcountry Oyster Festival to wintry walks around the historic district, Charleston in winter offers a little something for everyone!
If you’re looking for a mild getaway in the colder months, consider checking out Charleston in winter. With relatively warm temperatures for the USA at that time of year, tons of historic sights, and a whole host of great festivals to get stuck into, Charleston is a great city to visit between December and February.
Whether you want to try the local food at the Lowcountry Oyster Festival, want to shop until you drop on the historic King Street, or even hit the beaches of Kiawah Island, you can have your pick of Charleston winter activities.
I love winter getaways to historic cities. With the cooler temperatures, festive lights, and cobbled streets, it can feel like you’re stepping back into a Dicken’s novel! Charleston is absolutely full of that old world charm, with plenty of cutting-edge restaurants and shops to keep you anchored in the present day!
So, let’s get into the 13 best things to do in Charleston in winter. Hopefully this blog post will help plan your trip here.
If you’re planning an east coast adventure, then check out the best day trips from Raleigh. Alternatively, visiting Washington DC in winter is another bucket list trip to mark for the future!
Winter weather in Charleston
Let’s get one thing straight. If you want snow, South Carolina isn’t your place. Charleston sees a proper snowfall about once a decade.
What you get instead is mild. January averages a high of 15°C (59°F) and a low of 3°C (38°F). February climbs a little to 17°C (62°F) and 5°C (41°F). Cold snaps do happen and the temperature can dip below freezing overnight, so bring a real coat rather than a jumper.
Expect around nine or ten days with rain each month. It usually blows through rather than settling in for the day. The trade-off is worth it. You get the historic district without the summer crowds, hotel rates well below peak, and the kind of low golden light that makes Rainbow Row look unreal.
Map of Charleston
To help you plan your trip, I’ve put together this interactive map highlighting the best places featured in this guide to Charleston in winter. From historic landmarks and museums to foodie experiences, markets and beautiful coastal spots, you can use the map to see where everything is and plan your Charleston itinerary.
December
Enjoy the Holiday Festival of Lights
If you’re looking for a family-friendly winter activity in Charleston in the lead-up to Christmas, check out Charleston’s Holiday Festival of Lights. Held at James Island County Park, the festival features a spectacular three-mile driving route packed with more than 750 illuminated displays. And because you pay per vehicle rather than per person, it’s a particularly good option for families.
The festival runs nightly from 5.30pm to 10pm between 13 November and 31 December 2026, with ticket prices varying depending on how busy the night is expected to be. Green nights cost $15 per vehicle in advance ($25 at the gate), yellow nights are $25 ($35 at the gate), and red nights are $30 ($45 at the gate). Once you’ve parked, you can also pay extra for attractions including the train ride, carousel and a visit to Santa.
Indulge at the Charleston Holiday Market
If you’re looking to get in the festive mood, there’s no better place to do so than at the Charleston Holiday Market. Filled with vendors from all around the local area selling crafts, seasonal sweet treats and drinks, as well as having family-friendly activities and live music, it’s a hub of holiday excitement.
This festive market takes over Marion Square for the majority of weekends in December, so make sure you check it out!
January
Eat up a storm at Charleston Restaurant Week
The winter festivals in Charleston just keep on coming with Charleston Restaurant Week. Normally held in January to help with that post-Christmas slump, Restaurant Week highlights between 20-30 participating restaurants that offer deals on new menu items or cult classics.
You can find a full list of participating restaurants and their deals on the Restaurant Week website. There are some seriously fancy places on here with reduced rates and some super popular eateries that frequent best places to eat lists!
Restaurant Week is 7 to 17 January 2027.
February
Get fancy at the Lowcountry Oyster Festival
Love slurping down delicious fresh oysters? Well then, I have the perfect Charleston winter activity for you! Located at Boone Hall Plantation in its lovely gardens, the Lowcountry Oyster Festival has been going for around 40 years now and brings the best chefs, seafood providers, and food lovers from all around the area to bustling Charleston!
There are tons of fun contests and categories to discover including shucking contests, all set against a backdrop of gorgeous gardens and great live music.
The Oyster Festival is the 42nd annual, on Sunday 28 February 2027 at Boone Hall. General admission is $25 and covers entry only, with the oysters bought inside.
Year Round
Dive into history at Fort Sumter National Historical Park
The first shots of the American Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter on 12 April 1861. Standing on that man-made island in the middle of the harbour is a strange, quiet experience, especially in winter when there are barely twenty of you on the boat.
The only way out is the authorised ferry. It leaves from Liberty Square on Concord Street downtown, or from Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant.
Here’s the thing most guides miss. The winter timetable is cut right back. From 2 January to 26 February there are only two sailings a day from Liberty Square, at 11am and 2pm, and a single 12:30pm departure from Patriots Point. It’s the same reduced schedule from 1 to 24 December. There are no sailings at all on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day or New Year’s Day.
Book ahead. With two boats a day, one sold-out sailing wrecks your afternoon. You can jump on a quick ferry from Charleston’s waterfront and enjoy guided tours of the park from an expert ranger who can answer any questions you might have about this Charleston icon.
Cost – $43 per adult, including the return ferry and admission to the fort.
Time needed – Around 2 hours 15 minutes, with an hour on the fort itself.
Explore Historic King Street
Located in the heart of Charleston’s historic old town, you’ll find the famous King Street. Separated into three distinct sections; Antiques, Fashion, and Design and Dining, there’s a little something for everyone on King Street.
On the second Sunday of each month, King Street actually becomes fully pedestrianised, so it’s well worth visiting during this time to get a full King Street experience.
Check out The Battery in Downtown Charleston
If you want to spend some time exploring Downtown Charleston, you have to visit the Battery. This historic waterfront promenade and seawall is one of the most scenic spots in the city, with beautiful views across Charleston Harbor towards Fort Sumter and beyond.
The good news is that the Battery is now fully open again following a major restoration project. Completed in February 2026, the work included a new raised promenade, improved landscaping and better accessibility, so it’s once again a lovely place for a walk. Take your time wandering along the waterfront, admire the grand historic homes, and enjoy some of the best views in Charleston.
Wander around Kiawah Island
A beach in winter sounds mad, I know. Then you walk out onto ten miles of hard-packed sand with almost nobody on it and it makes complete sense. One thing to know first. Kiawah Island is a private gated community, and Beachwalker County Park at the west end is the only public access. You can’t drive past the gate without a pass or a dinner reservation.
That’s not the problem it sounds like. From Beachwalker you can walk or cycle the full length of the beach towards Captain Sam’s Inlet, where the birdlife in winter is extraordinary. Winter hours are 10am to sunset, and the park closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Parking is just $5 in January and February, down from $20 at peak.
Explore the Charleston Harbor on a boat tour
The historic Charleston Harbor is a popular site to visit at all times of the year, but for the full experience, you’ll want to jump on a boat tour of the bay. There are so many different types, but the most popular ones are historic tours or nature tours – there are bottlenose dolphins swimming around Charleston as late as November!
Enjoy a carriage ride around the Charleston Historic District
Want to feel like you’re in an old movie while exploring some of Charleston’s most historic buildings and streets? Jump in a horse-drawn carriage, pull a blanket over your legs to keep you cosy, and head off around the Charleston Historic District on a tour.
You can find carriages that hold full families or smaller more romantic ones designed for couples. I’d recommend going in the evening when all the cobbled streets are lit up!
Take a foodie walking tour of Charleston
Now, I’ve touched a bit on the great food culture of Charleston, but if you want to experience it like a local, check out a foodie walking tour of Charleston. Your local guide will take you to a mix of Charleston hotspots and a whole host of secret places that you might not otherwise find.
There are plenty of options to choose from including this Southern Food-centric three-hour walking tour of the city!
Get in touch with nature at the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition
If you love exploring the native flora and fauna of a town or city you’re visiting, you’re going to be in for a treat with the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition. Focusing on South Carolina’s unique ecosystem, this festival is a mix of science and art, with so many creatives bringing pieces that were inspired by the natural wonderland around them.
The whole point of the event is to promote conservation efforts in the area and help raise funds, so it’s a win-win when it comes to Charleston winter activities!
Warm up in Charleston’s museums
Charleston does get rainy days, and this is where winter actually beats summer. The museums are quiet, and you can walk into places that queue round the block in April. Start at the International African American Museum on Gadsden’s Wharf. It sits on the site where a huge number of enslaved Africans first arrived in North America, and it doesn’t soften any of it. Give yourself two hours minimum.
Then head to the Gibbes Museum of Art on Meeting Street. Through January 2027 the Gibbes is showing fourteen Rodin bronzes on long-term loan, including work from the height of his career. It’s a genuinely unexpected thing to find in a small Southern art museum. Both are a ten-minute walk apart, which makes for an easy afternoon when the weather turns.
What’s new in Charleston for 2027?
Charleston has had a busy couple of years, and a few of the changes are worth planning around.
The Battery is whole again – After nearly a decade of construction, the Low Battery seawall project was finished in February 2026. The $71 million rebuild raised the promenade, added proper step-free access and replanted the whole stretch. If you visited during the works and found half of it behind hoardings, go back. It’s the best waterfront walk in the city again.
The Cooper opened on the harbour – The peninsula’s first big waterfront hotel opened in March 2026 in the French Quarter. It has 191 rooms, a rooftop infinity pool and its own marina on the Cooper River. Even if you’re not staying, the rooftop is worth a drink for the harbour view.
Rodin at the Gibbes, through January 2027 – The Gibbes Museum has fourteen Rodin bronzes on long-term loan. It runs until January 2027, so a winter trip is your last chance. For a museum this size it’s a genuine coup.
Restaurant Week is now a one-off – Charleston used to get two Restaurant Weeks a year. The September edition has been dropped, so the January run is the only one left. In 2027 that’s 7 to 17 January, eleven days of prix-fixe menus at places you’d normally wait a month to book.
Live Oak Charleston on Meeting Street – A Tribute Portfolio hotel opened in April 2026, with a Mediterranean restaurant, Terra, on the ground floor. It’s a good mid-range option in a part of town that had gone very expensive.
Where to stay in Charleston
Luxury: Hotel Bennett Charleston
If you’re looking to push the boat out, the Hotel Bennett Charleston is a palatial place to stay in the heart of Charleston city centre. With rooftop pools, huge balconies where you can enjoy breakfast, and massive suites and rooms, this hotel often feels like a high-end boutique Parisian stay!
Mid-range: Hotel Emeline
Looking for a cool, boutique hotel in Charleston that feels warm and modern with some clever design touches? Well, I’d recommend checking into the Hotel Emeline. Located just 800m from Charleston Waterfront Park, it’s a gorgeous hotel in a great location.
Budget: Hyatt House Charleston
Want a spacious suite with all the amenities you can think of? With the Hyatt House Charleston, you can get just that. Located in the Mount Pleasant area of Charleston, it’s easy to get to the South Carolina coast as well as travel into central Charleston.
So there you have it, the best things to do in Charleston in winter and where you can stay! What’s your favourite Charleston winter activity? Let me know in the comments below.
If you’re travelling around the USA, then check out 4 places you have to visit in Florida. Also, I think you’ll really enjoy my USA trivia questions – this is a fun 5 minute quiz to do!
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