Things to Do on the Isle of Palms and Historic Charleston
Isle of Palms Recreation Center
There is an Isle of Palms Recreation Center that isn’t far from the Casas that has tennis courts, basketball courts, sand volleyball courts, Frisbee golf course, cardio room, playground, picnic area, etc.
Boating, Water Sports, and Fishing
Isle of Palms Marina (Boat rentals and more)
50 41st Ave.
Isle of Palms, SC 29451
(843) 886-0209
Welcome to the Isle of Palms Marina, where our accommodating marina has a little something to offer everyone. From family-friendly activities and boat rentals to watersports and romantic dinners, the IOP Marina truly has it all.
Visitors can rent a variety of boats through the Isle of Palms Marina. The marina offers 14-foot to 24-foot flat boats, center consoles, and pontoon boats ideal for fishing, sightseeing, and island picnics. The marina’s rental boats accommodate two to twelve people and can be rented hourly or daily.
Tidal Wave Watersports
69 41st Ave.
Isle of Palms, SC 29451
(843) 886-8456
Tidal Wave’s USCG licensed parasailing captains offer adrenaline junkies the chance to fly from 600 to 1,000 feet above the ocean. Each parasailing excursion includes up to six passengers and lasts for approximately 90 minutes. Tandem flights are also available if conditions are favorable. The company also offers rentals of wave runners, water skiing rigs, and fun banana boat rides.
Adventure Outdoors Fishing
(843) 345-9969
Enjoy a lowcountry fishing experience with Captain Fritz, a dedicated angler and strong advocate of catch and release fishing. Everything is provided, including license, bait, tackle, and ice. Bring your food, beverage, and a camera to record your catch.
Aqua Safaris
Intracoastal Waterway
Isle of Palms, SC 29451
(843) 886-8133
Aqua Safaris arranges inshore and offshore fishing, harbor cruises, tours, and sailing charters. Enjoy a beach barbecue, a dolphin sunset sail, or even a children’s pirate sail. Charters can be arranged from downtown Charleston, Mt. Pleasant, or other area locations.
Barefoot Island Sports
1 Seafood Drive
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 568-3222
Barefoot Island Sports is an expert guide company specializing in family kayak adventures suitable for all experience levels. Barefoot carries a full line of rental kayaks, bikes, and surfboards.
Coastal Expeditions
69 41st Ave.
Isle of Palms, SC 29451
(843) 886-9590
Coastal Expeditions is Charleston's oldest kayak outfitter, specializing in custom family tours. Trips from both Shem Creek and the Isle of Palms Marina for beginner and expert-level kayakers are offered. Coastal Expeditions also offers kayak instruction, rentals, and sales. The outfitter operates the fascinating Bull Island Ferry tour.
Nature Adventure Outfitters
(800) 673-0679
Naturalist guided tours of blackwater swamps, rice plantations, salt marshes, and barrier islands. Beginners welcome.
Shallow Thoughts Fishing
(843) 509-4751
Captain Jeremy Espiritu provides safe and exciting inshore fishing experiences for all experience levels, up to six people at a time. Redfish, trout, flounder, ladyfish, jack crevalle, shark, and tarpon.
Attractions
South Carolina Aquarium & Aquarium Wharf
(843) 720-1990
At a whopping 93,000 square feet, the South Carolina Aquarium is home to 6,000-plus animals. The Camp Carolina Exhibit includes an American Bald Eagle, skunks, a pair of mated barn owls, and a hellbender (a large salamander) native to North America. One of their most impressive exhibits is the two-story Great Ocean Tank which holds 385,000 gallons of salt water and contains hundreds of animals found in deep water reefs.
Charleston Fun Park
3255 Highway 17 North,
Mount Pleasant, SC 29466
(843) 971-1223
Looking for something fun to do with the family? Charleston Fun Park has something for everyone! Go-karts, two miniature golf courses, an amazing arcade, gemstone mining, and a climbing wall. Our Snack Shack serves a delicious concessions menu featuring Dippin’ Dots, ICEE and more! Parents, you can relax at the outdoor Galley with a beer or a glass of wine while the kids have their run of the park.
Fort Sumter
(843) 722-2628 or toll free (800) 789-3678
The site where the Civil War began, this fort was built on a man-made island near the mouth of the harbor. Construction began in 1829 but was not completed until 1860. Tour departs from the City Marina on Lockwood Avenue.
Charleston Dining Cruises
(843) 722-2628 or toll free (800) 789-3678
Private Charter Cruises - Charleston Harbor
(843) 722-2628 or toll free (800) 789-3678
Sightseeing Charleston Harbor Tours
(843) 722-2628 or toll free (800) 789-3678
Historic Charleston
Charleston's active cultural scene includes symphonies, ballet, and the visual arts. Ongoing programming, plus a variety of festivals, expos, and attractions, helps to make a vacation on Isle of Palms, Wild Dunes, or Sullivan's Island uniquely diverse and appealing to visitors of all ages and interests.
Spoleto Festival & Piccolo Spoleto
When Spoleto Festival USA was launched as a counterpart to its famous Italian namesake, Charleston was chosen as the host for this prestigious event. Every year, from late May through mid-June, more than 125 performances in music, dance, and theatre transform the city into a cultural mecca. Piccolo Spoleto highlights local and regional artists ranging from avant-garde to classical.
Charleston Carriage Works
20 Anson Street
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 779-1279
A unique, informative, and fun way to tour downtown Charleston, one-hour horse-drawn carriage tours are narrated to excite and delight all ages.
Old South Carriage Co.
14 Anson Street
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 723-9712
Old south Carriage Company, owned and operated by the same family since 1983, features some of the finest tour guides, draft horses, and carriages in historic Charleston. Stop by our stable at 14 Anson Street to meet our professional staff and see for yourself the quality of our operation. Not only are our tour guides extensively trained, but when you see our stable, our horses, and our carriages you will immediately appreciate the care and attention to detail that Old South Carriage Company dedicates to guarantee a quality tour and a wonderful carriage ride.
Bulldog Tours (Ghost Tours)
(843) 722-8687
With exclusive access to many of Charleston's most famous and haunted sites, Bulldog Tours entertain, intrigue, delight, and frighten those who choose to stroll into Charleston's dark and ghostly past. Explore the Old City Jail, a prerevolutionary dungeon, the city's oldest graveyard, and more.
Aiken-Rhett House Tours
(843) 723-1623
The Aiken-Rhett House is a nearly pristine example of an antebellum urban plantation. Built by a wealthy merchant in 1818 and later expanded by Governor and Mrs. William Aiken in the 1830s, the lavish estate has remained largely unchanged since its heyday. Tours provide glimpses of the classical art and sculpture that adorn its interior, as well as its servants' quarters, kitchens, and numerous outbuildings.
Drayton Hall
(843) 769-2600
After seven generations, two great wars, and numerous hurricanes and earthquakes, Drayton Hall is the only plantation house on the Ashley River to have survived the Revolutionary and Civil Wars intact. Completed in 1742, the main house on this National Trust Historic Site is in nearly original condition. Professionally guided tours give a rare glimpse back in time.
Deep Water Vineyards
(843) 559-6867
Nestled among the majestic live oaks on Charleston's back porch of Wadmalaw Island, this 48-acre winery and vineyard has something for everyone. We are the only domestic winery in Charleston, South Carolina and should be on the top of your list when visiting the Lowcountry. Tour the grounds, enjoy a wine tasting, or bring your own picnic for a relaxing afternoon.
Middleton Place
(843) 556-6020 or toll free (800) 782-3608
Visitors experience life much as it was in 1741, when these magnificently landscaped gardens (America's oldest) were laid. Based on European style, the gardens include lush, grassy ramps, ornamental canals, camellias, azaleas, and live ancient oaks. The Plantation stable yards feature costumed craftspeople demonstrating skills performed by slaves in the 18th century. A guided tour of the house interprets the Middleton family's role in American history.
Charleston Museum
(803) 722-2996
America's oldest museum, the Charleston Museumis a must-see for history buffs. Founded in 1773, the museum offers thoroughly modern, state-of-the-art interactive exhibits detailing the city's colorful history. Highlights include a full-size replica of a confederate submarine and a hands-on children's room. The museum also offers guided walking tours of the city's historic districts.
Dock Street Theater & Charleston Stage
(843) 577-7183
The historic Dock Street Theater was built on the site of the country's very first large-scale performance venue. Today, the theater stages performances by many community groups and professional repertory companies. The theater is home to the Charleston Stage theater company, which produces a full calendar of musicals, dramas, and revues.
North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center
(843) 529-5000
The North Charleston Coliseum's stage has been graced by the likes of Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Elton John, and Jimmy Buffet. The 13,000-seat venue also stages a variety of sporting events and exhibitions, including hockey matches starring the Charleston Stingrays. The adjoining Performing Arts Center features classical performances and Broadway shows.
Charleston Tea Plantation
(843) 559-8383
Tour America’s only working tea farm, on picturesque Wadmalaw Island. Learn about the growing and manufacturing process in an informative factory tour, and take a narrated bus tour through the fields. The Gift Shoppe is the perfect place to purchase American Classic Tea, tea pots, and other related items.
Wildlife and Nature Tours
Repeat visitors know to pack their cameras and binoculars, because a stay on the Isle of Palms almost guarantees they’ll spot some fascinating wildlife. Alligators, rare birds, and loggerhead turtles make their homes among the island’s varied ecosystems. The ever-changing vegetation on the island is equally fascinating, from sea oats and wildflowers, to cacti, palmettos, and salt marsh. Visitors can grab a map and head out on their own, or take advantage of a number of guided tours and nature-based enrichment programs offered on the island. Boat cruises, guided kayak tours, fishing clinics, and a variety of kid’s day camps allow visitors to explore the Isle of Palms' rich natural environment.
Barefoot Island Sports
1 Seafood Drive
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 568-3222
Barefoot Island Sports is an expert guide company specializing in family kayak adventures suitable for all experience levels. Barefoot carries a full line of rental kayaks, bikes, and surfboards.
Barrier Island Eco Tours
50 41st Avenue
Isle of Palms, SC 29451
(843) 886-5000
Guided by a local marine biologist on a comfortable excursion vessel, visitors will explore undeveloped Capers Island and its tidal creeks. Tours promise glimpses of dolphin, alligators, migratory birds, and live marine specimens brought onboard. Tours also include stops for swimming, crabbing, fishing, and beachcombing. All Capers Island trips depart from the Isle of Palms Marina.
Bulls Island Ferry
Departs from Garris Landing off Hwy. 17
(843) 881-4582
A leisurely 30-minute passenger ferry ride takes passengers through rich saltwater marsh creeks, home to dolphins, egrets, pelicans, and herons. An on-board naturalist narrates the tour as the ferry winds through the Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses 64,000 acres of South Carolina's most pristine maritime wilderness. Bull Island, a 6-mile long island managed for\ endangered and threatened species, is home to red wolves, wood storks, and loggerhead sea turtles. Passengers can stroll along sixteen miles of footpaths or bask in the sun on "Boneyard Beach." The tour is operated by Coastal Expeditions.
Sandlapper Tours
(843) 849-8687
Sandlapper Tours offers guided history tours, nature tours, and sunset cruises aboard their 45-foot USCG certified twin engine catamaran. Accompanied by a naturalist or marine biologist, passengers will spot and learn about Great Blue Herons, Snowy Egrets, dolphins, and other area critters. The company's popular Charleston-based moonlit "Ghost Tour" both terrorizes and delights with tales of the harbor’s colorful history - complete with pirates, hangings, and shipwrecks.
Golf
The Wild Dunes Resort boasts two 18-hole courses designed by Tom Fazio. The challenging Harbor Course plays along the Intracoastal Waterway, offering magnificent views and challenging marsh front finishing holes. The Links Course is consistently rated as one of Golf Magazine's "Top 100 Resort Courses," and finishes along the Atlantic Ocean. Several more fine courses are just minutes away on the mainland, including Patriots Point, Charleston National Country Club, and Dunes West Golf Club. The Arnold Palmer-designed RiverTowne Country Club promises breathtaking scenery and challenging holes that play along the Wando River.
Wild Dunes Golf
Harbor Course
Sister to the Wild Dunes Links course, Harbor Course is very different while still challenging to any level of golfer. This 70-par course features three holes on the Intracoastal Waterway and two marsh front finishing holes as tough as any. This course offers Prolink - golf's state-of-the-art satellite-based yardage information system.
Links Course
This course has been a fixture in Golf's Top 100 poll since its opening. The Links is ranked 26th among America's Top 75 Upscale Public Courses by Golf Digest. The Links course offers Prolink - golf's state-of-the-art satellite-based yardage information system. Golf in & around Charleston.
Call 855.998.5351 for golf reservations and tee times
Charleston and Surrounding Areas Golf
Patriots Point Links on Charleston Harbor
(843) 881-0042
This exciting links course is located on the banks of the Charleston Harbor. It offers panoramic views of historic Charleston and the neighboring Sea Islands. The sea breezes, marshlands, lagoons, and tidal creeks add to the challenge.
Charleston National
(843) 203-9994
Ranked as the "#1 non-resort course" in the Charleston area by Golf Magazine, this is a course of high standards. The layout maintains a natural setting of marshland and lagoons. This is a must-play course.
RiverTowne Country Club
(843) 849-2400
A championship Arnold Palmer Signature Course situated among scenic marshlands and majestic live oaks in Mt. Pleasant. Amenities include GPS-equipped golf carts and complimentary range balls.
Dunes West
(843) 856-9000
This course, located on the site of the historic Lexington Plantation, was ranked by both Golf Magazine and Golf Digest as a "Top-Ten Resort Course."
Shadowmoss Plantation
(843) 556-8251
Carved from an original plantation featuring lush Bermuda fairways cut through forests of oak and hickory, Shadowmoss was voted one of the best places to play in a 2004 Golf Digest poll. This two-time host of the South Carolina State Open is located on Hwy. 61 N. and offers a no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee if not satisfied with the greens, course condition or service provided by the staff.
Coosaw Creek
(843) 767-9000
Recently named one of Charleston's "Must Play" golf courses by Golf Magazine, this 6,593-yard Arthur Hills-designed course is well known among area golfers for its impeccable conditioning, playability, and reasonable cost. Located in North Charleston.
Pine Forest
(843) 851-1193
This course features a beautiful lake system, which provides you with all levels of challenge. It provides an even mix of straightaways, doglegs, and moderate elevation changes.
Legend Oaks
(843) 821-4077
Located on the site of an antebellum plantation, Legend Oaks offers a traditional-style course. It features oak-lined fairways, which offer a challenge to both the novice and experienced golfer.