Charleston, SC
Charleston SC 2019
Charleston, SC (AKA Chucktown) is a small peninsula along the Southern Atlantic Coast. The city itself packed with some of the top rated restaurants in the country, countless bars, and hordes of good looking people. Combine that with the fact that it’s surrounded by pristine beaches and beautiful waterways stretching in every direction and it’s no wonder that Charleston is one of the top vacation destinations in the US, and a haven for bachelor & bachelorette parties, weddings, and group travel.
This is a guide for people who are visiting Charleston who like adventure, and partying. I’ve lived in Charleston on and off for 10 years, and when my friends come to Chucktown, this is how we get down.
Table Of Contents
- Things to do in Charleston SC: Adventure & Daytime Activities
- Charleston SC Party & Nightlife
- Where to Eat & Drink in Charleston
- Charleston Bucket Lists
- Bachelor & Bachelorette Weekend Itinerary Ideas
- Charleston SC Trip Planning Resources
- Group Vacation Packages, Excursions, & Tours
- **NEW** >>Click Here<< To view my brand new 2019 Charleston Sc Bachelorette Party Guide!
LET ME PLAN YOUR BACHELOR / BACHELOR OR BACHELORETTE WEEKEND GETAWAYS…TRUST ME- I KNOW WHAT’S UP AROUND HERE 🙂
Hey! I’m Baker Manning from Bravo TV’s Below Deck. I’m also a Charleston local and I love to show people around this city cause it really is a SICK spot and great travel destination for anyone and everyone. <3.
If you’ve ever seen me on the TV show Below Deck then you know that as a yachtie- I specialize in providing guests with top notch service, and unforgettable experiences. I do know a thing or two about how to have a good time- especially in my own hometown!
keep in mind– I wrote this guide back in 2015- I’ll be updating it soon but keep in mind some of the info may be out of date… it’s still a great guideline to get you started!
LEARN ABOUT OUR NEW 2019 CHARLESTON SC BACHELORETTE & BACHELOR PARTY PACKAGES & DEALS
Things to do in Charleston SC: Adventure & Daytime Activities

During a vacation of course you want to party, but my friends and I like to throw a lil’ bit of exercise and exhilaration into the mix if we can. Here in Charleston that is incredibly easy to do so.
My man Maurice does a good job describing Folly Beach 🙂 Check him out on YouTube!
*If you’re looking to book a house for your friends, and you want to party, BOOK FOLLY!*
- Kicking it on the Beach with a group of friends is one of the best ways to spend the day in Charleston. Each of the three beaches listed above has it’s own flavor.
- Folly is a great beach to party and surf, and attracts a younger crowd, (college – 30+ year olds.)
- Sullivan’s is more of a laid back, older crowd, and a lot of locals. There are hardly ever any waves, but the beach / shore is much longer and it’s a great place to kite board and windsurf.
- IOP is definitely a family oriented beach, with lots of kids, and really strict police.
- Kiawah and Seabrook are also located in Charleston but those are definitely more of an older retired crowd. They DO have some really nice golf courses however.
Surf/Water Sports & Recreation
Restaurants & Bars
Traffic
Alcohol Consumption…
Parking
Pets
What to Bring
- Folly Beach @ The Washout is the most popular and consistent spot to surf in Charleston.
- While the waves are nowhere near as big as the Pacific Coast, Charleston does still get pretty decent sized, consistent waves all year long, especially during hurricane season and big storms.
- You can expect them to be about chest to head high.
- Because the climate is so warm you can surf about 8 months out of the year without having to wear a wet suit.
- Grab some friends, rent a few boards, and take turns shreddin some waves brah’!
Surf Board Rentals & Lessons
Surf Cam & Resources
- Sullivans Island
- Isle of Palms
- Folly
- The most popular place to kite board and windsurf in Charleston is Sullivan’s Island at 28 1/2 block. On a windy day you may see 30 + people out there catchin’ air and cruisin’ around, it’s a lot of fun to watch even if you don’t try it yourself.
- Low tide is a great time to go out there, especially for beginners, because the water is very shallow, only a couple of feet deep, for about 100 yards. Then there’s also a big sand bar, and more shallow water beyond that.
- Learning how to kite board is a process that takes several lessons. If you are really interested in learning I recommend calling one of our local kiteboarding shops well before your trip, so that they can give you the lowdown, and you can be fully prepared when you arrive.
- If you only have a few days, you may want to just surf, paddle board, fish, or wakeboard instead.
- I DO NOT recommend trying to kite board without taking lessons.
- If you’re an experienced kiter, there are lots of options for down winders. You can cruise all the way from Folly –> Sullivan’s –> IOP if the wind is in the right direction. However, I’d recommend just sticking to Sullivan’s and IOP because they are easily accessible to each other by car, where as Folly is a really long drive.
Kiteboarding Rentals and Lesson Shops
- Shem Creek
- Folly Beach
- IOP
Tour & Rental Companies:
- There are so many places that are great to go paddle boarding and kayaking all over the Charleston area. If you’re looking for a place to go barhopping while cruising, I recommend Shem Creek.
- Otherwise, you can cruise any of the water ways, or even bring the boards to the beach and try to catch some waves.
- Be careful! There are lots of crazy currents, tides, and riptides all over the place, make sure it’s safe where you plan to go.

Rental Companies:
- Folly
- Downtown
- North Charleston
- Mount Pleasant
- IOP / Sully’s
Fun boating activities:
- Fishing
- Wake Boarding/ Water Skiing
- Tubing
- Party
- If you and your friends have access to a boat, or money to pay for one, DO IT. In my opinion a boat is the best way to explore Charleston.
- Navigating through the intercoastal, and tidal creeks and rivers can be very daunting. Make sure the captain of the boat is extremely familiar with the area, there are sand bars and oyster beds all over the place, just below the surface of the water.
- Trophy Lakes
- Inter-Coastal Water Way + Rivers, and Tidal Creeks
*Check the Boat Rentals Section for more resources.*
- Charleston is a haven for water sports, no matter which direction the wind is blowing, you can always hunt down some glassy creeks to cruise down on a boat.
- As I mentioned before, if you have access to a boat, do the damn thing.
- If not Trophy Lakes is a sick water sports park located in John’s Island, about a 15 / 20 minute drive from downtown.
- They have a cable park, and a boat that cruises around pulling riders whether you want to wakeboard, water ski, or go tubing.
- Roll out there with a crew and play disk golf while you take turns riding.
More Info Coming Soon
This is a great leisurely float you can do with big groups of people, and it’s a fairly inexpensive activity so it’s great if you’re ballin’ on a budget.
- Best Months –
- Duration – 4 hours
- Start Point – Givhans Ferry State Park
- End Point
- Getting Back
- What to Bring
This is a fun thing you can do right from downtown. They have a little floating Tiki Hut so you and your friends can kick it while you take turns getting your lesson and flying around. Looks like a blast!

Areas to explore by bikes /wheels:
- Downtown Charleston
- All of the Beaches
- James Island County Park</li>
- West Ashley Greenway
Rental Companies:
- Downtown: Affordabike
- Folly Beach:Bicycle Rental Shops: Folly Beach Adventures
- IOP / Sullivan’s: Isle of Palms Bike Rentals
- In my opinion, biking is the best way to get around downtown Charleston in the day time.
- Charleston is such a small city as it is, you could walk from one side to the other in 45 minutes. However with a bicycle you could get there in ten minutes or less.
- Parking is a pain in the ass, so I recommend biking or walking over a car any day.
- It’s hot as hell in the summer time, so that’s why I prefer biking to walking.
- Take yourselves on a bicycle tour of Charleston, stay tuned for recommended bike routes that I will publish soon!
As a city thats sea – level with virtually no hills for miles around, our rock climbing options are limited, however we do have some artificial climbing walls if you’re looking for some exhilaration.
This is a newer ropes course that caters to both adults and children.
Charleston looks awesome from above.
James Island has great camping facilities and loads of other fun activities right within the park itself. Due to extremely hot weather, and bugs, I would recommend only attempting to camp during the colder months – December – March.
Charleston SC Party & Nightlife
The places listed below are bars that I personally go to / have been too, and personally recommend for you and your friends. Of course there are dozens of other fun spots all around town, but these suggestions are good places to start the night. Click the links for more information.
- The Charleston Pour House
- This is my favorite bar in Charleston because they have live music every day of the week. During the daytime they have a sweet outdoor patio where bands will play for free during the day time, and then the music moves inside once it gets dark.
- The Barrel
- Bohemian Bull
- Max & Henry’s
- Cha Cha’s Mexican Grill
Where to Eat & Drink in Charleston
You’re sure to find something delicious at any of the restaurants on this list. You should definitely try some southern cookin’ and seafood while you’re here.
- Rita’s Seaside Grill
- Lost Dog Cafe
- Taco Boy
- Poes Tavern
- Hometeam BBQ
- Obstinate Daughter
- The Wreck*
- Red Drum
- Pages Okra Grill
- Coleman Public House
- Hearts Cafe
- The Lot
- Public House
- Zia Tacoria
Attractions / Special Events
Millions of tourists flock to Charleston every year to admire it’s old architecture, and learn about it’s history. Not you guys, you’re here to party… and maybe pass some cool looking buildings as you walk from bar to bar. However, If you want to have the full Charleston experience, I do recommend a stroll down King Street and through the Market.
King Street
- If you’re downtown you have to cruise down King Street. A majority of the excitement begins at the intersection of King and Spring, and continues South. However there are definitely happenin’ bars and restaurants in the other direction as well.
- King Street is well known for it’s shopping, it’s historic architecture, and of course it’s nightlife.
- The Market
- Another street downtown that you have to check out, with a big outdoor / indoor market with vendors selling authentic Made-In-Charleston souvenirs. Try some boiled peanuts, and buy a palmetto rose from one of the local City Rose Kids.
- The Aquarium
- Historic Landmarks & Other Point of Interest:
- The Battery
- Check out several hundred year old historic mansions, stroll along the water, and kick it in the park.
- The Waterfront Park
- Beautiful views along the edge of the Peninsula overlooking the Harbor.
- Hampton Park
- This is by far my favorite park in Charleston, it’s beautiful. Lots of really cool trees 🙂
- Great place for a picnic, some recreation, or a hammock session.
- It’s not in the heart of town so I recommend biking there.
- The Battery
- Shem Creek
- This is a beautiful little creek in Mount Pleasant, lined with bars and restaurants. You can rent kayaks, paddle boards, and other water toys from here and explore the tidal creeks.
- Special Events / Parties
- Live Music
- Sporting Events<iframe src=”https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?height=600&wkst=1&bgcolor=%23FFFFFF&src=shakenbake1987%40gmail.com&color=%23AB8B00&ctz=America%2FNew_York” style=”border-width:0″ width=”800″ height=”600″ frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”no”></iframe>
When to Visit
Late spring, early summer, and early fall are ideal.
- As you can see, in April temperatures start to rise to the 70’s which makes for great beach weather.
- By May you can swim in the ocean comfortably.
- June, July, and August are miserably hot and unbelievably humid, although Summer is in full swing.
- Fall in Charleston is my favorite season. In September and October the weather is perfect and the water is still warm. The humidity (and bugs) die down a good bit by this time.
- December the weather is still nice, lately its been a comfortable 70 degrees during this month, but the water gets chillier so it’s not optimal beach weather. You might as well come to Charleston when you can enjoy the water. However, it’s a great month for weddings in my opinion.
- During the winter months temperatures are unpredictable. Some days it’s 60 degrees fahrenheit, and then it can drop down to 30 over night. Our winter is very moderate but the warm months are when Charleston really comes alive.
Where to Stay in Downtown Charleston
For groups who are here to party your two best options are either downtown or the beach.
If you ask me, the most popular party beach is Folly Beach, then Sullivan’s, and then IOP. We locals hope you enjoy our beaches, we just ask that you please treat them with respect and don’t trash them. This is an ongoing issue with visitors lately. Click here if you want to read about why alcohol was banned on Folly Beach.
Getting Around
Biking /Rolling
Walking
Barcrawls
Sight-Seeing (Pic Spots)
Liquor Stores / Grocery Stores
Crime Zones
Bar Districts
Shopping Districts
Bicycle Rental Companies
Suggested Bike Routes
- Ravenel Bridge
- Battery
- Historic District
- Bar Crawl
- Long Distance Water
- Bike to the Beach
Biking Tips and Advice
- Always Lock Your Bike
- Park at Bike Racks
- Lights @ Night
- Biking Rules
- One Way Streets
Trip Planning Resources and Packages
Day 1: Explore Downtown Charleston By Bike:
Bike Bar Crawl
- Be sure to eat a nice hearty breakfast and then make your way to King Street and prepare for an epic City crawl that will include many stops at various bars / restaurants / and points of interest around town that are worth checking out.
- I recommend renting bicycles from Affordabike
Day 2:
Bachelor Party 3 Days
Day of Golfing : Play a round of Golf at Patriots Point to get warmed up for the real game of golf: Downtown Bar Golf
I hope you and your friends are ready for a full day of golfing. Bar golfing that is. Although Charleston has plenty of bars to choose from, the following spots have been selected by local dudes based on their day time atmosphere, their outdoor patios, their dank food and drink selection, and / or their “gaming” selection.
We’ve divided Charleston up into two courses: The Back 9, which are all of the bars within a reasonable walking distance in the Upper King Street area, and the Front 9, which are located near The Market.
*Golf Course Map is located below*
go home / shower / party bus or shuttle back downtown- VIP
Shuttle back down town for a night out on the town.
Dinner Suggestions:
- Pre-order dinner for your crew so that you can all go home, shower up, and unwind before you head back out on the town.
- If you think you guys can get your shit together, make dinner reservations. Afew Good spots for larger groups are:
- Hit the town, order bottle service at one of Charleston’s popular clubs or lounges:
- Trio
- Mynt
- Republic
- NV
Day 3:
Other Suggestions: (Check list)
Bike Crawl:
Optional – half way up the bridge
- Royal American – PBR + shot
- Revelry Brewery
- Palmetto Brewery
- The Alley
- Taco Boy
- Palace Hotel
- Biergaaten
- Stars
- Carolina Ale House
Embedded Link:
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Rooftop Crawl:
- Vendue
- Rooftop Pavilion
- Henry’s / NV
- Boons
- Carolina Ale House
- Stars
- Cocktail Club
Folly Beach Crawl
- Tides
- Logger Heads
- Snapper Jacks sunset
- (Irish Bar)
- Taco Boy
- Surf Bar night time
- Chico Feo
Champagne Campaign (Party Bus or Shuttle recommended)
- IOP – Windjammer
- Sully’s Poe’s Tavern
- Shem Creek / Mount Pleasant – Red’s Ice House
- Downtown – Rooftop Vendue
- West Ashley – Avondale
- James Island – The Barrel
- Folly Beach – Snapper Jacks
- Beach Day
- Post up on Folly @ either the washout / or the pier
- what to bring
- Shower up – then time to begin the Folly Bar Crawl
- Dinner suggestion / Dinner and VIP package
- Water Sports Day
- Epic Brunch
- Top suggestions *Rent a Boat*
- Sunday Funday on the water
Explore Downtown – drinking / shopping / sampling spots
Spa Packages
Champagne Service
Group Dinner
Table Service
Beach Day
Brunch @ Shem Creek + kayak or SUP tour
Club VIP Packages:
Charleston Bar Crawl *WakenMake Bar Golf Course*
I hope you and your friends are ready for a full day of golfing. Bar golfing that is. Although Charleston has plenty of bars to choose from, the following spots have been selected by local dudes based on their day time atmosphere, their outdoor patios, their dank food and drink selection, and / or their “gaming” selection.
We’ve divided Charleston up into two courses: The Back 9, which are all of the bars within a reasonable walking distance in the Upper King Street area, and the Front 9, which are located near The Market.
Rules of bar golf: shot = birdie, beer = par, water = bogie lowest score wins bonus for extra h20
- Fleet Landing – sweet view
- Griffon – 1 dolla holla / seal it w/car bomb
- Rooftop Vendue – rooftop selfies or body mold
- Macs – darts
- Blind Tiger – ring game
- South end brewery – pool tables
- Henrys – oudoor patio
- Wild Wings – cheap drinks
- Crafthouse- craft house
- Palmetto Brewery
- Hanks Seafood
- Rec Room foosball
- The Alley – bowling
- Prohibition – moscow mule
- Hom- ping pong
- Stars – rooftop selfies *
- AC’s pool – beer of the month
- Carolina Ale House
Downtown Charleston Bicycle Bar Crawl
Packing Tips
If you and your friends come to Charleston to party and have a good time, you wanna look fresh.. get dressed up!
At the beaches, the party scene is a slightly different scenario. It’s a lot more laid back there so if you want to dress down you can, although girls you can wear heels just about anywhere and you won’t look over dressed. In the summer time it’s hot and humid as hell, so wear something light and breathable.
Outfit Examples
Additional Things to Bring:
- Beach Stuff
- Fan
To maximize your enjoyment in Charleston I recommend you bring the following things:
- Beach gear.
- A hat or visor.
- Light breathable clothes,it gets hot!
- A handheld fan (ladies.)
- A big appetite, our food is delicious.
- A willingness to be sweaty, salty, and sandy all day.
Additional Tips and Tricks
1. All liquor Stores close at 7:00 pm. (You can still buy beer, wine, and champagne at the grocery store / convenience store, but NO BOOZE.
2. Liquor Stores are COMPLETELY closed on Sundays. As above, You can still buy beer, wine, and champagne at the grocery store / convenience store, but NO BOOZE. If you want to drink liquor on Sunday you need to buy it on Saturday. Of course you can get liquor drinks at the bars, but you can’t purchase it anywhere else.
3. Drinking is not technically legal on any of the beaches thanks to these douche bags. If you plan on attempting to do so anyways, you need to be very sneaky, or else you can face a hefty fine if you are caught. Attempt it at your own risk… which lots of people do.
4. Open container is not permitted anywhere in South Carolina, if you’re caught in public place or street with alcohol you can get fined or even arrested.
5. All of the bars here close by 2:00 am. A lot of them will start last call around 1:45 or even earlier. Try to come out early so you get more time to explore the nightlife.
- If your group is within a 10 mile radius of Charleston, you may be better off just cabbing / shuttling around town than trying to drive or rent a car. This will obviously depend on the size of the group, and distance to your desired destinations.
- Keep in mind – traffic and parking downtown on the weekends is a nightmare. You will waste so much time and energy sitting in traffic, and looking for parking, that it will put you in a bad mood. You’ll probably turn down several one way streets by accident, Charleston is full of them. You will likely have to park a long ways from where you’re trying to go anyways and have to walk for a long time. You’ll arrive sweaty, and exasperated, just Uber.
- If you do drive, just find the nearest parking garage or paid parking lot, and park there.
- If you’re unlucky enough to come during a sudden down pour combined with high tide, several of the streets will flood in a matter of minutes. Avoid driving downtown if this is the case, you’re better off kayaking.
- Parking at any of the meters is free on Sundays.