G6Adventures
Let me start off by saying Charleston is one of our absolute favorite places to camp. We have been numerous times. Even in years where we say we’re going to skip it to try somewhere new, we somehow tend to find a way to work it into our schedule anyway! We have family there that we love to visit. But between the history, the beaches, the cobblestone streets, the food – Charleston just seems to have it all! Because we’re there relatively often, we are always trying to find new hidden gems to explore.
Don’t get me wrong, we love the well known treasures of Charleston. Nearly every trip, we shop on King Street, peruse the Charleston City Market, splash in the Pineapple Fountain at Waterfront Park, and take Instagram-worthy pictures on Rainbow Row. We also enjoy learning the history found at Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site, Fort Sumter National Monument, and the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon. Seeing the Angel Oak Tree is almost always on our list of must dos. Playing at James Island County Park is our family’s favorite for their playgrounds, walking/biking trails, splash park and kayak/canoe rentals. And, of course, there is relaxing at Folly Beach, which is our favorite beach in the area.
But, we are always looking for the more hidden treasures of Charleston. We have had the opportunity to stay in several different campgrounds allowing us to focus on different parts of the area. These are the top places we have found off the beaten path and loved by the whole family around Charleston.
- Caw Caw Interpretive Center. Located in Ravenel, less than a half hour from downtown Charleston, the Caw Caw Interpretive Center is part of the Charleston County park system. Caw Caw features a visitor center and over six miles of walking trails through numerous distinct coastal plain habitats. Traversing through the former rice fields and cypress swamps, you will likely see American alligators, deer, and numerous types of birds. It is a birding paradise, especially for water fowl, songbirds, swallow-tailed kites, ospreys and bald eagles. The low-impact wildlife preserve is also home to otters, turtles, snakes, lizards, frogs and crab. Not only is Caw Caw a great place for hiking and wildlife watching, it is rich in history as well. Once made up of several rice plantations housing enslaved Africans, Caw Caw visitors learn about the history of rice plantations. Through interpretive exhibits, displays and programs, you also learn the importance of slaves in rice production . One of the sites making up the Stono Rebellion, visitors can try to envision the men and women who participated in the rebellion in 1739. These brave people marched from farm to farm burning homes and killing slaveowners before they were stopped by a militia. Whether you enjoy unique walking trails, wildlife watching, birding, or are interested in the complexities of American history, the Caw Caw Interpretive Center is fantastic place to visit while in Charleston. Pets and bikes are not permitted in Caw Caw. Also, make sure to check the website for hours and cost of admission. As of the date of this publication, general admission is $2 person, with children 2 and under being free.
- Tattooed Moose. Several years ago, on one of our first trips to Charleston, we decided to visit a winery. We planned to visit the winery and then grab some lunch before we headed to explore the Charleston Tea Plantation and the Angel Oak Tree. Looking at Google maps, there seemed to be several restaurants near the winery with great ratings. After spending a couple hours at the winery, we got into our car to leave. I pull up Google maps again and hit “Start” on the restaurant we had selected (less than 10 miles away). That is when we learned, until you hit “Start” on Google maps, it is calculating distance as the crow flies. The inlets, rivers and other waterways around Charleston can significantly impact drive times. Unfortunately, to drive an hour to get somewhere, eat and then drive the hour back to Charleston Tea Plantation and the Angel Oak Tree would result in one or both being closed by the time we could get to them. So we decided to just eat some snacks, visit the tea planation and the Angel Oak and then we’d eat. Needless to say, by the time we were ready to eat, we were beyond hungry and desperate. We passed the Tattooed Moose as I was fumbling with my phone trying to find a restaurant close by. We decided to turn around and pull in despite knowing nothing about it. Talk about fortuitous. We walked in, and there was a wall of board games and small toys for kids to play with while waiting. We were seated pretty quickly and then discovered that Tattooed Moose had been featured on Diner’s, Drive-Ins & Dives. The menu is perfect for our family. We cover the entire spectrum from “will only eat chicken” to flat out foodie. My husband loves the Mike’s Famous Duck Club and the Lucky #1 Sub with pork belly. I prefer the Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich. Although there is not a separate kids menu, my kids love the burgers, wings and corn dogs. Whatever you order, make sure you add a basket of the duck fat fries, which are delicious! We were immediately hooked, and we make sure to eat here at least once every time we visit Charleston. There are two locations – in North Charleston and John’s Island. We’ve only been to the one in John’s Island, but we love its fun vibe. There is seating inside and out. There is often live music playing. It exudes “I’m on vacation”! Definitely put it on your list when you’re in Charleston.
- Charleston Tea Plantation. One of my daughters went through a phase where she obsessed over everything tea. So when I discovered there was a tea plantation in Charleston, I knew we had to visit. The property itself is gorgeous. And the history is enthralling. For over 150 years, people attempted to grow tea plants in the United States, all such attempts being unsuccessful. In 1888, Dr. Charles Shephard grew tea for the first time in the United States in Summerville, South Carolina on the Pinehurst Tea Plantation. When Dr. Shephard, died in 1915, the tea grew wild for nearly 50 years. They relocated the tea to the Charleston Tea Plantation on Wadmalaw Island in 1963, where it continues to thrive today. While visiting the tea plantation, you can take a free tour of the tea factory, where you learn about how tea is made. You can also pay to take a trolley tour of the property. On it, you’ll learn even more about tea and the history of the tea. As part of the trolley tour, you will stop at the Greenhouse, where you can get out and discover how the plantation nurtures cuttings from existing plants in a climate controlled environment until they are strong enough to survive outside. It’s a fascinating process. Between the picturesque setting, the history and the trolley ride itself, our entire family truly enjoyed this stop.
- Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site. For nearly 80 years, the town of Dorchester thrived along the Ashley River. A trading town, Dorchester residents abandoned it at the start of the Revolutionary War. Most of the town disappeared, but a handful of original structures remain. The site hosts a self-guided walking tour .8 mile loop guiding you through the history of town. Sitting on 352 acres, you can explore the historical cemetery of St. George’s Parrish, the old brick bell tower of St. George’s Anglican Church, and the oyster-shell concrete tabby fort. At low tide, you can see an old log shipping wharf. The site has gorgeous green space. It is the perfect landscape for a family picnic or for the kids to run around and play. There is a small admission fee to enter the park. You can pay online or at the ranger station. Note that you may only be able to pay cash at the ranger station. If you love American history, particularly ghost towns, this is a must do.
- Fort Moultrie. Most people have heard of Fort Sumter, the site of the first battle of the Civil War. Fort Sumter is built on a man-made island in the Charleston Harbor. While Fort Sumter is worth a visit, it can be a bit time-consuming. In order to reach Fort Sumter, you must take a 30-minutes long ferry. Expect to spent at least 40 minutes exploring the fort. You can spend more if you wait for another boat to go back. This gives you additional time to truly take in all of the Fort’s history. Plus, you have to include some waiting and boarding time for the ferry. Expect at at least 2 1/2 hours to visit. Fort Moultrie, located on Sullivan’s Island, on the other hand, is much easier to access and so lends itself nicely to a shorter time period if needed. The visitor center does a great job of walking you through the history and evolution of the forts (there were actually a total of three) built upon this location between the Civil War and World War II. There is also a film, which is 22 minutes, that brings the history to life. Across the street, you can follow a self-guided walking trail through the fort. Well-marked, the trail includes several informational placards guiding you through the WWII command post tower, harbor defense batteries, cannons, barracks foundations, underground storage rooms, monuments, and a cannon walk with pieces of artillery dating back to the Civil War. You could easily spend several hours at Fort Moultrie. You could just as easily get through the walking trail in less than an hour. We found our time at Fort Moultrie incredibly educational but also very relaxing as we meandered along the concrete trail along the shoreline. The kids enjoyed the underground rooms and the cannons. Plus, they were able to participate in another Junior Ranger program, adding to their collection of ranger pins.
- Honorable Mention: Firefly Distillery. This may seem like a strange add for a list of family-friendly places in Charleston. But Firefly Distillery is both kid-friendly as well as dog-friendly. Kids are even allowed in the facility as long as they are accompanied by an adult. There is a large lawn space where you can enjoy the various events Firefly often hosts, from concerts to food trucks to trampoline yoga. The kids will have a blast running around. The adults can enjoy their favorite cocktails or even participate in a tasting experience which includes six Firefly spirits. You’ll likely find yourself buying a bottle or two of Firefly’s Southern Lemonade Vodka and the Sweet Tea Flavored Whiskey. Or maybe the Chocolate Pecan Pie or Banana Pudding craft liqueurs. You really can’t go wrong!
Whether it’s your first time visiting Charleston, or you’ve been multiple times, we would definitely recommend adding these places to your trip itinerary. We always love trying to find those unique places in an area that often boast lower crowds but provide such a rich experience. We read about some online. Others, locals recommended. Sometimes, we have simply and fortuitously stumbled upon them. But no matter how we found them, they are now on our list of places we loved and, as for at least a few of them, we try to visit every time we return to Charleston. What about you? List your favorite “off the beaten path” places to visit in Charleston. For more adventures from G6 Adventures, click here.
