Here is a list with some of the most interesting things to do with children while visiting Charleston South Carolina. At least that’s what I found to work best with my 4 years old daughter for the past year or so.

Free activities

1. Isle of Palms – family oriented; the beach is close to Isle of Palms County Park and its awesome zip-line equipped playground, historic Fort Moultrie and the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier. Folly Beach is Charleston’s most romantic getaway located close to James Island State Park.

2. Fort Moultrie - heroic Revolutionary War battles, ingenious Palmetto trees defense system, intriguing WWII radio communication and incredible vistas of the Ravenel bridge.

3. The South Carolina Artisans Center in Walterboro - See traditional and indigenous folk art and contemporary crafts from over 240 of the finest South Carolina artists. The center features educational exhibits, craft demonstrations and live performances by artists. This is a great opportunity to introduce children to art and to shop for standout gifts.

4. Self guided tour of Charleston’s most outrageous murders scenes, famous ghost sightings and unsolved mysteries (you may want to this at daylight only!)

$10 and under activities

1. Charles Towne Landing – birthplace of Charleston and South Carolina.

Here you can play archaeologist for a day, tour the Historic trail featuring a 17th century trading ship, the Legare House and the Horry Plantation ruins. Watch buffalo, puma and black bears at the Animal Forest natural habitat zoo and keep an eye on alligators roaming freely throughout the many ponds in the park.

2. The Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry (CML) – Let your imagination run wild at this everyday party land for kids and parents who like to act like kids! The museum is close to the Visitors Center and Charleston Museum.

3. Edisto Island State Park: take the night beach walks to spot Carolina’s most famous reptile the loggerhead turtles nesting and hatching along the shores. Discover the thousands years old Spanish Mound and visit the Interpretive Center for a live show on native marine wildlife.

4. The Cypress Gardens and Swamp - The “No Mesquitoe swamp” home to many famous films like “The Patriot”, “North and South”, “The Notebook”, and “The Yearling”. Just for kids: Butterfly House, Aquarium, Reptile Center, Crocodile Isle and Aviary, and even a small replica of an inland rice field.

$15 and under activities

1. Fort Sumter: Witness the start of the Civil War. For nearly four years, seven millions pounds of metal were furiously shot at it without success. Watch out for Daniel Hough’s ghost, a mis fortunate Union soldier.

2. USS Yorktown: World’s most imposing military aircraft carrier during WWII.

With the admission ticket you can also visit the Clamagore submarine, the award-winning Congressional Medal of Honor Museum and the Laffey destroyer. Most popular attraction is the Fight Jet Simulator.

3. Hunley Submarine - the Confederate submarine built to help break the Civil War blockade and the world’s first submarine to successfully sink an enemy ship.

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