Port of Charleston Cruise Terminal Tours

Visit Port of Charleston Cruise Terminal

Activities

Popular places to visit

Charleston City Market

4.5/5(2,986 reviews)

Purchase food, jewelry and handicrafts in the market and learn about local tradition, the Civil War and slavery at its museum.

Waterfront Park

4.5/5(2,035 reviews)

Stroll the city’s waterfront esplanades at sunset, when the afternoon sun begins to dip and the harbor is lit with soft colors.

St. Philip's Church

Attend a service with the oldest religious congregation in South Carolina, dating back to the 17th century. George Washington worshipped with this congregation.

Old Slave Mart Museum

You can browse the exhibits at Old Slave Mart Museum, a museum with a storied past, during your travels to Charleston. Discover the area's stunning cathedral, or seek out its local tours.

The Old Powder Magazine is the only public building remaining from the era of the Lords Proprietors, the eight English aristocrats who owned Carolina from 1670 to 1719.

Charles Town, as the capital and southernmost English settlement on the continent, was strategically important. The town was repeatedly attacked by pirates, marauding Spanish naval vessels, and Indians. Along with the high walls and a moat that surrounded Charles Town, the Powder Magazine, as the principal storehouse of munitions and gunpowder, was crucial for the defense of the city.

The Powder Magazine

4/5(4 reviews)

You can study the exhibits at The Powder Magazine, a museum with a story of its own, during your travels to Charleston. Wander the area's beautiful beaches or simply enjoy one of its top-notch restaurants.

It was built from 1767-1771 as the Royal Exchange. The first cupola was damaged by a hurricane in the early 1800s, the second deteriorated before the Great Earthquake of 1886, and the third was not placed until 1981 when the building opened as a museum.

The structure has served as a customhouse, mercantile exchange and military prison and barracks. The building was badly damaged by Union artillery fire during the Civil War and the great earthquake of 1886; it was repaired after each occasion.

In 2012, a study was completed of the building's use as a British prison during the Revolutionary War. Soon after taking control of Charleston in 1780, the British started housing prisoners in the Exchange, but not exclusively in the "dungeon". The investigation was able to document at least 120 prisoners held in the Exchange, but there were many more whose identities could not be discovered. The facility was not exclusively used for Colonial prisoners, and at least some British soldiers were held there too.

Old Exchange Provost and Dungeon

You can find out about the history of Charleston with a stop at Old Exchange Provost and Dungeon. Wander the area's beautiful beaches or simply enjoy one of its lively bars.

Best Lodging Options Near Port of Charleston Cruise Terminal

Emeline

181 Church St, Charleston, SC

The Francis Marion Hotel

387 King St, Charleston, SC

The Ryder Hotel

237 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC

Harborside at Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina

20 Patriots Point Rd, Mount Pleasant, SC

The Ansonborough

21 Hasell Street, Charleston, SC

Planters Inn

112 N Market St, Charleston, SC

See all 5,432 properties in Port of Charleston Cruise Terminal

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Planters Inn

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