What to Do in Charleston, SC With Kids

This guide covers eight things to do in Charleston, SC with kids. For each one you get the address, the real hours, what it costs, and the catch nobody mentions until you are standing there. Every hour and price below came from the attraction's own site in September 2026.

The Eight Stops, at a Glance

Here is the short version. The details are further down.

1. South Carolina Aquarium: Is It Worth It With Young Kids?

Yes, for most ages. It is indoors, it is on the harbor, and a visit takes about two to three hours, which is a full morning or afternoon without a car.

The aquarium is at 100 Aquarium Wharf, on the water at the east side of the peninsula. It holds thousands of animals across two floors, including a Sea Turtle Care Center where kids can watch biologists work on turtles that are recovering.

Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last entry at 3:30 p.m. It closes on Thanksgiving Day and December 25, and runs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on December 24.

Know before you go: The aquarium uses a dynamic ticket calendar, so the price depends on the date you pick and can rise as that date gets closer. Tickets go on sale up to 60 days ahead, and buying early usually costs less. Entry is timed, so pick your window when you book.

Q: Can we get there without driving?

A: The Fort Sumter ferry leaves from Liberty Square right next door, so families often do both in one day and park once. The garage beside the aquarium fills early.

2. Children's Museum of the Lowcountry: What Ages Is It For?

Birth to 10 years old. Under-fives get the most out of it, and it is the single easiest stop in the city with a toddler.

The museum is at 25 Ann Street, on the upper part of the peninsula. There are seven indoor galleries plus a backyard full of hands-on exhibits, including a pirate ship kids can climb aboard and an art room with real smocks.

Hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Members can get in an hour early, at 9 a.m., Monday through Saturday.

Admission is $15 at the door and $13 if you buy online in advance for the downtown location. Children are free before their first birthday. Families on SNAP, WIC or a foster family ID pay $3 per person with proof. Your ticket lets you leave and come back the same day.

Know before you go: Adults cannot enter without a child, children cannot enter without an adult, and you have to stay with your kids the whole time. The art room uses washable paint, so dress everyone accordingly. Free accessibility kits are at the front desk, with noise-reducing headphones, sunglasses, weighted lap mats and fidget toys.

Q: Is it quieter at any particular time?

A: The museum says weekday afternoons during school term are usually quieter. Families with children who have special needs can also visit free during SuperStars Sundays, held on the second and fourth Sunday of each month from 10 a.m. to noon.

3. Is There a Zoo in Charleston, SC?

Yes, one. The Animal Forest at Charles Towne Landing is a 22-acre natural habitat zoo, and it is the only zoo in the Charleston area.

The site is at 1500 Old Towne Road in West Ashley, about three miles from downtown. It sits on the spot where English settlers landed in 1670. Along with the zoo you get 664 acres of grounds, six miles of trails, 80 acres of gardens, a 12-room exhibit hall, and the Adventure, a full-size replica of a 17th-century trading ship kids can board and go below deck on.

Animals include otters, bears, bison and pumas. Park grounds open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The Animal Forest runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and closes on Christmas Day. Admission is $12 for adults, $7.50 for South Carolina seniors, $7 for ages 6 to 15, and free for children 5 and under.

Know before you go: Three things. The Adventure is closed on Tuesdays, and it leaves the park for maintenance every year from January 1 to April 1, so a winter trip means no ship. Pets are not allowed in the Animal Forest, and neither are service animals. Individual animal habitats close for improvements from time to time, so if one animal is the whole reason you are going, call ahead on 843.852.4200.

4. Fort Sumter Ferry: What Age Does It Suit?

Around seven and up. The whole trip runs about two hours and fifteen minutes, and roughly an hour of that is standing on a fort, so younger children tend to run out of patience.

Boats leave from Liberty Square at 340 Concord Street, downtown, next to the aquarium. The crossing takes about 30 minutes each way. A National Park Service ranger meets you at the fort and gives a short talk, then you explore on your own. The boat stays docked at the fort the whole time, and it has restrooms and water on board.

Departure times change with the season, and tickets are sold by the National Park Service's authorized ferry operator. Book ahead, and plan to arrive 30 minutes before your boat leaves.

Know before you go: Private boats cannot land at the fort, so the ferry is the only way there. If the ferry is sold out or your kids are too young for it, the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center at Liberty Square is free and open daily 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can see the exhibits without ever getting on a boat.

5. Waterfront Park: What Can Kids Actually Do There?

Run, look at ships and sit on a swing. It is eight acres of free public park along the Cooper River, and it is the easiest hour in the city with children of any age.

The park has a long pier with six swinging benches big enough for a whole family, a shaded promenade with benches, and two fountains, including the pineapple-topped one that appears on every Charleston postcard. Container ships and sailboats pass all day.

Know before you go: There is no playground and no lifeguard. The fountains are decorative city fountains, not a water park, so if your kids get wet, bring a towel and dry clothes. On a hot day, the promenade has the shade, not the fountain lawn.

6. Splash Zone Waterpark: When Is It Open?

Summer only, and the season is shorter than most families expect. Splash Zone sits inside James Island County Park and is run by Charleston County Parks.

It has two 200-foot slides, a 500-foot lazy river, a leisure pool and a rainforest-themed play complex with sprays and buckets. Certified lifeguards are on duty, and there are lockers, showers and concessions.

The usual pattern is weekends only from mid-May, daily from the end of May, then closed for the season in early August. That is earlier than school vacation ends in a lot of states.

Know before you go: If you are visiting between September and April, this is closed. So is every other outdoor waterpark in the county.

7. Can You Do a Beach Day From Downtown?

Yes. Folly Beach is about 20 minutes south of downtown Charleston by car, which makes it an easy half-day with kids.

Staying downtown and driving out beats staying on the island for most families. You get more restaurants, more rental choices, and you are not stuck if the weather turns. Our full comparison is in the guide to vacation rentals near Folly Beach.

Know before you go: Beach parking is paid and limited, and it fills up on summer weekends. Go early, or go on a weekday.

8. Why a Kitchen Changes the Trip

Three restaurant meals a day with small children is expensive and slow. A kitchen turns breakfast into fifteen minutes at your own table and lets you eat dinner after the kids are in bed.

It also fixes the snack problem. Charleston attractions have long gaps between food stops, and the Children's Museum suggests packing a lunch to eat at the picnic tables outside.

Every CHC vacation home has a kitchen or kitchenette and a washer and dryer, which matters more than it sounds when a child falls in a fountain on day one.

Where Should a Family Stay in Charleston?

Somewhere downtown with off-street parking and more than one bedroom. Parking is the part families forget, and in downtown Charleston it is the difference between a calm arrival and forty minutes of circling.

All five of our homes are on the upper peninsula in Cannonborough-Elliottborough, and every one includes free off-street parking.

Every one of these homes has a travel crib, and the four homes marked as family-friendly in their property listings allow children. If you need more bedrooms, see our homes with three or more bedrooms.

A Three-Day Plan That Works

Mornings outside, afternoons indoors or in water. That is the whole trick in a Charleston summer.

1. Day one, downtown on foot. Children's Museum when it opens at 10 a.m., lunch at home, Waterfront Park late afternoon when the shade comes across the promenade.
2. Day two, out of town. Charles Towne Landing for the Animal Forest and the ship, with a picnic on the grounds. Home by mid-afternoon.
3. Day three, on the water. Aquarium first, then the Fort Sumter ferry from Liberty Square next door, so you park once.

Add a fourth day and give it to Folly Beach, or to nothing at all. A slow morning in the house is not a wasted day when everyone is tired.

FAQs

Planning Your Stay

Tell us your dates and ages, and we will tell you which of our homes is open and which one suits your group. We are on Tully Alley, and the person who answers the phone lives here.