Sights to See, Stories to be Told
Few cities have the welcoming charm of Charleston, and The Mills House puts you right at the heart of its historic downtown. Rich history, vibrant culture, incredible architecture, coastal havens. Romantic, intriguing, and a real pleasure to explore. You never know where your day will lead when you step outside our beautiful doors.
Charmed,
I’m Sure.
Unexpected Charleston
Think you know Charleston? Sure we have your typical tours and heaps of Southern charm. But we also have plenty of moments and experiences that surprise and delight. Come explore the unique side of Charleston. We’d love to show you around.
Charleston’s Hidden Alleyways
This unexpected walking experience features Charleston’s famous alleys and hidden passages. Your local insider guide can show you multiple highlights in just a few hours. Plus, some of the passageways are so hidden with little-known stories, you’d never see them without someone to show you the way.
Charleston Tours
Cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages, pastel antebellum houses. Charleston is the cultural capital of the South, and Mills House is at its historic center. Step out into Southern charm and rich history, and explore the beauty of our city.
Palmetto Carriage Works
The best carriage tour in Charleston takes you on a historical journey along our famed cobblestone streets. Travel past houses, gardens, mansions, churches, and parks over 25–30 blocks of Charleston’s historic downtown district, with a blend of knowledge, wit, humor and history, with the oldest stagecoach company in the city.
Bulldog Tours
Embrace the dark side of Charleston, with an uncensored look at Charleston’s real history (think corruption, crime, and sordid secrets). Sample the flavors of the city with a culinary tour, get spooked by a ghost and graveyard tour, or embark on a haunted pub crawl or stroll the streets for a beautiful history tour. Thanks to Bulldog Tours, a unique and exciting adventure awaits.
Southern Accent Tour
Take a morning guided plantation tour, with a tram ride through marshes and forests to see alligators and other wildlife, and stroll the fabulous gardens. Spend an afternoon taking in the wonderful architecture, hidden alleys, and cobblestone streets on a city tour. Or combine them both! A fun way to get an overview of the city’s history.
Seabrook Island
Located a few miles from Charleston, this private oceanfront community is a paradise for golfers, birdwatchers, and beachgoers. Nature is at the heart of this Audubon International Certified Sustainable Community.
Kiawah Island
Revel in the beauty of the Lowcountry on Kiawah Island. It’s a serene natural retreat with 10 miles of gentle beaches, marshes teeming with wildlife, and preserved maritime forests offering sanctuary to all who call the island home.
Joe Riley Waterfront Park
Take in views of Charleston harbor from a park loved by locals and visitors, and for a good reason. This park features two large fountains, natural shade from trees, and looks spectacular when lit at night.
Historic King Street Shopping
Those looking to scratch a shopping itch will find satisfaction on King Street. Find everything from souvenirs to antique treasures as you stroll the historic boutiques and high-end shops of King Street.
The Battery
Stretching along the shores of Charleston, this fortified seawall and promenade is the perfect spot for a scenic stroll or jog with stellar views of the water and nearby historic landmarks.
Isle of Palms
Beautiful beach, championship golf, tasty restaurants. Soak up the epitome of island life on this unique coastal barrier island.
Sullivan’s Island
Put yourself in the pages of Edgar Allan Poe. This island, famously known for Fort Moutrie, the setting of Poe’s The Gold-Bug, is also beloved for history, beaches, restaurants, and shops.
Folly Beach
Pack a picnic and some sunscreen and plan a day at one of Charleston’s most popular beaches, a barrier island with a pier stretching more than 1,000 feet into the ocean.
Drayton Hall
Get a deeper understanding of colonial America and the evolution of life in the South by exploring architecture, landscapes, and collections of this preserved estate.
The Charleston Tea Plantation
Not just for tea lovers. Tour this picturesque tea plantation, with hundreds of thousands of tea bushes stretching as far as the eye can see, and its factory.
Lowndes Grove Plantation
Explore the restored estate of this riverside plantation built in the late 1700s and be charmed by the live oak groves, idyllic settings, and stunning view of the docks.
Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens
This 1681 working plantation is known for its moss-draped ¾-mile Avenue of Ocaks, original slave cabins, and live presentation of the unique Gullah culture.
Middleton Place
Explore the stories, history, work, and contributions of the Middleton family as well as enslaved Africans and African Americans, from early Colonial to the Civil War era and beyond.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
Take a train or boat tour through the lush garden of this beautiful plantation that dates to pre-Revolutionary times.
Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry
Art room, theater studio, kids’ garden, pirate ship, math and engineering lab, and more. Spark imagination and explore your curious side at this home of learning adventures.
Heyward-Washington House
Explore antique wooden furniture and other exquisite pieces at this 18th-century Georgian style home of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
The Charleston Museum
America’s first museum. Discover a collection of historic artifacts, natural history, decorative arts, and two historic Charleston houses.
Nathaniel Russell House Museum
Built by the wealthy shipping merchant Nathaniel Russell in 1808, visit this historic house, recognized as one of America’s most important Neoclassical homes.
Aiken-Rhett House
Tells the story of life in 19th century Charleston through the lens of the wealthy. Tour the house and outbuildings and explore three distinct in-tact architectural periods.
Gibbes Museum of Art
View portraits, sculptures, and landscapes dating back to the 1700s at this beautifully designed Beaux Arts-style museum showcasing the visual culture of America and the South.
Southern Accent Tours
A great way to get an overview of the city’s history, with stops at Fort Sumter and Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens. And have a whole lot of fun.
Bulldog Tours
Explore our historic landscape, enchanting graveyards, savor rich culinary traditions, and more on one of the best walking tours in Charleston.
Fort Sumter Tours
Experience a key piece of American history with an hour at this National Monument with the only tour that actually stops at the fort.
Palmetto Carriage Works
A true step back in time as sightseers ride behind horses in old-fashioned carriages while receiving a narrated history lesson.
Charleston City Market
One of the most visited places in Charleston, this 200-year-old city market spanning four blocks is home to gourmet eats, arts and crafts, and plenty of Southern charm.
Mills House
Grand, historic, stylish—and very pink—Mills House is where Southern traditions with passion and soul meet fun and delight in every moment. Find us in the heart of Charleston.