Airport:

Charleston International Airport is located 12 miles from downtown. Rideshare options are available to easily get downtown.

Travel

Downtown is a peninsula that gets more historic as you move south.

  • King Street runs north-south and has a lot of shopping, restaurants, and bars. Market Street and Calhoun Street run east-west.

  • Popular areas:

    • Lower King/South of Broad: The quietest, most historic residential area. It ends at The Battery, a seawall and promenade at the southern tip.

    • Middle King/French Quarter: A neighborhood filled with art galleries, historic churches, and Charleston City Market.

    • Upper King: An area with more nightlife and restaurants, located further north past Calhoun Street.

Mount Pleasant is located east of downtown. It’s more suburban and is closer to some Charleston beaches.

  • Highway 17 (Johnnie Dodds Blvd) cuts through Mount Pleasant and connects directly to the Ravenel Bridge for a 10-minute drive into downtown.

  • Popular areas:

    • Shem Creek: A waterfront area with bars and restaurants.

    • Old Village: A historic, quiet neighborhood with beautiful homes. Pitt Street Bridge has stunning views of marsh sunsets.

    • The Beaches: Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms are two popular beaches located just over the marsh bridges from Mount Pleasant.