Cruise from Charleston SC2 Days in Charleston: The Full Itinerary
2 days in Charleston is enough to see the harbor, the historic peninsula and one big day-two destination without rushing. This plan puts the water at the center. Day 1 covers Fort Sumter, Waterfront Park, the Battery and a sunset cruise, all on or beside the harbor. Day 2 sends you in one of three directions: a plantation, Patriots Point and Mount Pleasant, or a beach on Folly or Sullivan's Island. If you have an extra day, the 3 days in Charleston plan stretches the same sights, and the guide to free things to do in Charleston covers the no-cost sights in depth. For the bigger picture on cruises from Charleston SC, start at the homepage.
A garden path runs beside the water at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. Photo: Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Quick answer The 2-day plan in brief
Yes, 2 days in Charleston is enough if you anchor day 1 on the water. Start with the Fort Sumter ferry, $43 for adults and about 2 1/4 hours round trip from Liberty Square, then walk Waterfront Park and the Battery, both free. Finish with a sunset cruise at $60. Spend day 2 at a plantation, Patriots Point or the beach.
Key takeaways
- The Fort Sumter ferry costs $43 for adults, $39 for seniors and active military, and gives you about 1 hour on the island.
- See the full plan in 2 Days in Charleston at a Glance and the hour-by-hour version in the step-by-step itinerary.
- Day 2 has three directions: plantation, Patriots Point or the beach. Compare them in the day-two table.
- The cheapest ride on the harbor is the water taxi all-day pass at $17, with a dolphin cruise on every trip.
2 Days in Charleston at a Glance
This grid shows how the 48 hours fit together. Times and prices come from the operators and parks named in the step-by-step itinerary below.
The Two-Day Grid
Day 1 stays on the peninsula and the harbor, so you never need a car until day 2. The Fort Sumter ferry leaves Liberty Square at 9:30, 12:00 and 2:45 between February 27 and November 30, and the whole loop takes about 2 1/4 hours. Book the 9:30 sailing to keep the afternoon free. Waterfront Park is open 6 a.m. to midnight and the Battery has no gate at all, so both fit anywhere in the day.
Day 2 splits three ways. Pick one direction and commit to it, because plantations, Mount Pleasant and the beaches sit in different corners of the region.
| Feature | Morning | Afternoon | Evening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Fort Sumter ferry from Liberty Square, $43, about 2 1/4 hours, depart 9:30 | Waterfront Park (free, 6 a.m. to midnight) and the Battery (free, about 45 minutes) | Sunset cruise, $60, 2 hours, or the $45 BYOB option from Shem Creek |
| Day 2 | Choose one: a plantation from 9 a.m., Patriots Point from 10 a.m., or the beach | Continue the day-two choice, or ride the $17 water taxi to Patriots Point | Ghost cruise after dark, $45, 1.5 hours, or the Night Market, free, 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday |
How to Choose Day 2
Choose by interest and by season. If you want gardens and history, pick a plantation: Magnolia Plantation runs about $32 for adults, Middleton Place is $32 with $4 off online, and Boone Hall is $30 with the mansion tour, tractor tour and gardens included. If you travel with kids or love ships, Patriots Point is the easy call: $28 for adults, open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., built around the USS Yorktown.
If the weather is good and it is warm, take the beach. Folly Beach sits about 11 miles from downtown and Sullivan's Island charges nothing for parking. Each option gets its own block and price table further down this page.
If a third day would let you do two of the three, see the 3 days in Charleston plan.
Sources: Fort Sumter Tours, Patriots Point, Boone Hall
2 Days in Charleston, Step by Step
Ten steps that fill 48 hours. Every time and figure comes from the operator or park that runs the thing.
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Day 1, morning
Take the 9:30 Fort Sumter ferry from Liberty Square
Buy the Fort Sumter Ferry and Fort Entry at $43 for adults, $39 for seniors and active military and $26 for ages 4 to 11. The tour takes 2 1/4 hours with about 1 hour on the island and a National Park Ranger talk. Between February 27 and November 30, Liberty Square departures run at 9:30, 12:00 and 2:45. The visitor center at 340 Concord Street is free and open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Arrive early, because parking at both departure points is paid.
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Day 1, late morning
Lunch near the harbor front
The South Carolina Aquarium is on the same harbor front as Liberty Square, and the free DASH Route 211 trolley runs along Meeting Street with stops near the City Market and Waterfront Park about every 30 minutes. Food on Fort Sumter itself is available for purchase but food and drinks are not allowed inside the fort museum, so eat on the mainland.
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Day 1, early afternoon
Waterfront Park and the Pineapple Fountain
Joe Riley Waterfront Park covers 8 acres along about half a mile of the Cooper River and costs nothing. It opens daily 6 a.m. to midnight at Concord Street and Vendue Range. Walk the 1,200-foot palmetto-lined esplanade and stop at the Vendue Wharf pier, where sheltered swings look at the Ravenel Bridge, the harbor and Fort Sumter. Dolphins are often visible from this pier, best at dawn, 10 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to sunset.
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Day 1, mid afternoon
Rainbow Row and the Battery
Rainbow Row is a run of 13 pastel Georgian houses at 79 to 107 East Bay Street, a look-from-the-street stop that costs nothing. Keep walking south to the Battery. The seawall promenade and the 5.7-acre White Point Garden are city-owned and gate-free, and about 45 minutes covers the East Battery seawall, the garden and Murray Boulevard. White Point Garden has been a public park since 1837.
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Day 1, evening
Sunset cruise from the Maritime Center
The pick is the Charleston Harbor Sunset Cruise at $60, a 2-hour trip on a 45-foot power catamaran that carries up to 49 guests and runs under the Ravenel Bridge. It leaves from the Charleston Maritime Center at 10 Wharfside Street. It is not narrated and food and drinks are paid on board. Sunset shifts with the season: Charleston's latest sunset is 8:33 p.m. and the earliest is 5:14 p.m., so check the departure time when booking.
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Day 2, morning (option A)
Plantation morning
Drive or ride 20 to 45 minutes depending on the site. Boone Hall is 20 to 30 minutes from downtown and opens Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m., with $30 adult admission covering the mansion tour, tractor tour and gardens. Magnolia Plantation is a 40 to 45 minute drive and runs about $32 online. Middleton Place is about 30 minutes away at $32, with $4 off if you buy online.
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Day 2, morning (option B)
Patriots Point and the USS Yorktown
Patriots Point sits at the mouth of the Cooper River in Mount Pleasant, open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the ticket office closing at 4 p.m. Admission is $28 for adults, $25 for seniors 65 and over, $23 for ages 6 to 12, free for ages 5 and under and active military, and $2 more at the gate. The cheapest way across the harbor is the Charleston Water Taxi All-Day Pass at $17, which leaves Waterfront Park at :15 past each hour from 9:15 and stops at Patriots Point.
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Day 2, morning (option C)
Beach morning on Folly or Sullivan's Island
Folly Beach is about 11 miles and a 20 to 25 minute drive from downtown. The Edwin S. Taylor Fishing Pier is free to walk, with pier parking at $5 to $25 depending on season, and Folly Beach County Park parking runs $10 per standard vehicle in October, filling by about 10:30 a.m. on summer weekends. Sullivan's Island has no lots, meters or fees at all, only free street parking with all four tires off the road. Pair Folly with the 0.4-mile walk to the Morris Island Lighthouse view at Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve.
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Day 2, afternoon
Afternoon sail or a Shem Creek walk
Back downtown, the Schooner Pride Harbor Sail and Dolphin Watch at $56 is a 1.5-hour harbor sail on a three-masted schooner where guests can help raise the sails. It docks at 360 Concord Street on the floating dock left of the SC Aquarium. If you stayed east of the bridge, Shem Creek Park is open 5 a.m. to midnight with free parking, and its boardwalk runs past working shrimp docks where dolphins, egrets and oystercatchers appear.
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Day 2, evening
Ghost cruise or the Night Market
The Charleston Harbor Ghost Cruise at $45 is a 1.5-hour narrated ghost-story trip on a 45-foot catamaran carrying up to 49, leaving from the Maritime Center. Children under 3 are not permitted, and check-in is at least 30 minutes before departure. On Friday and Saturday from March through December, the City Market Night Market runs 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. and is free, with about 100 local artists and craftspeople.
Day 2: Plantation, Patriots Point or the Beach
The three day-two directions compared on price, opening hours and drive time from downtown, with figures from each operator's own pages.
Side-by-Side Comparison
The table gathers the adult admission each operator publishes, the hours each site keeps and the drive time from downtown Charleston. Plantation hours for Magnolia and Middleton come from secondary sources, so confirm on their official sites before you drive. Drive times are also secondary figures.
| Option | Price | Hours | From downtown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magnolia Plantation | About $32 adult, online | Daily about 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | 40-45 minute drive |
| Middleton Place | $32 adult, $4 off online | Daily about 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | About 30 minutes |
| Boone Hall | $30 adult | Mon-Sat 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun noon-5 p.m. | 20-30 minute drive |
| Patriots Point (USS Yorktown) | $28 adult, $2 more at the gate | Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Reachable by $17 water taxi, no drive needed |
| Folly Beach | Free to walk, pier parking $5-$25 | Pier: Apr-Oct 6 a.m.-10 p.m. | About 11 miles, 20-25 minute drive |
| Sullivan's Island | Free, free street parking only | Beach open, no gates | Not stated |
Option 1: A Plantation Day
All three plantations are a drive from downtown. Boone Hall in Mount Pleasant is the closest at 20 to 30 minutes, and its $30 admission bundles the mansion tour, the tractor tour and the gardens, open Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon. Magnolia Plantation runs about $32 booked online and covers the gardens, swamp garden, house and cabin tour, about a 40 to 45 minute drive.
Middleton Place charges $32 with $4 off online and sits about 30 minutes out. If plantations interest you, a plantation and Patriots Point fit into one long day only if you start early, since Boone Hall closes at 5 and Patriots Point's ticket office closes at 4.
Option 2: Patriots Point and Mount Pleasant
This is the only day-two option that needs no car. The Charleston Water Taxi All-Day Pass at $17 runs hourly with departures from Waterfront Park at :15 past the hour from 9:15, and it lands at Dock A behind the USS Yorktown. Patriots Point charges $28 for adults, $25 for seniors, $23 for ages 6 to 12, and nothing for ages 5 and under or active military, though paying at the gate adds $2.
The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed Thanksgiving, with early closes on some holidays. Afterward, walk the Mount Pleasant Pier, 1,250 feet long and free, at Memorial Waterfront Park, or continue to Shem Creek where the boardwalk passes shrimp docks and the park is open 5 a.m. to midnight with free parking.
Option 3: Folly Beach or Sullivan's Island
Folly Beach is about 11 miles south of downtown, a 20 to 25 minute drive. Walking the Edwin S. Taylor Fishing Pier is free, open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. April through October, and its lot costs $5 to $25 by season.
Folly Beach County Park parking was $10 per standard vehicle in October and its 225 spaces fill by about 10:30 a.m. on summer weekends. Sullivan's Island has zero parking fees, only free street parking with all four tires off the pavement, and dolphins are often seen just offshore. On Folly, the 0.4-mile walk through Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve is the closest you can get to the 161-foot Morris Island Lighthouse without a boat, and there is no lot, so park on the shoulder with all four tires off the pavement.
Where the Harbor Fits in 2 Days
Charleston's best sight is the harbor itself, and each slot in a 2-day visit has a boat that fits it. Prices are the operators' own ticket figures.
Morning: The Fort Sumter Ferry
The Fort Sumter Ferry and Fort Entry at $43 for adults is the strongest morning in the city. The 2 1/4-hour loop includes about an hour on the island, a ranger talk and the 30-minute ride each way. Departures leave Liberty Square at 9:30, 12:00 and 2:45 between February 27 and November 30, and from Patriots Point at 10:45 and 1:30 in the same season.
There are no sailings on Thanksgiving, December 25 or January 1, and daytime tickets refund in full if you cancel 2 or more hours ahead.
Afternoon: The Schooner
After a morning at Fort Sumter, the afternoon suits a short, relaxed sail. The Schooner Pride Harbor Sail and Dolphin Watch at $56 runs 1.5 hours inside the harbor on a three-masted schooner where guests can help raise the sails. It is not narrated, so you get the wind and the water rather than a script.
It docks at 360 Concord Street, on the floating dock to the left of the SC Aquarium. Tips and on-board drinks are extra. Free cancellation runs 24 hours ahead.
Sunset: Two Boats, Two Budgets
The Charleston Harbor Sunset Cruise at $60 is a 2-hour trip on a 45-foot power catamaran for up to 49 guests that passes under the Ravenel Bridge, leaving from the Charleston Maritime Center at 10 Wharfside Street. The cheaper alternative is the Shem Creek BYOB Sunset Cruise at $45, 1.5 hours from the Water's Edge Restaurant public dock in Mount Pleasant, where shared coolers, ice and bottled water are provided and you bring your own drinks. The sunset cruise is not narrated and the Shem Creek one has only light narration.
Note that the sunset slot moves with the season, from an 8:33 p.m. latest sunset to a 5:14 p.m. earliest, so the departure you book should match the month.
Any Time: The $17 Water Taxi
The Charleston Water Taxi All-Day Pass at $17 is the best value on the harbor and doubles as transport to Patriots Point on day 2. Every trip includes a dolphin cruise, and the boat loops four stops: Waterfront Park at :15 past the hour from 9:15, the Aquarium and Maritime Center at :30, Patriots Point at :45, and Charleston Harbor Resort on the hour from 9:00. One-way fare is $13, kids pay $15 for the all-day pass, and children 3 and under ride free.
All sales are final, so there is no refund if plans change.
After Dark: The Ghost Cruise
The Charleston Harbor Ghost Cruise at $45 fills the evening of day 2. It is a 1.5-hour narrated ghost-story trip on a 45-foot catamaran, carrying up to 49 from the Maritime Center, and the ticket includes SC sales tax. Children under 3 are not permitted, food and drinks are not included and check-in is at least 30 minutes before departure.
Free cancellation runs 24 hours ahead. If you would rather eat on the water, the Charleston Harbor Dinner Cruise at $120 boards at 6:30 p.m. at Patriots Point with a 4-course dinner and live music, sailing 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.
A white house with shutters and a balcony stands on Meeting Street south of Broad. Photo: Warren LeMay from Covington, KY, United States, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
What 2 Days Cost in Tickets
This table lists every admission and fare this itinerary uses, at the figures the operators publish. Parking at garages, at the Folly pier lot and at Liberty Square is extra and not summed here.
Ticket and Fare Table
No sums are totalled, because your day-two choice changes the bill. The core day-1 spend for one adult is the Fort Sumter ferry plus a sunset cruise. Day 2 adds one line from the table below.
The free items, Waterfront Park, the Battery, Rainbow Row and the DASH trolley, cost nothing and appear here so you can see they carry no ticket.
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Sumter ferry, round trip with fort entry | $43 adult | $39 senior or active military, $26 ages 4-11, free 3 and under |
| Charleston Harbor Sunset Cruise | $60 | 2 hours, up to 49 guests, from the Maritime Center |
| Fort Sumter ferry from Patriots Point | $43 adult | Departs 10:45 and 1:30, Feb 27-Nov 30 |
| Patriots Point admission | $28 adult | $2 more at the gate, open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. |
| Water taxi all-day pass | $17 | $13 one way, kids all-day $15, 3 and under free |
| Schooner Pride sail | $56 | 1.5 hours, from 360 Concord Street |
| Ghost cruise | $45 | 1.5 hours, SC sales tax included |
| Shem Creek BYOB sunset cruise | $45 | 1.5 hours, bring your own drinks |
| Boone Hall | $30 adult | Mansion tour, tractor tour and gardens included |
| Magnolia Plantation | About $32 adult | Online price, covers gardens, swamp garden, house and cabin tour |
| Middleton Place | $32 adult | $4 off online |
| Folly Beach pier parking | $5-$25 | By season, at 101 E Arctic Ave |
| Folly Beach County Park | $10 per vehicle | October rate, walk-ins and cyclists free |
| Waterfront Park, Battery, Rainbow Row, DASH trolley | Free | No tickets needed |
Two-Day Tips: Do and Don't
Do
- Do book the 9:30 Fort Sumter ferry so the 2 1/4-hour loop is done early and you keep the afternoon free for the Battery and Waterfront Park.
- Do use the free DASH trolleys on day 1, because routes 210, 211 and 213 cover Meeting and King Streets, the City Market and Waterfront Park about every 30 minutes.
- Do ride the $17 water taxi to Patriots Point on day 2, since the hourly departures at :15 past from Waterfront Park make it both the crossing and a dolphin cruise.
- Do check sunset times before booking an evening cruise, because Charleston's sunset runs from 8:33 p.m. at its latest to 5:14 p.m. at its earliest.
- Do arrive at the ghost cruise dock 30 minutes early, because that listing asks for check-in at least 30 minutes before departure.
Don't
- Don't plan two day-two directions in one day, because plantations, Patriots Point and the beaches are separate trips in different directions.
- Don't count on free parking downtown, because city garages charge $1 per 20 minutes up to a $24 daily maximum and the Fort Sumter ferry lots at both departure points are paid.
- Don't bring food or drinks into the fort museum, since Fort Sumter does not allow food and non-alcoholic drinks inside the museum.
- Don't leave the water taxi pass refundable in your plan, because the $17 all-day pass is all sales final with no refund if your plans change.
2 Days in Charleston: Questions
Is 2 full days in Charleston enough?
Yes for the essentials. Two days fit the Fort Sumter ferry at $43 with about 2 1/4 hours total, the free Waterfront Park and Battery, one sunset cruise and one big day-two destination. A third day would let you add a plantation and a beach both, which the 3 days in Charleston plan lays out.
What is a good two-day itinerary for Charleston, SC?
Day 1: the 9:30 Fort Sumter ferry from Liberty Square, lunch near the harbor, Waterfront Park and the Battery in the afternoon, and a sunset cruise at $60 from the Maritime Center. Day 2: one of a plantation, Patriots Point at $28, or Folly or Sullivan's Island, then the $45 ghost cruise after dark.
How much do tickets cost for 2 days in Charleston?
The anchor costs are the $43 Fort Sumter ferry and the $60 sunset cruise on day 1, plus one day-two ticket such as $28 at Patriots Point or $30 at Boone Hall. See the full item-by-item list in the two-day cost table, which shows each figure separately without totals.
What are the top 3 things to do in Charleston?
For a harbor-first visit they are the Fort Sumter ferry, the free Battery and Waterfront Park waterfront walk, and one day-two trip east of the bridge to the USS Yorktown at Patriots Point. All three appear in the step-by-step itinerary above with hours and prices.
How do I get to Patriots Point without a car?
Take the Charleston Water Taxi All-Day Pass at $17. Boats leave Waterfront Park at :15 past the hour from 9:15 and the Patriots Point stop is behind the USS Yorktown. The pass includes a dolphin cruise on every trip and covers the return, and children 3 and under ride free.
Should I visit Fort Sumter from Liberty Square or Patriots Point?
Liberty Square suits the day-1 plan, because it sits downtown at 340 Concord Street with departures at 9:30, 12:00 and 2:45 from late February through November. Patriots Point suits a day-2 pairing with the Yorktown, with sailings at 10:45 and 1:30 in the same season. The ticket price of $43 and the 2 1/4-hour duration are the same from either dock, and both are covered on the Fort Sumter ferry page.