Summer Fun in Charleston
People most often move to Charleston for the quality of life, and boy do we love Charleston in the spring and fall. But once you've experienced summer in Charleston, you discover there's a chink in the armor of Charleston's charm. The heat mid July to mid Sept is unforgiving and can feel inescapable. If you can't beat it, embrace it! Luckily, we are situated on the coast and our communities offer lots of ways to enjoy the summer months despite the temps.
Embrace the Heat
Beach - salt water cures everything and sandy toes are proof of a life well lived! Be it Isle of Palms, Sullivans Island, Folly, or Kiawah, find your favorite beach and pack the car! Go early when there's still parking - ideally when the tide is low and there's plenty of beach. Check out these beach articles on Isle of Palms and Sullivans for specific tips.
Boating - if you don't have your own boat, rent one at the Isle of Palms marina. You can even combine boating with the beach by anchoring at Capers or Dewees Island.
Pools - Don't have a neighborhood pool? Check out these private club options.
Water parks - Splash Zone at James Island County Park, Whirlin Waters at Wannamaker Park in North Charleston
Ice Cream - Ye Ole Fashioned, Baskin Robbins, Turbo Cone, Off Track, Jenis (we don't have a Dairy Queen - meh!)
Water Sports - kayak or stand up paddle board in Shem Creek (but don't swim! poor water quality makes it a no-swim zone), surf lessons on Folly, kite board on Sullivans, jet ski rentals
Wildlife - Coastal Expeditions dolphin watching and ecotours, Birds of Prey flight demonstrations, Charles Towne Landing animal forest, goat yoga at Kiawah River
Shaded parks - Moultrie Playground downtown and the park behind Ashley River Baptist in West Ashley have substantial shade trees
Sporting events - Riverdogs Baseball and Charleston Battery Soccer
Outdoor concerts - Refinery, Firefly
Outdoor Amusement - Charleston Fun Park, Charleston Adventure Forest
Hit the trails in the shade of the Francis Marion forest
Beat the Heat
Movies - our favorite spot to catch the summer blockbusters is the Terrace theater on Maybank Highway on James Island - mainly because of their sophisticated concession offerings!
Museums - Gibbes Art museum, Childrens Museum of the Lowcountry, Charleston Museum, North Charleston Fire Museum
Historic Home Tours - Nathaniel Russell house
Workshops - Candlefish candle making, Plant House succulent gardens, Motherland Essentials bath bombs
Indoor Amusement - Crush Yard and Pickle Bar for pickleball, Sky Zone, Flight Adventure Park, Summit, Outslide In, bowling
If you don’t have access to a pool, check out this article on private club options.
