Porches & Pastels: The Iconic Homes of Charleston
Horse and carriage passing Two Meeting Street Inn. Carriage tours of Charleston are widely available, but travelers should be aware of the ongoing conversation about equine working conditions.
My sister Laura and I had been talking about a visit to Charleston for some time. She’d been before, but I had never had the opportunity. I hate driving, so taking the 5-hour road trip had not always appealed to me. I’d rather just fly. But we decided to include a side trip to Savannah, so a road trip it was.
I'd seen those Instagram photos - you know the ones, with the rainbow-colored houses, the flower-draped porches, and those impossibly charming cobblestone streets. But I wanted to see if Charleston could live up to all that picturesque hype. Spoiler alert: it absolutely did.
1. Charleston Single Home on Legare Street with it’s hospitality door | 2. Moss covered tree at Two Meeting Street Inn | 3. An example of a Charleston Double House is the Daniel Elliott Huger House at 34 Meeting Street | 4. Beautiful red door on Anson Street
The city wears its age with such grace. Centuries old walls. Uneven cobblestones that once ballasted ships from Europe. Hand forged iron gates. The city reminds me a little of New Orleans, but with more Southern refinement. Where New Orleans feels wonderfully chaotic and lived-in, Charleston is polished, the facades more pristinely maintained, the vibe more... proper. Both cities are beautiful, but Charleston's beauty feels more curated, more intentional.
1. Typical Charleston ivy-covered walls | 2. William C. Gatewood House grand entrance allée (a promenade/pathway in a formal French garden bordered by trees or bushes) at 21 Legare Street | 3. Hidden cobblestone lane: Longitude Lane | 4. A gate framed by an ivy covered wall on Tradd Street
1. Hospitality door | 2. Gate at the Zero George Hotel | 3. Windows of a home on Church Street | 4. Beautiful entry door on Leger Street
What makes Charleston special? It's the architecture. The historic homes and their distinctive doors create the city's unmistakable character. You're surrounded by historic homes, restaurants tucked into 200-year-old buildings, and gardens that have been lovingly tended for generations Every door has it’s own personality - painted in glossy Charleston green or bold coral, framed by climbing jasmine and wrought iron gates. The main styles of homes in Charleston include the Charleston Single House and the Charleston Double House. Historically significant architectural styles like Colonial, Georgian, Federal, Classical Revival, Gothic Revival, Victorian, Italianate and Art Deco are also prominent in Charleston's residential landscape.
CHARLESTON SINGLE HOUSE
Single Houses are typically only one room wide on the side facing the street. They are narrow but long, built sideways to take advantage of breezes and narrow lots. Because the front of the house actually faces the side of the lot, hospitality doors, leading to the porch or piazza, were used to create an entrance to the house.
CHARLESTON DOUBLE HOUSE
A two-story design with a central hallway and four rooms total (two on each side).
1. Secret garden on Meeting Street | 2. Phillip Johnston Porcher House on South Battery | 3. Meeting Street | 4. Gate on Meeting Street
1. Gate at the Cleland Kinloch Huger House on Legare Street | 2. Historic Tucker-Ladson House at 8 Meeting Street, built circa 1783 | 3. Window signage at Queen Street Grocery, which originally opened in 1922 - photo by Laura Woodard | 4. Home on 19 Chalmers Street
CHARLESTON’S HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS
Charleston Peninsula is made up of five distinct neighborhoods: The Boroughs, Harleston Village, The Business District (also called the Shopping District), The French Quarter, and South of Broad.
THE BOROUGHS
The Boroughs are made up of 4 small neighborhoods:
Radcliffeborough - A rapidly gentrifying area of colorful shotgun houses and corner stores that's becoming one of Charleston's hottest neighborhoods.
Ansonborough - A grid of modest single houses and Charleston doubles where middle-class merchants once lived north of Calhoun.
Cannonborough/Elliotborough - An eclectic mix of Victorian cottages and new development that's evolved from working-class roots to a trendy dining destination.
Mazyck-Wraggborough - This neighborhood is referred to as the garden district for its lush, green public parks.
Things to do in The Boroughs:
Charleston Farmers’ Market
Mother Emanuel AME Church
THE BUSINESS DISTRICT
King Street's commercial spine, where historic storefronts now house upscale shopping, dining, and hotels that drive Charleston's modern economy.
THE FRENCH QUARTER
The city's oldest neighborhood, packed with art galleries, hidden courtyards, and remnants of French Huguenot settlers.
Things to do in the French Quarter:
Charleston City Market
Circular Congregational Church
French Huguenot Church
Old Slave Mart Museum
South Carolina Historical Society Museum
St. Philip’s Church
Waterfront Park
HARLSTON VILLAGE
A walkable, tree-lined neighborhood west of King Street that balances historic charm with modern college-town energy.
A few places of interest in Harlston Village:
College of Charleston
Queen Street Grocery
SOUTH OF BROAD
Charleston's most exclusive address, where enormous pre-Revolutionary homes sit on oversized lots south of Broad Street. This area features Interesting Sights:
Edmondston-Alston House
Heyward-Washington House
Nathaniel Russell House
Rainbow Row
St. Michael’s Church
White Point Garden
While Rainbow Row is probably Charleston’s most photographed and well-known area, I personally thought that there were so many other lovely streets that were more photogenic.
1. Beautiful home in the French Quarter of Charleston | 2. Fountain in the gardens of the historic Nathaniel Russell House | 3. French Huguenot Church | 4. The Mary Smith House at 82 Anson Street
PLANNING YOUR VISIT
DINING
Bin 152
Charleston’s oldest wine bar, offering over 100 wines by the glass and 200 by the bottle, with a cheese and charcuterie menu.
Location: 152 King Street
Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit
Locations: 476 1/2 King Street and at the Charleston City Market at 188 Meeting Street
Caviar & Bananas Gourmet Market & Café
Serving breakfast, lunch, grab and go options, and gelato. The chicken salad was amazing.
Locations: 51 George Street, and the Music Campus location, 170 Ashley Avenue
Delaney Oyster House
Lowcountry seafood restaurant and raw bar, located in a historic Charleston home.
Location: 115 Calhoun Street
Doar Bros.
Compact little bar with amazing craft cocktails. Not to be missed! Try the Bourbon & Clyde - you’ll thank me.
Location: 225 Meeting Street
Felix Cocktails et Cuisine
Parisian-inspired restaurant and cocktail bar in the heart of downtown Charleston.
Location: 550 King Street
Indaco
Lovely Italian eatery with an open kitchen concept.
Location: 526 King Street
Poogan’s Porch
Southern restaurant located in a former home built in 1891.
Location: 72 Queen Street
Queen Street Grocery
Crêpes, sandwiches, all day breakfast and craft beer.
Location: 133 Queen Street
1. 61 S Battery Street | 2. Beautiful home entry on Tradd Street | 3. Gate Detail on Laurens Street, Charleston | 4. Husk Restaurant on Queen Street
1. Zero George Street Hotel | 2. Little courtyard with fountain on Meeting Street | 3. Front door of the Huger Maybank House at 8 Legare Street, an example of Italianate style, built between 1857–1858 | 4. Zero George Street Hotel
SHOPPING
17 South Antiques
Antique store packed with items large and small. This shop is located outside the historic district.
Location: 4 Avondale Avenue
Acquisitions Interiors
Large interior design showroom with everything from furniture to books, pillows, picture frames and more. Laura and I both purchased a chinoiserie ginger jar.
Location: 273 East Bay St
Historic Charleston Foundation
Charleston souvenirs, books, toys, home goods and food. Purchases support the Foundation’s efforts to preserve Charleston's heritage.
Locations: Charleston City Market at 188 Market Street, Nathaniel Russell House Store at 51 Meeting Street, and Aiken Rhett House Store at 48 Elizabeth Street
1. Old Slave Mart Museum at 6 Chalmers Street | 2. 68 S Battery Street Charleston | 3. Horse drawn carriage on Church Street | 4. French Huguenot Church window
1. A few of the 13 colorful homes that make up Rainbow Row | 2. Old Slave Mart Museum | 3. Meeting Street Inn | 4. The Pink House at 17 Chalmers Street
TOURIST INFORMATION
Explore Charleston
Great website with practically everything you need to know about visiting Charleston. The site offers a great interactive map that includes locations for parking, bus stops, public restrooms, historic sites, and parks.
Charleston Visitor Reception and Transportation Center
Location: 375 Meeting Street
PARKING
City of Charleston Parking Facilities
Parking in Charleston can be challenging, and utilizing the parking garages is often the best solution. The City of Charleston operates several parking garages, metered lots and non-metered lots located throughout the downtown area. For locations and rates, click here or here for a map.
GETTING HERE
Charleston International Airport (CHS)
Located 11 miles from downtown Charleston, with taxis, shuttles, and car rentals available.
1. 27 State Street B&B | 2. The Dock Street Theatre, the first building in America built exclusively for theatrical performances | 3. 105 Church Street | 4. Turquoise door at 43 Legare Street