All Things Charleston 411

 

- Leave the Durham, NC area that day around noon to drive the 5 hours to Charleston.

- how bad is rush hour traffic assuming I arrive in downtown Charleston at 5PM?

Agree with Chucktown Steve. I live in Charleston, and while "rush hour" can start around 4:00, it's mainly people trying to get OUT of downtown and out to Summerville, Mt. Pleasant etc. Getting IN to downtown is generally not an issue. WIih the ship not leaving until 10pm you'll be fine, even if you do encounter the odd rush hour traffic tie-up in the "wrong" direction.

Agree with Chucktown Steve. I live in Charleston, and while "rush hour" can start around 4:00, it's mainly people trying to get OUT of downtown and out to Summerville, Mt. Pleasant etc. Getting IN to downtown is generally not an issue. WIih the ship not leaving until 10pm you'll be fine, even if you do encounter the odd rush hour traffic tie-up in the "wrong" direction.

Thanks for this very helpful information!

Hi there

We have not been to Charleston before. How far is the cruiseport to the airport? We arrive in port on December 19 am and disembark on December 20am. Our flight out of Charleston is a little early for my liking (10:50am) however it is the only daily non-stop flight to our destination. I have no idea about traffic flows etc. If we have to move it a day I will, but I would rather not.

Does anyone have any recommendations for transport to the airport ? I do not want to wait for ship transfers or shuttles because as everyone knows there is always that person for whom everyone has to wait. Normally we don't care but in the interest of time I can't wait while some searches for their missing luggage.Hopefully, it won't be us looking for luggage. Is Uber allowed into the port or would i better off simply arranging something through the ship?

Hi there

 

We have not been to Charleston before. How far is the cruiseport to the airport? We arrive in port on December 19 am and disembark on December 20am. Our flight out of Charleston is a little early for my liking (10:50am) however it is the only daily non-stop flight to our destination. I have no idea about traffic flows etc. If we have to move it a day I will, but I would rather not.

 

Does anyone have any recommendations for transport to the airport ? I do not want to wait for ship transfers or shuttles because as everyone knows there is always that person for whom everyone has to wait. Normally we don't care but in the interest of time I can't wait while some searches for their missing luggage.Hopefully, it won't be us looking for luggage. �� Is Uber allowed into the port or would i better off simply arranging something through the ship?

I’m a little confused at your timeline but it takes about 25 minutes to get to the airport. Both Uber and Lyft can pick you up. Uber was surge pricing even as we put in our information, increasing the cost by $20 AS we were trying to book(!) so we used Lyft, although the wait was a few minutes longer.

Thank you for the information.

Clarification on the timeline: the ship arrives in port on December 19 in the morning. We spend the day and evening in Charleston. The ship with passengers on board remains in port overnight. The actual end of the cruise is December 20 in the morning and passengers disembark at that time after the ship is cleared. Our flight is at 10:50 on the morning of December 20.

Thanks again!

Looking to do a 2 day/ 1 night in Charleston trip, and need a hotel in the $300 range that will fit 5 adults, preferably a 2 room suite of some sort in a nice area. Looking to spend time in downtown Charleston, maybe a carriage tour/harbor tour, and possibly a drive to Folly beach. Any suggestions would be welcome!!

Looking to do a 2 day/ 1 night in Charleston trip, and need a hotel in the $300 range that will fit 5 adults, preferably a 2 room suite of some sort in a nice area. Looking to spend time in downtown Charleston, maybe a carriage tour/harbor tour, and possibly a drive to Folly beach. Any suggestions would be welcome!!

Embassy suites in right at Marion Square and close to lots of shops, about a mile or so to Market area.

If you are going to have your own vehicle anyway I'd look at staying over in Mt Pleasant and just driving in and parking downtown for the stuff you want to see there. Parking will run you 20-25 per day at the downtown hotels, while the city garages are $2 per hr. Easy to just hop across the bridge and do your tours.

If you are going to have your own vehicle anyway I'd look at staying over in Mt Pleasant and just driving in and parking downtown for the stuff you want to see there. Parking will run you 20-25 per day at the downtown hotels, while the city garages are $2 per hr. Easy to just hop across the bridge and do your tours.

Any hotel in particular? Or an area where I won’t be afraid to be out after dark?

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Any hotel in particular? Or an area where I won’t be afraid to be out after dark?

 

 

 

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Mt Pleasant is quite safe. I would look at the hotels around the foot of the Ravenel bridge. There are properties from all the major chains in this area. Plenty of places to eat and a short drive to Shem Creek for more food options. There are other places, like the West Ashley area (where I live), but Mt P is the easiest to just hop over the bridge to downtown.

Mt Pleasant is quite safe. I would look at the hotels around the foot of the Ravenel bridge. There are properties from all the major chains in this area. Plenty of places to eat and a short drive to Shem Creek for more food options. There are other places, like the West Ashley area (where I live), but Mt P is the easiest to just hop over the bridge to downtown.

Thanks so much, will check this out tonight!!

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Hi all,

We will be arriving in Charleston on February 16, 2019, and be there from 7-4p. How far is the battery to walk from the port? Also, interested in going to Fort Sumpter. Is there a tour that I can book that would pick up from the port? Looking for suggestions. Thanks so much.

We had 3 days in Charleston last year and (as a history buff) was really looking forward to the Ft Sumter trip. I was really disappointed. You can only go with the ‘Parks’ service and you only get an hour there before you are herded back on the boat for the trip back. In my opinion, you would do much better doing a carriage ride, or as it’s a weekend (and if you want to visit something to do with the Civil War) visit the ‘Hunley’ museum, which was far more interesting than Ft Sumter.

Simon

Hi all,

We will be arriving in Charleston on February 16, 2019, and be there from 7-4p. How far is the battery to walk from the port? Also, interested in going to Fort Sumpter. Is there a tour that I can book that would pick up from the port? Looking for suggestions. Thanks so much.

It is only a mile or so to the battery.

Ft Sumter is only accessible from either Liberty Square or from Patriots Point (on the other side of the harbor in Mt Pleasant). Liberty square is just north of the port (right next to the SC Aquarium if you look on google maps), a 5-10 min walk I'd guess. They don't pick you up. ( fortsumtertours.com is the website for tickets and departure times). There is also Patriots Point (they have the USS Yorktown and USS Laffey) if old navy ships are your thing. Carriage tours around downtown if that is your thing or there are the plantations you can visit as well. (I know there are tours that visit them, but i don't know the names of the companies, I'm sure you can just go back in this thread and they are porbably listed somewhere in it). There are also other places downtown to visit/see it really just depends on what you are interested in.

We had 3 days in Charleston last year and (as a history buff) was really looking forward to the Ft Sumter trip. I was really disappointed. You can only go with the ‘Parks’ service and you only get an hour there before you are herded back on the boat for the trip back. In my opinion, you would do much better doing a carriage ride, or as it’s a weekend (and if you want to visit something to do with the Civil War) visit the ‘Hunley’ museum, which was far more interesting than Ft Sumter.

 

Simon

Well, Ft Sumter IS part of the national park service, so yeah they kind of run it. (the boats out and back are not NPS but contracted to take people to the fort) Don't know how much more time you need out there. There really isn't much out there, once the rangers give their little talk and you walk around a bit, there really isn't much else to see. (Ft Moultre is much more fun to wander around and explore in my opinion). As far as the Hunley goes...you only get to see the sub itself for maybe 5 minutes, the rest of the tour is just the history of it and what happened to her. Total time, maybe an hour. Not really worth the time and expense to get there if only in town for a few hours. If in town for a few days and have a car (assuming here on a weekend) then absolutely go and visit. (especially if it is a rainy or hot summer day).

It is only a mile or so to the battery.

Ft Sumter is only accessible from either Liberty Square or from Patriots Point (on the other side of the harbor in Mt Pleasant). Liberty square is just north of the port (right next to the SC Aquarium if you look on google maps), a 5-10 min walk I'd guess. They don't pick you up. ( fortsumtertours.com is the website for tickets and departure times). There is also Patriots Point (they have the USS Yorktown and USS Laffey) if old navy ships are your thing. Carriage tours around downtown if that is your thing or there are the plantations you can visit as well. (I know there are tours that visit them, but i don't know the names of the companies, I'm sure you can just go back in this thread and they are porbably listed somewhere in it). There are also other places downtown to visit/see it really just depends on what you are interested in.

Is the Battery walkable from the port, meaning small roads, etc? Would prefer to walk around Charleston and see the city if it is feasible from the port. Do not plan to rent a car. Thanks.

Is the Battery walkable from the port, meaning small roads, etc? Would prefer to walk around Charleston and see the city if it is feasible from the port. Do not plan to rent a car. Thanks.

Yes. The downtown area is really not that big. If you go to google maps and look for the SC aquarium and fleet landing restaurant the cruise ship docks between the two. Just keep going south on E Bay street and it becomes E Battery.

Hope someone can answer about being dropped off at the port. My husband has a mobility scooter and portable oxygen concentrator. He’s really worried about everything getting wet and ruined tomorrow. Is there a covered area where we wait or are we going to get soaked getting to the terminal. Thanks in advance!

Mt Pleasant is quite safe. I would look at the hotels around the foot of the Ravenel bridge. There are properties from all the major chains in this area. Plenty of places to eat and a short drive to Shem Creek for more food options. There are other places, like the West Ashley area (where I live), but Mt P is the easiest to just hop over the bridge to downtown.

Daughter went to CofC, lived downtown, we are from Florence, SC, and when not driving to spend the day, we would spend the night at Marriott Residence Inn at the airport. Super easy drive into downtown, parked at one of the parking garages downtown, did our downtown visiting. From hotel also easy drive to plantations and Folly Beach. Easy drive to Ravenel bridge to Mount Pleasant and above OPs places. Fort Moultrie worth a visit. Tanger outlets near hotel. So we find it a great location.

Hope someone can answer about being dropped off at the port. My husband has a mobility scooter and portable oxygen concentrator. He’s really worried about everything getting wet and ruined tomorrow. Is there a covered area where we wait or are we going to get soaked getting to the terminal. Thanks in advance!

Are you driving yourself or being dropped off? If you are parking the garage is covered and shuttle will pick you up there. It has a mobility lift. If being dropped off I would tell whomever you come to first that you have a mobility issue so they can direct your ride appropriately. Looks like rain will lessen after 12 or so...

We sailed from the Charleston port several times, but this is our 1st time being dropped off at the port. Thank you! We will tell them about his scooter and his medical equipment and hopefully they can keep him out of the rain. Thanks again!

Is the Battery walkable from the port, meaning small roads, etc? Would prefer to walk around Charleston and see the city if it is feasible from the port. Do not plan to rent a car. Thanks.

It's about a 20 min walk, along East Bay Street, which will become East Battery. There are sidewalks.

What is Cheapest transportation from airport to cruiseport?

What is Cheapest transportation from airport to cruiseport?

Most likely Uber/Lyft... plenty of cabs but not the cheapest!

Carnival port transfers to/from airport/terminal:

https://www.carnival.com/airport-transportation/airport-shuttles/charleston.aspx

What is Cheapest transportation from airport to cruiseport?

My friend drives Uber and that's his main route- downtown to airport and back. Uber is abundant here and easy to get.