An Amazing Multigenerational Family Weekend in Charleston, SC

With beach breezes, southern charm, and delicious cuisine, an amazing multigenerational family weekend in Charleston, SC is just the ticket. Gather up the kids, call the grandparents, and head to the Holy City for a relaxing and exciting weekend together.

Table of Contents

Multigenerational vacations

There are so many beneficial reasons to travel with family. And if you have the opportunity to travel with extended family, you should definitely give it a try.

Vacations are a great way to have family bonding time while doing something together.
When families pitch in together, it also helps cut costs for trips that might otherwise be unaffordable.
Carpooling to destinations and staying together in a vacation rental like VRBO are ways to support sustainability and encourage eco-friendly habits.
Multigenerational vacations help children (and adults) cultivate empathy and compassion for others on the trip.
It also provides life-long memories of experiences that happened with the people we love.

Note: This post on An Amazing Multigenerational Family Weekend in Charleston, SC has affiliate links from trusted partners and websites such as Amazon, and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).

Charleston Location and History

Although the first European settlement was established as Charles Town in 1670, Native Americans inhabited the area long before that. The Wando, Kiawah, and Etiwan tribes were among the various people groups living in the “Low Country” area during the time of early English settlement. Within 10 years of its establishment, the settlement of Charles Town (named after King Charles II) had a population of over 1,000.

In the late 1600s and early 1700s, Charles Town was a center for trade and commerce. And with the booming import/export industry came the age of pirates. Black Beard and his friends were known to frequent Charles Town and its surrounding waters. Charles Town was also known for its religious diversity. Many different religious groups, including Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Jews, settled in the city, thus it developed its nickname the “Holy City.”

Soon the American colonies spiraled into the Revolutionary War. Charles Town was captured and held by the British and renamed Charleston before it was relinquished to the new United States. Once peace was established, Charleston and South Carolina became an agricultural powerhouse with plantations located near the coastal city and all throughout the Low Country.

In 1861, South Carolina seceded from the Union and Confederates fired on Fort Sumter, across Charleston Harbor. Charleston was no stranger to the long and bloody Civil War. With battles, sieges, and fires Charleston was crippled. An earthquake in 1886 damaged over 2,000 buildings, but Charleston was resilient and rebuilt with stronger building materials and an optimistic outlook.

Entering into the 20th century, Charleston flourished as a cultural and historic center. Not even Hurricane Hugo, in 1989, with its 135-mile-per-hour winds, was able to demolish the venerable city. Today Charleston proudly displays its 300 years’ worth of history and charm for all who visit.

Where to Stay: best accommodations for a weekend in Charleston

Vacation rentals are a great fit for a multigenerational family weekend in Charleston. Isle of Palms is my favorite spot for a multi-family stay. There are many VRBO rentals that can accommodate large groups that are on the beach or within walking distance. This island is just east of Charleston and is less crowded. In my opinion, VRBO-type vacation rentals are the way to go for large groups and families to spend a weekend in Charleston. They allow everyone to have their space and spread out. They usually have kitchens so families can gather together for meals. Typically there is laundry available. So many amenities to make everyone in the family feel comfortable.

There is also the Wild Dunes Resort located on the Isle of Palms. This resort offers something for everybody, which makes it perfect for a multigenerational trip. You need to stay a minimum of 3 nights, but with golf, pools, restaurants, and children’s activities, you’ll be inclined to make it a long weekend. Search for your dates on Travelocity.

For a luxury rental, choose The Cottages, which are located across the harbor at the tip of Patriot’s Point. These cottages offer the comfort of your own space with resort amenities. For downtown luxury in the heart of Charleston, The Quarters on King and The Quarters on Spring have 2-room townhome apartments that sleep 6.

Some hotels that work great for large families are Staybridge Hotels and Home2Suite Hotels. These hotels have two queen beds and a pull-out couch option. Affordability is also a feature since they have complimentary breakfasts and usually a pool.

Where to Eat: kid friendly restaurants Charleston, SC

If you are staying at a VRBO house, then stop at your local grocery store and grab some grilling foods. This is another positive way to enjoy family time together. Or consider getting takeout from the local restaurants to eat in the comfort of the rental house. Family bonding takes place around a table, and having lunch after the beach or pool time is a great way to spend your weekend in Charleston.

Fleet Landing Restaurant and Bar has waterfront dining and tasty seafood. I got the Charleston Shrimp and Grits and it was lip-smacking delicious.

Poe’s Tavern on Sullivan’s Island is a friendly restaurant and bar that has scrumptious fish tacos, a kid’s menu, and a substantial gluten-free menu. For families with allergy sensitivities, finding a restaurant that can accommodate everyone’s needs can be tricky, but Poe’s tavern has many gluten-free options.

Poogan’s Porch is named after the neighborhood dog, but their menu focuses on superb Low Country cuisine from pimento cheese fritters to chicken and waffles. All I can say is She. Crab. Soup.

What to See and Do

A fun multigenerational weekend in Charleston starts at the beach!

If you’re looking for family things to do in Charleston, SC this weekend, plan some time to enjoy splashing in the waves, searching for seashells, and building sandcastles together. Here are some of the best beaches around Charleston:

If you’re taking my suggestion and staying on the Isle of Palms, then take advantage of its beautiful beach. This is a very family-friendly beach with ice cream shops nearby and on the north side of the island, you can rent kayaks and paddle boards.
Sullivan’s Island is where Poe’s Tavern is located. If you are enjoying a day at the beach on Sullivan’s Island then try kiteboarding. It’s kneeboarding using a kite to skip you along the water’s surface. If that’s a little too intense, grab a kite from the Dollar Store and enjoy flying a kite on the beach.
Folly Beach is Charleston’s beach. This beautiful seashore has gentle waves, making it perfect for a multigenerational family activity near Charleston. It’s great for swimming and making giant sandcastles.

Take a tour of Charleston

There are so many fun things to do in Charleston, SC, and there are plenty of choices when it comes to city tours:

Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour: Step back in time to take a horse and carriage guided hour-long tour of Charleston’s historic downtown. The carriage has bench seats so it can easily fit a large family group together.

Ghosts of Charleston Night-Time Walking Tour with Unitarian Church Graveyard: If your family likes spooky stories, try a ghost tour of Charleston. Professional story-tellers walk you through famous graveyards and share Charleston’s many haunted stories of its dark history.

Downtown Charleston Food Tour: Any foodies in the family? Charleston has an amazing food scene with Low Country specialties and southern flavors. If your kids are adventurous eaters this is the perfect fit for a family group.

Take time to dive into history

Charleston has so much history to explore. It can’t be contained in a weekend, so make sure to plan a longer multigenerational vacation in Charleston. For the weekend pick one of these awesome historic places to learn about as a family:

Fort Sumter Admission and Self-Guided Tour with Roundtrip Ferry: Fort Sumter is the symbol of the beginning of the Civil War. It is also a national monument and has a Junior Ranger program, which is so fun for kids to complete. Make sure to get a booklet from a ranger at the Fort. Once children complete the required amount of information, they can be sworn in as a Jr. Ranger and receive a badge or patch.

Boone Hall Plantation Admission & Tour with Transportation from Charleston: Boone Hall is a beautiful plantation that is still a working farm. It offers a peek into what life was like in the pre-civil War south. There are many opportunities to learn about the African American Gullah culture and how slaves maintained their traditions even through repression. Boone Hall gives home tours, farm tours, and even has a butterfly garden that my kids loved.

Patriot’s Point Naval and Maritime Museum: Probably one of my most favorite attractions in Charleston is Patriot’s Point. The USS Yorktown is a retired aircraft carrier that has been converted into a floating museum. Guests can watch an informational video about the history of the ship, then explore its many rooms and passageways. There are huge jets and fighter planes, one of which you can climb in and feel like a real pilot. You could easily spend a whole day at the museum, but you can have a great adventure learning about the history of naval warfare in an afternoon.

Francis Marion Hotel: This historic hotel was built in 1924 during the Charleston Renaissance when artists of all kinds were creating a revival is culture. Today, let mom and grandma spend the day at the luxurious spa at the Francis Marion hotel or enjoy a swanky dinner at the Swamp Fox Restaurant.

Have some fun together in Charleston

Sometimes just being together and having a good laugh makes the best multigenerational weekend. Here are some fun family ideas for your charleston vacation:

Pirates of Charleston: Pirate Adventures and River cruises: Explore Charleston’s surrounding waterways and cast away on a pirate adventure. This pirate ship makes even the youngest sailors part of the crew as they hunt for the missing treasure. Plus you get to shoot water cannons!

South Carolina Aquarium: Located in downtown on the waterfront, the Charleston Aquarium offers sweeping views of the Charleston Harbor in addition to its +5,000 marine and wildlife creatures. Learn all about the Sea Turtle Care Center, the many bird species, and the marine life of South Carolina in the touch tanks during your visit.

Charleston Waterfront Park: Enjoying a park doesn’t cost a thing and is great for a multigenerational group. Kids get to expend energy running and skipping up and down the waterfront, while parents and grandparents can chat and enjoy watching the boats come in and out of Charleston Harbor. During the warmer months, make sure to let the kids cool off at the pineapple fountain or north entrance fountain. They will have a blast.

Magnolia Plantation Admission & Tour with Transportation from Charleston: This expansive Plantation has gardens, nature trails, horticultural mazes, a swamp, and a zoo. There is also the historic home, nature tram, and nature boat to enjoy. This is a great springtime family activity since the flowers will be in full bloom in south carolina.

Boys enjoying the fountains at the Charleston Waterfront park during a family vacation in Charleston, SC.

If you are not a planner check out some Charleston SC family vacation packages through TripAdvisor.

When you go with charleston sc vacation packages family time becomes easier and less stressful.

Recommended: Charleston: Things to Do This Weekend

Travel Helps

Roam Right – RoamRight provides travel insurance coverage with customer service and claims administration all at a competitive price. Their policies are designed to provide coverage for any type of traveler, and they offer an easy to navigate technology platform for making purchases and managing coverage. From trip cancellation, overseas medical coverage, and even baggage delays, RoamRight travel insurance can help give peace of mind when taking your perfect vacation.

Upside – If you are on a road trip, make sure to download this free cash back app.

Upside users earn up to 25¢/gallon cash back on gas, up to 45% cash back at restaurants and up to 30% cash back at grocery stores.

Hotels.com – Hotels.com® offers more than 1,000,000 properties in 200 countries – from hotels and B&B’s to condos and all-inclusive resorts. Earn free nights for every 10 nights booked with the Hotels.com Rewards program. Find hotels during sold-out periods. Book the perfect trip- backed by the Hotels.com Price Guarantee.

Groupon – Groupon is a great way to find discounts for things to do on vacation. You can save money on fun activities for the whole family.

Viator– Viator delivers online and mobile access to thousands of trip activities including tours, attractions, shore excursions and private guides, in more than 1,500 destinations worldwide. I’ve used Viator for several family trips and they have all been great. They offer great prices, which is great for a family on a budget, and they have 24/7 customer service, so they are available to help you out whenever you need.

A multigenerational family weekend success

Creating meaningful connections with the people we love is one of the most important gifts we can give to our children. Spending time with grandparents and extended family doesn’t have to be stressful.

Check out How to Plan a Family Trip to learn all the tips and tricks to a smooth vacation together.

Are you looking for another beach vacation? Exploring St. Augustine FL with Kids dives into the Oldest City in the US.

What is your favorite thing to do in Charleston with your family?

If you found this guide to an awesome multigenerational family weekend in Charleston helpful, make sure to Pin it for later and share with your friends!

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Kyleen Bontrager, the Bonnie Traveler

Kyleen is a wife, homeschool mama, lover of teatime, and passionate traveler. Having lived on 3 continents and visited +32 countries, she helps others enjoy memory-making experiences for multigenerational travel. Ready for a bonnie adventure? Let’s go!