charles towne landing with kids
Charles Towne Landing is a South Carolina Historic Site and one pretty cool place to visit with kids! It’s in Charleston so it’s a day trip from Myrtle Beach but so worth it. Here are is the good-to-know info.
ADDRESS: 1500 Old Towne Road, Charleston SC
DAYS & HOURS: Daily from 9am–5pm, except major holidays
BEST FOR: Kids of all ages. There is a zoo, beautiful grounds to walk, and an education center.
HOW LONG TO SPEND: 1.5–2 hours
COST: $12 adult, $7 youth. Free w/SC State Park pass.
what to expect
THE ZOO | The property has a pretty nice zoo! It’s similar to the zoo at Brookgreen Gardens but definitely has more animals and some pretty unique ones –– buffalo, elk, a black bear, a puma, plus more traditional SC low-country animals.
It’s all stroller friendly and pretty well shaded. It’s the first thing you’ll come to on the self-guided walking tour of the grounds. Since it’s a good size you may risk your kids running out of energy by the time you’re through this though.
17TH CENTURY REPLICA TRADING VESSEL | This ship, called The Adventure, is a replica of the ships the original settlers would have used to transport good for trade between New York, Charleston and down to Barbados. You can board the ship and look around and there was an attendant there to answer questions when we visited.
All of the property is on a large loop so if you keep on the trail then you’ll come to this after walking through some other historical signs and remains/replicas.
LEGARE WARING HOUSE | This historic home is located on the property but not available for tours. It’s been converted to a venue for weddings and other private events. But be sure to walk to it because you can enjoy the long Live Oak alley that leads up to the house, the 90-acres of gardens, and the scenery around the house.
EDUCATION CENTER | This space is beautiful, informative, and interactive. It won’t do too much to keep the attention of young kids but it’s worth strolling through.
other tips & recommendations
TAKE YOUR SC STATE PARK PASS | If you have an SC State Park pass then you’ll get entry here for free. We had forgotten ours but the attendant was able to find us in their system so ask if you’re there without yours.
STROLLER-FRIENDLY | Very stroller friendly with lots of areas for kids to run around and explore freely.
IT’S BIG = LOTS OF WALKING | If you want to make the full loop then you’ll be doing a lot of walking. The zoo trail is about a mile and the rest of the historical trail is about 1.5 miles. So ––– pack plenty of snacks!
BE MINDFUL OF THE WEATHER | The zoo is well shaded but the rest of the trail is pretty open. Summer days here will get pretty hot.
MORE IN CHARLESTON
The kids will probably be zonked after all that walking but if you have any remaining energy or need to refuel then check out:
TurboCone is nearby for soft-serve ice cream or Home Team BBQ.