Snooping around a new city can be exciting and intriguing, or overwhelming. If you tend toward the latter, let our Insider’s Guide take the guesswork out. These curated experiences and off-the-beaten track adventures ensure you see Charleston up-close and personal.

As always, our Zero George concierge can make suggestions and help tailor these to your needs and desires. There’s so much to experience and explore. Our number one Insider’s Guide tip? Make your Zero George reservations now for your return trip to Charleston—you’ll want to pick up where you left off.

Day 1

In which the senses delight

Interior of candlefish store
Burning (or making) a candle at both ends

Candlefish

270 King St

At Candlefish’s candle-making workshop, you craft your very own unique Charleston souvenir. The workshop is BYOB, so peruse our beverage list and let the concierge send you with something delicious!

Clothing racks against white wall
Retail therapy

Custom Shopping Package at Zero

0 George St

Shop ‘til you drop with a 3-hour private shopping excursion led by the fabulous Andrea Serrano, professional stylist, influencer and style maven behind Charleston Shop Curator.

Camera screen with beach
Zoom in

Custom Photo Safari by Zero

0 George St

Why settle for a selfie? Our one-on-one photography tour with a local photographer will escort you to some of the best (and little known) spots for capturing the city’s visual nuances and beauty. Plus, you’ll get hands-on tips for improving your shutterbug skills and executing a pro-worthy photo. iPhone-ographers are welcome!

Day 2

In which poking around and snooping about gets elevated to a new level

Bikes outside Zero George hotel
Delight by bike

A two-wheeled, self-guided tour

0 George St

When in doubt, pedal it out! Borrow Zero George’s complimentary bicycles to enjoy a morning or evening cruise around the peninsula—our concierge is happy to map out a route to ensure you cover a lot of ground without missing the sights, smells and sounds.

Charleston city market interior with market stalls
To market, to market

Charleston’s City Market

188 Meeting St.

Visit the open-air Charleston City Market where you can find an intriguing array of local vendors, many selling hand-crafted items (jewelry, soaps and perfumes, candles, decor and more). Pick up a classic Charleston souvenir like a hand-woven sweetgrass basket!

Downtown charleston
Get your art on

Impromptu art walk

Downtown Charleston

Enjoy an impromptu art walk—check out the Zero George Concierge Black Book for a list of top downtown art galleries from the French Quarter to the Gibbes Museum of Art.

Day 3

In which joining the crowd can be a good thing

Broad street in charleston
An Artsy Stroll

First Fridays on Broad

Broad Street

Savor the sun-down hour by enjoying fine art, fine crafts, fashion, sculpture, jewelry and refreshments in the boutiques, fine art galleries, and bodegas on Gallery Row.

Pro-Tip: If you’re an art lover, ask about Zero George’s Artful Traveler package to get an insider’s tour behind the scenes of Cecil Byrne Gallery.

King street market
Shop til you drop

Second Sundays on King

King Street

King Street was Charleston’s shopping and urban hub long before cars were invented. Every Second Sunday of the month, the city’s scenic and main thoroughfare gets a reprieve from traffic and visitors can enjoy a King Street stroll from a new (or really old!) perspective. From south of Calhoun Street and Marion Square, King Street is blocked off to vehicles (including bikes) and store owners, musicians and vendors create a festive atmosphere to shop, eat, drink and socialize.

Pro-Tip: Leave the Zero George bikes for another time; Second Sundays are open to foot traffic only!

Pathway with trees
Honoring hallowed ground

Cemeteries + Churchyards

Downtown Charleston

Charleston boasts some of the nation’s oldest cemeteries, with funeral art dating to the late 1600s. Exploring the Holy City’s churchyards and cemeteries is a moving way to walk through time. Here lie prominent statesmen and historical figures, and here lie beloved infants, decorated veterans, distinguished preachers and regular people “sacred to the memory” of those whom they left behind.

Pro-Tip: The Unitarian Church graveyard features an intentionally tangled garden and picturesque tree-lined path between King Street and Archdale. To turn it up a notch, ask our concierge about booking a ghost tour!

Watercolor painting of bridge with sail boats
Put on your walking shoes

Walk the Bridge

Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge

Call it what you will—“the Bridge,” “the Cooper River Bridge,” “the Ravenel Bridge” or to some who still remember the harrowingly narrow “Old Bridges” it’s the “New Bridge,” the iconic structure is a wonder to behold, and a great place to walk or run. When the Bridge opened in 2005, it became the longest cable-stayed bridge of its time in North America and the tallest structure in SC.

Pro-Tip: Wear good walking shoes, a hat and sunscreen. Bring a camera, as photos from the top are spectacularly Insta-worthy. It takes about an hour to do the full 5-mile trek across and back.