Jewelry stores in Folly Beach, SC

Charleston's location and climate open the South Carolina city to tourism of all types, like beach trips, bachelorette weekends, educational excursions or romantic getaways.

No matter what time of year, you’ll find places to go and things to do. You only have to ask yourself two main questions: what does your budget allow for, and how much heat and humidity can you cope with?

Here’s a breakdown of the best times to visit the Lowcountry based on price, activities, weather and more.

High seasons: March-May and September-November

Best times for festivals and exploring on foot

Charleston is blessed with two peak seasons. Spring and fall offer the most temperate times to enjoy the area’s largest festivals and farmers markets. Travel and hotel prices are at their highest, particularly during spring break and Easter. However, the late fall offers the perfect mix of mild temperatures, fewer tourists and more affordable rates. April, May, September and October are the most popular for weddings — in case you’re doing that kind of planning.

Shoulder season: June-August

Best time for beach trips and indoor activities

Like any American city close to a coast, the peak of Charleston’s summer encourages the masses to head to the beach. The temperatures can climb into the 90s (Fahrenheit). That and the thick humidity pair best with salty beach breezes, wavy, untamed hair and maybe a colorfully layered cocktail. Tourists and locals alike move seamlessly between downtown and the Atlantic Coast. So, while the beach rentals are usually booked up by June, you might catch a bit of a break on availability and costs if you book your stay inland.

Low season: December-February

Best time to avoid crowds and save money

This three-month period is considered the “low season” by tourism metrics. But if you’re someone who appreciates a winter getaway from a cold climate, traveling to the Lowcountry during this time will elevate your winter. Daytime temperatures stay around the low 60s, and airfares drop, too. Keep in mind there is a slight spike around the December holidays and Valentine’s Day.

Here's a guide to what you can expect throughout the year in the Charleston area. All events are subject to change.

This is a great time to grab a quick, relaxing getaway after the hustle and bustle of the holidays. It’s easier to book reservations, and the lines are shorter everywhere.

Valentine’s Day provides a great opportunity to whisk that special someone away for a romantic weekend. Book a charming B&B, savor a delectable dinner at restaurants in the area, relax your muscles at a day spa, and take in Charleston’s historical beauty.

As the temperatures start to rise, locals and tourists start shedding their winter layers and finding ways to get outside. You’ll see plenty of spring breakers at the beach, but there’s a lot going on for those who choose to stay inland.

April is a busy month for tourism in the Lowcountry. Whether for exercise or leisure, there are several outdoor events that draw huge crowds. And it’s a popular time for destination weddings. Flowers are in full bloom, and so are the spring festivities. Just be sure to bring an umbrella — storms can sneak up on you just about any time.

This is when the Lowcountry really hits its stride. With summer just around the corner, more people flock to the beach for surfing, dolphin watching and morning yoga. Fresh produce dots the local farmers markets, and it's a prime season for the arts.

June 1 kicks off hurricane season. Even though a low percentage of total hurricanes hit the Lowcountry directly, it’s worthwhile to look into trip insurance if you book between now and November.

As the temperatures and humidity levels climb, the events calendar and crowds lighten up. This is a great time to catch some of the more educational ventures that Charleston offers. Little ones can keep their minds agile at the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry, and adults can soak up some culture during the First Saturday Art Stroll walks and some history (combined with shopping) at the Charleston City Market.

There’s no way around it: August is sticky and sweaty and the reason air conditioning was invented (probably). A Gullah-Geechee tour in an air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz might be the best way to learn about an important group within the Charleston’s culture while you beat the heat. It’s also fun to grab a drink and dance the night away on the Mount Pleasant Pier.

The social calendar picks up a lot of steam as the Charleston air starts to cool off a little. September offers a wide range of activities.

October brings a flood of tourists back in because the weather is milder. This makes it a lot more enjoyable to simply explore Charleston on foot or by carriage. With Halloween on the horizon, it’s a great time to book something like the Charleston Haunted Jail Tour.

Hurricane season comes to a (hopefully uneventful) close, and the number of special events dwindles in November. The cooler days are a perfect backdrop for visiting the area’s historic houses, trying a cooking class, or taking a tour of one of the plantations.

As the year winds down and the holiday season ramps up, there is a slight bump in the number of visitors that come to Charleston. You can definitely knock out your gift shopping at the shops along King and Meeting streets downtown, the Tanger outlet stores in North Charleston, and Towne Centre in Mount Pleasant.

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CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Beachgoers are concerned as a part of the Folly Beach Pier appears to be sinking.

The pier has been closed for construction since October, but after photos captured a portion of the pier with a large ‘dip’ in it, people are wondering if the planned improvements will be enough.

“What we’re seeing right now, is only a little bit of change and I only live seven miles away. I come quite often. I hope if there is any danger of sagging or could be a danger to anyone or us that it will be corrected,” said Joyce Southwell, local.

The 13.8 million dollar project headed up by Charleston County Parks and Recreation is designed to ensure the spot will be here for years to come.

Sarah Reynolds with Charleston County Parks and Recreation explained the current situation:

“Currently visible at the construction site of the Folly Pier is the crane trestle, The crane trestle is in the footprint of the new pier, which will be built all the way out to the old “diamond head” area. Once the diamond head removal is complete, construction of the new pier will begin at that point and work its way back toward the “apron” (the area with the gift shop and restrooms). The crane trestle will be removed as portions of the new pier are constructed.”

Officials are working to calm the concerns of the public, assuring them that construction is going exactly as planned, despite setbacks from Tropical Storm Elsa.

“The Folly pier is a defining feature of the life of Folly. We are glad to see the investment being made to make sure that it will be a part of Folly for many more years. The pier hosts many events like fishing tournaments, fundraisers, and moonlight mixers that have been missing for the duration of the construction project. We look forward to the return of experiences like those.”

Aaron Pope, Folly Beach City Administrator

Joseph Paige, an employee at Folly Beach County Parks, says the result will be well worth the wait.

“Once it’s done everyone will come right back and the pier will be just as busy as before construction started,” said Paige.

The pier is still expected to reopen by spring of 2023.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Tropical Storm Danny made landfall Monday evening on South Carolina's coast, threatening to dump several inches of rain on parts of the Southeast as it blusters inland.

Only hours after forming offshore, Danny had top sustained winds of 40 mph as it moved ashore just north of Hilton Head on Pritchards Island, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. It added that Danny was expected to rapidly weaken over land as it heads into the Southeast on a track through parts of Georgia.

The storm is expected to have minimal impacts on Western North Carolina. However, a few heavy downpours and strong storms are possible through Tuesday afternoon.

The fourth named storm of this Atlantic hurricane season formed close to South Carolina’s coast during the afternoon Monday. Forecasters said it could be a rainmaker as far inland as the north Georgia Piedmont area and in northeast Alabama.

Dangerous surf conditions also were expected along parts of the Southeast seacoast, along with a threat of isolated tornadoes near the coast.

Tropical storm force winds were already recorded Monday afternoon in some spots in South Carolina just hours after Danny formed. A weather station at Folly Beach — just outside Charleston — recorded a wind gust of 41 mph during the day, the Miami-based hurricane center said.

At 8 p.m., the storm was centered about 50 miles southwest of Charleston, South Carolina, according to the Miami-based hurricane center said. The system was moving to the west-northwest at 16 mph.

A tropical storm warning was posted earlier Monday from Edisto Beach to South Santee River in South Carolina. The hurricane center said tropical storm conditions were expected to continue in the warning area for a few more hours after landfall.

The storm could produce between 1 and 3 inches of rain with higher amounts in some coastal areas of Georgia and South Carolina. Forecasters said heavier rainfall could occur in some scattered spots but the region has been dry, limiting the potential threat of any widespread flooding.

Still, forecasters warned that some local flooding remained a possibility in urban areas along the coast and up to 1 to 2 inches of rain were possible elsewhere around South Carolina and in north Georgia and northeast Alabama.

Some brushed off the storm's potential impact.

In Savannah, Georgia, all systems were go for Tuesday night’s Savannah Bananas home baseball game as organizers eyed the storm. Officials for the collegiate summer league team planned to cover the field with tarp on Monday in preparation for the game.

“For us, being on the coast and being in Savannah, we get some nasty pop-up storms that can dump an inch of rain in just a few hours,” Bananas President Jared Orton said Monday. “This one doesn’t look like much more than just a nice, passing day of rain. I think we’re good to go as long as the sun comes out tomorrow.”

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Tropical Storm Danny weakened to a tropical depression hours after it made landfall Monday evening on South Carolina’s coast but the system continued to dump heavy rains on the state and portions of Georgia.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the remnants of the storm were moving across northern Georgia on Tuesday morning with 25 mph wind and was expected to cross into Alabama, bringing 1 to 3 inches of rain.

The fourth named storm of this Atlantic hurricane season formed close to South Carolina’s coast during the afternoon Monday. Forecasters said it could be a rainmaker as far inland as the north Georgia Piedmont area and in northeast Alabama.

Dangerous surf conditions also were expected along parts of the Southeast seacoast, along with a threat of isolated tornadoes near the coast.

Tropical storm force winds were already recorded Monday afternoon in some spots in South Carolina just hours after Danny formed. A weather station at Folly Beach — just outside Charleston — recorded a wind gust of 41 mph (66 kph) during the day, the Miami-based hurricane center said.

A tropical storm warning was posted earlier Monday from Edisto Beach to South Santee River in South Carolina. All warnings were discontinued Monday night.

Still, the depression could produce between 1 and 3 inches (3 to 8 centimeters) of rain with higher amounts in some coastal areas of Georgia and South Carolina. Forecasters said heavier rainfall could occur in some scattered spots but the region has been dry, limiting the potential threat of any widespread flooding.

Still, forecasters warned that some local flooding remained a possibility in urban areas along the coast and up to 1 to 2 inches of rain were possible elsewhere around South Carolina and in north Georgia and northeast Alabama.

Some brushed off the storm’s potential impact.

In Savannah, Georgia, all systems were go for Tuesday night’s Savannah Bananas home baseball game as organizers eyed the storm. Officials for the collegiate summer league team planned to cover the field with tarp on Monday in preparation for the game.

“For us, being on the coast and being in Savannah, we get some nasty pop-up storms that can dump an inch of rain in just a few hours,” Bananas President Jared Orton said Monday. “This one doesn’t look like much more than just a nice, passing day of rain. I think we’re good to go as long as the sun comes out tomorrow.”

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Tropical Storm Danny made landfall Monday evening on South Carolina's coast, threatening to dump several inches of rain on parts of the Southeast as it blusters inland.

Only hours after forming offshore, Danny had top sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) as it moved ashore just north of Hilton Head on Pritchards Island, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. It added that Danny was expected to rapidly weaken over land as it heads into the Southeast on a track through parts of Georgia.

The fourth named storm of this Atlantic hurricane season formed close to South Carolina's coast during the afternoon Monday. Forecasters said it could be a rainmaker as far inland as the north Georgia Piedmont area and in northeast Alabama.

Dangerous surf conditions also were expected along parts of the Southeast seacoast, along with a threat of isolated tornadoes near the coast.

Tropical storm force winds were already recorded Monday afternoon in some spots in South Carolina just hours after Danny formed. A weather station at Folly Beach -- just outside Charleston -- recorded a wind gust of 41 mph (66 kph) during the day, the Miami-based hurricane center said.

At 8 p.m., the storm was centered about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of Charleston, South Carolina, according to the Miami-based hurricane center said. The system was moving to the west-northwest at 16 mph (26 kph).

A tropical storm warning was posted earlier Monday from Edisto Beach to South Santee River in South Carolina. The hurricane center said tropical storm conditions were expected to continue in the warning area for a few more hours after landfall.

The storm could produce between 1 and 3 inches (3 to 8 centimeters) of rain with higher amounts in some coastal areas of Georgia and South Carolina. Forecasters said heavier rainfall could occur in some scattered spots but the region has been dry, limiting the potential threat of any widespread flooding.

Still, forecasters warned that some local flooding remained a possibility in urban areas along the coast and up to 1 to 2 inches of rain were possible elsewhere around South Carolina and in north Georgia and northeast Alabama.

Some brushed off the storm's potential impact.

In Savannah, Georgia, all systems were go for Tuesday night's Savannah Bananas home baseball game as organizers eyed the storm. Officials for the collegiate summer league team planned to cover the field with tarp on Monday in preparation for the game.

"For us, being on the coast and being in Savannah, we get some nasty pop-up storms that can dump an inch of rain in just a few hours," Bananas President Jared Orton said Monday. "This one doesn't look like much more than just a nice, passing day of rain. I think we're good to go as long as the sun comes out tomorrow."

Print Headline: Tropical Storm Danny makes South Carolina coastal landfall