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Fort Sumter, Charleston, SC

Photo: Bubba73, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingIconicHistory Buff

Fort Sumter

Charleston Harbor, ferry from Liberty Square, 340 Concord St · Charleston, SC

Why you should go…

Fort Sumter sits on an artificial island at the mouth of Charleston Harbor, where Confederate forces attacked on April 12, 1861, in the battle that sparked the Civil War. You reach it only by the Fort Sumter Tours ferry from Liberty Square in downtown Charleston or Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant. The trip takes about two and a quarter hours, with roughly an hour on the fort. Inside the old brick walls stands Battery Huger, a massive concrete gun battery built in 1898.

  • #civil war
  • #historic fort
  • #harbor ferry
  • #national historical park

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Fort Sumter, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Fort Moultrie

    Under $25

    Walk through a restored coastal fort on Sullivan's Island that traces harbor defense from 1809 through World War II.

    1.1 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

    $25–$50

    Board the WWII aircraft carrier USS Yorktown and the destroyer USS Laffey on Charleston Harbor.

    3.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    The Battery

    Free

    Stroll the harbor seawall promenade past antebellum mansions to the oaks and cannons of White Point Garden.

    3.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Rainbow Row

    Free

    See 13 pastel-painted historic row houses lining East Bay Street between Tradd and Elliott Streets.

    3.5 mi awayMore like this

  • Shopping
    Iconic

    Charleston City Market

    Free

    Browse four blocks of open-air sheds and the Great Hall for sweetgrass baskets, local crafts and souvenirs.

    3.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping

  • Museums
    History Buff

    International African American Museum

    Under $25

    Explore African American history on Gadsden's Wharf, where a large share of enslaved Africans arrived in North America.

    3.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums