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Rainbow Row, Charleston, SC

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

SightseeingIconicHistory BuffFree

Rainbow Row

79-107 East Bay St, between Tradd and Elliott Sts · Charleston, SC

Why you should go…

Rainbow Row is a block of 13 historic houses at 79 to 107 East Bay Street, painted in pastel colors as they were restored in the 1930s and 1940s. The buildings once fronted the Cooper River, with merchants keeping shops on the ground floor and living above. In 1931 Dorothy Porcher Legge bought part of the row and painted her houses pink, and other owners followed. The houses are private residences, so you see them from the sidewalk, and it is a favorite spot for photographs.

  • #historic houses
  • #photo spot
  • #historic district
  • #architecture
  • #walking tour

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 Rainbow Row, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Shopping
    Iconic

    Charleston City Market

    Free

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

    0.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    The Battery

    Free

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

    0.4 mi awayMore like this

  • 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.

    0.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    South Carolina Aquarium

    $25–$50

    Walk from mountain streams to the open ocean through South Carolina habitats, then touch rays and watch sea turtles in recovery.

    1.1 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sightseeing
    Free

    Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge

    Free

    Walk or bike Wonders' Way across a cable-stayed bridge with two 575-foot diamond towers and wide views of Charleston Harbor.

    2.0 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Fort Sumter

    $25–$50

    Ride a ferry across Charleston Harbor to walk the island fort where the first battle of the Civil War took place.

    3.5 mi awayMore like this