Instagrammable Places in Charleston SC
Full of southern charm, Charleston is by far one of the most photogenic cities I have visited. Picture giant southern porches, bursting flower window boxes, waterfront views, charming alleys, and pastel-colored homes; now that is Charleston, South Carolina! In this Charleston travel guide, I am sharing the most Instagrammable places in Charleston along with the address and photo tips!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Instagrammable Places in Charleston SC
- French Huguenot Church – Charleston’s Most Instagrammable Church
- St. Phillip’s Church
- Dock Street Theatre
- Chalmers Street – Charlestons Most Photo-Worthy Street
- Pineapple Fountain – Charleston’s Most Famous Landmark
- N Adgers Wharf
- The Custom House
- Rainbow Row – Most Instagrammable Spot in Charleston
- Philadelphia Alley
- Longitude Lane
- Stolls Alley
- South of Broad Street
- The Battery
- Nathaniel Russell House
- Boone Hall Avenue of Oaks
- Angel Oak – The most Instagrammable Oak Tree in Charleston
- Cypress Gardens
- The Pink House
- Historic Charleston City Market
- Folly Beach – Most Instagrammable beach in Charleston
- King Street
- The Williams Mansion
- White Point Garden
- Saint Michael’s Church
- Elliot Street
- Instagrammable Places in Charleston, SC Wrap-up
French Huguenot Church – Charleston’s Most Instagrammable Church
Located on Church Street, the French Huguenot Protestant Church is easily one of the most Instagrammable places in Charleston! Built in 1844, this Gothic Revival Church is colored pastel pink, has lovely iron gates and palm trees making for the picture-perfect spot!
Address: 136 Church Street Charleston, SC 29401
Outfit: Skirt Link
St. Phillip’s Church
Located down the street from the Huguenot Church, you will also see the lovely St. Phillip’s Church. This National Historic Landmark was built in 1838 and makes for another great place to take pictures in Charleston, SC!
Photo Tip: I’d recommend standing by the French Huguenot Church for your photograph to get the cross-walk as you see in the below photo.
Address: 142 Church St, Charleston, SC 29401
Dock Street Theatre
Also located on Church Street, you will find the Insta-worthy Dock Street Theatre! To think so many Instagrammable places could be less than 1 minute away from each other! With beautiful architecture and ironwork, this unique building makes for the perfect Instagrammable spot in Charleston!
Address: 135 Church St, Charleston, SC 29401
Chalmers Street – Charlestons Most Photo-Worthy Street
Lined in Ballast Stones and pastel-colored homes, Chalmers Street is one of the most Instagrammable streets. Find those quintessential window boxes and historic homes which are all within Charleston’s French Quarter. The street is two blocks long and can be found between Meeting Street and State Street.
Pineapple Fountain – Charleston’s Most Famous Landmark
Did you even visit Charleston if you didn’t see the Pineapple Fountain? The Pineapple Fountain is located in Joe Riley Waterfront Park with views of the Cooper River, easily making it one of the most Instagrammable places in Charleston. During the summer, people actually wade around in the fountain!
The Pineapple Fountain was actually a little smaller than I expected, but beautiful nonetheless. You will find Pineapples all over the city, and it symbolizes hospitality which you will surely find in Charleston! Visiting the Waterfront Park is also one of the best things to do in Charleston!
Charleston Photo Tip: I would consider visiting the fountain as the sun is going down or if it is cloudy. We found that even at 9 AM, the sun was pretty harsh.
Address: 1 Vendue Range, Charleston, SC 29401
N Adgers Wharf
Located near the Pineapple Fountain, you will likely discover the beautiful Wharfs of Charleston. N Adgers Wharf, in particular, has beautiful homes, those stone streets, and a view of the water. The street is lined with beautiful homes making for one of the best places to take pictures in Charleston, SC!
The Custom House
The United States Custom House makes for another great photo opportunity in Charleston. With giant Corinthian columns and a grand staircase, you can take a lot of different unique photos.
Charleston Photo Tip: We went on the side of the Custom House facing the water early in the morning and the sun was pretty harsh. What I realized later, was what I thought to be the backside of the building was, in fact, identical and probably better for my photos.
Rainbow Row – Most Instagrammable Spot in Charleston
One of the most Instagrammable places in Charleston is by far Rainbow Row! You will find tons of people coming here to get their photos with these 13 historic pastel-colored homes. I would recommend visiting early since this is a busy street in general. The homes are located between Tradd Street and Elliot Street.
Furthermore, a wide-angle lens will work best here.
Address: 83-107 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401
Philadelphia Alley
Charleston is known for its charming alleys, and to no surprise, they are, in fact some of the most Instagrammable places the Charleston has to offer! Philadelphia Alley is a wide alley with tons of greenery and blooms (even in November).
The alley is located behind Saint Philip’s Church and you can enter from Queens Street or Cumberland Street.
Outfit: Skirt Link
Longitude Lane
This was my 2nd favorite Instagrammable alley in Charleston! I love the long pavements that were originally made for carriages and all the greenery the alley offers. You can find Longitude Lane on E Bay Street between Tradd Street and Stolls Alley.
Stolls Alley
Stolls Alley is another very popular place to photograph and explore in Charleston, SC! Located near the battery, you can enjoy walking through this historic alley. It also allows you to get a good idea of the sheer size of these homes! The Alley connects E Bay Street and Church Street near the Historic Charleston Foundation.
South of Broad Street
South of Broad Street is actually a sizeable area in Charleston that offers those iconic Charleston-style homes with their large side piazzas (porches). You will most certainly find tons of beautiful places to take those Instagrammable photos!
Instead of leaving you searching, my favorite Charleston homes are located on Tradd Street between Logan Street and Legare Street. With that being said, there is tons of beauty all around the South of Broad Area so definitely tour around!
Outfit: Hat Link
The Battery
Another one of the most Instagrammable places in Charleston is the Battery. The River is picturesque, lined in palm trees and multi-million dollar homes. It is also known as a historic seawall that protected the city during the civil war. If you want a photo with little to no people, I recommend visiting early as this is a really popular place for people to walk.
Nathaniel Russell House
Another picture-worthy place to visit in Charleston is at the Nathaniel Russell House! You will find a beautiful garden right on the side of the house. The garden is completely free to visit and offers a lot of fun photo opportunities!
Boone Hall Avenue of Oaks
If you want to see a beautiful tunnel of giant oak trees draped in Spanish Moss, Boone Hall’s avenue of Oaks is the place for you. Well-known for photoshoots and even weddings, it is easily one of the most Instagrammable places in Charleston. Well technically, it is right outside Charleston in Mt. Pleasant.
This is also one of the filming spots of the Notebook. There is a $26 USD entry fee which includes tons of guided tours and education about the plantation. We felt they were done really well and offered a lot of good information into the dark history of this particular plantation.
Address: 1235 Long Point Rd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Angel Oak – The most Instagrammable Oak Tree in Charleston
Angel Oak is one of the coolest trees I’ve ever seen and it’s located right in Charleston. The tree is estimated to be around 400-500 years old and around 65 ft. high. There are some things to keep in mind when photographing this treasure, however.
I was wearing the gown you see below and shooting with our Mirrorless Canon Camera. We were stopped after a couple of minutes because you are not allowed to have “professional” shoots without a permit. I expressed it was for personal use, however, they told me if I wore “regular” clothes and took a photo with my phone, it was ok.
So, if you are planning on taking photos here, just know they might be strict. Additionally, no tripods are allowed. With all of that being said, it is still one of the most Instagrammable places in Charleston.
Tip: Make sure to get here at least an hour before closing, because they stop letting people into the gate at the end. If you want to be able to capture more of the tree, I’d recommend having a wide lens. Additionally, in the first photo, I photoshopped the yellow gate out that you will see in the second photo.
Angel Oak is free to visit!
Address: 3688 Angel Oak Rd, Johns Island, SC 29455
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: 9 AM – 5 PM. Sunday: 1 PM – 5 PM. Closed on Wednesday. Always call ahead to double-check the hours.
Outfit: Dress Link
Cypress Gardens
If you are a huge Notebook fan, you might want to include the Cypress Gardens on your photo list. This is where Noah and Allie rowed the boat through the giant cypress trees. You can even see alligators while you are there and you row under the bridge. It’s located about 45 minutes to an hour from Downtown Charleston and costs $10 USD per person. Find tickets here.
Address: 3030 Cypress Gardens Rd, Moncks Corner, SC 29461
The Pink House
The Pink House is located on Chalmers Street, but it needed a line for itself! This charming house is Bermuda Pink and is known as one of the oldest residences in Charleston. The house actually used to be a tavern that was frequented by pirates. The history and vibrancy of the home and street easily make it one of the most Instagrammable places in Charleston.
Address: 17 Chalmers St, Charleston, SC 29401
Outfit: Skirt Link
Historic Charleston City Market
This historic landmark was built in the 1790s and is one of the most popular places for people to visit during a trip to Charleston, SC. It stretches 4 blocks and offers souvenirs, food, and all types of shopping. It also offers some Instagrammable spots from the outside while you visit!
Address: 188 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401
Folly Beach – Most Instagrammable beach in Charleston
Folly Beach is another hot spot to take photos in Charleston. Located about 25 minutes away, the beach offers the Folly Beach Pier, views of the Morris Island Lighthouse, and 6 miles of coastline. It is one of the best photography spots in Charleston, especially during the summer.
King Street
Known as the Shopping District of Charleston, you will find colorful businesses lining the street with Palm Trees that really shows the liveliness of the city. However, some of the most Instagrammable places along King Street, in my opinion, are towards The Battery. Here you will find those charming Charleston-style houses making for beautiful backdrops to your photos!
The Williams Mansion
Sometimes referred to as the Calhoun Mansion, this Victorian Style home was built in 1875 and is very picturesque. My favorite view is at the front of the gates with the carriage stone that used to help women get up into their horse-drawn carriage back in the day.
Address: 16 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401
White Point Garden
White Point Garden is located right next to the Cooper River and is very popular for weddings under the gazebo. The park offers views of the river, stunning homes, giant oak trees, palm trees, and monuments (some of which are controversial). Nevertheless, you can find tons of photo-worthy spots within the 5.7-acre park!
Address: 2 Murray Blvd, Charleston, SC 29401
Saint Michael’s Church
Saint Michael’s Church is likely one of the most iconic Churches in Charleston. It sits on the 4 corners of law and is the oldest surviving religious structure in Charleston making it another top photo spot in the city!
Address: 71 Broad St, Charleston, SC 29401
Elliot Street
We stumbled on Elliot Street while walking to Rainbow Row and I am so happy we did! It felt like a secret place to take photos in Charleston! This charming street offers beautiful brickwork on one side and a bright pink building on the other making it perfect for photos! Since it’s right next to Rainbow Row, it makes it a quick easy stop!
Instagrammable Places in Charleston, SC Wrap-up
This covers some of the most Instagrammable places in Charleston that you don’t want to miss! If you will be in Charleston for 2-3 days, use my detailed Charleston Weekend itinerary that will bring you through these photo-worthy spots!
Some other guides you might enjoy include:
- Instagrammable Places in Savannah
- My Camera Gear
- Instagrammable Places in NYC
- Instagrammable Places in Puerto Rico
- Travel Outfits for great photos
- Day Trip To Savannah Itinerary
- South Carolina Travel Guide
Find fun Charleston tours here!
Did I miss any other photo-worthy spots in Charleston, SC? Let me know in the comments below! Please also remember, many of these places are near or in front of people’s homes. Please be respectful as if it were the front of your home!
Did you find these Instagrammable Places in Charleston, SC helpful? I’d really appreciate it if you could share it below!
I like the animal fountain in Marion Square. It’s called “The Gathering Place and sculpted by a local sculptor.
Thanks so much for sharing! I will look into adding it to my Charleston list!