Charleston trip cost: flights, hotels, food and things to do
Historic streets, Lowcountry food and beaches. A 3-night trip for 2 starts at about $1,252 for the cheapest flight, hotel and food, depending on where you fly from. Pick your airport to see three ready-made plans.
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What it costs from your airport
For 2 travelers, 3 nights. "From" is the cheapest flight and hotel plus everyday food; "Suggested budget" also covers a mid-priced flight and hotel and things to do.
| Flying from | From | Suggested budget |
|---|---|---|
| Tampa (TPA) | $1,252 | $1,700 |
| Miami (MIA) | $1,262 | $1,800 |
| Orlando (MCO) | $1,282 | $1,700 |
| Atlanta (ATL) | $1,292 | $1,800 |
| Nashville (BNA) | $1,302 | $1,800 |
| Fort Lauderdale (FLL) | $1,302 | $1,800 |
| Philadelphia (PHL) | $1,312 | $1,800 |
| Charlotte (CLT) | $1,322 | $1,700 |
| Houston (IAH) | $1,322 | $1,900 |
| New York JFK | $1,332 | $1,800 |
| New York LaGuardia (LGA) | $1,332 | $1,800 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) | $1,332 | $1,900 |
| Baltimore (BWI) | $1,342 | $1,800 |
| Detroit (DTW) | $1,342 | $1,800 |
| Washington Dulles (IAD) | $1,352 | $1,800 |
| Austin (AUS) | $1,352 | $1,900 |
| Newark (EWR) | $1,362 | $1,800 |
| St. Louis (STL) | $1,362 | $1,800 |
| Boston (BOS) | $1,362 | $1,900 |
| Washington Reagan (DCA) | $1,372 | $1,800 |
| Chicago Midway (MDW) | $1,372 | $1,800 |
| Chicago O'Hare (ORD) | $1,392 | $1,900 |
| Minneapolis (MSP) | $1,412 | $1,900 |
| Denver (DEN) | $1,412 | $2,000 |
| Phoenix (PHX) | $1,472 | $2,100 |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | $1,492 | $2,100 |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | $1,542 | $2,100 |
| San Diego (SAN) | $1,572 | $2,100 |
| Seattle (SEA) | $1,572 | $2,200 |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | $1,612 | $2,100 |
| San Francisco (SFO) | $1,612 | $2,200 |
| Portland (PDX) | $1,622 | $2,200 |
| Honolulu (HNL) | $2,192 | $2,800 |
Food: about $82 a person a day
Restaurants worth the trip
- HuskOrder: Husk cheeseburger · about $70 a person
- Rodney Scott's BBQOrder: Whole-hog pulled pork · about $20 a person
- Hominy Grill-style shrimp and gritsOrder: Shrimp and grits · about $25 a person
- Callie's Hot Little BiscuitOrder: Cheese and chive biscuits · about $10 a person
- FIGOrder: Ricotta gnocchi with lamb bolognese · about $75 a person
Where to stay
- Belmond-style King Street hotel5★ · $480 a night
- Hyatt Place Charleston Historic District3★ · $230 a night · or about 15,000 Hyatt points
- Hyatt House Charleston3★ · $220 a night · or about 15,000 Hyatt points
- Courtyard Charleston Historic District3★ · $240 a night · or about 30,000 Marriott points
- Residence Inn Charleston Riverview3★ · $180 a night · or about 22,000 Marriott points
- Folly Beach cottage3★ · $190 a night
Things to do
- Rainbow Row and the Battery walkfree · 1h 30m
- Folly Beach dayfree · 4h 00m
- Charleston City Marketfree · 1h 30m
- King Street shoppingfree · 2h 00m
- Gibbes Museum of Art$15 a person · 1h 15m
- Ghost walk$25 a person · 1h 30m
- Rooftop bar evening$25 a person · 2h 00m
- Patriots Point and USS Yorktown$30 a person · 2h 30m
- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens$32 a person · 3h 00m
- Fort Sumter ferry$35 a person · 2h 30m
- Shem Creek kayak$40 a person · 2h 00m
- Lowcountry food tour$75 a person · 3h 00m
Questions
How much does a trip to Charleston cost?
For 2 travelers and 3 nights, the cheapest flight and hotel plus everyday food start at about $1,252 from Tampa (TPA) and run to about $2,192 from the farthest major US airport. A comfortable budget with things to do is $1,700 to $2,800.
How much should I budget for food in Charleston?
About $82 a person a day at mid-range places: breakfast $14, lunch $18, dinner $42, snacks and coffee $8.
How many nights do I need in Charleston?
3 nights covers the main sights at an easy pace; the day plans on each route page show how the days fill.
Plan your Charleston trip
Tell us your airport, dates and budget, and get three plans with flights, hotel, food and a day-by-day itinerary.
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