10 Things to Do in Charleston in March

The beginning of spring is ideal for including several fun activities on your list of things to see and do in Charleston. After several months of cold weather, the city's residents are eager to get out of their homes to enjoy the fresh air that March offers and the arrival of many people's favorite season.

The "Holy City," as Charleston is also known, is known for its beautiful plantations and natural parks. Don't miss the opportunity to explore all the outdoor activities this city has to offer, such as food festivals, blooming parks and much more.

Charleston is famous for having a variety of historic plantations. However, the most famous and most visited of them all is Magnolia Plantation & Gardens. In the last weeks of March this site blooms gradually, making it an ideal time to welcome the warm days.

Every month this plantation holds different events that you could take advantage of. If you want a romantic plan, besides going to a rooftop restaurant, visiting this plantation will be the best. The flowers, bridges and trees turn this place into a real fairy tale.

What characterizes this plantation is that, unlike others, it gives free rein to nature. Thanks to this, dreamlike scenery is created. However, although the plants are given the freedom to decorate the site as they wish, it is always kept under constant maintenance.

This plantation is located at 3550 Ashley River Road, Charleston, SC 29414. You can visit any day of the week and choose to do any of the activities offered. Tickets usually cost $5.00.

The Charleston Wine & Food Festival is an annual celebration held in early March. If you are a lover of fine cuisine and a great admirer of fine wine, this event is for you.

For an entire week Charleston is a place where chefs and live music meet. At this celebration you will be able to enjoy local food and participate in gastronomic tours, gala dinners, hands-on classes and much more.

To find out which activity to attend, you need to check their online calendar for prepared events. The venue is sometimes the Culinary Village at Riverfront Park and other times it takes place in the different restaurants affiliated with the festival.

Some days are dedicated to local food, others to international food and other nights are parties whose musical genres may vary.

The entrance fee to each event is paid separately. The price is between 70 and 200 €. I recommend that you check the calendar carefully as some events are free.

The Garden Club of Charleston is one of the oldest garden clubs in the United States and every year at the end of March organizes tours of the city's gardens and historic homes. It is also responsible for preserving the community's gardens, a task it has accomplished for about 100 years.

This event usually begins in the gardens of the Gibbes Museum with a small reception. The following day is a tour of gardens and private homes in Charleston. Directions and a map of the tour are sent via email to each participant.

Gardens that belong to this club include the Joseph Manigault Garden, Confederate Home Garden and Legare Waring House Garden, among others. The price of these tours ranges from 30 to 40 €.

In addition to this tour, the club organizes a variety of events throughout the year that you will surely love.

The Annual Charleston Antique Show is a special event for any collector, historian or art lover.

This event is held at the Charleston Gaillard Center and admission is approximately $20. At this exhibition you will see beautiful antiques, vintage jewelry, garden furniture, art, prints and much more.

The exhibition lasts approximately three days and is usually held in March, although some years it is held in the first days of April. On the first day there is a small welcome meeting where you can socialize and meet many interesting people.

In addition to appreciating all the objects that this event hosts, you can participate in several talks by important artists who talk about their experience. Every year there are new speakers and new topics of conversation. To find out every detail I recommend you visit the website before you go.

If you like art, I recommend you visit the museums of Charleston. To get a feel for all the options before you buy your ticket, I recommend taking a tour bus that will guide you through Charleston's most popular sites. The French Quarter may also be an ideal option for you.

Practical Information

• Location: Charleston Gaillard Center, 95 Calhoun Street, Charleston, SC 29401.

• When to go: late March.

• Price: $20.

• Hours: usually Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00 am to approximately 9:00 pm.

Spending some quality time with friends or a date at a rooftop restaurant is not one of the things to do in the Charleston winter. That's why when the temperatures start to warm up a bit, it's the ideal time to enjoy your favorite cocktail at one of these bars.

In Charleston these types of venues are quite common, as they allow you to look out over the entire city. Some bars like the Pour Taproom offer you a panoramic view of downtown, while others allow you to look out over the Charleston Harbor and the French Quarter.

This is undoubtedly one of the best favorite nighttime activities in the cityAlthough this proposal may be ideal for a night out with friends, it is certainly one of the most romantic plans on this list. If you want to give your partner a surprise while traveling to Charleston, I advise you to take him/her to a dinner or brunch in this type of restaurants.

The next day you can take a carriage tour, another romantic option for you and your partner.

Mid-March marks the beginning of spring in Charleston, the best time of year to enjoy nature. There is no better way to welcome this season than by visiting Angel Oak Park. This park is so named because it is home to the enigmatic Johns Island Angel Oak, a historic tree in the area that draws all eyes.

This green space is located in a historic spot for the city, in addition to being one of the most important natural parks in Charleston. Also, the Angel Oak is considered the largest live oak tree in Mississippi, with about 400 years of existence. No doubt you will take amazing photos of this site.

The best part of this plan is that admission is totally free and you can go any day of the week. However, you can enter the gift store or make donations to collaborate with the preservation of this site.

Here you can also celebrate weddings or special events, as long as you ask for special permission in advance. In addition to appreciating the beauty of nature, you can do some outdoor activities. Please note that picnicking, lying down or riding a bicycle are not allowed near the oak area. For these activities it is necessary to be located in the picnic area that you can easily find with the help of the park guides.

Practical information

• Location: 3688 Angel Oak Road. Charleston, SC 29402
• When to Go: The park is open year-round, but the best time to visit is in March.
• Price: Free admission.
• Hours: 9:00 am - 5:30 pm.

St. Patrick' s Day is celebrated every year on March 17 in the United States and other countries around the world. The celebration is of Christian origin and comes from Ireland. Thanks to emigrants, this celebration became very popular in the country and all cities, including Charleston, celebrate this day in a big way.

Year after year the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade is held in downtown Charleston. During the celebration the city turns emerald green, and many people even dress in emerald green!

During the parade you can listen to bagpipe bands, the traditional music of Ireland. In addition, you will have the opportunity to see live musicians playing, people dressed in St. Patrick's costumes and much more. Some bars and restaurants celebrate this festivity with themed parties and serve Irish beer. The celebration usually begins with a morning mass at St. Patrick's Catholic Church. Then begins the parade along Radcliffe, Saint Philip, King and Broad Streets. It usually culminates at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. You can go out on the streets to watch and celebrate with the locals.

Traveller Tip
If you visit Charleston in time, don't forget to pack some green clothes so you can combine with the city that day and feel part of it and its traditions.

In mid-March the weather stops being so cold and it is the ideal time to do some physical activity. Charlestonians take this opportunity to explore the nature of their city. This area of the United States has multiple natural parks with paved trails ideal for hiking or biking.

It is not common to travel with your bike and it is not very practical, but don't worry, you always have the option of renting one. In Charleston you will find some companies like Rebellion Roads, which rent different types of bicycles and even organize tours for you to explore the city while doing a healthy activity.

The ideal places for these activities are Kearns Park Trail, the Patriots Point Nature Trail and the West Ashley Greenway. I also recommend visiting Kiawah Island, a small town with wide paved trails surrounded by nature. For these activities I recommend going accompanied and using Google Maps so you don't get lost at any time.

Taking advantage of the rising temperatures at least at the end of March, you can not miss the natural parks of Charleston. The nature in this city is simply beautiful and you will find a great variety of parks. You can go with friends or family as there are activities for everyone.

Some parks like North Charleston Wannamaker County Park have a golf course, so I recommend you bring your own equipment if you want to play. If you like volleyball, you should go to James Island Country Park, where you will also find a picnic area and even a barbecue.

In these parks you can also bring your pet, always on a leash, although you can only walk them in specific areas. If you are looking for things to do in Charleston with children, in these green spaces they will be able to enjoy small playgrounds with slides and swings.

The entrance fee usually has an average price of 2 €. Enjoy the arrival of spring with all the activities that this beautiful weather has for you.

Every year the Charleston Symphony Orchestra prepares a special event to welcome spring. If you love classical music this is an ideal event for you.

Get ready to live a pleasant experience listening to professional musicians playing classical instruments such as violin, piano, cello, among others.

The site where the concerts are held may change from year to year, although a common location is the Holy Spirit Catholic Church. This event is ideal for the whole family to have a good time. Ticket prices vary, but are usually around €10.

The Orchestra usually offers several concerts every month. If this is an activity that you like, I advise you to always check the website and be aware of all the concerts. Some are held outdoors if weather conditions permit.

These events tend to be a bit dressy, so I advise you to bring a change of clothes according to the occasion. A suit or semi-formal dress will be enough to be in tune with the event. Remember that as in the plays, drinks and food are not allowed during the event.

In March the city of Charleston begins to say goodbye to the cold. It is the ideal time to say goodbye to winter activities in the city and welcome spring with open arms.

The weather during this month is perfect, as it is neither too cold nor too hot, especially at the end of the month, when the temperature stays between 18 °C and 22 °C.

On the other hand, rains may be frequent, but this is only a sign that nature will gradually flourish. In addition, the sky remains partly cloudy, which means that the sun's rays do not affect directly. However, I recommend you always use sunscreen.

The humidity is quite low, so you will not have the suffocating sensation that this can sometimes cause. This makes the weather generally ideal for walking. This time of year is special for the locals, as during the winter, outdoor activities are not possible.

If you are staying more than a day in Charleston, I advise you to stay in a comfortable house with heating. Overnight temperatures can drop significantly.

March is a month when it is still cold during its first weeks. If you travel during this season you will experience a very striking transition, as you will have time to see the city bloom. This is why I recommend you to bring warm clothes, as some days can still feel like winter.

However, at the end of the month the temperatures rise a bit, so you can bring less warm clothes as well.

Depending on the activities you plan to do, you will need to bring your personal gear. For example, if you plan to camp, bring your tent, blanket, sturdy shoes, among other items you consider necessary. However, other items, such as bicycles, you will not need to bring them, since you can rent them.

Protection is very important, so if you plan to practice cycling do not forget your helmet, knee pads and gloves. Although I mentioned before that the temperatures are low, it is still necessary to protect your skin from the sun. Finally, don't forget to stay hydrated when doing outdoor activities.