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Sight Waterfront, Charleston

Fort Sumter National Monument

A sight in Waterfront, Charleston, moderately priced ($$) and worth about 2.5 hours. Best time to go: Morning.

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Fort Sumter National Monument in Waterfront, Charleston
Photo: Staib · CC BY-SA 3.0 · license

Why go

Ferry to the island fort where the Civil War's first shots were fired.

It is one of 9 curated places we feature in Charleston, alongside 2 places to eat, 2 outdoor spots and 2 sights. The closest of our other picks is Charleston City Market, 0.7 mi away as the crow flies.

Type
Sight · Culture
Neighborhood
Waterfront
Price
$$
Time needed
2.5 hr
Best time
Morning

Nearby

The 6 closest curated picks in Charleston, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Charleston City Market

    Four-block historic market with sweetgrass basket weavers and local crafts.

    Shopping · 0.7 mi straight-line
  2. 2
    The Rooftop at The Vendue

    Rooftop bar over the waterfront with views of the harbor and steeples.

    Drinks · 0.8 mi straight-line
  3. 3
    Gibbes Museum of Art

    Compact museum of Southern art from colonial portraits to contemporary work.

    Sight · 0.9 mi straight-line
  4. 4
    Husk

    Lowcountry ingredients in a Victorian house, known for skillet cornbread.

    Food · 0.9 mi straight-line
  5. 5
    Rainbow Row

    Thirteen pastel Georgian houses on East Bay Street, the city's classic photo.

    Sight · 1.1 mi straight-line
  6. 6
    White Point Garden

    Oak-shaded park at the Battery with harbor views and antebellum mansions behind.

    Outdoors · 1.4 mi straight-line

On these curated routes

Fort Sumter National Monument is a stop on our Charleston & Savannah route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More to do in Charleston

Fort Sumter National Monument is our only sight pick in Charleston; here is what else we recommend there. See the full Charleston guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in Charleston run from 57°F in January to 90°F in July; August is usually the wettest month. For Fort Sumter National Monument itself, we suggest: Morning.

Modelled monthly averages for Charleston from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Charleston weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Fort Sumter National Monument, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
340 Concord St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
Coordinates
32.79047, -79.92538
Destination
Charleston, South Carolina
Website
nps.gov

Fort Sumter National Monument: quick answers

How much time do you need at Fort Sumter National Monument?

Plan on about 2.5 hours at Fort Sumter National Monument. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Fort Sumter National Monument?

Our pick: Morning. Insider tip: Ferries leave from Liberty Square; book ahead in spring.

Where is Fort Sumter National Monument?

Fort Sumter National Monument is at 340 Concord St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA, in Waterfront. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include Fort Sumter National Monument?

Fort Sumter National Monument appears on Charleston & Savannah, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Fort Sumter National Monument to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Charleston.

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Also in Charleston

Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.