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Visiting Historic Charleston City Market

Updated: December 22, 2023

Visiting Historic Charleston City Market is a staple on most Charleston visitors' itineraries when in the city.  

It's a great place to spend an hour or so browsing the wares and certainly for people watching.  

Open 364 days a year from 9:30 am until 6:00 pm.


Market Hall, built in 1841 and designed by Edward B. White, is a National Historic Landmark that replaced a previous market building destroyed by fire several decades earlier.  

Built in the Greek Revival style, Market Hall is an architectural standout and one of Charleston's finest examples of this style.

For more on the history of Market Hall and Sheds, check out the Historic Charleston City Market's website.  

Market Hall Charleston
Brian Stansberry

Today, it is the home of the Confederate Museum and run by the Daughters of the Confederacy.  

Market Hall fronts 4 full blocks on one story market sheds that are occupied by varied arrangement of over 100 vendors selling clothing, jewelry, crafts, artwork, spices, silver as well as prints and paintings of Charleston.  


How to get to Charleston City Market

Market Hall is located at 188 Meeting Street at the intersection with Market Street, with the market sheds stretching out between north and south Market Streets east till East Bay.  

Please use our Google map for directions to Charleston City Market.   

It's location in the center of the city makes it easy to reach on foot from most downtown hotels and guests houses as well as the cruise ship terminal.  

Free public parking is scarce around the market, especially during operating hours.  

Expect to pay around $10 for 3-4 hours of parking.


Things to Do 

  • Shop.  It's a market.  For many, the market is a great experience to browse all the different items for sale.   For others, it is a tourist trap, little better than a flea market.  If you are in town on Saturdays, locals will tell you that you are better off visiting the market at Marion Square just to the north.  Nevertheless, Charleston City Market is a great place to check out the hustle and bustle and to people watch.
  • Historic Charleston Foundation.  The foundation's mission is to preserve and protect the historical, architectural and cultural treasures of Charleston and to educate the public on such matters.  The foundation operates two museums and they have an office at the market.  https://www.historiccharleston.org/Home.aspx
  • Visit the Museum of the Confederacy.

Cheap Eats can be found at the Dixie Supply Bakery and Cafe at 62 State Street.  

DSB once wowed Guy Fiere. Tour Guide Danny suggests tasting the great Greek salad at the Market Street Deli.  

Also, be sure to consider our Historic Charleston Walking Tour, which begins one block south of the market.  

We cover the market and many other sights in downtown Charleston.

About The Author

Scott Nelson

Scott has led over 2,000 tours of Charleston and has more than 1000 5 star reviews. He started working in museums at the age of 16 (Unsinkable Molly Brown House) and hasn't looked back. He was the Executive Director of Heurich House and on the historic interpretation/ education staff at Mount Vernon, both in Washington DC, for over 6 years. Scott moved to Charleston in 2012 for a job with the Historic Charleston Foundation and began leading tours for Free Tours by Foot.
Updated: December 22nd, 2023
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