Charleston City Market
Charleston City Market
4
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Established in the 1790s, this historic landmark is one of the oldest public markets in the U.S. There’s everything from handmade crafts, trinkets, and jewelry to the nation’s most prized souvenir—the woven sweetgrass basket. Certain weekend nights even have a special night market that runs until late. Enjoy live entertainment, embrace Charleston’s Southern charm, and soak in the lively atmosphere. It’s a fantastic way to support the local artisans and their work, too. Visit the market as a stop along a Charleston city tour and remember to have cash handy for payments. – Tripadvisor
Duration: 2-3 hours
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See what travellers are saying
- khull214Lexington, South Carolina2 contributionsNothing like it was years ago.Cute market place, nothing like it was years ago. Some vendors prices were astronomical for certain items which in normal settings you’d find much more reasonably priced elsewhere especially the jewelry. It was cute to just browse and look while just needing to kill some time. We won’t be back.Visited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 16 September 2023
- WalkintheCloudsJacksonville, Florida255 contributionsNothing to see hereI went around 10:30am and vendors were still setting up, some tables were just completely empty. Besides the famous baskets, and SOME original art, it was pretty unremarkable. I did have a cool conversation with one local vendor about the weaving. Otherwise it was basically a quick walkthrough.Visited September 2023Travelled soloWritten 18 September 2023
- Life2TravelCharlotte, North Carolina1,631 contributionssupport shopping localWe love to support local shopping and love that the market is there. I wish there was more variety of vendors, a lot of straw basket vendors and t-shirts. The nice thing is that it is always changing so we make a point of walking through each time we are in Charleston.Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 22 October 2023
- Voyage3199049 contributionsCharleston City MarketLived the hustle and bustle of the market. There were so many vendors. There were some quality stalls with true artist products (especially sweet grass basket weavers)with some mix of craft goods and your usual tourist items.Visited October 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 26 October 2023
- Lou V28 contributionsAn easy going schedule filler!If you’re looking for gifts and/or Nick-nacks this is the place. An covered yet open air market with gift ideas, art, and more. This a good place to fill in your sight-seeing schedule. Many restaurants adjacent and nearby. I would definitely make time to stop.Visited October 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 28 October 2023
- outandabout704Hudson Falls, New York107 contributionsGreat place to support local artists!We really enjoyed spending time with the local artists and their goodies. Lots of choices and art to see here. Jewelry, baskets, clothes and other beautiful items. Clean restrooms and well lauded out.Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 1 November 2023
- marsha c4 contributionsTypical city street marketThe market was a typical city street market, in this case filled with hundreds of indigenous woven baskets. There was also a lot of low to mid -range priced jewelry, souvenirs, pottery and various artwork. Depends on what you are looking for. I found the market very touristy and contained nothing of interest to me.Visited November 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 13 November 2023
- JMCSTLSaint Louis, Missouri7,510 contributionsFriendly Vendors in a Large Open-Air MarketplaceA string of 3 pleasant and attractive single story market buildings to stroll through & engage with the vendors & pick up a few gift items for your return to normal life. The Market is on the route of one of the free DASH buses making it easy to access, and there are some food vendors inside with several more options along the streets flanking it. Visiting on an early-in-the-week day like my wife & I did would probably yield smaller crowds, as the central aisle of the Market space is narrow and may get difficult to navigate especially for visitors with mobility challenges.Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 23 November 2023
- CTMansRidgefield, Connecticut1,457 contributionsFunSeveral blocks of indoor marketers selling artwork, crafts, gifts, and food. Certainly worth an hour to stroll and peruse. Plenty to find here, and located in the heart of the restaurant district.Visited December 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 4 December 2023
- Mary S5 contributionsCheck Out the Charleston City MarketMy husband and I enjoyed walking through the market area. There were many quality shops to browse in (I bought a good bit as it turns out)! We also had interesting discussions with the sales staff and even other customers. This area is definitely touristy but the merchandise is overall good quality.Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 21 February 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
8,234 reviews
Excellent
3,334
Very good
2,855
Average
1,676
Poor
272
Terrible
97
Kay F
103 contributions
Dec 2019 • Family
The market is an open air facility with artisan booths set up along each side of a walking area. We visited the market while in town visiting family over Christmas. The market has a little bit of something for every age: toys, snacks, ornaments, handcrafted puzzle boxes, jewelry and art, and souvenirs of Charleston. It is also a unique opportunity to observe the beautiful sweetgrass baskets being created and to see a part of the rich history of Charleston. Parking in one of the parking garages a few blocks away is highly recommend.
Written 5 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MyriamLDR
Illinois259 contributions
Jun 2021
My husband and I ended up walking through this about four or five times, including one of the night markets on a Friday night. We found the prices to be a little high, but there were a few good deals to be had. One of the art vendors was selling framed art and prints at a steep discount to drum up business after COVID so we bought a few things.
A few things to note:
There are different vendors from day to day. If you've been one day it might be worth to go the next day as well just to see what's new.
The night market is drastically reduced (maybe 2 out of the 5 buildings).
We had local kids "gifting" us flowers made from palm leaves. As soon as you grab the flower they hit you with a "would you like to make a donation". They are RELENTLESS. Either get a flower and make sure they see it in your hand every time you walk through or just be prepared to say "no thank you" or "I've already got one, thanks". One kid in particular started cursing up a storm as soon as I refused. (Also, one of the vendors sells them in the market itself for $3).
The market asks that you wear a mask unless you are fully vaccinated. Did not see many people wearing masks.
There are public restrooms available in the market in case you're out and about looking for one.
A few things to note:
There are different vendors from day to day. If you've been one day it might be worth to go the next day as well just to see what's new.
The night market is drastically reduced (maybe 2 out of the 5 buildings).
We had local kids "gifting" us flowers made from palm leaves. As soon as you grab the flower they hit you with a "would you like to make a donation". They are RELENTLESS. Either get a flower and make sure they see it in your hand every time you walk through or just be prepared to say "no thank you" or "I've already got one, thanks". One kid in particular started cursing up a storm as soon as I refused. (Also, one of the vendors sells them in the market itself for $3).
The market asks that you wear a mask unless you are fully vaccinated. Did not see many people wearing masks.
There are public restrooms available in the market in case you're out and about looking for one.
Written 28 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
amye73
Chesapeake, VA19 contributions
Jan 2020 • Friends
Lots of vendors and stalls even when it was cold. We were interested in silver jewelry and found good deals. Overall, most souvineers we saw could be found on Amazon or Walgreens. The more authentic Charleston things like baskets and paintings were impressive and expensive.
Written 21 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Juan
North Olmsted, OH284 contributions
Aug 2020
We went on a Saturday and were a little disappointed. Because of COVID, we could only walk around outside around the market and not as many vendors as in the past. They have an area with air conditioned inside stores but they limit the number that can be in at one time. It was hot so many preferred the indoor stores because of the air conditioning.
It a good place to find handcrafted jewelry.
It a good place to find handcrafted jewelry.
Written 1 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andrew B
Wellington, New Zealand52 contributions
Dec 2020
Some great stalls in here. The entrances and exits are policed well so the appropriate amount of people are in the buildings. Stalls range from high level art and crafts, down through to novice (but well done) works. As with many markets of this type, some of the produced is over-priced, but there is a bargain waiting for you here. Be mindful of the boys selling the sweet grass roses, they can be pushy if you take one.
Written 27 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PAboyinFL
Ocala, FL1,687 contributions
Oct 2020
Due to Covid, only so many shoppers are allowed in the marketplace at a time, so expect to wait in line a while. There are only a handful of vendors there (on a Saturday) and many stalls are empty. Most vendors who are there seem to either be selling artwork of some kind or jewelry. For most of the market buildings, vendors can only be accessed from the outside of the building.
Still worth a stop because it is part of what Charleston is known for, but not half of what it used to be.
Did get a laugh out of signs all around the market saying the selling of grass roses was illegal, but got approached by teenage hustlers numerous times offering "the beautiful lady" a rose, then demanding $5. Once this happened right in front of one of the signs. Don't think that rule is being enforced.
Still worth a stop because it is part of what Charleston is known for, but not half of what it used to be.
Did get a laugh out of signs all around the market saying the selling of grass roses was illegal, but got approached by teenage hustlers numerous times offering "the beautiful lady" a rose, then demanding $5. Once this happened right in front of one of the signs. Don't think that rule is being enforced.
Written 28 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elise M
Round Lake Beach, IL90 contributions
Dec 2019
We went to the market on December 30, a Monday. It was relatively quiet as it wasn't too crowded until it started pouring. Even then, it wasn't too bad. We parked across the street in a paid parking lot where we left the car for the day, $15.
I liked all the different products, foods, and especially the artists. The sweet grass products are very popular but seem more expensive in the market than in the summer stalls along Rt 17. I did buy some prints, a painted shingle and some candy. All worth it to me!
I liked all the different products, foods, and especially the artists. The sweet grass products are very popular but seem more expensive in the market than in the summer stalls along Rt 17. I did buy some prints, a painted shingle and some candy. All worth it to me!
Written 5 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kevin W
138 contributions
May 2022 • Couples
Looked up the city market before heading to Charleston. We knew we wanted to see the market for its history and it's location. There are still a few vendors selling local craft, you just need to find them in the very long line of shops. Local artists can still be found here. We wanted to buy a couple of sweetgrass baskets but even the small ones were priced around $100. We walked down Meeting Street near The Battery and saw sweetgrass baskets being made and were able to get them for much less. So for the reviews that say things can cost a little more at the City Market, I agree; but for those that say there are no more local vendors to purchase hand-made craft, I disagree.
Written 1 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PWN4371
Concord, NC118 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
The market has really changed due to Covid. Only able to walk around outside around the market. Some cute shops but much smaller. The inside stores are the same, but they limit the number that can be in at one time. Let’s hope it will return to normal again soon!
Written 30 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Overtcd
Lexington, SC3 contributions
Jan 2021 • Friends
The daughters of the Confederacy museum it’s located over the market in Charleston is absolutely amazing. It’s one of the best confederate relic rooms in the entire country. The ladies that work there are absolutely amazing. Please visit and contribute so that they can keep this part of history going. They have the original battle flags from Fort Sumter, and honestly the museum is even better than taking the fort Sumter tour itself. They’re only open a limited amount of time during the week but you absolutely must go here if you ever go to Charleston! The museum is way better than going to the Fort Sumter tour and museum. It actually has relics from back in the Civil War and it will floor you with the history in it. I highly recommend it, it’s honestly one of the best museums I’ve ever been in.
Written 28 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
To be honest, I didn't see anyone with a pet and I wouldn't recommend it as the aisles are narrow at some points and it's extremely crowded and you literally have to squeeze through the chokepoints.
Written 2 June 2021
Klee7312
Rogersville, Alabama
8 contributions
I didnt see a place where you could rent wheelchairs or scooters when I was there.
Written 20 April 2021
I’m looking for contact info for the vendor who makes the wall art of classic song lyrics. Would really appreciate any info.
Written 29 June 2020
The website said the market is closed. Is it closed right now? We're planning to visit in a few weeks and I was hoping it would be open.
Written 16 June 2020
Due to Covid 19, The Charleston City Market has limited hours, 9:30 am - 5 pm daily. Masks are mandatory.
We hope to return to our regular hours as soon as possible.
Written 7 January 2021
Traveling Nov.2019 is the city market open and if so what are the time and days
Written 18 June 2019
They are typically open 7 days a week 9:30- 6:00 Sunday- Thursday and. 9:30-10:30 Friday and Saturday.
Also right there are several carriage ride companies, may I suggest taking one of those. So much fun! Lots of good places to eat there also.
On the corner of East Bay St and Market St is a good place to park.
Written 19 June 2019
We bought the okra, as well as cheerwine (cherry cola) and specialty chocolate there, that may help you find it. It is on the left side of the alley when entering from the city side
It is called Sweet Charleston
Written 2 June 2019
Hi, I am looking for the name of the vendor who sells the okra chips in clear bags. Thank you, Diane
Written 20 March 2019
it was sweet gourmet! i’m eating them now!!!
Written 6 April 2019
How does Sweet Charleston's okra is dried and keeps the green color? When I dry my okra it turns brown.
Written 11 October 2018
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