Last updated: October 22, 2026 · by Mount Pleasant Scoop, the free weekly newsletter for Mount Pleasant, SC
Quick answer: The best things to do in Mount Pleasant, SC are walking or biking Wonders’ Way over the Ravenel Bridge, the pier at Memorial Waterfront Park, the Shem Creek boardwalk, sunset at the Pitt Street Bridge, Patriots Point and the USS Yorktown, and Boone Hall Plantation. The bridge, the waterfront park and the boardwalk are all free. Downtown Charleston is about 15 minutes away by car.
Best free walk: Wonders’ Way, the 2.7-mile path over the Ravenel Bridge · park at Memorial Waterfront Park · free
Harbor views and swings: Mount Pleasant Pier at Memorial Waterfront Park · park open 6 a.m.–11 p.m. · free to walk, fishing $7
On the water: Shem Creek Park boardwalk (free, 5 a.m.–midnight), plus kayak and boat tours on the creek
Sunset: Pitt Street Bridge in the Old Village · free
History: Patriots Point and the USS Yorktown ($28 adults online) · Boone Hall Plantation ($30 adults) · Charles Pinckney National Historic Site (free)
With kids: Waterfront Park playground (free) · Palmetto Islands County Park ($2) · Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch (through Nov. 1, $15)
Rainy day: Patriots Point · Mt. Pleasant Library (free) · the R.L. Jones Center indoor pool
Coming up: Live Under the Oaks (Thursdays through Oct. 29, free) · Christmas Light Parade (Sun., Dec. 13, free)
Eat and drink: our Shem Creek guide, Best Happy Hours and Best Coffee Shops
Wonders’ Way on the Ravenel Bridge, Memorial Waterfront Park and its pier, the Shem Creek Park boardwalk, the Pitt Street Bridge, Alhambra Hall park and the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site are all free to visit. A few have paid parking nearby, and we say where.
The walking and biking path on the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge is 2.7 miles one way and 12 feet wide, with harbor views the whole way. It’s named for Garrett Wonders, a cyclist killed in a crash while training for the 2004 Olympic Trials. The easiest place to park on the Mount Pleasant side is the Visitor Center at Memorial Waterfront Park.📍 Starts by Memorial Waterfront Park, 99 Harry Hallman Blvd · Free
The Town calls it the crown jewel of Mount Pleasant: lawns, a nautical playground modeled on the bridge, and the 1,250-foot pier into Charleston Harbor with rocking chairs and swings. Walking the pier is free. Fishing takes a daily pass from the River Watch Café: $7 for adults, $4 for kids 12 and under, seniors 60+ and military. The pier is cashless (cards only, with a cash-to-card kiosk), and pets aren’t allowed on it.📍 Park: 99 Harry Hallman Blvd, open 6 a.m.–11 p.m. · Pier: 71 Harry Hallman Jr. Blvd, open 7 a.m.–10 p.m. Oct.–March, 6 a.m.–10 p.m. April–Sept. · Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day
More than 2,000 feet of free boardwalk through the marsh, with shrimp boats, dolphins, restrooms and leashed dogs welcome. Our Shem Creek guide has kayak and boat tour prices, parking and where to eat.📍 Shrimp Boat Ln, off Coleman Blvd · Open 5 a.m.–midnight · Free (most nearby parking is paid)
The old causeway to Sullivan’s Island is now a park for walking, fishing and the best free sunset in town, with wide views of Charleston Harbor. In 1864 the H.L. Hunley’s crew crossed the footbridge here on the way to Breach Inlet. Leashed dogs are welcome.📍 972 Pitt St, Old Village · Free
The grounds of this Old Village event hall are a public park on the harbor, open to everyone. The Town reopened it in August 2025 after a renovation, with a new inclusive playground. Dogs must be leashed.📍 131 Middle St · Free
A quick 0.4-mile walk from pine woods into oaks that ends with marsh views toward Sullivan’s Island and Isle of Palms. There’s an off-leash dog park on the trail; dogs stay leashed on the trail itself.📍 1619 Rifle Range Rd · Free
A National Park Service site with no entrance fee. It preserves part of Snee Farm, Charles Pinckney’s plantation, and tells the story of Pinckney as a signer of the Constitution and of the enslaved Africans who lived and worked there. The grounds, trails and restrooms are open 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. even when the visitor center is closed.📍 1254 Long Point Rd · Free
Mount Pleasant’s historic district, between Alhambra Hall and the Pitt Street Bridge. Park once and walk.
Gullah Geechee basket makers have sold handwoven sweetgrass baskets from roadside stands along Highway 17, the “Sweetgrass Basket Makers Highway,” for generations. Looking is free; baskets are priced by the maker. The Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Pavilion at Memorial Waterfront Park is closed for renovations right now, so the Town has a temporary sweetgrass exhibit at the Visitor Center next door. Check current hours before you go.
Blue Sky Endurance hosts free group runs: Saturdays at 7 a.m. from its Coleman Blvd shop and Mondays at 6:15 p.m. from its Carolina Park shop (3–5 miles). Every pace is welcome. There’s also a free Tuesday 6 p.m. group bike ride (about 20 miles) toward Sullivan’s Island and Isle of Palms for riders who can hold 15 mph.📍 624 Coleman Blvd · 3510 Park Avenue Blvd, Suite 102 · Free
Free storytimes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers most weekday mornings, plus free programs for adults. Check the branch calendar for this month’s times.📍 1133 Mathis Ferry Rd · Mon–Thu 9 a.m.–8 p.m., Fri 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
The Town runs these every year, and all are free to attend: - Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival: usually in spring (traditionally the last Sunday in April), Memorial Waterfront Park; 2027 date TBA - Mount Pleasant Farmers Market: Tuesdays 3:30–7 p.m., April–September, Farmers Market Pavilion, 645 Coleman Blvd. Free to walk in. The 2026 season ended Sept. 29. - Sweetgrass Festival: fourth Saturday in July, Memorial Waterfront Park - Children’s Day Festival: third Sunday in October, Park West - Carolina Park Trunk or Treat: last Friday in October - Merry Makers Market, Holiday Market & Craft Show and the Christmas Light Parade: November and December (dates under “Coming up” below)
Palmetto Islands County Park: $2 per person
Laurel Hill County Park: $1 per person
Patriots Point: $28 adults online ($30 at the window), plus parking at $5.50 an hour ($25 max)
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Two outfitters launch right from Shem Creek, and several boat tours leave from the creek. Our Shem Creek guide has the full comparison table, checked Oct. 21: Nature Adventures (single kayak $45 for a half day) and Coastal Expeditions (single kayak $45, paddleboard $35, 2-hour Kayak Safari $55 adults).
943 acres of paved trails and boardwalks through meadow, maritime forest and marsh, with a 50-foot observation tower, the Big Toy playground, an off-leash dog park, a fishing dock and kayak access to Horlbeck Creek. Bike rentals open at 10 a.m. ($5 an hour, $15 a day). Splash Island Waterpark, inside the park, is closed for the 2026 season and plans to reopen in 2027.📍 444 Needlerush Pkwy · 8 a.m.–sunset (Sept.–Dec.); the gate closes to incoming cars 30 minutes before closing · $2 per person, 2 and under free · Dog park opens at 9 a.m. on TuesdaysHeads up: the playground for ages 5–12 is closed for resurfacing Oct. 26–30, 2026. The rest of the playground stays open.
745 acres of unpaved trails through woods, meadows and an oak allée, with a small lake overlook. It’s rustic, with no restrooms, so bring water. You get in through the Park West Recreation Complex. Leashed dogs are welcome.📍 1251 Park West Blvd · Sunrise–sunset · $1 per person, 2 and under free
The Mount Pleasant Pier sells a daily pass ($7 adults, $4 kids, seniors and military) and rents rods ($15 a day plus a $25 deposit). Anywhere else, like the Shem Creek boardwalk, the Pitt Street Bridge or Palmetto Islands’ tidal creek, anyone 16 or older needs a South Carolina saltwater fishing license from SC DNR.
Memorial Waterfront Park playground: the bridge-themed nautical playground, then ice cream from the River Watch Café on the pier. Free. 99 Harry Hallman Blvd, 6 a.m.–11 p.m.
Alhambra Hall’s inclusive playground: rebuilt in 2025, on the harbor in the Old Village. Free. 131 Middle St.
Palmetto Islands County Park: the Big Toy playground, the observation tower and bike rentals. $2 per person (2 and under free). Note the Oct. 26–30 resurfacing closure for the 5–12 structure.
Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch (through Nov. 1): corn maze, hayride, petting zoo, pony rides and pig races. Fri–Sun 10 a.m.–7 p.m., $15 ages 3 and up, free parking. The entrance is 2434 N. Hwy 17, not the plantation’s main gate. The last weekend is Oct. 30–Nov. 1. More in our fall events guide.
Patriots Point: climb around an aircraft carrier and a destroyer. $23 ages 6–12 online, free for 5 and under. 40 Patriots Point Rd, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Kayak Safari on Shem Creek: Coastal Expeditions’ 2-hour family kayak tour, $35 ages 12 and under. Details in our Shem Creek guide.
Library storytime: free at the Mt. Pleasant Library, 1133 Mathis Ferry Rd.
Halloween: trunk-or-treats and where to trick-or-treat are in our Halloween guide.
Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum: a ticket covers the USS Yorktown, the USS Laffey, the Vietnam Experience and the Medal of Honor Museum. Plan on 2–3 hours. $28 adults online ($30 at the window), $23 ages 6–12, $25 seniors 62+; active-duty military free. Open daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; the ticket window closes at 4. Parking is separate: $5.50 an hour, $25 max. 📍 40 Patriots Point Rd
Mt. Pleasant Library: free, with storytimes and programs. 📍 1133 Mathis Ferry Rd · Mon–Thu 9–8, Fri 9–6, Sat 9–5
R.L. Jones Center indoor pool: a Town pool with open swim for $5 a visit for residents and $10 for non-residents. The Town warns its schedule can change because of the lifeguard shortage, so check the weekly pool schedule before you go. 📍 391 Egypt Rd · Mon–Thu 7 a.m.–8 p.m., Fri 7 a.m.–6:30 p.m., Sat 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sweetgrass exhibit at the Visitor Center: the Town’s temporary sweetgrass basket exhibit while the Pavilion is renovated. Check current hours before you go. 📍 Memorial Waterfront Park
Sunset at the Pitt Street Bridge, then dinner in the Old Village or on Shem Creek. Free.
Dinner and a drink on Shem Creek: see Best Happy Hours for deals by day, and our Shem Creek guide for the decks.
Sunset cruise: Coastal Expeditions’ 1.5-hour Sunset Dolphin Cruise leaves from Shem Creek, $52 adults (checked Oct. 21).
Live Under the Oaks: free outdoor concerts Thursdays at 6 p.m. in October at Mount Pleasant Towne Centre, 1218 Belk Dr. The last one this year is Oct. 29.
Coffee and a walk: pick a shop from our Best Coffee Shops guide, then walk the Waterfront Park pier.
Towne Centre Fall Festival: Sat., Oct. 24, noon–3 p.m., 1218 Belk Dr. Free.
Live Under the Oaks: Thursdays at 6 p.m. through Oct. 29, Towne Centre. Free.
Carolina Park Trunk or Treat: Fri., Oct. 30 (the Town’s “last Friday in October”), Carolina Park.
Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch: final weekend Oct. 30–Nov. 1, 10 a.m.–7 p.m., $15.
Lights Up at Towne Centre: Sat., Nov. 21, 6–8 p.m.
Merry Makers Market (new): Sun., Nov. 22, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Park West Recreation Complex. Free admission.
Holiday Market & Craft Show: Sat., Dec. 12, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Farmers Market Pavilion, 645 Coleman Blvd. Free.
Christmas Light Parade: Sun., Dec. 13, 5:30–8 p.m., W. Coleman Blvd. Free.
For the full fall list, see our fall events guide. For this week, we round it all up every Monday in the Scoop.
Downtown Charleston: about 15 minutes by car over the Ravenel Bridge, or walk or bike Wonders’ Way. The Fort Sumter Visitor Center at Liberty Square is free (9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.).
Fort Sumter by boat from Mount Pleasant: Fort Sumter Tours leaves from Patriots Point at 10:45 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. It’s about 30 minutes each way with an hour at the fort. $43 adults, $39 seniors and active military, $26 ages 4–11, free for 3 and under. Cards only, and the fort’s restrooms are out of service right now (the boat has restrooms).
Isle of Palms County Park (beach): 445 parking spaces that usually fill by 10:30 a.m. on weekends and holidays. Check current parking fees before you go.
Downtown Charleston museums: the South Carolina Aquarium (9 a.m.–5 p.m., last entry 3:30; ticket prices vary by date) and the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry ($13 online, $15 at the door, Mon–Sat 10–5, Sun noon–5).
Neighborhood by neighborhood: Mount Pleasant neighborhoods guide
Eat: Best Restaurants · Best Happy Hours · Best Coffee Shops
The creek: Shem Creek guide
This season: Fall events · Halloween
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Walk or bike Wonders’ Way over the Ravenel Bridge, swing on the pier at Memorial Waterfront Park, walk the Shem Creek boardwalk, watch the sunset from the Pitt Street Bridge, tour the USS Yorktown at Patriots Point, and visit Boone Hall Plantation. The bridge path, the waterfront park and the boardwalk are free.
Wonders’ Way on the Ravenel Bridge, Memorial Waterfront Park and its pier, the Shem Creek Park boardwalk, the Pitt Street Bridge, Alhambra Hall park, the Marsh View Trail and the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site are all free. The Town’s Farmers Market, Christmas Light Parade and Holiday Market are free to attend too.
Shem Creek’s shrimp boats and waterfront restaurants, the Ravenel Bridge, Patriots Point and the USS Yorktown, Boone Hall Plantation, Gullah Geechee sweetgrass baskets sold along Highway 17, and easy access to Sullivan’s Island and Isle of Palms.
The free playgrounds at Memorial Waterfront Park and Alhambra Hall, Palmetto Islands County Park ($2 per person), the Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch through Nov. 1 ($15 ages 3 and up), Patriots Point ($23 ages 6–12 online), free storytime at the Mt. Pleasant Library, and family kayak tours on Shem Creek.
Patriots Point (open daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m., $28 adults online), the Mt. Pleasant Library (free), and open swim at the Town’s R.L. Jones Center indoor pool ($5 residents, $10 non-residents).
Yes. Wonders’ Way, the path on the Ravenel Bridge, connects Mount Pleasant and downtown Charleston. It’s 2.7 miles one way, paved and 12 feet wide, for walkers, runners and cyclists. The easiest parking on the Mount Pleasant side is at the Visitor Center at Memorial Waterfront Park.
Yes. Fort Sumter Tours runs boats from Patriots Point, 40 Patriots Point Rd, at 10:45 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The ride is about 30 minutes each way with an hour at the fort. Tickets are $43 for adults and $26 for ages 4–11, cards only.
Yes, with a daily pass from the River Watch Café: $7 for adults and $4 for kids 12 and under, seniors 60+ and military. The pier is open 7 a.m.–10 p.m. from October through March and 6 a.m.–10 p.m. April through September, and it takes cards only.
No. Charleston County Parks says Splash Island, inside Palmetto Islands County Park, is closed for the 2026 season and plans to reopen in 2027. The rest of Palmetto Islands County Park is open ($2 per person).
Only in designated dog parks. The Town lists the Memorial Waterfront Park Dog Park, the Marsh View Trail Dog Park and the Carolina Park Recreation Complex, plus the dog park at Palmetto Islands County Park, which Charleston County Parks runs. Everywhere else in town, dogs must be leashed.
Know a spot we missed? Reply to any issue of the Scoop and tell us.
How we checked: every place, price, hour and date was checked October 21, 2026 against the official source: the Town of Mount Pleasant (Facility Directory, Special Events, 2026 Holiday Brochure, Aquatics, Leash Up MTP), Experience Mount Pleasant (the Town’s tourism site), Charleston County Parks, the National Park Service, SC Trails, Patriots Point, Boone Hall, Fort Sumter Tours, Mount Pleasant Towne Centre, Blue Sky Endurance, Charleston County Public Library, the South Carolina Aquarium and the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry. Kayak and cruise prices come from our Shem Creek guide, checked the same day. Hours and fees change, so check before you go.