Charleston Summer Bucket List: 50 Fun Ideas!

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Summer is almost half way over! Have you heard “I’m bored” from your kids one too many times already? We’ve come up with 50 fun activities that you can put on your summer bucket list to keep your kids active and having fun. If you need details about an activity or further information, simply click on the link and you’ll be directed to everything you need to know. Now go have some fun!

1. If you haven’t already, sign up for a summer camp:  Camp Listings Guide.

2. Play at Charleston’s  Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry.

3. Visit the  North Charleston Fire Museum.

4. Take a Charleston ghost tour downtown.

5. Enjoy a free or $1 movie:  Regal Cinemas has three locations: Regal Azalea Square – Summerville,  Palmetto Grand – Mount Pleasant and Charlestown Center – North Charleston and they offer $1 movies Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 10 a.m.  Charleston County Public Libraries have various dates and times showing free movies, check out their events calendar. Citadel Mall Stadium 16 has free family friendly movies at 10 am every Tuesday and Thursday during the summer. Free movies are at  Memorial Waterfront Park starting August 7th and Tides Folly Beach starting August 1st.

6. Attend a “Create it, Make it, Take it” class at Wonder Works Wonder Works Calendar.

7. See the animals at  Charles Towne Landing.

8. Book a staycation at the beach Wild Dunes Kiawah Island Golf Resort.

9. Practice your putting skills at Black Beards Cove (Mount Pleasant) or Frankie’s Fun Park (North Charleston).

10. Catch a Charleston RiverDogs baseball game, see the Riverdogs Schedule.

11. Go to story time at the library and sign up for the Summer Reading Program where your child can earn prizes.  Charleston Library Story Times.

12. Take a ferry tour to Fort Sumter Fort Sumter Tours.

13. Take a Children’s Discovery Tour. The tours highlight Charleston’s history and are held every Tuesday during the summer Children’s Discovery Tour.

14. Enjoy a FREE family friendly summer concert on the Grand Lawn of the Sanctuary on Kiawah Island Summer Concert Series.

15. Cool off with giant water inflatables at Splash Day at Memorial Waterfront Park July 15 and August 5th. Activities, admission and parking are FREE Splash Days.

16. Watch 150,000 ladybugs fly free at Magnolia Gardens on July 25th and wear your best ladybug costumes. Admission is $15 per adult, children 6-12 are $10, children 6 and under are free.

17. Explore ocean wildlife at the South Carolina Aquarium.

18. Have lunch at Vickery’s in Shem Creek, then walk the docks and watch for dolphins and see the shrimp trawlers come and go.

19. Go downtown and let your kids splash and play in the fountains right by Waterfront Park.

20. Gather up your friends and have a beach day.

21. Visit The Big Red Barn where Palmetto Carriage Works tours begin and end. See farm animals for free.

22. Get fresh produce at the Charleston Farmers Market, Saturdays 8 a.m.-2 p.m., the kids will enjoy the bounce house and pony rides.

23. Take a trip to the Angel Oak tree on Johns Island, pack a lunch and eat at one of the picnic tables.

24. Beat the heat, get creative and visit Kreative Kidz Art Studio in North Charleston, ARTspiration on Ben Sawyer Blvd., or  The Art Place Studio on Clements Ferry Road. They both offer open studio art time during all regular business hours.

25. Take the kids bowling for free all summer long at participating bowling alleys, register here.

26. Enjoy exploring coastal nature on a day trip to Botany Bay on Edisto Island. They offer lots of wildlife, a beautiful little known beach, hiking, and a driving tour.  They are closed on Tuesdays.

27. Have a water balloon fight.

28. Beat the heat at James Island County Park free splash pad.

29. Jump at Skyzone. Toddler time for children 5 and under is every Wednesday and Saturday 9-10 a.m.

30. Climb at Wild Blue Ropes.

31. Take a fun, educational trip around town on a trolley with Lowcountry Loop Trolley. July 21st the trolley will head to Train Town Toy and Hobby in downtown Summerville and August 18th kids will go to Mellow Mushroom and learn to make pizzas. Buy tickets in advance, limited seats.

40. Visit a waterpark:  Whirlin’ Waters Adventure Waterpark at Wannamaker County Park, Splash Zone at James Island County Park, and Splash Island at Palmetto Island County Park. Get a splash pass or just go for the day.  All three parks have reduced admission rates Monday-Friday after 3 p.m.

41. Chill out on the ice at Carolina Ice Palace and go skating.

42. Stroll King St. downtown  at Second Sundays on King Street. Held the second Sunday of every month from 1-5 p.m. and is free. The whole family will enjoy listening to the musicians play their jams, and there are usually food and drink samples.

43. Go blueberry picking at Champneys Blueberry Farm in Ravenel, SC or Boone Hall Farms in Mount Pleasant.

44. Hit up Happy Hour at Sonic for half-price drinks and 99-cent snacks from 2:00–4:00 P.M. every day!

45. Write to President Obama. (He’ll send you a signed letter back!)

46. Make homemade popsicles.

47. Camp out in the backyard (set up a tent, grill hot dogs, make s’mores in a fire pit, and sleep under the stars if its not too hot!).

48. Walk to see a stunning view of the Morris Island Lighthouse on Folly Beach.

49. Visit one of Charleston’s plantations and gardens: Cypress Gardens, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Boone Hall Plantation, McLeod Plantation, Middleton Place, Drayton Hall.

50 Watch a show at James Island & North Charleston Wannamaker County Parks for their Summer Entertainment Series.

Happy Summer!

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