French Quarter Charleston

The French Quarter is Charleston’s oldest commercial and cultural district, bounded roughly by Market Street to the north, East Bay Street to the east, Broad Street to the south, and Meeting Street to the west. Named for the French Huguenot settlers who arrived in the late 17th century, the neighborhood contains one of the highest concentrations of pre-Revolutionary architecture in the United States. Visitors find working art galleries, Federal and Georgian row houses, and cobblestone alleyways within a walkable half-mile radius.

What is the French Quarter in Charleston known for?

The French Quarter is known for Rainbow Row on East Bay Street — 13 contiguous Georgian row houses painted in pastel colors dating to the 1700s — as well as the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon at 122 East Bay Street, which served as a British prison during the American Revolution and is one of the most historically significant colonial buildings in the country. The French Huguenot Church on Church Street, built in 1845 in Gothic Revival style, remains an active congregation and one of the oldest independent Huguenot churches in the United States.

Best things to do in the French Quarter Charleston

Touring the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon offers a self-guided look at colonial-era artifacts and the original Exchange building’s foundations. Walking the full length of Rainbow Row on East Bay Street takes roughly 10 minutes and provides the neighborhood’s most photographed facade. The Powder Magazine on Cumberland Street, built in 1713, is Charleston’s oldest surviving public building and offers ticketed tours. The French Huguenot Church on Church Street holds periodic services and organ concerts open to visitors.

• Tour the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon at 122 East Bay Street
• Walk Rainbow Row along East Bay Street between Tradd and Elliott Streets
• Visit the Powder Magazine on Cumberland Street
• Browse contemporary galleries along Church Street and Queen Street
• Attend a public organ recital at the French Huguenot Church

Where to eat in the French Quarter Charleston

The French Quarter sits steps from some of Charleston’s most established dining addresses, with Husk on Queen Street offering Southern-sourced seasonal cuisine in a preserved Victorian mansion and 167 Raw on Market Street serving oysters and lobster rolls in a casual counter-style setting. Slightly beyond the district’s edge, FIG on Meeting Street is a James Beard Award–recognized restaurant focused on local farm and fishing boat sourcing.

• Husk — Queen Street, seasonal Southern menu in a Victorian building
• 167 Raw — Market Street, raw bar and New England-style seafood
• FIG — Meeting Street, farm-to-table locally sourced cuisine

Where to walk in the French Quarter Charleston

The most rewarding walking route in the French Quarter runs south along East Bay Street from the City Market to Rainbow Row, then turns west on Tradd Street to Church Street, passing the French Huguenot Church and St. Philip’s Episcopal Church before looping back north on Meeting Street past the historic storefronts. Chalmers Street, one block south of Market Street, is a brick-paved lane lined with antebellum buildings and the Old Slave Mart Museum, offering a historically significant and quieter alternative to the main commercial streets.

How to get to the French Quarter Charleston

The French Quarter is accessible on foot from the Charleston Visitor Center on Meeting Street, approximately a 10-minute walk south. CARTA (Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority) operates the free DASH trolley service with stops along Meeting Street and Market Street, providing connections from the visitor center and the Upper Peninsula. Water taxis operate seasonally from the Charleston Maritime Center on Concord Street, connecting to Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant.

• Free DASH trolley — Meeting Street and Market Street stops
• CARTA bus routes along East Bay Street and Broad Street
• Water taxi from Charleston Maritime Center on Concord Street
• Pedicab and carriage tour pickups at City Market

Best time to visit the French Quarter Charleston

Spring (March through May) and fall (September through November) offer the most comfortable temperatures for walking the French Quarter’s cobblestone streets, with daytime highs typically between 65°F and 80°F. The Spoleto Festival USA, held annually in late May and early June, brings performances to venues near the district including the Dock Street Theatre on Church Street. Summer is the busiest and most humid season; weekday mornings provide the least congestion around Rainbow Row and the City Market.