Chasing Sunsets in Charleston: Where Is The Best Spot To See It

Charleston is one of the most historic and beautiful cities in the U.S, settled as one of the first colonies in 1670.  The city boasts numerous top annual honors by travel magazines as a “Best City to Visit”. Mention Charleston and people think about the delectable southern low country food, the charming people and historically preserved 1700/1800’s homes and historic landmarks. But it’s the water that draws many too. Our historic Charleston Harbor has provided a protected deep water haven for boats from all over the world for centuries. As a long time resident of Charleston and a full time charter boat captain with Everything Zen Sailing Charters and sailboat owner we get the privilege to sail the harbor often. Storied Charleston Harbor is where the locals like to say the Ashley and Cooper Rivers come together to form the Atlantic Ocean!  It is 8 square miles in all and is bordered by Downtown Charleston, Mt Pleasant, James Island and Sullivans Island. With its calm waters, consistent breeze and beautiful scenery, the harbor is the perfect place to sail and take in the sunset.

The Charms of Charleston Harbor Sunsets
With 230 days of sunshine each year, there are plenty of sunsets to go around. Even on those somewhat cloudy days, we have learned not to “give up on the sunset”. Many of evenings it was looking marginal and all of sudden the sun peaks out for the final 5 minutes before setting off some explosive colors. Charleston’s sun Sailing

The golden hour in and around the harbor just lights up offering some amazing colors, warm breezes, calm waters and of course some historical landmarks as a back drop. The colors of yellow, gold, reds and pinks mixing in with the blue sky and white clouds make up a Monet painting. With the historic battery area, church steeples and Cooper River/Ravenel Bridge in the foreground of the sunset, you have just enough obstructions to add to your interest. Very often, we get the benefit of seeing a reflection of the sunset 180 degrees from the sunset. Its a vibrancy of blue hues that just sparkles.

Counting Down the 5 Best Places to See the Sunset over Charleston
While there are plenty of rooftop establishments to catch a sunset, here are a few of our favorite more natural timeless spots:

5.  Brittlebank Park, Downtown Charleston: This little park on the Ashley River nestled next to Joe Riley ballpark is an easy downtown spot to catch the sunset setting over the Ashley River. Great parking next to a couple of public docks.

4. Pitt Street Bridge, Old Mt Pleasant. A pre Revolutionary War plank bridge became a trolley bridge in the late 1800’s providing a connection point between Mount Pleasant and Sullivans Island.  Now its cut back to a fishing/walking pier and no longer connects Sullivans. But that doesn’t take away its charm. Imagine looking west across the entire Charleston Harbor as the sun’s reflection grows as it sets. It is worth the 20 minute drive from downtown.

3. Ravenal Bridge, Charleston: This bridge was opened in 2005 and connects Charleston with Mount Pleasant over the Cooper River. Its only the 3rd longest cable-stayed bridge in the Western Hemisphere.   Park at or near the gas station on Coleman Ave in Mount Pleasant and walk up the bridge an hour before sunset and catch the sun setting in between the double diamond spans and over downtown Charleston.

2. Charleston Battery, Charleston:  White Point Gardens at the tip of the penisula of Downtown Charleston is iconic with its southern mansions bordering this 5 acre  oak tree filled park. With views of Charleston Harbor, Castle Pickney and even Fort Sumter, the western vista of the sunset down the Ashley River is magical.

1. Jump on a boat and catch the best vantage point during that golden hour. From the harbor, the sun sets generally over the historic downtown peninsula of Charleston, which is where you should head when the sun is starting to go down. When we are out there sailing, we love to head out to Sullivans Island/Ft Sumter area at the mouth of the harbor first and then turn toward downtown and the Ashley River as the sun begins its slow descent. Imagine being on the bow of a sailboat,  while you take in the full sails, no engine, and the rush of the water below you, all with that sun and water glowing in front of you. 

We hope you can pry yourself away from the she crab soup and historic home tours and everything else Charleston has to offer to chase down a sunset!  Chances are good that you will not be disappointed. Chase on!  Sails up!