10 Things to Do in Charleston in October

As the leaves fall on the pavement and the weather starts to get colder by the day, there are bound to be plenty of things to see and do in Charleston. Don't worry about having to search for them, as I've taken it upon myself to find all the activities happening during the month of October in this city for you to choose from at your leisure.

Family plans, adult entertainment and a perfect combination of both. All this is what you can enjoy if you follow the recommendations I have made so that you can prepare your sightseeing itinerary well in advance.

Oktoberfest is a festival that, despite its historical and cultural origins in Germany, has crossed all the borders of the Western world so that every city can have its own annual version. So when you're in this South Carolina port community in October you'll be able to experience the local reinvention of this world-famous beer festival for alcohol consumers.

Clearly, as a matter of practicality and convenience, Charleston Oktoberfest does not run for the same 17 days as the original festival in Munich, Bavaria. However, a single day of celebrations is more than enough to entertain a very large and diverse group of tourists and locals. Those who attend are very interested in getting to know the beer offerings of the local companies, as well as experiencing the traditional German essence in the middle of the American South.

The venue can change from year to year, but most commonly it is held in the vicinity of St. Mathews Lutheran Church. This is logical, knowing that Christian Protestantism has its origins in German society, just like Oktoberfest.

Traditional German liturgical choirs, local food such as pretzels and sauerkraut, traditional German pastries and plenty of craft beers ranging from dark and hoppy fermentations to more common and commercial versions.

All this and more is what you'll find at this city's Oktoberfest and what makes it one of the top things to see and do in Charleston this autumn.

The MOJA Arts Festival is an annual celebration of the cultural importance of African American and Caribbean arts in the American arts scene. It is organised by the Charleston City Council's Office of Cultural Affairs and at the same time is an excellent entertainment alternative for your group of companions. This is due to the fact that more than half of the festival's events are usually completely free of charge.

Temporary art exhibitions; classical, dance, gospel, jazz and R&B concerts; literary workshops and lectures; poetry dissertations and all kinds of film screenings. These are just some of the things you'll find at this festival that seeks to reinforce the community's sense of belonging to its African and Caribbean heritage and identity within the American social context.

It usually runs from the last weekend in September to the first weekend in October. As for its location, you should know that the activities take place in different parts of the city depending on the characteristics of each event, as a day of sports entertainment does not have the same special requirements as a community theatre play.

If you're interested in learning more about African-American history in the South Carolina region, it's also advisable to join some of Charleston' s best plantation tours before your trip is over. This is because the first steps of this ethnic group in this territory took place during the slavery era.

The Charleston Historic Preservation Society is keenly aware that the best way to raise funds for its organization is to attract the investment of tourists and visitors who are in awe of the city's architectural beauty. For this reason, just after the end of summer and into winter, the Fall Tours of Home and Gardens cycle begins.

Basically, it is a season in which private tours are organised for not so large groups of guests through houses, gardens, churches and commercial premises that have an incalculable historical value for the identity of the city.

It is an excellent opportunity to get a close-up look at the preserved appearance of the famous Victorian townhouses that abound throughout the city's historic district. As well as to enter an authentic antebellum mansion where slave magnates lived before the American Civil War.

Gardens are another great feature of this type of tour, as Charleston's gardens present an interesting balance between tropical flora that can thrive in the humid climate and the same continental vegetation that defines the American South.

Ending this day of historical and cultural learning with one of the best carriage tours of Charleston is a good idea if you want to feel like you've experienced a sequence of activities worthy of the beauty of the post-colonial era.

Pumpkin Patches are a widespread tradition throughout the United States when it comes to the arrival of autumn and everything that has to do with this season, culturally speaking.

Basically, it's a visit to one of the orchards where these giant legumes are grown, and depending on the location, other types of entertainment such as live music concerts, community markets and all sorts of children's activities are held.

In the case of Charleston, there is a Pumpkin Patch that stands out among other alternatives for its proximity to the city, the quality of its activities and the beauty of the pumpkins that are displayed there year after year. It is organised on the grounds of the Boone Hall Plantation and if you wish, you can attend from Thursday to Sunday throughout the month of October.

It is an event that is usually not limited in any way. Some people just come to get a pumpkin and take two or three pictures, while other family groups come to spend the whole day drinking on the premises.

Bringing your kids to experience decorating the pumpkins with scary Halloween faces is one of the best things to see or do in Charleston with kids during the autumn months, especially if they like to run around and play in the great outdoors.

Physical exercise is a great way to keep yourself entertained during a trip, clearly if this kind of plan sounds interesting to you. If so, in October you can participate in the Isle of Palms Connector Run, which is two simultaneous races, a 5k and a 10k.

The cause behind this annual race, which takes place on the first Saturday of the month, is to raise private funds to support victims of child abuse throughout the greater Charleston area.

So by participating in this activity you are not only balancing the sedentary holiday lifestyle with a good workout, but you are also contributing to the betterment of the society of the place that welcomes you with open arms during your tourist stay.

As the race almost always takes place in the morning, you will have the rest of the day to occupy yourself with other types of activities. You can use your visit to Isle of Palms as part of your sightseeing itinerary, which is advisable considering it is a picturesque town with a beautiful beach that may be too cold for you due to the autumn weather.

Returning to the Charleston peninsula to join one of the boat tours on the Cooper River and Charleston Bay is another great idea.

And since the city's aquarium is right next to the dock used by these tourist boats, you can make a visit to the marine wildlife the highlight of your afternoon. That while the boat tour would make a lovely souvenir at sunset.

The many miles of river and ocean shorelines throughout Charleston County make the community's fishing tournaments an exciting activity for visitors from all over the world.

The one on the Mount Pleasant Pier, just across the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, is one of the city's most important.

For your convenience, there is the fact that the last tournament of the annual fishing season occurs in mid-October.

So not only could you participate like a true sportfishing aficionado, but you 'll also have the opportunity to meet the big winners of a cycle of fishing competitions that begins in the first weeks of May.

That means a fishing tournament off the shores of Mount Pleasant is another activity you can see or do in Charleston in May, as well as in August or June. Keep in mind that October is the best of all according to many specialists because it has the most favourable weather for staying comfortable throughout the morning.

Over the years, the mimosa has become one of the favourite cocktails when it comes to southern partying in the United States. If you enjoy this delicious combination of sparkling wine and orange juice, you'll be delighted to know that Charleston hosts an annual festival with this drink as the star of the show.

It's a mix of live music, beer, food from local chefs and a gigantic variety of novel versions of mimosas in every size, colour and texture imaginable.

The festival usually takes place on the second or third Saturday in October and the most interesting part of the whole thing is that Johnson Hagood Stadium at The Citadel is chosen as the venue for the thousands of visitors who come in search of fun, music and southern partying.

It is an activity that is 100% focused on adult entertainment and therefore no one under the age of 21 is allowed. Remember that the minimum age for alcohol consumption in the United States is after that age and a breach of this rule could have serious consequences for the rest of your trip.

In America, specifically in the United States, the arrival of Christopher Columbus is celebrated on 12 October every year. It is really an ephemeris that has much more to do with primary education than with a sentiment worthy of celebration by the population as a whole.

However, in cities like Charleston, all sorts of activities tend to take place because of the direct connection these urban epicentres have with the European settlement of North America. As well as with the founding of the colonies that would eventually become the United States.

For this reason, it is very likely that in some parts of Charleston' s historic district, workshops are being held on the colonial era in America, as well as on the consequences that colonialism left in many regions of the continent.

The city's African American History Museum is one of the places that often hosts such educational lectures or workshops. The Old Mart Slave Museum is another key venue when it comes to attending a place where the conflicts and injustices of colonial and post-colonial slavery are discussed during Columbus Day.

Hiring one of the best guided tours of Charleston is a good idea for this day if you don't want to miss out on any of the sights that might be offering commemorative activities throughout the morning and afternoon.

In the United States, when you think of October you immediately think of a terrifying night full of spooky costumes and partying until dawn if you are a teenager or young adult. I'm talking about Halloween and if you're lucky enough to be in Charleston on October 31st it's essential that you experience this holiday by the very standards that Americans have developed as cultural patterns.

As on many other special dates, Fright Nights are held at Boone Hall Plantation. Basically, a field is decorated to create a sort of spooky trail where people in costume scare those brave enough to walk through it.

This fun experience is accompanied by music, drinks, typical food and all kinds of children's games very similar to those of a rural village fair.

The conditions of these events change every year, but they usually start at the end of September and last until the night of 31 October. It is not a daily event, as it is most often left for Fridays or Saturdays.

Either way, it remains one of the best things to do in Charleston at night when you're visiting around Halloween.

Trick-or-treating is a tradition that accompanies Americans from early childhood well into adulthood.

They go around their neighbourhood dressed in scary or funny costumes, while homeowners decorate their houses to let trick-or-treaters know that they will receive candy and sweets when they knock on the door.

So if you're in Charleston on the night of 31 October, a trick-or-treat tour of a residential area of the city is a must. Of course, only if you're with your children, as it's a children's tradition and it doesn't make sense for an adult to participate if they're not there to accompany an infant.

In fact, this is a favourite among Halloween visitors looking for things to do in Charleston during a three-day trip at the end of October.

Average temperatures in Charleston in October range from 25 degrees Celsius at the hottest times of the day to 17 degrees Celsius on cool nights.

So it's a good time to visit the city, but it wouldn't hurt to pack waterproof coats in your luggage as autumn is rainy all along the US Atlantic coast.

Charleston is a relatively inexpensive city compared to other mass tourism cities in the American Deep South. Giving you exact prices on how much you would spend on a trip is an impossible task due to the fact that it is not known to me what your specific needs are when you are on a tourist itinerary.

However, what I can say is that this season is much more economical than the Christmas or summer season, as those have been the major points for the tourism industry at the state level.