The Best Cities for Cat Lovers & Adventure Cats: Charleston, SC
Last month, we whisked you away on a virtual trip to New York City with your furry feline travel companion. This month, however, we are sticking a little closer to home. If you are a cat-lover or adventure cat looking for a fun place to visit in the Southeast, Charleston, South Carolina is the place to go! We are especially excited about our Charleston cat-friendly finds because we are actually taking a trip to Charleston later this month! Kylo Ren will be joining us, so I was thrilled to learn that there are TONS of pet-friendly attractions and activities in Charleston. Keep reading to find out more about them!
Cat-Friendly Accommodations
It’s often hard to find pet-friendly accommodations that aren’t a little dumpy or that allow pets other than dogs. Charleston has a few options though that are sure to please! We will actually be staying in an Air BnB studio apartment rental when we go (will share more about that after our visit), though there a few suitable cat-friendly hotels as well!
The Inn at Middleton Place
The Inn at Middleton Place is an upscale hotel located at the north end of Charleston. They allow pets up to 50 pounds for a one-time pet fee of $75. They also provide a complimentary pet bag of treats and toys! The Inn is located on the grounds of the Middleton Place Historic Landmark, which offers a lot in the way of entertainment for human visitors. Guests of the Inn have access to the gardens, museum, stable yard, and restaurant. Though these attractions are not pet-friendly, the Inn has miles of scenic pathways you can explore with your adventure cat.
La Quinta
If you’re looking for something a little more budget-friendly, the Charleston La Quinta is a good pet-friendly option. They allow 2 pets of any size for no additional fees!
*Side note: When you make your reservations for any pet-friendly hotel, be sure to mention that you will be traveling your cat(s)! Some hotels only block off certain rooms for pets, so you want to be sure that you have one reserved. Otherwise you risk being turned away or having to pay extra fees of some sort.
Cat-Friendly Attractions
There are so many fun cat-friendly things to do in Charleston, and I absolutely cannot wait to enjoy them with Kylo Ren in just a few weeks! I also can’t wait to share about them with you, so here goes…
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens has been called one of “America’s Most Beautiful Gardens” by Travel + Leisure Magazine. If it is anything like the photos, this must be true! It looks gorgeous, and I am very much looking forward to exploring them with Kylo Ren and getting some great adventure shots and videos of him. In addition to the gardens, Magnolia Plantation also offers a nature tram tour, a swamp tour, and a tour of the plantation home – all of which are pet-friendly. The plantation home tour is only open to pets who can be carried though, so hopefully your cat isn’t too heavy 😉 Be sure you keep a close eye on your cat and that he/she is on a leash at all times around the gardens and on the tours because I hear there are alligators around!
>> Click to read all about our visit to Magnolia Plantation with Kylo Ren! <<
Kayaking
Now that we know Kylo Ren enjoys canoeing and being out on the water, I look forward to taking him kayaking while we’re in Charleston. Nature Adventures Outfitters offers kayak rentals, and they let you bring your pets if you are doing a self-guided kayak tour. Apparently seeing dolphins and manatees while out on the Charleston Harbor or Folly River isn’t uncommon! How cool is that?!
>> Click here to read about Kylo Ren’s Charleston kayaking adventure. Video included! <<
Old Charleston Walking Tours
This tour company offers three different walking tours of Charleston – a Civil War & Slavery, a History & Homes, and a Ghost Tour. The cool news is that they are all pet-friendly! The Ghost Tour, called Pleasing Terrors, is supposedly one of the best activities Charleston has to offer. The tour guide has been featured nationally and internationally on radio and TV, and all of the reviews I’ve read rave about how awesome of a storyteller he is. If you’re into the ghost tour thing, this is a must!
Pounce Cat Cafe + Wine Bar
While not a place that you can bring your adventure cat, Pounce Cat Cafe is a must-visit location for any cat-lover traveling to Charleston. This is what their website has to say, since I can’t say it any better:
“Pounce Cat Cafe + Wine Bar is a place where you can hang out with furry felines, sip on boozy beverages, and indulge on delicious pastries. We’ve teamed up with the Charleston Animal Society to provide our cats, so if at the end of your visit you’ve fallen in love with your new feline friend, you can take them home with you!”
Sounds awesome, right?! But wait, there’s more… not only can you go hang out with adoptable cats and enjoy a tasty treat, you can also attend their Boozy Cat Yoga class! Be sure to make reservations before you go, though!
>> Read about our visit to Pounce Cat Cafe! <<
As you can see, there are plenty of things to do in Charleston to keep you and your adventure cat busy. Kylo Ren and I look forward to reporting back in a few weeks after we’ve given Charleston a whirl.
Have you ever been to Charleston?
Wow, there is a lot of cool stuff for kitties in Charleston! My human and I often stay at the La Quintas for our cat show trips. The nicer ones are pretty decent!
wow – that is a lot of pet friendly places…we can’t wait to hear about your trip
Wow! Charleston sounds lime so much fun for humans, too. How cool that kitties can enjoy the fun, too.
What great destinations (especially that “boozy” cat place, MOL!). I could see Karma-Kat enjoying a stroll through the area, too. He’d want to meet all the gorgeous cat-girls and show off his he-cat manly physique. *s*
Thanks for sharing! It’s been on my “to visit” list for years! Would love to bring Penny.
dood…thanx for sharin !!!! we R knot a loud ta leeve de yard N we think de food gurl just goez two werk ……yawn……..de garden lookz awesum….we hope yur mom N dad take ya ther…but yea….pleez watch out for gatorz…. !! happee fryday guyz ~~~♥♥ 🙂
It is so refreshing to see this! I see a lot of dog-friendly places but not nearly as many cat-friendly. Thanks for the heads up! If we ever visit Charleston I know where to go!
Mom and Dad like Charleston too….now I know why!
lovely photos you have
Hugs madi and mom
The mom says she would love to visit Charleston, now even more.
One of my friends got married at Magnolia actually! I couldn’t make it to the wedding though sadly.
That looks like a great place to vacation. Have a great time.
I didn’t realize that it would make a difference to a cat where they travel.
I’m still in awe of cat-friendly destinations and adventure cats! It looks like Charleston is going to be a great destination for you! I think the Pounce Cat Cafe + Wine Bar and Boozey Cat Yoga both sound like fun!
These are all great ideas for travel with and without cats. I love to take getaways. Staybridge Suites also caters to pets and is affordable. The last trip I took with my cat (before she passed) was in Poconos,PA. We had a great time.
How wonderful! I can’t believe the beautiful plantation & gardens are pet friendly, that’s not easy to find. I love ghost tours, I’ve been on several and I’m happy to see that this one is pet friendly. I pinned this to my Pet Travel page so I have it for future reference, thanks so much for sharing!
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Amy from GoPetFriendly.com will be in Charleston on her Ultimate Pet Friendly Road Trip next week! It is a very pet-friendly spot with some great animal rescues as well.
Oh how I would LOVE to visit! This looks such a gorgeous place. Not that I’m jealous you are going, or anything…………. 😉
Kayaking with Kitties!! Charleston is supposed to be amazing and Magnolia Plantation looks incredible! I would visit every single one of the attractions you list. 🙂
I have always want to visit Charleston! I am so impressed at how cat friendly they are. What a great place to vacation, it’s definitely on our list! Thanks for sharing!
This is so timely; we are going to Charleston with the dog in the fall. I cannot wait to visit Magnolia Plantation & Gardens. You really showcased some fun things to do!
Wow, looks like Kylo Ren will have a lot to tell his siblings when he gets back from the trip! Are you going to take him on the Ghost Tour? Cats are very intuitive when it comes to ghosts, would be interesting to see if he spots any while on the tour!
Big fan of taking pets along. Looks like a great adventure!
So nice to hear Charleston can be a cat friendly location to visit. Truffle and Brulee were born across the bridge from Charleston in Mt. Pleasant.
I have never been to Charleston, South Carolina, but it sounds like it would be a great time! It’s great that they have so many cat-friendly venues. I can’t wait to catch up with you and your adventure kitties at BlogPaws. 🙂 My kitties will be there too.
What great finds! I had no idea Charleston was so pet friendly. Its nice that so many of these work for dogs too, Kilo loves adventures and that cat kayaking has him full of wanderlust!
Now that might be a city to put on our bucket list of places to visit! Petcretary has nit been much further south than the Washington DC area…MOL!
I didn’t know Charleston was so cat friendly. Good to know. I shall visit this state one day.