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?