The Nathaniel Russell House The masterpiece
South of Broad · $$
Photo: Chris Smith (chrisandcami)
Why it made the list: A flawless 1808 Federal townhouse famous for its free-flying spiral staircase that seems to float three stories with no visible support, set among restored period rooms and a formal garden. It's the single best house tour in the city.
The Aiken-Rhett House Preserved, not restored
Wraggborough · $$
Photo: Jeanene Crenshaw
Why it made the list: An 1820 mansion left deliberately as-found, with peeling paint, original furnishings and, crucially, intact slave quarters, kitchens and work yards out back. It tells the whole story of an urban estate, not just the parlor.
The Edmondston-Alston House The best view
The Battery · $$
Photo: Sanjay Gupta
Why it made the list: An 1825 house right on the High Battery, still furnished with the Alston family's own antiques, books and portraits, with a piazza looking straight out over Charleston Harbor. General Beauregard watched the shelling of Fort Sumter from here.
Drayton Hall The oldest
Ashley River Road · $$
Photo: Eagle's Eye Photography
Why it made the list: A 1738 Palladian plantation house on the Ashley River, remarkably preserved in near-original condition with no electricity, running water or furniture, so the architecture speaks for itself. It's one of the earliest and finest of its kind in America.
The Calhoun Mansion The opulent one
South of Broad · $$
Photo: daydreamer
Why it made the list: The largest private single-family home in the city, a 35-room Gilded Age showpiece stuffed with a maximalist collection of art, chandeliers and antiques. Where the other houses are restrained, this one is gloriously over the top.
⭐ Bonus Pick: The Heyward-Washington House
One more for history buffs: the 1772 Heyward-Washington House on Church Street, home of a Declaration of Independence signer and once host to George Washington, is known for its rare Charleston-made furniture and a restored 18th-century kitchen and garden.
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