Best Time to Visit Charleston: Spring Azaleas & Spoleto Festival (March to May), Autumn Oysters & Beach Season

Charleston's subtropical coastal location gives it 230 sunny days a year and two distinct peak seasons: Spring (March, April and May), when historic window boxes and plantation gardens burst into bloom, and Autumn (October and November), when humidity drops and local oyster season kicks into high gear.

1. Peak Spring: Blooming Window Boxes, House Tours & 'Spoleto Festival USA' (March to Early June)

• Mid-March to Late April (Peak Bloom & Festival of Houses and Gardens): daytime temperatures sit at 21°C to 26°C (70°F to 78°F) with low humidity. Fragrant purple wisteria, yellow Lady Banks roses and white jasmine spill over brick walls South of Broad, while Magnolia Plantation and Middleton Place blaze with pink azaleas. From mid-March to mid-April, the Historic Charleston Foundation's annual Festival of Houses and Gardens opens the private interiors and walled gardens of over 100 mansions that remain closed the rest of the year.
• Late May to Early June, 'Spoleto Festival USA' (17 Days of Performing Arts): founded in 1977 by composer Gian Carlo Menotti, this 17-day international opera, jazz, theatre and chamber-music festival turns historic theatres and churches in Charleston into stages, ending with fireworks at Middleton Place.

2. Golden Autumn: Best for Foodies, Oyster Roasts & Warm Beaches (October & November)

Ask any Charleston chef for the best two months of the year and they will choose October and November: summer's muggy heat disappears, leaving sunny 21°C to 26°C afternoons, the Atlantic Ocean at Folly Beach and Sullivan's Island stays warm enough for swimming, and local Cluster Oyster Season is open.

3. Summer Beach Season (June to August) vs Mild Winter Value (December to February)

• Summer (31°C to 33°C & Humid): tour historic homes in the morning, spend the afternoon in the surf at Folly Beach or Isle of Palms, and dine by the harbour breeze at dusk.
• Winter (December to February, Lower Hotel Rates & Camellia Blooms): daytime highs sit around 15°C to 18°C, winter camellias bloom at Magnolia Plantation, and January hosts the Lowcountry Oyster Festival at Boone Hall. Check what to wear in Charleston.