Beyond the Pastel Facades: Finding the Real Rainbow in Charleston, SC
Charleston, South Carolina, is a city built on charm and a history that feels both meticulously preserved and entirely new. It’s famous for its cobblestone streets, grand architecture, and a culinary scene that introduces visitors to new ideas, fusions, and delicacies. Yet, beneath the familiar Southern veneer lies a deep, enduring, and often unseen queer history that is finally stepping into the sun—and two nights is all it took us to scratch the surface of this vibrant, complex, and deeply welcoming destination.
This isn’t just a city for history buffs; it’s a must-visit for the LGBTQ+ traveler looking for a blend of high-end indulgence and authentic, community-driven culture.
The Real Rainbow Row: A History Unlocked
The first thing every visitor does is snap a photo of the iconic, candy-colored homes of Rainbow Row on East Bay Street. But a true discovery in Charleston is learning about the city’s real rainbow legacy, which stretches back over 350 years.
Our immersion began with a WALK & TALK CHARLESTON tour that delves into the city’s deeper narrative, revealing the often-unacknowledged queer figures—from sailors to celebrated artists—who shaped the Lowcountry. The tour uncovers the “historic gossip” and stories that prove the LGBTQ+ community has been an essential and “ever-present” part of Charleston’s foundation.
Inspired by the book from historian and author Harlan Greene, The Real Rainbow Row Tour, uncovers the hidden lives, vibrant spaces, and powerful stories that have shaped the Lowcountry’s queer community over the centuries. Drawing on years of original research and personal oral histories, this tour brings to life the people and places too often left out of Charleston’s historical narrative. Join for a moving celebration of pride, identity, and truth in one of America’s most storied cities.
We enjoyed our walk, loved learning about the scandalous, murderous, exciting, partying, historic occurrences of the city. What a mix of information, characters, landmarks, pirates, and more. I would go back and do the same tour again as there was 2 hours of immersion into gay/queer history of Charleston.
Stay in Style
Charleston is a historic city, and in August, it was a hot one, too. After our tour above, we returned to our lovely corner room at our hotel to cool off, chill and relax. For a boutique stay that balanced history with modern flair, we chose to stay at The Ansonborough. Nestled in the city’s oldest planned suburb, the intimate hotel was a former stationer’s warehouse in 1901. This reimagined hotel is full of stories—rumor has it the neighborhood was won in a high-stakes card game, and today you’ll even find a hidden poker room behind a lobby bookcase.
Think exposed brick, mosaic tile, brushed gold accents, and a Rooftop Garden with stunning views of the Ravenel Bridge and the whole city, sunrises and sunsets, too. It’s intimate, chic, and quintessentially Charleston. The Scarborough & Squirrel Bar next to the lobby provides a lovely welcome bevvy. Parking, location, luxury,
The Pulse of the Modern Queer South
What truly defines Charleston today is its active, forward-looking queer community. Our trip included vital time connecting with local leaders, proving that the South is an essential hub for advocacy and joy, things that are more important now than ever.
In Charleston Heights, north of Charleston where the peninsula widens into the mainland, the queer community spirit is palpable. We spent an afternoon connecting with the heart of the community at the Pride Center offices, home to organizations like Charleston Pride, We Are Family, and AFFA.
And then there is Mollie Soto, President of Charleston Pride, a wonderful spirit to meet and she made us want to move to the North Charleston area for all of the great things she and the Charleston Pride, We Are Family were doing. We felt the energy, the growth of efforts to make North Charleston a great hub for the LGBTQ+ community. Thank you Mollie for all of your hard work! We learned that she started off as a Pride volunteer in 2015, built with relationships with Habitat for Humanity, so proud of the work with the city paper,
We popped around Charleston Heights and had a great lunch at Rebel Taqueria, a special crafted cocktail from the owner of the newest gay bar, Bar Polari (Brent and the drink were yummy), and some shopping at Closet Case Thrift Store. All of these energetic and welcoming spots made us wanted to stay longer and meet more and more people.
Polari, a form of slang that evolved into a kind of secret language, was used by various marginalized groups and popularized by the gay community in the 19th century. With this idea in mind, owner Brent Compagni created Bar Polari as an intimate setting where you and your friends or lovers can kick back and kiki with us. Tucked away on Reynolds Ave., Bar Polari is a special hideaway for the LGBTQ+ community in Charleston.
But Charleston Heights was just a stop (a very good gay one) on the way to Park Circle, a part of town that is basically a residential area shaped in a circle around a central park. Go here, enjoy yourself, meet more awesome people, and visit multiple breweries and shops along East Montague Ave. One afternoon was not enough to enjoy what the area had to offer.
But we were able to have a key conversation was with Pearce Fleming of Commonhouse Aleworks. The brewery is a perfect example of a modern, inclusive gathering space and is the driving force behind the renowned Park Circle Pride Festival—hailed as one of the most diverse Pride events in the South. This is where the city is evolving, offering a safe and vibrant atmosphere for everyone.
Sitting with Pearce, all of my nerves were exposed, my happy, excited, sad… all my emotions were hit by this straight man, phenomenal ally, wonderful human that has a love for the entire community, from supporting other businesses and breweries, from caring about others, and for bringing the house down and winning drag competitions year after year.
In 2020, Pearce Fleming and other organizers gathered a group of local business owners on the brewery’s patio to plan a Pride celebration. His personal catalyst was that he had patrons and good friends that happen to be LGBTQ+ that were making Park Circle home. Each business that attended chose an event(s) they want to host that suited their business. Over the years, this has grown into more than 50 events in Park Circle over 6 days. Read more at the PostandCourier,
In addition to the beer series, a portion of every Commonhouse beer is donated back to local community groups including Alliance For Full Acceptance, We Are Family, Camp Rise Above, Eunoia Rescue, Neighbors Together and more.
If you get to Commonhouse Aleworks and you see Pearce, just give him a big thank you, he’ll probably hug you, but just know you’ve met an amazing man that supports us, supports the Park Circle / LGBTQ+ / Human community. If I ever run into him again, he’s getting a hug. Funny story, after I left our chat, I realized I did not get a picture with him, but 2 weeks later, I ran into Pearce in Southern Maine at a Brewery. He got a big hug.
Lowcountry Indulgence: Where to Eat and Drink
Charleston demands indulgence, and the city’s dining and nightlife deliver on the promise of Southern hospitality.
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Brunch: You can’t start a Charleston Sunday without brunch, and Ruby Sunshine Cafe offers a high-energy, New Orleans-style experience with Southern-flair specialties like unique takes on Eggs Benedict.
Ruby Sunshine Cafe -
High-End Cocktails: For evening glamour, the Upper King Street neighborhood is the place to be. Bourbon N’ Bubbles is the area’s premier luxury bar and restaurant, known for its curated selection of champagne and bourbon and its vibrant, upscale atmosphere. We popped in for a late lunch, the gays were everywhere, and the staff was easy on the eyes. The tuna crudo and the gnocchi we had there were responsible for my taste buds happily exploding.The drinks were unique and pleasing.
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Just steps away, the intimate and stylish Lamar’s Sporting Club provides a polished, elevated setting for an evening of craft cocktails. What’s also is polished are their wieners. Yes wieners. Their hot dogs were a fun surprise in this wooden clad bar area. Selling dogs to well-dressed clientele with a side of pleasing libations, yes, see and be seen here with friends with a drink in one hand and your wiener the other.
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Sunset Views: No trip is complete without watching the sunset over the harbor. There are many rooftop bars and restaurants in town and we chose to go to the award-winning The Rooftop at The Vendue Inn as it is Charleston’s original rooftop bar, consistently voted #1, offering stunning views that truly cement the Holy City’s place in your memory. And from here, you can see why they call it the Holy City, it does have many many churches.
- Dudley’s on Ann – This has been the only gay bar option downtown since I’ve been coming to Charleston (there’s also Bar Polari mentioned above but it’s in Charleston Heights and not downtown). Dudley’s is a small bar, smaller than my 2 bedroom home, but it definitely packs them in. Drag shows draw the crowds on the weekends, which usually is at least three bachelorette parties. Listen, Charleston and Nashville are the Bachelorette Party Capitals of the US. The difference is Charleston has more churches so more come here to party AND get married. The bar was packed and the queens were getting heavily tipped by all the patrons. With the girls tipping generously and paying $10 a head at the door, I applauded that Dudley’s was packing the bachelorette parties and other guests in. Many of the bachelorettes left after the drag, the guys appeared from the back bar and patio area, and the club was hopping for the rest of the night. The staff was great, the crowd was fun, and it’s centrally located near all the other Charleston bars.
Lowcountry Gets High Marks
Charleston is a destination that delivers much more than its beautiful postcard faςade. It’s a city where Southern elegance meets a vibrant, deep-rooted queer history, now visible in a thriving modern community. From the luxurious comfort of The Ansonborough and the chic energy of Bourbon N’ Bubbles, to the meaningful work happening at the Pride Center and the welcoming embrace of Park Circle, Charleston offers an intoxicating blend of indulgence and authentic inclusivity. Ditch the idea that the South is slow to change—this Holy City is moving fast, serving up world-class cuisine and a community that proudly celebrates every shade of the rainbow.
