Drove past them....missed them. Drove back...missed them again. Finally saw them and said, "Huh?" These same type houses (and colors) aren't necessarily unique. Perhaps there is something I am missing...it's a landmark for the street, at best. read more

I think Rainbow Row is worth taking a stroll down, especially on the way to the Waterfront Park. Different colored houses all in a row...good picture opportunity. In the winter the leaves on the trees are bright yellow...stunning! read more

if you like cottage row in pacific heights (sf), you will like rainbow row! take your time, and make your way to this set of beautiful, revolutionary war-era buildings, framed by gorgeous, colorful trees. it's unique, and really sums of the charming feel of charleston. it was especially lovely in the late afternoon. be sure to pay a visit to waterfront park nearby as well! read more

I was on a mission to find these rainbow houses, and actually drove by them once, parked, and walked by them a second time before I realized I had found them. It is cool once you see them, pretty colors and nice architecture. I think I was most excited that I was finally seeing in person the spot where so many lovely Instagram & Pinterest pictures had been captured. It isn't anything jaw dropping, and cars will likely be parked in your way preventing you from getting a really nice picture. Worth a look though, among all of the other interesting things downtown read more

This is said to be "the most photographed part of Charleston", but it is surprisingly difficult to photograph. It's almost impossible to get enough distance to get more than two of three houses in a shot, even with a fancy camera. AND it's on a busy street, so there are always cars zooming past. It's still an interesting thing to see, even if you can't immortalize it well in your photos. read more

Cute painted row of homes which apparently was the start of the restoration projects in the area. Definitely reminded me of Burano, Italy. Only four of the homes are required to maintain the same colors. read more

Not much to it but I'd recommend the walk or drive by on the historic sense. I enjoyed reading about not only rainbow row but all of the various homes nearby. It is also very close to beautiful battery and water. read more

Great place to see while you're in Charleston. It's quiet and the history and architecture is wonderful to look out. The thrill of it did not last that long after we arrived, but I'm glad I am now able to say I've been there and have pictures. If you're going to be in Charleston for any amount of time, make this a place you stop and see. read more

Rainbow Row is to Charleston what the "Painted Ladies" Victorian houses are to San Francisco -- charming, picturesque, and a bit of of pre-revolutionary style which colors this lovely city and gives it its unique and captivating character. This colorful, historic, and somewhat quirky stretch of thirteen 18th century houses are a pleasant and surprising sight to behold when strolling Charleston's famous Battery. To walk up East Battery/East Bay Street, lined with over-the-top mansions as beautiful and showy as fancy wedding cakes, to pass the lovely town houses and row houses once inhabited by wealthy plantation owners, merchants, and bankers,the colorful surprise of Rainbow Row is a delightful gift and will surely make you smile. Painted in an array of Caribbean inspired pastel hues, Rainbow Row is where historic preservation got its start in Charleston, and in America. Once waterfront shops and stores with living quarters on the upper floors that had, in the last century, fallen into disrepair, Rainbow Row is where sea captains, traders, townsfolk and pirates shopped, traded, and sold their goods. Now, thanks to the foresight of early preservationists, Rainbow Row has become one of the most photographed stretch of houses in the country, and a charming tribute to the beauty, grace and wit held by the many-faceted gem known as Charleston. For those that think Big Ben is just a clock, or that the Eiffel tower is simply a big erector set, then you won't understand Rainbow Row. For all the rest, stroll this lovely block of charm, history and stylish whimsy when you visit Charleston. Rainbow Row will make you smile. read more

Quaint doesn't begin to cover it. To me it's the best thing to see in Charleston, and it's free.

Beautiful historic homes. Pretty colors. Parked on the street and took some pictures. Enjoyed seeing this unusual part of Charleston. Would recommend to friends and family. read more

Entirely attractive and so very short. I wish it went on forever. Step across the street and set those cameras to panoramic view!

From the perspective of living in Charleston, I love the display of brightly colored homes along Rainbow Row. However, I demand our city find a better use of its roadways. We just can't seem to view this spectacular historical site as it should be, meaning one could gaze upon these antebellum structures without the entire bottom half always being blocked by a row of tightly packed metal, plastic and rubber. Every photograph in recent history has been smuggly ruined by our symbol of the twentieth century - the automobile. Hey, isn't there a parking garage around here somewhere!?! read more

Viewing the beautiful homes of this city was a treat. I do agree that knowing the history associated with them would be beneficial and add to the tour. I wish we had taken a carriage tour for that and to stay out of the heat. Definitely worth the trip and walk. read more

Cute set of row homes but honestly, the homes from the Battery up King Street are more charming. These kind of look like brightly painted condos. read more

Alway's enjoy taking a stroll down rainbow row anytime i'm in Charleston,SC and always attempting to get "the shot" that i really like but i typically don't actaully get the picture i really hoped for. Neat piece of history to walk by, Don't forget though you're looking at people's homes so don't get too nosey. read more

Colorfully painted old homes that have the Charleston flavor you imagine. Would be nice to be able to know a bit more of their history.

It's a definitely "must see" in Charleston, but it's difficult for amateur photographers to capture a good photo of it in its entirety due to the trees and the fact that it's a narrow street, so it's difficult to get a good angle of it with a camera. It's a "must take" picture, but as you can tell, I had trouble capturing it. This is probably more of a testament to my photographic capabilities (which are amateurish) than it is to the destination itself. Then again, I had ambitious desires to take photos worthy of a postcard. It's cool for all 2-3 minutes that you'll spend there, but that's about all you need. read more

Bring on your cameras to capture this amazing scene here. Must visit place when you came across Charleston. It's worth spending your few times here in discovering some historic part of this place. Very attractive and colorful homes, unusual houses you can find here. read more

Must do in Charleston. Love the colorful houses and uniquely Charleston vibes.

Being a local, I feel compelled to address the many reviews that indicate there is "nothing special" about Rainbow Row... "it's just a bunch of colored houses", etc etc. on to similar uneducated remarks. In fact, Rainbow Row in Charleston is special and not just a "row of old, different colored houses." How so? 1) Rainbow Row represents the longest cluster of intact Georgian row houses in the United States. 2) The rear facades and gardens of 93-101 East Bay were also used as a model for the original 1935 stage setting of George Gershwin and DuBose Heyward's opera, "Porgy and Bess." THE GERSHWINS' PORGY AND BESS is based on DuBose Heyward's novel "Porgy" and the play of the same name, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward. All three works deal with African American life in the fictitious Catfish Row (based on the real-life Rainbow Row) in Charleston, South Carolina, in the early 1920s. George Gershwin worked on Porgy and Bess in Charleston, SC. With minimal research on the internet, you can find a plethora of information providing the history behind this landmark in Charleston. "It is hard to imagine today that the houses in Charleston known as Rainbow Row were once the inspiration for the opera Porgy & Bess. This row of thirteen pastel homes, which were built in the 1700s, has had a very colorful history. Originally constructed by merchants as stores, with family dwellings on the upper levels, they were a part of a larger bustling commercial neighborhood. In 1778, however, there was a fire that distorted all but the buildings that remain today. In their heyday they had been the center of Charlestonian life, but after the devastation of the Civil War, the city of Charleston fell on hard times. This area suffered as well. The buildings, falling into disrepair, were in almost slum like conditions until the late 1930s. At that time the houses became known as Cabbage Row because the inhabitants, descendants of enslaved people, sold cabbages & other garden vegetables from their windows. It was this period in history that inspired the 1925 DuBose Heywardnovel Porgy. The book romanticized African American life in the fictitious neighborhood of Catfish Row, which was drawn almost entirely from Charleston's very real Cabbage Row. It was the musical adaptation of this novel that was the basis for the George Gershwinopera Porgy & Bess." read more

Cars EVERYWHERE. Always in pictures. No where to take good pictures besides middle of road. Staple of Charleston but a little over rated.

Went here on my first visit to Charleston, and what a cute pitstop for pictures! It is a series of brightly, rainbow-colored houses. The houses also have cute flowers surrounding the windows, making close-up shots valuable as well. It is difficult to capture all the houses in one shot, and it is often laden with tourists, but definitely worth checking out while strolling around Charleston. Not a far walk to the water either! read more