Travel- Charleston

I LOVE to travel and one of my favorite places to go is Charleston, SC.  We tend to go about once a year and typically it's only for a weekend.  Our first visit down together was right when Kevin and I started dating in 2009.  We returned to cheer on a buddy who took his basketball team to a tournament there a year later.  Kevin popped the question on a trip in 2012 and we took a return trip in 2013 for our Engagement Anniversary.  I've also been down on weekends with girlfriends in high school and even a trip in college.  After so many visits, I feel like I really know the city, so here are the highlights for an amazing weekend in "The Holy City", Chucktown!

Things to do:
Take in the beauty and history on a walk:
Walk over to the Market and check out all the vendors.

 

 From there walk down Meeting Street all the way to the Battery.  Just enjoy the old houses and churches.  Some of the gardens are open to the public, so you can pop in.

 

Once at the Battery, take a seat on a cannon (or a bench in the shade) and just enjoy the peacefulness that is Charleston.  You can barely make out Fort Sumter from here.

On the walk back, take East Battery street, which turns into East Bay street, so you can see Rainbow Row.  (These were brothels that sailors frequented back in the day, but now iconic as the pastel painted houses.)

If you turn right on Queen Street/Vendue Range, there's a great coffee/ice cream shop and a pier with swings.  We love to just sit and watch the dolphins here.  You'll probably see kids playing in the huge fountain or along Waterfront Park.

If you have time, take a trolley tour.  I recommend Palmetto Carriage in the big red barn.  The carriage lottery is a very unique one!  All tours stop to get the "bingo ball" with their route for the day.  No two tours are the same.  All carriage tours pick up just north of the Market.

If you're over that way, let's talk food!

Cru Cafe is just behind the horse barns on Pinckney Street.  It is SO GOOD!  I recommend the Chinese Chicken Salad and the Mac and Cheese.

Poogan's Porch is great for brunch, lunch or dinner.  I recommend the She Crab Soup and any of the low country cuisine.  (If they still offer a Blueberry Lemonade with Acai Blueberry flavored vodka, order it!  Amazing!)  It's just off Meeting Street near the Mills House hotel and is rumored to be haunted.  Look out for the old lady in the bathroom mirror if you dare to go!

Magnolias is an awesome place for dinner.  It's on East Bay Street two blocks down from the Market.  Kevin and I had our engagement dinner at Magnolias and it was amazing, plus the staff is so nice!  I would recommend the Pecan Crusted Chicken and the Filet.  Really great meal!

Other places I've eaten and haven't been disappointed:

Charleston Crab House

Tommy Codon's Restaurant

TBonz Gill and Grill

Hyman's Seafood

Virginia's on King (to-die-for brunch with unlimited mimosas)

39 Rue De Jean

Other eateries that are famed:

Husk

Coast

Toast

Fig

Halls Chophouse

82 Queen

The Macintosh

There are a million- you really can't go wrong.  If you want to eat and eat well, you're in the right spot!

Spend some time on King Street window shopping and jump over to the College of Charleston.  Their campus is BEAUTIFUL!  The courtyard off St. Philip Street at George Street is just THE BEST!  You can go in and sit and just enjoy!

Fort Sumter Tour:

Ferry rides pick up from Liberty Square right at the Aquarium in Charleston or in Mt. Pleasant at Patriots Point.  Plan to spend an hour touring the fort with additional time on the ferry to get there and back.  Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins on the ride.

Ghost Tours:

There are plenty of ghost tours as Charleston is home to many spirits.  The best ones start around the Market at dusk and take you on an hour and a half tour.  Prepare to be spooked.

Where to stay:

I've never had a problem finding a great place to stay in Charleston.  I've stayed at the Francis Marion twice and enjoyed both times.  It's a good location to be close to King Street and the College of Charleston.  My last stay there, they included $150 in coupons for restaurants, so we ate VERY well that weekend.

We stayed at the Andrew Pinckney Inn on the visit where we got engaged, so I'm partial to it.  Breakfast was provided each morning on the terrace and it was also a great location to be close to the Market and carriage tours.

I've also stayed in Mt. Pleasant at the Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina.  It was on a Groupon and was a GREAT deal and a relaxing stay.  They have a free trolley that drives into downtown Charleston almost every hour and drops you off near the Market.  This is especially helpful if you don't want to pay for parking in Charleston each day.

In addition, there's a strip of hotels on the Ashley River just outside of downtown Charleston.  I've stayed in a Howard Johnson there (it's now a Holiday Inn Express) and the Charleston Marriott.  Hotels here tend to be a little bit cheaper than downtown Charleston.

You can't go wrong with an Inn.  Drive into Charleston, park your car and start exploring.  Most Inns include a wine and cheese hour before dinner and may include complementary breakfast.

Other Must-Sees Near Charleston:

Magnolia Plantation is about 23 minutes North West of downtown.  Explore the house, the gardens, etc.  It's beautiful.

Angel Oak Park (with the largest and most iconic Oak tree) is about 23 minutes South West from downtown.  I've never seen it, but I've always wanted to.

My last bit of advise is to check out what's happening in Charleston before you book your trip.  Weekends where College of Charleston or the Citadel have Parent Weekends/Graduation, etc. are VERY busy!  They also have a food festival once or twice a year with top chefs and the Charleston Spoleto Festival is held each summer.  These festivals are GREAT to enjoy if that's how you're planning your trip.  However, if you plan to go to Charleston for quiet streets and peaceful wandering...maybe pick a different weekend.

For other posts on Charleston, check these out: Proposal Trip- 2012, Engagement Anniversary- 2013 and comment if you have any questions!