History, charm, old homes, horse drawn carriages, southern class.. A few things come to mind when you think of Charleston, SC. I’d never been before this last weekend. My sister turned 21 last week, and I figured this would be a great little getaway for us to get out of town and explore this beautiful town. The trip was a little spontaneous. So ignoring my usual planner tendencies, I decided to simply book a hotel and play the rest by ear. After all, Ally had been multiple times and knew her way around a bit which helped out a lot.
Me & the little birthday beauty:
Where to Stay:
When trying to book, Charleston is basically separated into a few different districts. There’s northern Charleston (near the airport), the downtown historic district, the Charleston riverview, and Mt. Pleasant. To me all these areas looked a little spread out on a map, but none are really that far away from the other. I would recommend either the historic district or Mt. Pleasant. Although you might not have to worry about being close to all the Charleston sights and parking is not a concern, the downfall with the historic district is that it is crazy expensive. We ended up staying in Mt. Pleasant, right across the bridge. I felt like this was the perfect option since it is still only 5-10 minutes from downtown, and about 10 minutes from the beach, both of which we were planning on visiting. There are also a lot of shops and restaurants around the area. It was a lot cheaper than staying downtown. If you’re like me and would rather spend your money on activities or food/ drinks, and know you’ll only be at the hotel to sleep, this is definitely the way to go.
Night 1:
The agenda: dinner, ghost tour, and drinks
I know everyone says Hyman’s is a tourist trap, and to each their own, but I thoroughly enjoyed my experience there. Located in the historic downtown, within just a couple of minutes walk from the market, this famous seafood restaurant did not disappoint. Many celebrities have visited this restaurant, and each table has plaques that say which ones ate there. Our table was Lynyrd Skynyrd and Billy Joel. 🙂 They have a variety of seafood you can get prepared and seasoned different ways. I ended up getting crawfish and carribean jerk shrimp with fried okra. They also give you boiled peanuts and hushpuppies.
Charleston is supposed to be the one of the most haunted cities in America, so we felt like a ghost tour was a necessity. We took the Jail Tour from Bulldog Tours. It’s about a 10 minute walk from the Bulldog Tour building to the jail, so we ended up doing walking and seeing some of Charleston that way since it was my first night there. For the tour, you get to go in South Carolina’s oldest jail. The guide discussed the history there, and took you in the jail which has no electricity. You’re allowed to take flash photography in the building to catch sightings of orbs. There is a level of creepiness that I feel like haunted tours in different cities could not deliver. There is nothing phony about the tour. The tour guide discussed ghost stories and the real lives of the people who lived in the jail. It was both historical and scary. We spent a good amount of time in the jail.
When we were done with the tour, we still weren’t ready to call it a night so we went to Henry’s, which is right beside the market. It is a 2 level historic building, with a rooftop bar on the top. $10 cover charge to get in. I loved the atmosphere here. The lower level has a very large bar. It was a more chill vibe. Then, you go up to the second floor where there is a classy feel, swinging chandeliers, and a live band with dancing. The rooftop bar is relaxing yet swanky. It is lined with lights, candelights, and mirrors. The view is honestly not that wonderful, but it is a great atmosphere to enjoy a few jack and cokes. I wish every town had a place like Henry’s.
Day/ Night 2:
Agenda: Beach, Rainbow Row, downtown, dinner
There are 3 main beaches located off of Charleston: Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island, and Folly Beach. We decided to go to Isle of Palms. Parking is right off the beach and is $1.50 per hour. There’s also a row of restaurants and shops along the beach. I felt like this was honestly a perfect beach experience. The beach is beautiful and clean, had the right amount of people, and is not “touristy” like some other beaches around the southeast. You won’t find any hotels right on the beach like a lot of places! Beach access is easy with a few ramps that lead you onto the beach. The houses going down the beach are a must-see, as well. Beautiful.
Later that afternoon, we ended up going back downtown. Parking is not as awful as it is in a lot of cities, but it can also be difficult during busy times. Take my advice and go with someone who knows how to parallel park. haha I struggle with this, but thankfully my sister has it down. She probably saved us $15 by just being able to find places to parallel park. Other lots charge around $10 to park. Parking near the square can be more expensive and charge by every 30 minutes.
Rainbow Row, which is a row of colorful historic houses located along Charleston’s harbor, was our first stop. You can park along the seawall and walk around this stretch of town. There are so many beautiful homes with a variety of different architecture. Take a walk and take in the sweet aroma of Charleston, which comes from confederate jasmine, the flower that lines some of the city walls. This was one of my favorite things we did in Charleston.
For dinner, we wanted something a little more classy and upscale. We decided to take a bicycle taxi ($11 and saved us a 15 minute walk from the market) to the Darling Oyster Bar. While I don’t feel like taking a bicycle taxi is a must-do, it was a fun little ride that I’m glad we did. Buddy, our cyclist, gave us nice pointers for some of the nightlife around the area while we were en route.
The Darling Oyster, located on King Street with refined shops, had an upscale atmosphere (almost everyone was dressed in classy black). They have the best cocktail I have ever had! Their sherry colada ($9) is a mix of coconut, pineapple, and sherry, topped with a little bit of nutmeg. The sister and I had never tried oysters, so we figured we would try out their raw bar and get a couple of oysters but also play it safe and get burgers. We ended up actually really liking the oysters. We were also very pleased with the burgers! Fries were amazing!
Day 3:
Agenda: Breakfast, market, carriage tour
My sister has raved about Sea Biscuit Cafe, her Charleston go-to for breakfast, for years now, so of course she had to go. She made a good call! This was a busy little place, but they seated people surprisingly quickly. They have a variety of breakfast food. I ended up getting the house special: 2 eggs, home-style fries, and biscuits. My sister likes this place so much she got both french toast and an omelette.
Our next stop was the market. The market is a historic market and is open every day year round. It mostly has craft, art, and jewelry vendors inside. It is really nice to see all of the handmade goods that people are artistic enough to make. If you are looking for cheaper/ more souvenir like goods, there are shops on the outside of the market where you are sure to find whatever it may be you’re looking for.
Our final activity in Charleston was a historic carriage tour. We debated on doing this since we were already so badly sunburned from the beach the day before, but I’m so glad we did. For a city with so much history, you are missing out on a lot if you skip one of these tours. It ended up being my favorite part of the trip. There are a few companies you can book through, but we went with Palmetto Carriage Works. All the guides have to take a written test on the history of the city to be a guide, so they know their stuff.. I felt like I learned so much on the tour, and it only makes me appreciate this beautiful town more. The carriage ride was also enjoyable as it was humid that day and provided a nice breeze. The tour lasts and hour. It is $25 per person, and was the best $25 I spent.
In conclusion..
I hands-down love this town. If Charleston was a person, I would marry it. haha But seriously.. It is about as perfect as a city as you can get! (Sorry this post was a little picture heavy, but it is a city worthy of being heavily photographed! ) There are a ton of recommendations and suggestions I received via social media during my trip, which unfortunately I was unable to do. All in all, I felt like I had a pretty complete weekend, but since it is only a few hours away, I know many more trips there will be made with many new adventures each time.
Fun travels, friends!
Brittany
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