A few weeks back the Big Sweet and I enjoyed a 48 hour escape to the great city of Charleston, South Carolina. While we had been several times before, it was for weddings and we had never been able to enjoy the city without an agenda. It really is the most charming town oozing with history and southern charm. I tried to capture the highlights of our Charleston weekend getaway below so you can plan your own trip. (But let me know when you are going, because I want to go back A.S.A.P.!)
What we did?
Well, we basically ate our way through the city. We actually counted and we managed to get our grub on at 10 different restaurants in the 48 hours we were there. #dontjudge I will break down our favorite restaurant spots below but let me tell you- go ahead and pack your stretchy pants. Aside from stuffing our faces, we did manage to pack in lots of other fun activities in our 48 hours. The highlights for me included a walking history tour, shopping in the Market, a trip to Sullivan’s Island and renting bikes to explore the city.
Walking History Tour- Originally I had my heart set on a private carriage ride tour but our hotel concierge recommended Ed Macy for a walking tour instead. I am so glad we took his recommendation, it was fantastic.
He was a great story teller and as a born and bred Charlestonian his love of the city was infectious. Of course, lovely window boxes at every corner helps too.
He had some really interesting tid-bits and I learned so much about the 300 year history of this city through this 1.5 hour tour. It was definitely a great value- I think $20-25 a person or so. The tour is offered on Saturday mid mornings. I heard he also offered a Ghost Tour which is on the list for our next visit!
City Market- Between breakfast and the walking tour we spent an hour perusing the City Market. Most of it is stuff you would not actually want to buy but it’s a great way to blow a leisurely hour right in the center of the action if you have some extra time.
Sullivan’s Island- On Saturday afternoon we got an Uber (we didn’t rent a car and walked or Ubered everywhere) out to Sullivan’s Island- one of the local beach areas- which was about a 15-20 minute ride. Here is a snap of some marsh land you see along the way.
I loved having a couple hours to relax in the sand. There were lots of College of Charleston students hanging on the beach and it was fun to do some people watching.
Bike Rentals- On Sunday morning we decided to rent bikes to explore the city on our own. We found bikes from B’s Bikes on Meeting Street (get them early because he was almost out by the time we got there).
It was really fun to cruise around The Battery and check out the houses and neighborhoods off the beaten path.
Then we got the wild hair to take the bikes over the Ravenal Bridge. It was good to work off some of the calories I had consumed over the weekend! Speaking of calories…
Where we ate?
As soon as we dropped our luggage at the hotel, we walked over to Husk for drinks and appetizers. We were not able to get a reservation in advance but it was love at first sight when we walked up. I mean COME ON – LOOK AT THIS PLACE!
The bar is in a separate building and I immediately fell in love with it’s quaintness and vibe.
After Husk, we had a couple hours to blow before our dinner reservation so we went to Vendue Rooftop. It’s a bit of a “scene” (pretty sure there were three bachelorette parties around us) but the views are really hard to beat and we found a great rooftop table to enjoy the panoramic views.
From there, we ate dinner at The MacIntosh. Delish!
Saturday morning we were up bright and early to grab some breakfast at Hominy Grill- which came highly recommended. (locals tip- the restaurant opens at 9, but show up at 8:45 to get seated without a wait!) Honestly, it was good, but not our favorite. The menu was just a little too quirky and what can I say- we like our classic breakfast dishes.
For lunch on Saturday we went to SNOB – also known as Slightly North of Broad. Ah-mazing. Definitely get a reservation before as there was a long wait while we sat right down.
After lunch, we scooted out to Sullivan’s Island and of course, we got hungry. So we hopped into Poes which is a local dive bar, but it was PACKED. So we wandered down to Obstinate Daughter and had some jalapeno margaritas and seafood. I loved the coastal weathered decor almost as much as the oysters and peel and eat shrimp.
After we left the beach we went back to our hotel and got cleaned up. Oh did you think the Obstinate Daughter was dinner? Hey, we were just hungry after a couple hours on the beach. We had dinner at Cypress on Saturday night. Their cheese and charceuterie plate was tasty and it is a more modern southern feel than some of the other places.
For breakfast on Sunday we ate at High Cotton. This is one of our go-to spots and it did not disappoint. It feels like an old southern home and there was live jazz for Sunday brunch.
After breakfast we did the bike tour and headed back to the hotel. We grabbed our bags from the hotel and called an Uber to take us out to Shem’s Creek in Mount Pleasant for some fried seafood. This little landing is right over the bridge and super casual which fit the bill perfectly to send us off to the airport.
What I wore?
We got really lucky and the weather was perfect. I felt like the AC was on with a nice breeze, but I know it can get hot and humid.
shorts | white button down | book based on Charleston | Bag
Where we stayed?
Since the Big Sweet travels quite a bit for work, he manages to rack up some Marriott rewards points. We originally had our eyes set on the Grand Bohemian, but then free sounded a lot better than not free so we ended up cashing in some points and staying at the Courtyard Marriott. The location was great, the rooms were good and the hotel concierge was on-point with recommendations and lining us up reservations.
Overall it was a great weekend and I would highly recommend a Charleston weekend getaway to anyone that will listen. We enjoyed some quality time together but did have some very heated discussions while we were there…
…we never could quite agree on whether we should retire to the beaches in Charleston or the downtown area…
The jury is still out. 🙂
book | shorts | shirt (similar)
Until our next Charleston weekend getaway!
xoxo-
Heather
I love Charleston. You have given me lots of great ideas of where to go next time. Thanks!
Ha ha, i think we ate at pretty much every possible eating establishment within 50 miles 🙂
Your wonderful post has definitely intrigued & inspired me! I now have Charleston on my bucket list! We don’t live too far, so perhaps we will be making a short trip or long trip (hope) to it soon! Everything looks so great!
Yes, it is definitely worth the trip. I have heard it can HOT in the summer but still would be a great place to visit anytime!
I want to go and visit as I love all beaches and most seafood! Especially sitting by the water!
Heather, Just found your post through 11 Magnolia Lane. We were in Charleston for the first time the week before Memorial weekend. I wrote about our trip on my blog, too. We ate at some of the same places, drank at the same Rooftop, and I bought the same Very Chrleston book. Great minds think alike!