Charleston, South Carolina Travel Guide
Hey, y’all! It has been a whirlwind of a summer for us already (is it even officially summer, yet?!) and we were fortunate enough to spend some time traveling for my birthday in May. After a couple weeks at our family’s home in Florida we drove to Charleston, South Carolina for a long birthday weekend. We had never visited before and it was such a treat to discover the city together! After sharing the trip on Instagram in real time, I got some requests to share the details of our trip and any recommendations for those of you traveling there later this year. Below is a breakdown of all the details of our 4 day vacation in this cutie little town!
Where We Stayed
We visited during Memorial Day weekend, but we booked our stay at Kings Courtyard Inn and loved it! Wrigley tagged along for the trip and they were so accommodating with being pet-friendly. Our room was in the old carriage house of the building and so cute! The inn was built in 1853 on one of the most iconic and historic streets in Charleston - King Street - and is one of the oldest buildings on said street. Its charming hospitality and three courtyards give a romantic and picturesque experience for guests. We chose to eat out each morning/afternoon, but the hotel offers free Wi-Fi, continental breakfast, and cocktail hour each night.
Located steps from some of the most infamous restaurants, shops, and locations in historic Charleston, the location was perfect! We ended up walking pretty much everywhere and thought the location of the hotel was ideal. Since it was a holiday weekend we paid a bit more for the room rate, but overall our experience was awesome and we loved staying here!
Other Hotels (based on recommendations and reviews online - we haven’t stayed here):
The Restoration
Emeline
Hotel Bennett
The Mills House Wyndham Hotel
Hotel Bella Grace
The Beach Club at Charleston Harbor
The French Quarter Inn
The Spectator Hotel
Charleston Eats
I feel like all we did this trip was eat, eat, and eat some more. Charleston did not disappoint on the food front! Here are some of our favorites from our trip:
Drinks/Cocktail Hour
Bourbon and Bubbles: $$-$$$
This was one of the highlights of our trip. If y’all know me personally or have read the tagline of the blog, you know I LOVE champagne and prosecco. When I was looking at places to celebrate my birthday that had a champagne focus, this place immediately popped up. The best part? Kollin enjoyed it just as much, if not more than I did. He is a huge bourbon lover and this chic and modern restaurant and bar combined both of our favorite drinks in one spot. We stopped in before dinner and immediately loved the ambiance and vibe. We each ordered a flight (champagne for me and bourbon for Kollin: half off during happy hour!) and the crab dip to start. Y’all - it was incredible. Kollin, of course, befriended the bartender and they bonded over a bourbon he had yet to try and ended up ordering and loved while I stuffed my face with crab dip and Veuve Cliquot. Needless to say, we were in our happy place. A must-try if you are in town and enjoy either beverage! They have a fully stocked bar if you’re looking for something else too, but from the looks of post-dinner time and their Instagram, they have a good time there.
Elevé: $$-$$$
We walked here for dinner one night and loved the rooftop vibe! It was very chic and romantic. It was a Friday night and it was a popular spot so we didn’t get a seat outside, but from our table, by the bar, we still had a great view. We both ordered a drink (sparkling rosé for me and The Wentworth for Kollin - both we recommend!) and watched the sun go down and waited for dinner to arrive. I had the burger (it was great) and Kollin had the catch of the day special (personally, not a fish girl, but he loved it). Everything was excellent and we can’t wait to go back and grab a drink on the rooftop!
Carmella’s Cafe & Dessert Bar: $-$$
We stopped in here to grab dessert one night and realized it was a full bar as well! Honestly, I don’t know why more people haven’t brought this concept to life - it is genius! Hot tip: if you check out the menu prior to visiting and order online you won’t have to wait in line. It’s very popular so you could be waiting a while. Our first time there (yes we went multiple times LOL), we grabbed a cannoli and walked down toward the water to watch the sunset. They have everything from cakes, key lime pie, milkshakes, and specialty drinks. With seating indoors and outside, it is such a cute spot for a drink and sweet snack no matter the time of day.
We had one night with no reservations and a friend shared this spot with us a place to check out for a rooftop view. I’m not going to lie - it was pretty packed and the service wasn’t the best because of it, but we liked the drinks and it was a fun vibe. It had a nice view and we heard the food is good - it looked good from what we saw too! We ended up having dinner later that night somewhere else (that I won’t name because it was a fail), but from what we saw and reviews, we should’ve stayed at Vendue! They do not take reservations so be sure to account for time when visiting as you might have to wait out a spot. I ordered the strawberry basil lemonade and Kollin had the Red Moon Margarita. Both were good and we said we’d come back again!
Restaurants
Husk: $$-$$$
When we decided to visit Charleston, we both knew this would be a part of the plan. The restaurant started in Savannah, GA, and expanded to Charleston and Nashville. We’d been to the location in Nashville and LOVED it so we knew we wanted to try it here. A month before visiting we called and they were fully booked. The night we arrived we called on a whim and they had a reservation first thing the next morning for brunch! It was definitely the best meal we had in town- everything was incredible. Their menu changes almost daily, but they have a few staples that remain on the menu. We ordered the ribs, donuts, the burger, and the fried chicken. Everything was amazing and the cocktails were outstanding too! Highly recommend the Light Dragoon’s Punch - it comes from a recipe made in 1792 that was found in the archives of the preservation society of Charleston. It was delicious.
Aw Shucks Seafood: $-$$
Located steps from our hotel, we came here one night wanting something casual. You order at the counter and they bring everything out to you. Kollin had the oysters and grouper tacos and I had shrimp tacos and the frosé. Everything was so delicious and so fresh. I’m not sure if this is just the night we were there or the holiday weekend, but they closed at 7 pm so be sure to check that out if going!
Magnolia’s: $$$
We came here for my birthday dinner and it was everything we wanted and more! Described as upscale southern, the traditional southern dishes did not disappoint. Everything was cooked to perfection and it was the home-cooked, heart-warming cooking you look for in the South. We ate here on our last night in town and it was the perfect way to end the trip. We ordered the fried mac and cheese to start, I had the Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Kollin had the Grouper Special (can you tell he likes Grouper lol). We ended the night with a little birthday dessert they prepared for me (so nice!) and champagne, of course. If you’re celebrating something special or looking for a quaint and picturesque meal in one of Charleston’s most notable restaurants, you need to try Magnolia’s.
Callie’s Hot Little Biscuits: $-$$
This recommendation came from a friend on Instagram and I’m SO glad we went here on the morning of my birthday. Known for their incredible biscuits, we ordered a biscuit sandwich and biscuits and gravy. Kollin told them it was my birthday and they gave me a special birthday biscuit with icing and sprinkles - it was SO good! I think this was one of Kollin’s favorite spots because he asked that we go here again before driving back to Nashville the following morning. Again, it did not disappoint. They have specials that change all the time so be sure to try them and even grab some biscuit mix to take home! Be prepared to wait in line for a bit - it is very popular.
Other spots to try:
The Ordinary: $$$ - check out if you love seafood.
Poogan’s Porch: $$ - another spot we didn’t get to try but came highly recommended. We had reservations and then got behind so we had to cancel. Definitely on our list when we go back.
167 Raw: $$-$$$ - they don’t take reservations and based on what we saw it is one of the most popular spots in Charleston. We didn’t make it there, but it came highly recommended from readers and friends.
Circa 1886: $$$$ - low country cuisine, fine dining.
Butcher & Bee: $$ - we’ve been to the Nashville location and really enjoyed it. The whipped feta is incredible.
Prohibition: $$ - rustic-chic American menu with jazz-themed ambiance.
Le Farfalle: $$ - Italian menu and laid-back environment. Great reviews and date night vibe.
Sights to See
Charleston is a very walkable city so if you’re up for it I highly recommend just walking around to see what is around you. Like I mentioned earlier, we stayed in the historic district so most of what we did was in that area. We walked around King Street and did some shopping, walked to the water and saw the infamous Pineapple Fountain, and also ventured over toward Rainbow Row.
Some highly recommended sights to see:
Rainbow Row
Waterfront Park - Pineapple Fountain
Charleston City Market
Fort Sumner (accessible by boat)
South Carolina Aquarium
Ravenel Bridge
Gibbes Museum of Art
The Charleston Museum
Halsey Institute of Modern Art (College of Charleston)
Charleston is a very old, but charming city, and admiring the architecture, homes, and the colorful landscape was one of my favorite parts of the trip. As you walk around you’ll see several tours taking place. There are walking tours, horse carriage tours, trolley tours, ghost tours, and some I probably don’t even know about. My recommendation would be to skip these and just discover the city on your own. We loved walking around and just turning the corner to read about a church from the 1700s or the home of the first Attorney General of South Carolina rather than having a tour guide. That is our personal preference, but if you’re looking for a formal tour check with your hotel for recommendations.
There are several museums in Charleston, but the ones that came recommended to us are the Gibbes Museum and the Halsey Institute of Modern Art. Be sure to check schedules for when they are open as the open and close times threw us a little bit. If you have kids with you, the Aquarium came highly recommended.
Our last two days in town we ended up spending at the beach. While shopping we asked the associates their favorite spots and they recommended Sullivan’s Island. We prefer a quieter beach so we opted for Sullivan’s Island rather than the more well-known tourist beach, Folly Beach. Sullivan’s Island and Isle of Palms are located about 25 minutes from Charleston and a much more laid-back, secluded vibe. A couple of things to keep in mind: Alcohol is prohibited there (and most beaches) and you can get fined pretty heavily if you have it. We actually saw a couple get written up while there. The police confiscated the alcohol and gave them a citation. They looked well over 21 and I’m not sure if this is just because it was Memorial Day, but either way, it was kind of a buzz kill (literally) - locals, if you know please weigh in on non-holiday times! We also realized that dogs have specific times they can be on the beach and not so be sure to read up on the guidelines before going if bringing a pet.
Other than the rules, we had a really nice time there and loved the beach. When we go back I think we will end up staying on Sullivan’s Island in an Airbnb or something rather than a hotel. The homes there are stunning and would be so fun for a group or bachelorette!
Things to Keep in Mind
I’ve heard it is actually quicker to get some places by boat than a car. If you’re looking to go off the peninsula, then check out water taxis or private charter, especially to Kiawah Island, Isle of Palms, or John’s Island.
Parking wasn’t too bad. Coming from Chicago, I was thinking it would be a nightmare, but overall we didn’t have issues with parking, and being a tourist town, they do it pretty well.
Footwear - y’all know I’m all about a fabulous shoe - but if you’re walking as much as we did keep this in mind. You want something not only comfortable but durable. Charleston is old and sorry to say, dirty. My feet when wearing sandals got pretty dirty from walking around everywhere.
Reservations are a must if you can - we went during a pretty popular holiday, but having reservations set up in advance will help you from having to scramble to find dinner plans. We actually were pretty amazed at how early everything closed here and the random days of the week that things were not open. Be sure to check the dates and times for restaurants and attractions for your visit. Charleston definitely has a sleepier feel and closes down earlier than we anticipated.
Thanks so much for reading! If you’re planning on making a trip to Charleston, I hope this helps in some way! We can’t wait to go back and visit again to update this list! If you’ve been comment your favorite spots below!