Things To Do In Charleston

If I haven’t told you all 6,542 times, I really enjoy traveling. Like really love seeing new places. I recently came back from a girls trip to Charleston and in a few days my little family and I are headed to Italy for mine and Eric’s 8 year anniversary trip.

I love traveling with my husband, and my kids, but there is something really special about a girls trip that is just good for the soul. I think as a mom it takes the pressure off of making sure your kids and family are having a good time and really allows you to just be yourself,  and gasp, relax! 

Even though we did a lot of walking on this trip, and saw as much as we could, in the short time we were there it didn’t feel rushed or overwhelming. 

Charleston is a great town to visit with so many good places to eat, shop, and explore. If I had to think of one word to describe it—charming is what comes to mind. And no, it’s not because of the show, which I actually don’t even watch. I loved the old cobblestone streets, churches, and original buildings. And somehow it all ties in together with a newer and trendier feel, like history meets hipster in a way.

Instead of giving you the play by play of our every waking hour, I’m going to highlight some of our favorite places that I would recommend. If you’re thinking about making a visit you can check them out and consider adding them to your itinerary.

I’ve never really been a person that says you have to try a certain place because I think everyone’s travel goals and tastes are different. I love finding guides or recommendations on Pinterest and then deciding what I want to add to my list. Much like the idea of this post. If this post is something you like and find beneficial then any shares would be much appreciated. Ok, enough about that, I’m sure you’re anxious to hear more about Charleston, so let’s get right into it!

1. FOOD

I’m going to start with food because we did so much eating and I wasn’t even mad about it. There are so many great places to choose from when it comes to options of where to eat and drink. The first day we were there, we got off the plane bright and early and headed to our Uber for the short 15-20 minute drive to town. We left our luggage where we were staying (Quarters on King) and headed to our reservation at Maganolias for brunch. I don’t think anyone was disappointed and we all left with full bellies and excitement to explore more. If you’re looking for a bit of an upscale atmosphere and enjoy seafood, I would recommend to check out High Cotton. The food was so fresh and absolutely delicious. For some quick bites and places to enjoy a few drinks, we had a good time at Poogan’s Smokehouse, and Closed For Business. If you’re looking for a good fried chicken sandwich I loved the one I got at Craftsman Kitchen, and if you enjoy rooftop spots with a view of the waterfront, than I would definitely recommend The Rooftop at Vendue.

2. WATERFRONT PARK

Speaking of views of the waterfront, if you have a chance to take a stroll down at waterfront park it’s a really pretty area with a pier, the famous pineapple fountain, and a few splash pads for the kids. I think we were all really amused when we saw a huge doggy living his best life sitting in the fountain with the water splashing on his back.

3. SHOPPING

If you’re looking to go shopping then heading to King Street is where you’ll find tons of cute boutiques and other well known retailers. Keep in mind that because they’re in a tourist area I happened to think the prices were higher and reflected that, but that’s really anywhere you go. If you get a chance to pop into Chubbies they will have a free beer waiting for you and a tiki bar that they ring you up at. Not to mention the retro swimsuits were really cute but this baby bod will not be fitting in any of those this summer.

4. BEACH TIME

Now if I were to come back here with my family I would more than likely look to stay at the beach and then travel into Charleston to eat or shop. We visited Folly Beach and my little beach loving heart got all giddy to put my toes in the sand and see the water. Although, seeing the water it didn’t look much different than what we see at the jersey shore, but that’s the Atlantic for you. We ate brunch at Lost Dog Cafe and that might have been one of my favorite meals on this trip. I got the crab and shrimp cakes benedict (it’s actually my picture up above the food section), and oh my word, delicious!

5. VISIT A PLANTATION

I had mixed feelings about this one because the back stories just break my heart. Aside from the history of them, they are beautiful grounds and so common in the south that we did make this apart of our trip.

6. GHOST TOUR

I really wasn’t sure what this was going to be all about because I’m not one to really believe in ghosts and get wrapped up in that stuff. A few of the girls on our trip had done them before and apparently Charleston is very well known for some lingering spirits. We did a walking tour and visited different areas and heard about the history of these spaces and then ended up in a graveyard at night. News flash, we didn’t encounter anything, but it was interesting and something I can say we did.

7. RAINBOW ROW

If you like finding “instagram worthy” spots to take pictures then you’ve probably already heard of rainbow row. It’s a cluster of historic houses on East Bay Street that boasts of bright colors and picturesque scenery. Now, I have to be honest, rainbow row was not exactly what I thought it was going to be like. You have to get creative with taking a picture to have it come out how you would like, and if you’re using a DSLR camera, I would recommend bringing a wide angle lens. It wasn’t a very busy street, but these are residential houses so there are cars parked and it’s not as open as I thought it would be. It was still fun to see and we did get our pictures 🙂

So what about you, have you ever been to Charleston before or is it a place you would consider visiting?