Did you know that Charleston, South Carolina is ranked as the #2 location for destination weddings? It's true!
I have been to Charleston three times now, Tony has been with me two of those trips.
You know the drill, below is a list of our "Tips & To-Do's" for any type of Charleston adventure.
Tips:
WALK EVERYWHERE- I am a huge advocate of walking as your mode of transportation when traveling to new places. This will ensure you'll be able to take all of the pictures you want, appreciate the architecture and maybe find a restaurant/shop or two that you wouldn't have seen if you're speeding by in an Uber.
AirBnB vs. Hotel- There are many 4+ star hotels in Historic Charleston, and there are also many AirBnB rentals that are usually $100 or cheaper a night. When choosing your accommodations be sure to look up the address and verify that it is closer to King Street, Market Street and/or Meeting Street. Staying close by these roadways will ensure you'll be in walking distance to mostly everything. For our most recent trip we stayed in the cutest AirBnB. It was a little bit further than walking distance from where we wanted to be, but as long as you're south of the Septima Clark Parkway you're golden! The rental we stayed in, appropriately named The Sun Nook, was a private room located on the bottom floor of a traditional Charlestonian two story duplex. Who can argue with $72 a night? Plus her two cats gave us all of the cuddles. On average our Uber fare from Market + Meeting Street was only $7.00
Plan your night out accordingly- If you ever find yourself wandering the streets of Historic Charleston at 3:00 am, it will be post-apocalypticly quiet. Not that I would know from personal experience...I've never walked barefoot back to the Charleston Place hotel with my friend Kelsey at 4:00am I don't know what you're talking about. Charleston is a Historic City, that being said, mostly all of the bars close at 1:00-2:00am.
To-Do's:
Restaurants
Halls Chophouse: Halls is my second favorite restaurant when it comes to dining experience. Havana Blue in St. Thomas is #1, which you may remember from the honeymoon blog post. Don't act like you didn't read that one I know you did. If you're itching for a delicious cooked-to-perfection steak, excellent service and an excuse to get dolled up, this is your spot. Not that you need an excuse to wear false lashes and heels, do your thing girl! Personally, I love their duck, it is the best I have ever had. Halls is booked at least a month in advance, which is the reason why I've only been once.
The Rarebit: Unfortunately, we didn't get to have lunch at the Rarebit last time we were in Charleston and I am still mad about it two months later. Just thinking about their chicken and waffles makes my mouth water. They serve breakfast all day and on weekends you can guarantee there will be a line out the door prior to opening. If waiting in lines for food isn't your style, trust me its worth it, you can always indulge in their happy hour Tuesdays through Fridays from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. They have Moscow mules for $5. FIVE DOLLARS Y'ALL.
Anson Restuarant: Every couple has their special getaway spot they run off to for a weekend away, Charleston has always been that for my aunt and uncle. So when they suggested we go to Anson with them one night I knew we'd be in good hands. The dim dining room was illuminated by Moravian star pendants. Yes I just googled "star shaped glass lights" to get the actual name of them. The drinks are strong and the booths are private. We were checked on a few times by the personable general manager who you would have thought was my dads long lost brother they way they were cracking jokes at one another.
Activities & Attractions
The Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon: If you're going to any type of historic tour I suggest the dungeon tour of the customs building. Not only will you learn the history behind the building itself but you'll leave with a plethora of Charleston knowledge. It is definitely worth the $10.00.
USS Yorktown: I know what you're thinking....and you're right, I didn't want to go on a tour of an aircraft carrier. I dislike guided tours just as much as the next person, so I was way too excited once we boarded and realized it wasn't a guides tour, it was more of a free for all. Tony and I explored through every level of the ship and it was AWESOME.
The Battery:
Imagine a street on the river front lined with breathtaking Historic mansions some being three or four stories high. Every time we visit Charleston we make a point to walk through Waterfront Park and continue on to East Battery admiring the architecture along the way.