Charleston in Three Days
| morning bike ride in the historic district |
This blog post is bittersweet for me. I’m back from my girlfriend’s getaway in Charleston (boo!) but I couldn’t wait to blog about it (yay!). I’ve had so much fun going through all the images of our trip. It was my second time there, but the first for others, so we did a mix of touristy things, shopping, and a lot of eating. Charleston has developed a reputation for amazing cuisine and they did not disappoint us. I kept a food diary of all places we had lunch and dinner and what I ate. Later this week I will write a Charleston Restaurant Guide. We couldn’t possibly go to all the places that we got recommendations for, nevertheless, I will include suggestions from people who have dined around Charleston (they are foodies like me and I trust their taste).
Sooooo, during lunch several months ago, three girlfriends and I decided to take a brief escape from our day-t0-day lives to immerse ourselves in the delightful charm of Charleston, South Carolina. We compared calendars and made a quick decision on the dates, booked the flights and hotel and started counting the days. We arrived in time for lunch last Thursday and left on Sunday afternoon. That gave us three full days to explore Charleston, and it was the ideal length of time. The historic area of Charleston is totally doable in a few days. We were able to get in all the “must see and do” places on our list, but in a laid back pace. We had a relaxing schedule that allowed us to see the sights, but also made us feel like we were on vacation.
Charleston in Three Days
First of all, Charleston is pure eye candy! It is a picturesque city that is steeped in history that goes back for centuries. The architecture was truly breathtaking and many homes had window boxes with gorgeous flowers spilling out of them. I couldn’t stop taking photos, one was more beautiful than the next. I was so captivated by the window boxes that I will dedicate a separate blog post called Flowering Window Boxes of Charleston. Before I get to that, I’m going to give you my best recommendations on what to do when in Charleston for three days. I am no means an expert in the area, but our itinerary was spot-on. I am sharing where we stayed and some highlights of what we did. I took several hundred photos, it was hard to pick my favorites. Enjoy!
Day 1: Agenda
- Check in to the Dewberry Hotel
- Lunch at Henrietta’s (Dewberry’s in house restaurant)
- Bike Taxi to Charleston City Market for strolling and shopping – be sure to stop by one of the Sweetgrass Basket stands!
- Dinner at Hank’s Seafood
| The Dewberry, I could not recommend this hotel more highly |
| entrance to the courtyard |
| a pretty gate leading into an enclosed patio used for events and weddings |
| planter outside The Dewberry |
| my luxurious bed packed with comfy pillows and ultra soft bedding |
| sleek and modern bathroom with all the amenities |
| hand-crafted Sweetgrass baskets, bowls, platters, hats, and roses in City Market |
| Hank’s Seafood Restaurant, everything on the menu is delicious |
Day 2: Agenda
- Power walk in the Historic District and breakfast at the Dewberry
- 10:00am Historical Tour provided by local resident and Charleston history expert, Gus Smythe
- Lunch at S.N.O.B. (Slightly North of Broad)
- Middleton Place Plantation for a guided house tour and then a self-guided walking tour of the property (their website is down for some reason, so I am linking to Wikipedia for information)
- Dinner at The Charleston Grill
| Gus took us into one of the many churches in Charleston, aka The Holy City |
| a serene private garden |
| one of the many beautiful homes with flowers |
| loved this clever way to add flowers to a home with no room for a window box |
| S.N.O.B. Slightly North of Broad restaurant |
| Middleton Place |
| loved this tree on the edge of a pond at Middleton Place |
| statue at Middleton Place |
| dinner at the Charleston Grill |
Day 3: Agenda
- Power walk in the Historic District and breakfast at the Dewberry
- Liquid Lunch at Smoothie King on King Street
- Shopping on King Street
- Dinner at Poogan’s Porch
- After dinner drinks at Vendue’s The Rooftop Bar
| wish I bought this ponytail holder (sigh) |
| one guess |
| this is a frog that I wouldn’t mind kissing |
| one of the stores that I wanted to visit |
| view from our table at Poogan’s Porch |
| biscuits at Poogan’s Porch |
| so many delicious things to choose from! |
| Poogan’s Porch is located in a renovated home |
| the cypress as seen from The Rooftop bar |
Day 4: Agenda
- Strolling in Charleston’s Historic District
- Gospel Brunch at Hall’s Chophouse
- POUNCE Cat Cafe for wine and cat watching
| the Gospel singers at Hall’s chophouse draw crowds every Sunday |
| Pounce, a cat cafe |
| how cute is this street sign |
| one of the patrons getting some kitty love |
| one of many sweet cats looking to be adopted, visit POUNCE for more information |