Charleston Suggestions

We have been asked countless times for recommendations in Charleston. Granted, neither of us live there (although Todd used to live there) but we have both been there more times than we could ever count so I'd say we've got a pretty good handle on the to-do's and must-see's of the best city in America. If you've got a favorite in Charleston that we didn't mention here, please leave us a comment! We would love to keep them all together to help anyone who might be planning a trip.

*Note: Almost everything we suggest is located right downtown (which is where you want to be) unless otherwise noted (like the plantations). The marker on the map is historic downtown.


Where to stay:

Charleston Place: If you want to go all out on your trip to Charleston, there is no better hotel than Charleston place. It is in the middle of historic downtown which allows you to park your car when you arrive and not need it again until you leave- you can walk absolutely everywhere from this hotel and that in itself makes it worth the price. Their Palmetto Cafe restaurant (located in the lobby) is open for breakfast. They have french press coffee, a great buffet, and a full menu. I like the convenience of having a place to get breakfast right in my hotel before I leave for the day. I suggest you get a table in the courtyard if the weather is nice. Charleston Place also has several nice stores connected too.

Courtyard by Marriott I am fairly certain this used to be a Holiday Inn...at least it was the few times that I have stayed there. I am not high maintenance when it comes to hotels. As long as it's clean and they don't rent rooms by the hour, I'm usually okay with it. I would rather eat at a good restaurant or take more tours than stay in the best hotel in town. It is more affordable than Charleston Place however, it's a few blocks away from the heart of the historic district. There are several pay-by-the-hour parking lots downtown so it's fairly easy to just get yourself a little closer by car in order to walk around for the day. It is very nice and you'd probably even forget you were staying at a Holiday Inn (which I guess is why it's a Courtyard now).

Hampton Inn Historic District Disclaimer here: I have never personally stayed at this hotel but I have several friends who have and they highly recommend it. It is a little closer to the center of downtown than the Holiday Inn/Marriott but still affordable and nice.

Regardless of the number of people going, Todd's suggests you look on VRBO which will likely be less expensive and much nicer than renting a hotel room. There are places listed downtown, at the beach and even outside of town -- there's something for any preference.
And if you want a true resort, it doesn't get much better than The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island. It's pricey but you definitely get what you pay for (I have only stayed there once). It's about a 30 minute or so drive to downtown Charleston but it's right on the beach.

There are countless charming inns downtown and I'm sure you can't go wrong with any of them. I haven't personally stayed at any of them. In my opinion, you don't go on vacation to stay in your hotel room so why not pick somewhere affordable and spend the money you save on additional tours and fried chicken!

Where to eat good southern food:
Magnolia's Start with the arugula, pear and goat cheese salad (it's comes with a whole sugared pear!) and have the fried chicken as your main course. It comes with mashed potatoes, creamed corn, and collards on the side. It is probably one of my all-time favorite meals. You should make a reservation because they get busy fast and you'll be waiting for a table all night. They are also open for brunch on Sunday if you don't make it in for dinner. (Magnolia's sister restaurant Blossom is also good but I cannot recommend Cypress.)

Jestine's Kitchen This is your classic, casual, down home cookin'. And they bring you housemade pickles to start with! People start lining up outside before they even open so get there early.

The Wreck at Shem Creek Another disclaimer: I have never been to The Wreck but I have heard countless great things about it. It's a little off the beaten path and not downtown but is rumored to be well worth the trek over the bridge to Mount Pleasant.

Poogan's Porch and Acme Cantina are two of Todd's favorite brunch spots.

Southend Brewery If you like microbreweries, Todd is a fan of Southend. The building is beautiful and they were rated #1 microbrewery in the south.

Hominy Grill Another good southern restaurant that you'd expect to find in Charleston. It's very quaint and a little more casual than something in the heart of downtown. But they bring you boiled peanuts when you're seated and you can't beat that!

Fleet Landing is a neat little seafood restaurant on the harbor. It's an old retired Navy building and the only place downtown on the water.
Other seafood options: Hyman's Seafood and Red's and Seewee(worth the drive out).

Boulevard (in Mt. Pleasant) This is one of Todd's favorites. I haven't ever been there but now that I look at the menu, I'm intrigued! And affordable to boot!

I know a lot of people also suggest Poe's Tavern for a sandwich/burger place out on Sullivan's Island.

Other local favorites:
Andolini's Pizza
Charleston Crab House (the James Island location was on Flip this House)
Fiery Ron's Home Team BBQ

Plantations:
Middleton Place: The gardens and grounds at Middleton place are beautiful. You can also take a carriage ride around the rice fields. While I think the Middleton place grounds are the prettiest of all of the plantations, the house (which isn't the original) isn't as impressive as the others. If you're lucky, there will be little lambs running around the grounds.

Boone Hall This is probably the most popular plantation. It was the summer house in The Notebook and is the typical big white columns plantation home that you'd expect.

Other plantations: Drayton Hall and Magnolia Plantation

Nightlife:
Rooftop at Market Pavilion If even for one glass of wine, it's worth it.
Rooftop at Vendue Inn (has a beautiful harbor view!)
Mad River If you want to dance, this bar is a lot of fun. It reminds me of a bar in a college town (in the south).
Market Street Saloon
Tommy Condon's
Gene's Haufbrau
Social
The Windjammer
Honestly, the nightlife options are endless. If you walk up and down Market, King, Church, or East Bay you will find a ton of bars. You won't find any clubs so leave your sequins and glitter at home.


Must do:
-Carriage tour through the Battery (There are several different tours and they all originate in the same area downtown- just walk up and get on. You can also book a tour through your hotel and they'll pick you up right out front.) If you're interested in the history of Charleston, you really should take a tour. There are also walking tours. I wouldn't suggest this if you're going in July because you might die of heat stroke. Tours by boat are also available.
-Go to the Market on Market Street and see the women weaving sweetgrass baskets.
-Shopping on King Street. (If you like cooking, you must stop by Charleston Cooks store. I only wish I lived in town so I could take one of their classes!)
-Walk along East Battery and Murray Streets. There is a raised walk with the harbor one side and the most beautiful homes you'll ever see on the other. No better place to take pictures!
-If you're interested in Civil War history, you might want to tour the Hunley Submarine. It sank in 1864 and was raised out of Charleston Harbor in 2000.
-There are countless golf courses around Charleston. The Ocean Course at Kiawah is currently ranked as one of the top 25 in the country by Golf Digest (but it's a bit pricey).

As far as beaches go, I live in Florida a mere 10 minutes from the beach so the last thing I want to do on vacation is go to the beach. I've always heard good things about Folly Beach and Sullivan's Island which are both just a short drive from Charleston. Charleston aquarium is another option. This falls in the "I live in Florida" category so I haven't personally been but if you had kids, they might enjoy this.

A few tips:
-As far as weather goes, June-August are brutally hot and humid. You spend 90% of your time outside walking around so it can be a bit much if you aren't used to the heat. March-early June are ideal. Warm days and nice cool nights (and all of the flowers are blooming which is a bonus). Fall is also pretty but beware of hurricane season.
-Downtown Charleston is not a beach town so don't go to dinner in your bathing suit cover up. Most people dress nice for dinner downtown and by nature, women in Charleston always dress nice.
-Ask your hotel for a map of downtown. It'll help when you're out walking around.
-Grab a copy of the Charleston City Paper to find out what is going on while you are there. Chances are you will have a change of plans after reading it.
-It would also be a good idea to sign up for Groupon emails for Charleston a little while before your trip. They recently had a Groupon for the carriage rides. You could get a good deal on tours or restaurants.