I hope you were all able to follow along on stories with me when I visited Charleston last week! Either way I will be sharing a more detailed recap of the week, where I went, places I ate at etc.
From Wednesday September 31st through Monday October 5th I stayed with my friend who lives in an apartment in Mount Pleasant, about 20 mins outside downtown Charleston.
The weather ranged mostly from the 60s-70s. The first two full days I was there (Wednesday and Thursday) I was able to get a bunch of cute photos but since it was cloudy the rest I did not try to take more just because I knew the lighting would be bad.
Regarding COVID:
I did get several questions about how Charleston is COVID-wise so I wanted to address it a little. The laws are not as strict as Maryland’s so people were definitely more lenient with wearing masks etc. Even servers/bartenders were not all wearing masks properly but it is always a risk traveling and going out etc. I haven’t traveled to any other states since COVID started so I don’t have anything else to compare it too.
As far as flying I used some left over miles from the summer (my New Orleans July trip got cancelled) and I got a round trip ticket from Southwest. The airports were pretty full but I didn’t have any bad experiences. As far as being on the actual airplane, the airline was leaving middle seats open which was kind of nice since no one wants the middle seat anyway haha. I think that’s going to change at the end of October though. But like I said I really didn’t have any bad experiences as far as flying.
Wednesday
I flew in midday Wednesday and my friend picked me up from the airport. We got groceries and just hung out for a bit. That evening we went to this wine bar called Ardoa. You give them your card and they give you a wine card you can use to select different wines and it keeps track of which ones you choose. There were about 15 wines to choose from and I liked that you could also select the amount you wanted from each. The rose was my favorite. I also got a dessert wine which was not part of the self serve wine bar but it was not good, haha. It tasted like honey and syrup combined into a wine glass haha. So I would totally recommend the wine bar but just not the dessert wine!
The wine bar also offers customizable charcuterie boards, which was so fun. You can chose from a bunch of different cheeses and meats. The Saint Angel cheese was my favorite! We also got the truffles which I would recommend too!
Since we went on a Wednesday the cheese was half off. I would still say it is pretty reasonably priced!
Thursday
Thursday morning was pretty warm (high 70s) so we went to the beach at Isle of Palms. The only other beach I have been to in South Carolina is Folly which I went to last year when I was visiting the same friend. I think I liked Isle of Palms more, and the parking was a lot cheaper.
In the afternoon we went downtown and did some shopping on King Street. Then we walked around Rainbow Row and The Battery which is the area by the water. So pretty!
That night we went to dinner at Henry’s, which is a restaurant downtown near the water. They do have 3 different floors with a rooftop deck and live music but since we got dinner on the early side I didn’t get to experience the music or other floors. I had a greek salad and crab soup, which was really good but pricey.
Friday
On Friday we went back to Rainbow Row, King Street, and The Battery and walked around more and took more photos!
In the evening we went to a few different bars. First we went to Elelve, which is a really pretty rooftop bar above the Grand Bohemian Hotel. There is turf and the seating is so pretty. We sat on this giant lounge chair and had their sparkling roses from the happy hour menu. They were so good! The inside portion of the bar is really big but the outside section is somewhat small so seating may be tricky if you go late on the weekend.
After Eleve we went to another rooftop bar a block away called The Watch which I had been to last year. It is above the Restoration Hotel and right off King Street too. It is my favorite restaurant/bar in Charleston! They have both indoor and outdoor seating. The views are stunning from anywhere you sit! The menu changed from the last time I had been. This year I got a strawberry pouch drink (I forget what it was called) that was sooo good, it was a big pricey but pretty big (probably the equivalent of 2-3 drinks so worth it for the price!) And it tasted like juice haha. I also got the sliders which were really good too!
After The Watch we went to Felix, another bar off King Street. It looked nice inside but the service was not the best so I don’t know if I would go there again.
Saturday
Saturday morning we went to a French cafe near my friend’s apartment called Sauvers du Monde Cafe. Apparently they are known for their quiches but I ended up getting their avocado toast. It was sooo good and unique but I ended up spending over $20 for the toast and a latte, so I would say it is on the expensive side but worth it.
After brunch we drive to Pitt Street Park, which is this pretty bridge on the water in Mount Pleasant.
That afternoon we went to visit my friend’s friend’s house on James Island. We ended up going to 2 different breweries and a bar after.
First we stopped by Revelry Brewery. There are two different floors with either all or mostly outdoor seating. We went up on the rooftop which was really fun! I had the sparkling rose which was pretty good! The rooftop wasn’t huge but we got there somewhat early so if you go later it may get crowded.
After Revelry, we went to Palmetto Brewery. There were only a few other people but a lot of space so it would be great for a big group. The building was kind of like a barn and was open. I don’t remember what the drink I got was called but it had watermelon in the name and was pretty good! For dinner we ended up eating from a random food truck that night!
Sunday
Sunday we took our time getting ready and went to brunch again! We walked to a different place called Crave Kitchen and Cocktails. I got the “Big Breakfast” and a peach billini and everything was amazing! The prices were not bad either. I would definitely go back!
We spend the afternoon and evening at two indoor/outdoor bars in Isle of Palms. First we went to The Dinghy, which is a pretty casual bar and restaurant. There was a little bit of indoor seating but most of it was outdoors. It’s across the street from the beach and has its own area of sand. They have a few outdoor games, it is another fun place if you come with a group!
The Windjammer was the last bar we went to. It sits right on the beach and they have live music (just not when we went). The outdoor section is on the beach so you can sit at tables on the sand which was pretty cool! We also ate dinner there, their chicken strips were pretty good! Also another fun casual place, also great for a group.
Monday
I didn’t really do anything Monday since I flew back that day! We slept in and I got all my stuff together and helped my friend clean. Exciting, I know!
TO RECAP:
Food and drinks in Charleston are expensive, but for a few nights it is worth it! Aside from transportation and parking, there is still a lot to do for free . Most of my favorite things to do in Charleston are free, like exploring the neighborhoods, side streets, shops and galleries on King Street, walking on beaches, and just watching the sunsets! Charleston truly has the best sunsets.
One thing I would want to do next time is walk across the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. Every time we drove across it I would watch the views and people walking and running on the sidewalk. Our only concern was that the bridge seems very long, and we were not sure where to park. But that is something I would for sure research into doing next time!
I know this was long but I hope it was helpful if a visit to Charleston is in your future! If you’ve been, have you been to any of these places? Let me know in the comments!
