How We Did Charleston
Last month we took a trip to Charleston, SC with three other couples, all long-time friends. We were there for four days and then Tom and I tacked on a couple more after that. Here’s a little bit about our trip.
Where we Stayed
Charleston Vacation Rental. Our group of 8 stayed in this vacation rental in a neighborhood near downtown. The house was charming and comfortable and we especially loved hanging out on the porches as a group. It wasn’t quite as close to restaurants and attractions as we had thought when we booked it but everything was a short Uber ride away.
The Lindy Renaissance Hotel. After our group trip ended, Tom and I extended our stay by two nights at this Marriott property. This location was ideal for sightseeing, shopping, and restaurants.
Another hotel we considered:
The Mills House Hotel. I was deciding between The Lindy and The Mills House and while we stayed at The Lindy we spent some time at The Mills House as one of our tours met at this hotel and Tom and I ate at the courtyard restaurant (see below for details on both). Beautiful and historic, The Mills House is at the top of my list for a return trip. It’s part of Hilton’s Curio Collection.
Where we Ate and Drank
The eating in Charleston is ah-mazing and we did a lot of it. Here are some places that stood out.
Magnolias. Southern food in an elegant atmosphere. This restaurant came highly recommended to us. The food was amazing – I bought the Magnolias cookbook just for the pecan pie recipe and I’m not even a big fan of pecan pie. Other favorites with our group were the fried green tomatoes, pimento cheese, blue crab bisque, buttermilk fried chicken breast, and cream cheese pound cake. Can you see why I bought the cookbook?!
Fleet Landing. Fleet Landing is a casual waterfront restaurant and we all agreed that we didn’t get the full experience since we ate inside, after dark, and didn’t see the water at all. I would like to visit for lunch or on a summer evening. I did have my first raw oyster ever though, and my friend Vicki and I recommend the Charleston Sunset cocktail if you like sweet drinks. It tastes like Hawaiian punch.
Bar 167. Tom and I had lunch at this pretty bistro. We shared calamari, Caesar salad, and a lump crab roll sandwich. All delicious.
Big Gun Burger Shop and Bar. On our last night as a group, after a LOT of seafood, some of us were craving a burger. We Googled ‘best burger in Charleston and Big Gun came up. This place is a whole vibe – brick walls and family photos, but it’s a true bar with locals and a pool table. We loved it!
Rudy Royale. Our group had Sunday brunch here. Tom highly recommends the chicken pot pie!
The Rooftop at The Vendue. Tom and I stopped here for sunset drinks. The view is amazing.
Iron Rose.The restaurant in The Mills House Hotel. Tom and I had lunch here before heading home. The food was great (we recommend the pimento cheese topped with bacon jam) but the atmosphere was the real star. We ate in the courtyard which features tables with umbrellas, a fountain, and a fireplace.
Places we didn’t get to but were on my list:
What we Did
Walking history tour (Bull Dog Tours). We loved this tour. Our guide was a former history teacher and made everything so interesting. Would highly recommend.
Horse-drawn carriage tour (Palmetto Carriage Co). These are all over Charleston and are run by several different tour companies. I was a little hesitant to do this because I worry about the welfare of the horses, but they seemed very well cared for on the tour we took. In fact, our guide spent a lot of time talking about our horse, which we loved.
The Charleston City Market. I think it must be hard to get out of Charleston without at least walking through the market. Tom bought a hat from The Charleston Hat Man and I bought a handmade bubble dress for Madeline.
Shopping on King Street. Favorite stops for me were the Preservation Society of Charleston Shop and Buxton Books.
House Stalking
If you love houses, and you know we do around here, it doesn’t get better than Charleston. Both of our tours took us past so many beauties and every single one was photo-worthy. Charleston also has an abundance of my beloved gas lanterns on homes, shops, and restaurants.
P.S. Our favorite street in Boston and a fall trip to Chicago.
