A Weekend in Charleston, South Carolina
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Charleston, South Carolina is a beautiful city steeped in Southern charm. It is the perfect spot for a variety of trips: a romantic weekend, a getaway with the kids, or in the occasion of my recent trip: a girls’ weekend. I could write several posts about Charleston and still not highlight everything there is to do, so for this post, I will focus on just a few of the must-dos we experienced during our trip.
Where We Stayed
The Meeting Street Inn
We got a great deal on this charming hotel through Booking.com. It’s in a great location in the heart of town-right across from the Charleston City Market, so restaurants, shopping, and tourist spots are all nearby. They have a nice breakfast each morning and a great evening reception each night as well. They serve both of these in their living room-like main lobby and their courtyard. The courtyard is tiny, but adorable and we took advantage of the outdoor seating each evening of the reception. The rooms had pretty, comfortable four-poster beds and beautiful wood floors. The bathrooms were a bit dated, but completely adequate. Most importantly, the hotel was clean, and the staff were friendly and very attentive. Overall, The Meeting Street Inn is a very solid hotel and I would stay here again in a heartbeat. Parking, which is often hard to come by in Charleston, is also included in the daily rate.
Where We Ate
Charleston has no shortage of options for delicious Lowcountry fare! King Street is known for its restaurants and nightlife, so when in doubt, head there and you’re sure to find something delicious and fun! On this trip, we tried a couple of places on King and a couple of options elsewhere.
Prohibition
We enjoyed our first dinner of the trip at this sophisticated Southern take on the speakeasies of the Prohibition era located on King Street. They have inventive cocktails, live music six days a week, and a menu with interesting takes on Southern classics. I enjoyed everything about this place! Check the website to see the musical guests for the evening and arrive early to secure a table. Early arrival on Monday through Friday will also give you access to great appetizers and drink specials during their Happy Hour specials! We especially enjoyed their take on deviled eggs and roasted brussel sprouts!
Star’s Rooftop and Grill Room
An upscale bar and grill also located on King Street. This venue serves what they refer to as “upscale Carolina cuisine”. The downstairs dining room has an enormous wooded bar-The Walnut Bar. There is additional seating in this area as well. The upstairs rooftop bar boasts 360- degree views of the city. They serve dinner nightly, with a weekday happy hour menu, special rooftop drinks, and host a weekend brunch. We had dinner here one evening, but I can’t comment on the entrees because we all just order appetizers and sides and shared. We especially enjoyed the Mini-Blue Crab Cakes, Calamari Fritti, and Truffle Fries. This was also a great spot for people watching!
Hyman’s Seafood
This restaurant is a bit of a tourist trap, but we really enjoyed their hushpuppies and dessert. They have had a lot of famous people visit over the years and commemorate the visits with little plaques on the tables.
5 Church
Brunch is big business in Charleston and there are a variety of places to find yummy fare. Some have entertainment. During our next trip, we hope to check out a gospel brunch. I’ve done one in New Orleans and loved it! On this trip, we brunched at 5 Church. I loved the history of the building. The banquettes are large and comfy, the art is eclectic (Sun Tzu’s ‘The Art of War’ is written on the ceiling), and the original windows are gorgeous. But the standout here is the bar! It runs the length and width of the building, is illuminated with feathered chandeliers, and bar keeps craft artisan cocktails using spirits retrieved from high shelves via library-style ladders. I ordered the Mimosa flight and it was wonderful. My companions enjoyed the Bloody Marys-dubbed the ‘Carolina Reaper Bloody’ they ordered as well. Thankfully the food was as impressive as the location. My Pork Belly Benedict was amazing!
82 Queen
This lovely restaurant is easy to find. It’s location is it’s name! With it’s warm lighting and multiple meandering dining areas, this would make a great date-night spot. Their She Crab Soup and smoked gouda and applewood bacon were my favorite dishes I discovered.
Ye Old Fashioned Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop
This unassuming retro-style ice cream parlor was low-key adorable and also serves lunch counter favorites. We checked it out for lunch on our way out of town. I enjoyed my egg salad sandwich and heard favorable comments about the burgers too. The ice cream is the star, of course, and there is no shortage of sundae and shake choices!
What We Did
Carriage Tour
We took an hour drawn carriage tour of the city by Old South Carriage Company. This was located in City Market and we found a coupon in a travel magazine in our room. During this one-hour tour, our knowledgeable guide narrated our tour of the city with humor and history. I highly recommend doing this, or a walking tour, to get the “lay of the land” at the beginning of your trip. I think this is a great start in most cities. These tours usually give you the highlights of the city to know what you want to come back to again. Our tour took us by many sights including: The Battery, Rainbow Row, and Riley Waterfront Park. All of these are Charleston highlights and should be on your must-see list.
City Market
The Historic Charleston City Market is probably the city’s most visited attractions. It spans several blocks and is a great place to shop for things you can only find in Charleston. Hand-made Sweetgrass baskets are an iconic item sold here.
Charleston Scottish Highland Games and
Highland Gathering
While Charleston has plenty to keep you busy any given weekend, the main objective of our weekend was to attend the annual Charleston Scottish Highland Games and Highland Gathering. ‘The Games’, as they are called, have been held by the Charleston Scottish Society since 1971 as a way to keep alive Scottish heritage and customs. The Games were held at Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens as they have been since 1991. Boone Hall is a beautiful plantation brimming with live oaks and Spanish moss and is home to various events throughout the year.
The games commence in a large center field with vendors and clans lining up around the area. These include events such as the caber toss (cabers are similar to telephone polls in length and weight), Weight Throws, and the Sheaf Toss.
Besides the athletic competition, there are vendors who sell Scottish clothing, gifts, food, and more located on one side of the field. The clans (member of different Scottish families) occupy the other side of the field. There is also musical entertainment such as Celtic bands, bagpipe bands, and dance groups throughout the day. There is a formal ball held each year, but we chose not to attend that this year.
On Sunday, we attended the Kirkin O’ the Tartan. This service, in which the tartans of the participating Clans are presented, took place at First (Scots) Presbyterian Church on Meeting Street, right down from our hotel. This reverent service included a performance by the Citadel Bagpipers. We were seated in the balcony near them. It was one of the most unique and memorable experiences I’ve ever had.
The Games are held each year in Charleston and are the second oldest gathering in the Southeast of its kind.
This post just scratches the surface of the Holy City and I can’t wait to go back again!