My husband and I recently road-tripped from Washington, DC to Florida, by way of Charleston. Below is a list of recommendations from my research and from our itinerary for our 48 hour trip to the Holy City*.
*Note that due to the pandemic, we wanted to remain outdoors for all activities and restaurants, so this list is reflective of those specifications.
What to do?
There are a lot of wonderful outdoor activities in downtown Charleston and the surrounding areas.
- An outdoor walking tour on a sunny day is a great way to explore what Charleston has to offer. We opted for a $2.99 Historic Charleston Self-Guided Audio Tour (we shared a download and listened on my air pods). This was nice so we could go at our own pace and wander as we wanted to. Our walk included East Bay Street to see Charleston harbor and the famous colorful Battery mansions, Waterfront Park, Battery Park, White Point Gardens, and more. There is another free self-guided tour app from the Historic Charleston Foundation, but I found the one we used easier to follow along with. There are also plenty of guided walking tours if you prefer that option. For a different outdoor activity you could walk across “The Bridge” (Arthur Ravenel Jr. bridge).
- After the walking tour, we drove out to Bowens Island to take a boat tour to Morris Island for the rest of the afternoon. On the boat tour, we saw and learned about the local estuaries, where we were able to see oysters naturally grow. We were dropped off for about 45 minutes to walk around the empty Morris Island, where we were able to see historic Morris Island lighthouse, pick seashells and take in the natural beauty of our surroundings.
- Afterwards, we picked up a bottle of wine, a corkscrew and some cups from Bert’s Market and drove over to walk around and watch the sunset at the southernmost end of Folly Beach. Absolutely gorgeous.
- Other daytime outdoor activities we didn’t have time for include: a self-guided mural tour; kayaking Shem Creek; taking a trip to see Fort Sumter National Park (for you history buffs out there); and checking out Charleston’s other islands and beaches like Sullivan’s Island.
- There are also plenty of great art museums in Charleston including the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art and the Gibbes Museum of Art.
- If you’re in Charleston on the weekend, it looks like there is a farmers market hosting local vendors and produce on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 AM to 3 PM in Marion Square (in historic downtown).
- Finally, in the evening, be sure to do a ghost tour. There are self-guided options, but I’d recommend going with a tour guide for this one, so you get to see the best spots and hear the spooky stories from someone who knows them well! Bulldog Tours and Old Charleston Walking Tour are the highest rated options online.
Where to eat?
Charleston is full of amazing restaurants. Given our limited time, we only had time for lunch at Bertha’s Kitchen and dinner at Fleet Landing and then Leon’s (more below on all of these).
- Bertha’s Kitchen is a wonderful place for home style low country eats. Open since 1981, it’s been written up in Bon Appetit and won a James Beard Award in 2017. I’d recommend this spot for casual lunch as it’s only open until 5 pm, and to come hungry! I ordered fried chicken, with sides of soupy lima beans, mac n’ cheese and corn bread and sweet tea to drink (I wanted the collard greens, but they didn’t have them that day), and my husband had the same with fried fish (I’d recommend the chicken over the fish). We sat outside at one of the tables they’ve set up in the parking lot right next to the restaurant. One tip – go early so you can beat the lunch rush & line!
- Hannibal’s Soul Kitchen looked like another great place for a home style Southern eats casual lunch, based on my research. But we opted for Bertha’s instead, given our time constraints.
- If you’re in the mood for BBQ, Rodney Scott’s and Lewis Barbecue joints were written up as a couple of the best in Charleston.
- For dinner, we decided to try Leon’s Poultry & Oyster Shop. It’s a bit overpriced, but the vibe is cool, the oysters are great (we ordered the “World Famous” char-grilled oysters) and the chicken is crispy (we got a half chicken). They also have outdoor seating in the back.
- The second night for dinner, we went to Fleet Landing, right by the Charleston Harbor. It would have been better to go earlier in the evening for the sunset, but was still a pretty view. I had the fresh catch fish of the day blackened, with a side of cheese grits and collard greens, and my husband had the crispy whole fried Southern Flounder (delish!) with mashed potatoes. They have a big deck in the back with outdoor, waterfront seating.
- Finally, following are a few restaurants we didn’t have time for, but would recommend for dinner or a nice lunch based on my research: FIG (pricey but top recommended restaurant founded by two James Beard Award winning chefs); Butcher & Bee (for Mediterranean + Southern food); The Grocery (for local ingredients); and Chez Nous (locally sourced French cuisine, with a small menu and limited seating).
Where to stay?
There are a lot of hotels throughout downtown Charleston and in the surrounding areas, but I tend to prefer staying in an Airbnb to get a more local experience.
On our trip, we decided to stay in a more affordable Airbnb in between downtown and Folly Beach. But if I were to do it again, I would spend a bit more to stay in historic downtown. Historic downtown is quintessential Charleston, and is a nice walk to most places, or a short drive to Folly Beach and other surrounding islands.