Over President’s Day weekend my husband and I went to Charleston. We traveled with our friends Jaime and Doug who are also married. It was a lot of fun to get away with another couple! Charleston was about a 4.5 hour drive from where we live in Atlanta so it was perfect for a 3 day getaway. We got in late Friday night so we could start early on Saturday! The weather in Charleston was mostly cool – it was only in the 40’s and 50’s so plan to layer your clothes if you travel in the winter, since the temperature can be unpredictable. There is a free trolley system that picks up/drops off tourists at the major landmarks/attractions, but honestly if you get a good parking spot downtown, you can walk to a lot. Kevin and I opted to save money and stay at a Hampton Inn in West Ashley, about a 15 minute drive from downtown. The rates were about $200 less than staying downtown, which for us, was worth the savings.
On Saturday morning Kevin, Jaime, Doug, and I went to City Market. City Market is 4 blocks of open-air buildings with a variety of items for tourists such as sweetgrass baskets, jewelry, fudge, etc. It was an interesting place to walk around and a recommended activity for first-time visitors to Charleston!
(City Market is covered so visiting is an activity that could be done in the rain.)
After visiting the market, a few shops and Hyman’s Seafood Restaurant for lunch, we stopped for a beer at Southend Brewery. Hyman’s is a popular Charleston seafood restaurant/bar, but I wasn’t too impressed with the ambiance or the food. Southend was a really fun place to get out of the rain when it started to pour!
On Sunday, the group decided to go to Fort Sumter, the location where the Civil War began. The ferry to the fort was $18, and we did not need to purchase tickets in advance, although I would recommend it in the summer season. It was pretty cold and VERY windy so we had to bundle up. The ferry ride was about 30 minutes each way and we spent an hour at the fort. There was an option to stay for an extended period of time, but an hour was definitely enough time and it wouldn’t be worth the money to pay for extra time on at the Fort. For history lovers, Ft. Sumter is a MUST see, although it would have been MISERABLE in the rain.
We had a great lunch at Fleet Landing, and it had a variety of reasonably-priced brunch options. Everyone finished everything on their plate! YUM!
Dinner was at Magnolia’s, an upscale restaurant downtown. We decided to splurge on one meal and this was it! The service was very good and it was in a great location downtown.
Before we left town on Monday, Kevin and I visited Folly Beach about 8 miles from downtown. When we visit again in warmer weather, this beach will definitely be a place where we spend an afternoon!
Charleston is a great city for any Southerner for a weekend getaway. For non-Southerners, this city will give you a taste of Southern food, architecture, and culture and it is definitely worth a visit!
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