Happy Tuesday Friends! Last week we were in Hilton Head, SC and this week we’re going a little more north into Charleston, SC. Decided to work my way up the coast and stay in the warm weather! Charleston is by far in my top three favorite cities, it may actually be my number one favorite. My mom is just a short drive north of Charleston, so I have been able to do many weekend and day trips down.
FOOD:
Out of everything you do while on a vacation I think the food is one of the top things you should prioritize. Nobody wants to go to Paris and eat McDonald’s, so why eat food you can get anywhere when you’re in a new location.
Black Wood Smokehouse
This restaurant is a tiny, family run business that is less than 15 minutes from the Waterfront Park in downtown Charleston. I love food, but barbeque isn’t one of my favorites and this little gem may have changed my outlook on barbeque. We stopped on a Sunday for breakfast, which I know barbeque for breakfast is weird but why not. I ordered their customizable bowl which I put French fries as my base, pulled pork for my protein, and topped with a hot pimento cheese sauce… OH MY! The pulled pork was beyond tender; the French fries were crunchy and not soggy, and the cheese sauce complimented the flavor of the barbeque on the pulled pork. Also tried their Mac N Cheese, biscuits, and a salad. All were so good.
*They’re now sadly closed on Sundays and don’t offer a breakfast menu but if you’d like to view their regular menu press here.
Ducks Donuts
When on quick trips, quick breakfast is definitely a must. Ducks Donuts is one of my favorite donut and coffee places (you’ll see them appear in other travel posts cause I hunt them down). If you’ve never been to a Ducks, they’re special because they make the donuts as you order them, and they have some of the best flavors (Maple Bacon). It’s great because you get a warm donut, a nice cup of coffee than can head off to sightsee.
What To Do:
When we plan vacations, we obviously plan things we would like to see and/or do. It can be difficult to plan things to do based off of cost, group size, and times available. Sometimes even things we plan can fall through, so it’s nice to have backups or free activities. I’m all for doing things for free or cheap and in Charleston, there is a lot of both!
Waterfront Park
Many of you have probably seen the iconic pineapple fountain, the waterfront is where the beauty is located. I LOVE pineapples so this was my sole purpose of wanting to go to Charleston. The park is small, but it is a beautiful area to walk around in, get lots of pictures, and even cool off! There are two fountains at waterfront and people are allowed to play in both, which is amazing!
E. Bay Street and Market St. (French Quarter)
Just a few blocks over from waterfront is E. Bay St. and Market street, the two main roads in downtown Charleston. This is such a fun area to walk around in. There is so many little shops, restaurants, historic buildings (which are beautiful), and the Historic Charleston City Market. The blocks are small, so it is easy to walk around all of the French Quarter.
Historic Charleston City Market
The market is about a four-block-long building (broken up by the road) that consists of local family owned vendors. The building is so long and there are so many vendors it is easy to spend an hour or even two walking around. There’s a small lemonade vendor on the corner of one the buildings and it’s definitely a must, so refreshing on a warm day.
Charleston Tea Plantation
This might be my all-time favorite stop in Charleston. The plantation is located just under 35 minutes south from downtown Charleston and is worth the drive. They have a free walk-through tour of the factory where the tea is processed, you can also try free samples in the gift shop. They also have a $10-dollar trolley ride that takes you out into the plantation to see where the tea is grown. I’m a tea-hollic so getting to see where tea is grown and how its processed is so cool to me. I have actually gone to the plantation on two different occasions.
Angel Oak Tree
You’re probably thinking a tree? But yes, seriously a tree! This is a 400-year-old, angel oak tree that has grown to be massive. It is on your way to the Charleston Tea Plantation and is a quick trip but a must see.
Where to Stay:
Charleston is just south from where my mom lives, so normally it turns into a day trip for us. But there are plenty of hotels in the area to stay at.
Charleston is a fun city to explore and there is so much more beyond what I have listed. These are just good starting points if you plan to do a quick trip! Hoping to get back down to Charleston this year.
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I love your posts! After reading about Charleston, I am definitely going to make plans to go there. I especially enjoy the topic and comments about the food recommendations. I plan to stop at all of those listed in your Charleston article. Keep up the good work! Looking forward to the next travel post.