When we visited Charleston 2 years ago for the Rise Business Conference we knew we’d be back. Very soon. We quickly planned a trip to show our husbands [Derek and Trevor] this incredible city. Then Covid happened. We pushed our plans back a year and visited in late April 2021. It was worth the wait. The food, the atmosphere, the hospitality, the history, the scenery — it’s all top notch and quite frankly, unbelievable. We hope you enjoy this blog post highlighting our stay, food, activities and recommendations.
We stayed at Hotel Emeline. Above is the lobby, with a boutique, sitting area and cafe. The cafe had great breakfast options, as well as coffee. Below you will see the hotel restaurant “Frannie & The Fox” and the stunning courtyard. The on-site bar/restaurant was perfect to grab a bite to eat or drinks during happy hour. We spent every moment possible in this beautiful courtyard. It was heaven. Overall, we highly recommend this hotel, it was a great experience and the rooms were recently renovated. Also, the location was ideal. We walked everywhere, truly in the heart of the city and near all the top restaurants and sights.
Need travel guidance? We worked with Lisa at Wander & Whimsey to plan this trip. We’ve worked with Lisa for years for both personal and business trips and she is fantastic. We highly recommend reaching out to her if you are interested in a trip to Charleston or anywhere else. She is very knowledgeable and offers superior customer service. It’s always a pleasure working with Lisa.
Our first stop in Charleston was The Oyster House. Only a few blocks from our hotel. We love seafood so we grabbed a few apps to share. The Moscow Mules were also delicious, and we were able to grab a table outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. We walked in and only had a 15 min wait to eat.
5Church was probably our favorite place to grab drinks and apps. We were lucky enough to get a spot at the bar. Amazing drinks and the church is breathtaking!
HUSK for brunch was highly recommended by MMSM followers — be sure to make reservations! The building was fantastic and all the details of the garden were stunning. I can still smell the flowers. We had burgers and tea, it was delicious.
Charleston is a great getaway for a romantic trip or ladies weekend. The food, live music and gorgeous scenery offer days of fun. Nice weather is a major perk with the outdoor seating and rooftop bars/restaurants. Take a closer look at our trip and hotel on our Instagram account — look for the Charleston bubble and enjoy the highlights.
Henry’s on the Market has three levels. They offer drinks and food. Level 2 has a gorgeous inside bar and outside seating with live music. Third level is great to overlook a lot of the downtown area.
Hank’s Seafood Restaurant is known as “best seafood restaurant in Charleston”. It did not disappoint. Charming ambience, outstanding service and truly the best seafood we had. Be sure to make reservations, it was booked for a month out when we went to reserve a table!
Charleston Waterfront Park is a must see. It overlooks the Charleston Harbor & Cooper River. The picturesque scenery is breathtaking, we spent hours walking around and exploring. Watch the kids play in the fountains, the fishermen reel in their catch or sit back and take in the beautiful views. When you are hungry head over to Fleet Landing for casual eating and drinks — with seating available inside or on the water. We got in line 10 min before it opened at 11am and got an indoor spot. Would suggest making reservations if you want to eat outside or if you have a large party.
Want to see the city? A carriage ride is a fantastic idea to learn the history of the city, a great way to see rainbow row, The Battery and so much more. It is a lottery as far as where the tour will go (you learn that when you sign up), but we even considered doing a second we enjoyed it so much and would have most likely seen new sites. Our guide was so informative and knowledgeable, he was actually a local history teacher. We were thankful we experienced this tour, it gave us a new appreciation for the history and beauty Charleston has to offer. Check out a few pictures below, see even more on our Instagram.
The beauty of this city is unmatched. Every block is different. Brick and cobblestone roads everywhere you look. Our carriage guide said that because it is a historic site, if there is sewer work that needs to be done they have to remove and replace every stone…in the exact spot it was removed. Impressive and such a magnificent experience.
After our carriage ride we headed to lunch at Magnolias. It was a great place for a late lunch. They offer a large menu, and the salads were amazing. We made reservations a few days earlier. After lunch we walked up the street and stopped in at Mac’s Place. Mac’s Place reminded me of a Wisconsin dive bar— which isn’t a bad thing. Good drinks and live music!
Once we left Mac’s we had a few hours so we walked around the city and enjoyed the smell of the flowers, beautiful scenery and sunshine. Wrought iron gates were everywhere in the city, and we couldn’t pass up a good photo opp.
Our final night we went to High Cotton for a later dinner. It was our absolutely favorite!! High end, but the atmosphere and live lounge music is our jam — bonus: food was delish! Reservations are needed over a week prior.
Before we headed to the airport we took a quick walk through the Charleston City Market before brunch. It was located next to our hotel and a few blocks long. Locals have tables and boutiques set up where they sell their goods. It was a must see when visiting Charleston. Almost everyday we saw local musicians playing outside the market for tips. So much talent in Charleston.
For brunch we made a quick stop at Poogans Porch — they had a nice mix of breakfast and lunch offerings on the menu, overall very good food. It was very busy so the service was a little slow, but worth it. We booked about 3 days in advance, reservations are needed.
**We also went to Revival for dinner, the menu was very limited and we wouldn’t necessarily recommend for food. The rooftop bar was nice to have drinks, but super packed being it was a Friday. But, we loved the vibe and recommend giving the rooftop a try on a beautiful evening. We also tried to get into Miller’s All day, but it was 1.5 hour wait— they don’t accept reservations. [So many of you recommended that spot, go early if you want to try it.]
