How to Explore Charleston

So you come into town and you have no clue where to start. Well… here are some ideas:

• Shopping on King St. (duh!) some of my favorite shops are: Impeccable Pig, Madison Mathews, Croghan’s Jewelry Box (a must see!), Beau & Ro, Tiny Tassel, The Preservation Society Store (perfect for gifts and unique pieces!), Charleston Shoe Co. and so much more!

• Walking (pack some comfy shoes - seriously!) this seems like a simple activity but you will come to find that you can walk everywhere in Charleston and it is my favorite method of transportation. Great walks are: The Battery, Waterfront Park (where Pineapple fountain is located, and you can hit Rainbow Row along the way), East Bay St/City Market (has great resturants, and art galleries, and be sure to check out the city market for unique little goodies by local artists.) Up and down the little alley ways and street.. my favorite to walk are Tradd St (where my first apartment was!), Legare St, Queen St, South Battery St!)

• Shem Creek, argueably my favorite part of town. There is no limit of fun to have here on the water whether you go for brunch, dinner, or to drink the night away.

  1. Red’s Ale House. Food is great, drinks are better and the nightlife on the weekends is great especially when there is a live band 10/10 IMO!

  2. Saltwater Cowboys. You’ll get a younger crowd here, and you might see a few Southern Charms celebs… it’s a great place and I love grabbing drinks there before I head to Red’s!

  3. Tavern & Table. More bougie than the previous two, you’ll want to dress a bit nicer for this spot. It is amazing for brunch, definitely get the Shrimp & Grits… arguably my fave in the world

  4. Muddy’s. If you are looking for a beer and a sunset on a picnic table, this is your spot. Nothing fancy but a good time all around. I love walking the boardwalk and then stopping for a beer.

  5. The Boardwalk! Have an hour wait for a restaurant? Walk the boardwalk! It takes about 25 mins, and it is beautiful. Watch out for the dolphins and the yachts!

  6. The Mill Street Tavern is a great spot for yummy diverse food, great drinks and a beautiful sunset on the rooftop!

  7. Post House Inn is technically Mount Pleasant… but it’s close enough to Shem that you could walk if you wanted to on a nice day! It’s an adorable Inn with a great restaurant/bar with a patio attached. One of the most picture perfect spots in all of Charleston with delicious out of the box food and fun drinks!

• The Beach! Charleston is unique in that you have many different beaches within a 20 min radius of downtown! My favorite is Isle of Palms (IOP) and Sullivan’s Island. IOP has a more touristy feel that has great amenities like being able to rent chairs/a ton of restaurants (and more readily available parking!) It is also dog friendly! Sullivan’s Island is more remote, has a few amazing restaurants that are more bougie… but definitely stop by the Co-Op for their famous frose if you go! I love Sullivan’s when I just want to relax, and read a book. Folly Beach is also a great option if you want a more lively bar and restaurant scene. I’ll give a full breakdown of places to eat/drink under “Shem Creek/Beach” section!

• Visit A Plantation If it’s your first trip to Charleston, you may consider visiting one of the historic plantations.

  • Magnolia Plantation & Gardens

  • Drayton Hall

  • Hampton Plantation

  • Middleton Place Plantation

  • McLeod Plantation

  • Boone Hall Plantation

• Breweries! Charleston has an awesome brewery scene. A bit higher from downtown, but you can walk to the best BBQ places and breweries because they are all next to each other! My faves are: Hometeam BBQ (great for day drinking, get the wings and their frozen drinks!), Lewis BBQ, Edmund’s Oast, Revelry Brewery, Container Bar are great places to grab a few beers and drinks!

• Take a tour! There is so much history in Charleston a big reason why I love calling it home. Whether you are a history buff, ghost enthusist or a foodie there id a tour for you! Here are some of my favorites:

  • Two Sisters Tours (tickets start at $25) a great historical and intimate view of downtown Charleston!

  • Lowcountry Walking Tours (tickets start at $25) walking around Charleston is such a treat, might as well learn some fun facts in the process!

  • Charleston Culinary Tours there are so many to choose from, I love the Downtown Culinary Tour!

  • Ghosts of Charleston Tour get spooky with this great tour put on by Buxton Books!

  • Charleston Drinking Tours get great insight into Charleston’s most popular bars and drinks!

• Get on the water! There is no better way to see Charleston than on the water. Go for the day, or the evening and catch the dolphins and a stellar sunset. Some of the best charters to go on depending on what type of day you’d like to have are:

  • Mental Heeling my personal favorite from Charleston Sailboat Charters is their sailboat Mental Heeling! The crew is amazing and personal and you just cannot beat seeing the water and sunset from this boat.

  • Palmetto Breeze catch the breeze on this relaxed and relatively affordable option out of Shem Creek!

  • Co-Op Private Charter did someone say frose? Get 6 of your best friends and have a great time on the water!

  • Marsh Eco Kayak Tour if you’re the most adventurous type, kayaking is a great way to see the lowcountry!

    Have fun exploring ya’ll!