Five days spent eating our way through historic Charleston, SC.
Two things that I love about Charleston, SC……the food and the history. Couple that with the weather, the proximity to the coast, and the southern charm, and Charleston tops the list of places where I eventually hope we have a retirement home. So when unforeseen circumstances forced The Hubs and me to cancel our trip to Panama, we decided to revisit Charleston.
As residents of upstate NY, escaping the mid-December cold and snow was a hope. And while the weather was better than home, it was unseasonably cold in Charleston, with temperatures only in the 50s for most of our trip.
On our last trip, we stayed in a chain hotel. This time around, we opted for a small, historic B&B. The John Rutledge House Inn was perfect in all respects. The location made nearly everything we did walkable. The landmark home was lovely and well-appointed. The staff was accommodating and personable. Breakfast was included and quite delicious. And the afternoon tea was a tasty little afternoon treat.
We opted to rent a car, but if you plan to stay in the historic district, you won’t need a car.
Once we got settled into our room, we headed to the City Market. The city beef market was established here in the late 1790s. Now, it houses four blocks of “market sheds” with stalls selling artisan works, souvenirs, and food. Here, we had a late breakfast at Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit. YUM! We did some shopping - got a little something for the kids and a thank-you gift for the grandparents holding down the fort back home. We also couldn’t resist trying the adorable (and tasty) baby donuts!
After we finished up with the City Market, we walked around a bit. We checked out the Old Charleston Jail. The jail was open to the public until it recently closed. It’s currently being converted into office space. The outside is still interesting to look at, however.
The Hubs and I enjoy historic cemeteries - and The Holy City is full of them. Most graveyards here are open to the public when the church is open. We walked through many, but we particularly liked the Unitarian Churchyard. The Unitarian Church is the second oldest in the city, first built in 1772. This cemetery appears a bit unkept, but this is intentional. The paths are maintained, but the rest has been given to nature. Vines, shrubs, and trees grow freely. It was hauntingly beautiful.
There are many historic home tours available. During our last trip, we visited the Edmondston-Alston House along The Battery. On this trip, we saw the Aiken-Rhett House and the Nathanial Russel House (purchase the combo ticket if you plan to do both.) On our first day, we visited the Aiken-Rhett House. This house, built in 1820, has been preserved as found rather than restored. The self-guided tour was interesting and included the outbuildings.
We had plans to check out the shops along King Street on our way to dinner at Prohibition, but many of the stores close early. I’d describe the atmosphere of Prohibition as a little bit confused. It doesn’t quite know what it wants to be. That said, the food and cocktails were delicious. I highly recommend the tuna crudo.
If you’re in Charleston on the second Sunday of the month, King Street shuts down for cars for the afternoon, and the road opens to shops, vendors, food trucks, and more.
We spent our evenings in our room, sitting by the cozy fire and watching movies provided by the hotel. So lovely!
We started our second day leisurely with breakfast in our room. Late morning, we drove through Mt. Pleasant to Sullivan’s Island. Here, we visited Fort Moultrie National Historical Park. We learned a lot about Charleston Harbor, the significance of Fort Moultrie, and its relationship to Fort Sumter, beginning with the Revolutionary War.
After a couple of hours at Fort Moultrie, we walked Sullivan’s Island Nature Trail. The trailhead is on Atlantic Street. There is no parking lot, but you can park along portions of the street; be sure your tires are off the road. There is a short access road to the large dune/beach (no swimming allowed), but there are several unmarked boardwalks and trails throughout the preserve.
We stayed on Sullivan’s Island for dinner at the Obstinate Daughter. The Hubs and I agree that this was our favorite trip meal. It’s a cute, casual place, and the food was excellent. We shared oysters, grilled octopus, the cheeky monkey pizza, and the pecan bourbon creme brulee…chef’s kiss!
For day three, we visited the Old Slave Mart Museum and the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon. A combo ticket is available for these, and both are worth doing. They are located right down the street from one another, and you’ll want to give yourself a couple of hours combined. I believe both of these help tell the whole story of the history of Charleston.
The Old Slave Mart Museum revisits a complex part of American history. And while I wouldn’t shy away from the subject of the historical significance of the slave trade in Charleston with children, the Old Slave Mart Museum is nearly entirely written stories and accounts on sign boards. I wouldn’t recommend it for non-readers.
It was evident throughout our trip that Charleston is trying to come to terms with its antebellum history.
I found the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon fascinating. I learned a lot as this building has an extensive history.
We stopped at Belgian Gelato for a lunchtime snack of gelato and poffertjes (mini dutch pancakes) before walking the pier and taking pictures of the pineapple fountain at Waterfront Park.
In and up a block or two from Waterfront Park are the original Charleston sea wall and Rainbow Row. These buildings were initially built in the mid-1700s directly along the Cooper River sea wall by merchants with shops on the ground floor and living quarters above and were not brightly colored. Pastel colors started to appear in the 1930s. The expansion of Charleston is evident all along E. Bay.
We had dinner along the Waterfront at Fleet Landing. We hoped for a nicer night, but the thick cloud cover made for an uneventful sunset. I think much of the appeal of Fleet Landing is the location. With warmer weather, eating outside would be pretty enjoyable. As it was, it was ok. The food was good but not great. The she-crab soup (pro tip, add a crabcake on top!) and the calamari steak were good. We also shared the fried shrimp platter - we added a stuffed hush puppy as a side, which was not worth it. If we were to go again, it would be for drinks and starters on a lovely warm afternoon where we could sit outside.
On day four, we visited the Nathaniel Russell House. This house, built in 1808, is beautifully restored, and the self-guided tour is very informative. While the carriage house is gone, the ongoing restoration of the kitchen and enslaved person quarters offers a fascinating glimpse into the restoration process. The two approaches of the places we visited, preservation vs. restoration, presented unique views into historic homes. I think I prefer restoration.
Our middle son is in the throws of college applications and was accepted to the College of Charleston right before our trip. The Hubs took him on his tour, so we walked around campus a bit so I could see it. C of C is a charming little campus. It’s not The Middle’s first choice, but I’m trying to sell it to The Baby.
In the hopes of getting a red velvet cupcake, we stopped at Sugar Bakeshop, not far from campus. No red velvet cupcakes, but we got some tasty lunchtime treats.
We then walked along The Battery and White Point Garden.
After afternoon tea and a nap at the hotel, we went to dinner at Poogan’s Porch. The Hubs doesn’t like fried green tomatoes or pimento cheese (I know, he’s weird), but the fried green tomatoes with bacon jam and pimento cheese appetizer were calling my name. I added a bowl of she-crab soup to make it a meal. The Hubs ordered the fried pork chop. Winners all around. While the food was good, I didn’t love the atmosphere. It’s located in a historic home, but the décor was a bit odd.
On our final full day in Charleston, we visited Middleton Place. On our last trip, we went to Magnolia Gardens. Both plantations are worth visiting. The main house at Middleton Place didn’t survive the Civil War, but the plantation offices and guest house can be toured along with the extensive gardens, work yards, and outbuildings. I am sure America’s oldest landscaped gardens here at Middleton Place are gorgeous in the spring. They were impressive even in December, with very little in bloom. Not lost to us….the symbolism of a bald eagle landing in the thousand-year-old oak tree on Civil War battered plantation property after fishing in the flooded rice fields formerly worked by dozens of enslaved people.
We stopped for lunch at the West Ashley location of Boxcar Betty. I ordered the Boxcar, and it was so yummy. I recommend getting ALL the sauces for your fries!
After lunch, we stopped to see the Angel Oak Tree. Two things, it’s old, and it’s enormous! If you are out and about, it’s worth a visit.
We relaxed at the hotel a bit before dinner at The Darling Oyster Bar. After a filling lunch, drinks, oysters, and ceviche were a perfect dinner. The Darling had a great contemporary vibe. It was pretty crowded but not loud. There are items on the menu beyond the raw bar, although almost exclusively seafood.
Five days in Charleston….4 pounds gained. Worth it!
I hope this motivates you to travel, eat…and return and share my journey through 7 continents and infinite foods.
5 days/6 nights
Day 1:
City Market
Charleston Jail
Unitarian churchyard
King Steet
Prohibition (takes reservations)
Day 2:
Obstinate Daughter (takes reservations 2 weeks out)
Day 3:
Belgian Gelato
Waterfront Park
Rainbow Row
Fleet Landing (takes reservations)
Day 4:
The Battery
White Point Garden
Poogan’s Porch (takes reservations)
Day 5:
Angel Oak
The Darling Oyster Bar (takes reservations)
**I would highly recommend that you make reservations in advance when available. I always book scheduled activities and typically make dinner reservations in advance. I’ve indicated with a parenthetical any restaurants that take reservations.