A few years ago, Jackie and I visited Charleston. We hope to get back someday.
The history of Charleston is one of the longest and most diverse of any community in the U.S., spanning hundreds of years beginning with the first settlement in 1670.
Charleston was the leading city in the South from the colonial era up through the Civil War. The city became wealthy through the export of rice, and later, cotton. It was the base for many wealthy merchants and landowners.
The devastation of the Civil War caused the city to lose its regional dominance. However, it continues to remain the center of the South Carolina economy. We stayed in a great 1930’s bungalow with a lady named Michele (who bore a striking resemblance to Bonnie Raitt) about 15 minutes from downtown on James Island. Everything in Charleston seems to be an island – sections of land surrounded by rivers and bridges.
Our first night in town, we walked over to the Poorhouse for dinner, which backed up to our Airbnb. The big rambling space had a wonderful indoor restaurant, an outdoor area with typical bar food and an outdoor stage that had a popular local band playing. We heard about their weekly Sunday Farmer’s Market and returned to enjoy the music, vendors and fun!
We were excited to get into the city and headed there first thing in the morning. We parked on Battery Street and walked along the shore, marveling at the gorgeous multi-colored mansions. The tip of the city ends up at White Point Garden – a park full of Civil War statues, fountains and mossy oak trees.
The multitude of homes in this part of town are a few hundred years old and many were built in the 1700’s. They are all in immaculate shape and have picturesque gardens, iron gates and statuaries in the back yards.
We had breakfast at the Broken Egg Café, a wonderful restaurant that was recommended in the Wall Street Journal. It was located near the famous Charleston City Market, a two-block long brick structure full of hundreds of folks selling their wares. The restaurant was very busy and everything on the menu (including breakfast) had a hot and spicy flavor.
We walked several miles through the neighborhoods and past gorgeous old storefronts and restaurants. Charleston is known for its great food and many restaurants offer cozy outdoor café seating. Taking a carriage tour is the best way to see the area and learn the local history.
A few unique restaurants that we loved included Taco Boy, in a converted old icehouse. It offers indoor and outdoor seating with a very colorful and eclectic atmosphere. We ate tasty tacos in the fun outdoor patio area.
Another favorite was Fuel, a converted old gas station that works perfectly in Charleston. We sat outdoors under vine-covered trellises, surrounded by old gas pumps and other cool memorabilia. It offered great Caribbean and Southern food.
We stopped at the Rutledge Cab Company, a popular restaurant owned by actor Bill Murray who lives nearby. The waitress told us that Murray likes to come in on Monday, which is hamburger night.
A block away is the Citadel, which is well worth a visit. It is unlike any campus we have ever seen with its massive buildings and parade grounds.
Plantation tours are plentiful; we toured the McLeod Plantation that is now a county park. The mansion and grounds are gorgeous. There are a handful of slave cabins on the property that have not changed much in about 150 years or more. We visited Folly Beach, a popular resort town with a huge pier and miles of beach along the Atlantic Ocean. There is a popular restaurant called The Lost Dog and a couple dozen funky stores and bars in town. A word of caution – during the busy season, you could be stuck in traffic for quite a while waiting to get to this popular destination. We spent our final night walking along King Street. This area was once home to dozens of locally owned stores in large brick buildings. It is in a transition phase and these great old buildings are being snapped up and converted into fancy bars, restaurants and trendy stores.
If you like history, classic architecture, food and warm weather, you will love Charleston!
