Cassie & Drew
Things To Do
Historic Charleston City Market
Sure, it’s touristy but it’s a fun way to stroll through some local vendors & pick up a memento from your visit.
Taje a horse-drawn carriage tour
(They run about 60-90 minutes): if you’re looking to get a relatively quick tour of the city, try one of the horse led carriage tours.
Shopping along King Street
if you’re in Charleston, plan to spend some time browsing the shops along King Street.
Battery Park
Absolutely an iconic, quintessentially Charleston spot… if only for the Instagram. 😉 This is where you’ll find “rainbow row,” the bright, beautifully painted homes you’ve likely seen everywhere. The Battery is the edge of Charleston’s peninsula downtown, and includes a sidewalk (which used to be the walls of the city) that stretches roughly from Tradd Street to Water Street. You’ll get fabulous views of the harbor (if you squint, you can even see Fort Sumter), and the area’s also adjacent to White Point Gardens, a city park with a gazebo and old cannons throughout.
Charleston Farmers Market
Every Saturday, from April through December, Marion Square springs to life with little tents lining its northern and western pathways. As the name suggests, this is a real farmer’s market: In-the-know locals head here for the very freshest in produce, from bundles of asparagus, to heirloom tomatoes and turmeric roots. And if you're looking to sample South Carolina fare, this is the place to do it: Stop by the Lowland Farms booth for a taste of pimento cheese spread, or strawberry-honeysuckle jam. Dip cubes of bread into cold-smoked local honey or hickory-smoked olive oil at Holy Smoke’s tent, as the owner touts the virtues of a peppery, buttery olive oil that tastes like liquid bacon (but is, somehow, good for you). For keepsakes that'll last longer than lunchtime, pick up a photograph of the Angel Oak mounted on canvas, or one of Barbara Manigault's large, labor-intensive sweetgrass baskets.
Self Guided Walking Tour
Sure, you could hop on a horse carriage, or into a pedicab, or join an official walking tour, all excellent ways to explore the city. But sometimes you want to explore at will, without the drone of a historical lecture, and the best way to do that is on foot. This is a walking tour that clocks in at just under two miles in length, and it's a must-do for anyone visiting Charleston. Start at Waterfront Park, whose pier juts out into the harbor, to scope out the original Colonial city wall, then make your way to the East Bay, where you might just catch a regatta in progress. Ogle over the live oaks at White Point Gardens, and walk south to north on Legare (pronounced Lah-GREE) for the best vantage points of what are arguably Charleston's most beautiful homes—and make you stop at 14 Legare, the "Pineapple Gates House" for pics. End at Goat Sheep Cow.
The Bar at Husk
If you're a carnivore, one of the best things to do in Charleston is slide onto a barstool at this dark bar—a civilized spot for a proper drink in a whole separate building from the celebrated restaurant that shares its name—and order the bar-only burger. The two patties are formed from the delicious marriage of Benton's Bacon and ground chuck, topped with shaved onions, American cheese, housemade bread and butter pickles (a Southern pantry staple), and Special Sauce, all on a toasted sesame bun. This is what a Big Mac wishes it was. Order extra napkins, a side of fry wedges with the housemade ketchup, and a bourbon cocktail, and then just try to keep it down over there, ok?
McLeod Plantation Historic Site
harleston has a complicated history, and rather than breeze over that with ball gowns of a bygone era, this plantation property, located on James Island only about 10 minutes from the historic peninsula, chooses to tackle the intertwining stories of enslaved and free, of oppression and freedom. Learn about the emergence of Gullah culture in the Lowcountry, the architecture of a changing South in the years after the Civil War, and how enslaved persons lived and worked raising Sea Island Cotton. Established in 1851, McLeod Plantation has borne witness to some of the most significant periods of Charleston’s—and our nation's—history, and it has been carefully preserved in recognition of its cultural and historical significance.
Reenact a scene from 'The Notebook
If you remember the scene from The Notebook when Noah and Ally were paddling their boat amongst hundreds of swans and thinking “that’s the most magical, enchanting, romantic thing I’ve ever seen,” then a trip to Cypress Gardens is not to be missed. It’s about a 45 - 60 minute drive from Downtown Charleston, depending on traffic, but it’s one of the more unique sites to visit in the lowcountry. In addition to the swamp boats, there’s a butterfly house, walking trails, and a swamparium (like an aquarium but for creatures commonly found living in a swamp).
Slightly North of Broad Restaurant
Husk
A must! Reservations need to be made in advance.