Anna & Matthew
Sights to See & Dining to Enjoy
Waterfront Park
Waterfront Park is an eight-acre (5 ha) park along approximately one-half mile of the Cooper River in Charleston, South Carolina. The park received the 2007 Landmark Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Walking distance from many Charleston restaurants and shopping!
The Battery
At the tip of the peninsula lies The Battery, also known as White Point Gardens. If you're wanting scenic views of the harbor with a backdrop of stunning homes and age-old oak trees, a walk here would be beautiful in any direction as most of the restaurants and hotels are in walking distance!
King Street Shopping
This is one of the best streets to stroll up and down in Charleston! It's within walking distance from many of the hotels listed!
Gibbes Museum of Art
The Gibbes Museum of Art is home to the premier collection of American art that incorporates the story of Charleston. Established in 1858, the Gibbes is recognized among the oldest arts organizations in the United States. Featuring 10,000 objects in the permanent collection and 6–8 special exhibitions annually, the museum enhances lives through art by engaging people of every background and experience with art and thought-provoking artists.
Palmetto Carriage Works
You can take a private or public carriage ride and get to see many of the beautiful sites of downtown Charleston while learning about the city's history!
Charleston Strolls
Featured in Southern Living, NY Times, and AAA, this two-hour tour is the best overview of Charleston’s rich history, culture, antebellum homes, architecture, and gardens.
Fort Sumter Tours
Experience where the Civil War began ... You'll not only be able to stand on the grounds where America’s deadliest war began at Fort Sumter but get a trip around the harbor as the only way to get to this historic site is by boat!
Schooner Pride
Enjoy a sail on the tall ship, Schooner Pride. One of the top rated things to do in Charleston and a top 10 sunset sail in the US. See the "Holy City" from the water.
Nathaniel Russell House
A National Historic Landmark, the house has been restored as nearly as possible to its 1808 appearance through the application of forensic analysis and cutting-edge conservation technology. Because restoration is an ongoing process, visitors have the opportunity to see and learn about the meticulous care, craft, and consideration that informs every detail. Historic Charleston Foundation’s most recent preservation initiative involves the kitchen house, an ancillary structure that included a kitchen, laundry, and living quarters for the enslaved. By uncovering the material history contained in that structure, the Foundation hopes to further illuminate the lives of the men, women, and children who lived and worked there.
Middleton Place
The historic preservation work and interpretation of history at Middleton Place focuses on major contributions of the Middleton family as well as the enslaved Africans and African Americans who lived and worked here. The Foundation, a 501(c)(3) educational trust established in 1974, uses historic preservation, documented research, and interpretation as a force for education, understanding, and positive change.
Husk
Centrally located in historic downtown Charleston, Husk transforms the essence of Southern food. Voted #1 New Restaurant in America 2011 by Bon Appetit and Southern Living Magazine. Husk reinterprets the bounty of the surrounding area, exploring an ingredient-driven cuisine that begins in the rediscovery of heirloom products and redefines what it means to cook and eat in the South. The adjacent bar at Husk is considered one of the most credible Bourbon bars in the south.
Peninsula Grill
In Charleston, S.C., the crown jewel of the dining scene is Peninsula Grill, the beguiling Four-Diamond and Four-Star restaurant hidden amidst a lush moonlit garden in the very heart of the Historic District. This restaurant is adjacent to Planters Inn, one of our hotel recommendations.
Slightly North of Broad Restaurant
Slightly North of Broad, an eclectic Lowcountry bistro bringing together local ingredients, thoughtful culinary skill, expert presentation, contagious energy, & warm service.
Magnolias
Magnolias ignited a culinary renaissance upon opening in Charleston, S.C. in 1990, paving the way for a new generation of Lowcountry cooking in the city and across the entire South. A staple in Charleston for 25 years, Magnolias remains a forerunner in upscale Southern cuisine, presenting traditional ingredients and cooking techniques elevated by modern flair and artful presentation.
Revival
The concept for Revival is modern, yet relaxed dining with a focus on recipes and/or ingredients from South Carolina’s past. Just around the corner is Waterfront Park that showcases the Charleston Harbor.
The Palmetto Cafe
Drawing inspiration from Charleston’s famed courtyard gardens, the AAA Four Diamond Palmetto Cafe is a juxtaposition of outside and in, new and traditional. Live green walls with antique wrought iron planters, 19th century mirrors and refreshing water fountains set in stone tiles frame the space, while Southern Colonial inspired furnishings with dark mahogany and woven cane details add an elegant finish.
The Rooftop Bar at The Vendue
This rooftop bar is where we hope to meet with out-of-town guests after the dinner rehearsal!
Market Pavilion Bar
Located on the top of this hotel/restaurant is a roof top bar that has great views of the harbor! Come here for a relaxed lunch or dinner and drinks! If it happens to be chilly, don't worry - there are heaters! Downstairs is Grill 225 if you'd like more of a fine dining option! If you're not a guest of this hotel, don't worry - you can still access the roof top bar!
The Darling Oyster Bar
Housed in a restored 115-year-old storefront, you can grab a stool at the 14-seat raw bar and settle into a table full of deliciousness. Or, perch beside the full-service bar.
Amen Street Fish & Raw Bar
Located in the heart of the historic district, Amen Street Fish & Raw Bar is among the best seafood restaurants in Charleston. Within walking distance from the Market and the Charleston Harbor, it's us the perfect stop if you’re exploring the Holy City. They offer a full lunch and dinner menu with both indoor and outdoor dining accommodations.
5Church Charleston
This restaurant, formerly a church, is located on The Market and offers more casual dining.
82 Queen St
82 Queen continues to reinvent the traditional South using fresh, local ingredients and modern takes on the classics. The seasonal menus feature authentic Lowcountry cuisine from award-winning she-crab soup to Lowcountry jambalaya and shrimp and grits, all served with gracious hospitality. Enjoy lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch in 19th-century dining rooms or in the brick courtyard underneath a breathtaking Southern magnolia tree.
Sullivan's Island
If you plan on visiting the coast, this Sullivan's Island is our recommendation! There you will find a slower pace, a quiet beach and multiple wonderful options for dining!
Shem Creek
If you're wanting a more relaxed setting that has easy access to outdoors, this is one of our favorite places to feel most every effect of the Lowcountry in one place - including shrimp boats, views of the harbor, a boardwalk over the marsh and good seafood! Lining each side of this inlet are great dining options with great views! A few recommendations are Saltwater Cowboy and Vickery's.