Things To Do
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens
This is where we are getting married! Magnolia Plantation & Gardens is situated along the Ashley River and has over 400 acres of protected wetlands and 66 acres of gardens and grounds to explore. It has an Audubon Swamp Garden with boardwalks and picturesque bridges as well as a historic river walk. Magnolia Plantation & Gardens also features colorful garden blooms year round, and massive live oak trees draped in Spanish moss. There are a variety of tours including: Nature Train Tour, Wildlife Boat Tour, Magnolia House Tour, "From Slavery to Freedom" Tour, and the Discovery Tour. The Wildlife Center features rescued indigenous species, including the red fox, bobcat, alligator, donkey, owl, possum, miniature horses, goats, pigs, deer, turtles, tortoises, snakes, and various birds of prey. The grounds are open 9 am - 5 pm everyday & the Wildlife Center is open 10 am - 4 pm. Wedding guests will receive a code for discounted admission to visit another time during the wedding week.
Cypress Gardens
Cypress Gardens is a 170-acre preserve and gardens. The infamous row boat scene in the movie "The Notebook" was filmed here. Take a swamp boat adventure through the blackwater bald cypress/tupelo swamp or stroll miles of trails with beautiful flowers. Explore the butterfly house filled with flowering plants, live butterflies, birds, a pond, an arthropod exhibit, and a observation beehive. Walk through the "Swamporium" featuring fish, amphibians, and reptiles, a South American anaconda, and African crocodiles. Cypress Gardens is open 7 days a week from 9 am to 5 pm.
Angel Oak Tree
This park is free to visit and features a 300-500 year old Live Oak Tree, which is considered to be the largest Live Oak Tree east of the Mississippi. The tree is 65 feet high with a circumference of 25.5 feet, shading an area of 17,000 square feet. The longest branch reaches a staggering 187 feet.
Charleston Tea Garden
The Charleston Tea Garden is the only commercial tea garden in North America. The Bigelow Tea Company owns this picturesque property with hundreds of thousands of tea bushes on Wadmalaw Island just a few miles south of Charleston. The Charleston Tea Garden offers a free educational tour of their tea factory and also sells tickets for a 45 minute trolley ride of the tea gardens including a stop at their state of the art greenhouse.
Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens
Boone Hall Plantation is a 738 acre property and one of America's oldest working farms. Take a drive down the beautiful Avenue of Oaks with live oak trees arranged in two evenly spaced rows creating a canopy tunnel. Explore the Gullah culture, take a Plantation Tractor Tour around the property and see the working farm, walk through the self guided Black History in America Tour, or take a guided Slave History Presentation Tour. Alternatively take a Garden Tour to view the antique rose varieties planted over 100 years ago, take a House Tour to learn about the history, or explore the Tropic Conservatory to see citrus trees/specialty plants and calming water features/fountains with Koi fish, turtles, and frogs. The movie "The Notebook" was also filmed here. Boone Hall Plantation is open Monday - Saturday 9 am - 5 pm & Sunday 12 pm - 5 pm
Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park
Park here to walk over the Ravenel Bridge on a nice day. You can also walk the pier under the bridge.
Pitt Street Bridge
Scenic bridge/park to walk on a nice day!
I'On Canal Walk
For the I'On Canal Walk park on Ponsbury Road and then walk to the canals. Latitude Lane is a good starting point. These canals look a lot like Venice, Italy and this would be a nice walk for a pretty day. There is also a cute turtle cove along one of the canals.
Folly Beach
Tourist friendly beach with lots of little shops and places to eat! Rent a surf board or take lessons, grab an ice cream and walk down the Folly Beach Pier, or walk the Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve at the north end of Folly Beach to see the Morris Island Lighthouse.
Isle of Palms Beach
Isle of Palms is a vibrant barrier island near Charleston known for its beautiful, sandy beaches, and lively atmosphere. It's a great spot for a beach day and enjoying beachfront dining. With its family-friendly vibe, restaurants, and local shops, Isle of Palms offers a mix of relaxation and fun just a short drive from the city. Check out the roof top bar/restaurant at Coconut Joe's or listen to live music at the Windjammer.
Sullivan's Island Beach
Sullivan's Island Beach is a 2 ½ mile beach with pristine white sand and natural beauty. This beach is more secluded than Folly Beach and Isle of Palms Beach, however there are a few restaurants nearby. There are "stations" all along Sullivan’s Island, which are roads with beach access points. Restaurants are within walking distance to stations 21, 22, and 22 ½. The Sullivan’s Island Lighthouse is at station 18 ½. Kiteboarding can be watched at station 28 ½. The parking is free, but make sure to park off street with no tires on the pavement to avoid tickets.
The Battery
Visit one of downtown Charleston's most visited spots. Stroll along the seawall and take in the sights of the harbor and Fort Sumter. Walk by the historic homes or walk through white point garden to see a display of Civil War cannons, monuments, and statues. Beautiful spot for a walk on a nice day!
Waterfront Park & Pineapple Fountain
The Pineapple Fountain is located in Charleston's Waterfront Park, which overlooks the Charleston Harbor and Cooper River. Take a walk along the waterfront and relax on one of the shaded swinging benches along the pier.
Rainbow Row
This is one of Charleston's most photographed spots. There are 13 brightly-colored historic homes with gas lit lanterns along the waterfront.
King Street
Take a stroll down King Street during the day for some shopping. There are many food & beverage options along King Street. The American Theater located on King Street is in the movie "The Notebook"
Charleston City Market
Visit one of the country's oldest city markets, which is now considered the cultural heart of Charleston. It was established in 1807, originally to sell meat, fruit, vegetables, and fish. The market spans over 4 blocks and sells a little bit of everything from sweetgrass baskets, souvenirs, clothing, jewelry, food, and local artwork. Open daily 9:30 am - 5 pm
Charleston Carriage Works
A great way to tour downtown and learn about Charleston's History! Check Groupon or talk with your hotel concierge - you may be able to get a good deal! There are several other carriage tour companies within the same vicinity, so feel free to check out Palmetto Carriage Works, Old South Carriage Company, & Carolina Polo & Carriage Co. as well!
South Carolina Aquarium
The SC Aquarium has the deepest tank in North America which holds 385,000 gallons of sea water and is home to sharks and sea turtles. They also have exhibits with a bald eagle, river otters, snakes, tortoises, and reef fish. SC Aquarium is also home to a sea turtle recovery hospital where they show turtles in different stages of rehabilitation. They also have an exhibit where you can touch stingrays. This would be a good place to visit on a rainy day.
Frankies Fun Park
Mini golf spot w/ 2 courses to choose from. They also have go karts and an arcade.
Tanger Outlets Charleston
Outlet Mall in North Charleston, SC
Millers All Day
Popular brunch spot in downtown Charleston known for their inventive takes on classic Southern comfort food. The relaxed retro atmosphere adds to its charm, making it a popular choice for both locals and visitors. Open Monday - Friday 8 am - 3 pm & Saturday - Sunday 8 am - 4 pm Try their Cinnamon Roll!
Indaco
This is our favorite Italian restaurant. It is located in downtown Charleston and serves wood-fired pizzas and hand-crafted pastas. The inside dining room features an open kitchen, so you can watch as your food is being made. They also have an outdoor open-air patio. This restaurant is unique in that the menu items are always changing, so we have never had the same meal twice. Everything we have tried has been amazing!
Pavilion Bar
Pavilion Bar is can upscale rooftop bar in downtown Charleston with views of the harbor and Ravenel Bridge. This would be a beautiful spot to get drinks or food while watching the sunset. Open daily 11:30 am - midnight
Kaminsky's Dessert Café
Dessert café in downtown Charleston with house made rotating desserts, coffee, adult milkshakes, dessert martinis, cocktails, ice cream sundaes, and milkshakes. Try our favorite: "Samoa" Signature Dessert Martini
Benne’s by Peninsula Grill
You NEED to try their Famous 12 Layer Ultimate Coconut Cake. We love coming here to get a slice of coconut cake and a cappuccino. This is located in downtown Charleston.
Frannie & The Fox
Located within hotel Emeline in downtown Charleston, Frannie and the Fox offers shareables and wood-fired pizzas in a cozy atmosphere. They also offer seating in their outdoor courtyard.
Three Little Birds Cafe
One of our favorite breakfast/brunch spots! We love their smoothies. Alex's Favorites: "The Toucan" Smoothie and "Strawberry Whipped Cream & Goat Cheese Stuffed Challah French Toast" Jacques's Favorites: "The Carolina Wren" Smoothie and "Carolina Scramble" They are open Monday - Friday 7:30 am – 2 pm & Saturday - Sunday 8 am – 2pm Located in the West Ashley area of Charleston.
Taste of Thai
Our Favorites: Spicy Udon Noodles or Pad Kee Mow & Basil Fried Rice (we enjoy level 2-3 for spice) Located in the West Ashley area of Charleston.
Vicious Biscuit Mount Pleasant
One of our favorite breakfast/brunch spots. They have tasty breakfast sandwiches on homemade biscuits, a bar with homemade butters and jams for their biscuits, and fresh squeezed orange juice. Must try: "the Vicious Beignets"
Saltwater Cowboys
One of our favorite waterfront restaurants/bars. Saltwater Cowboys overlooks Shem Creek and often has live music. They serve great drinks, seafood, and BBQ. We often see dolphins swimming up and down Shem Creek alongside the shrimp boats. Favorite Drink: Pusser's Painkiller Frozen Cocktail Favorite Appetizer: Trash Can Nachos or Fried Pickles w/ Ranch Many of the boating scenes in the Netflix series "Outer Banks" were filmed along Shem Creek.
Water's Edge Restaurant & Cabana Bar
This is our favorite brunch restaurant! They also have great lunch/dinner and a nice cabana bar with happy hour along the Shem Creek Boardwalk. Water's edge offers waterfront indoor and outdoor dining. We often see dolphins swimming by as we are eating brunch. We love walking down the Shem Creek Boardwalk after eating, where you walk alongside commercial shrimp boats and other fishing boats and down the recreational docks. The scenic boardwalk is less than a mile walk roundtrip. Our Favorites: Beignets with chocolate and raspberry dipping sauces Alex's Favorites: "I'll Take Two" Cocktail & Stuffed French Toast Jacques's Favorites: Build Your Own Bloody Mary Bar, Crab Cake Benedict or Smoky Prime Rib Hash. Water's Edge is only open for Brunch on Sunday's from 11 am - 3pm, however they are open 7 days a week for lunch/dinner. They will validate your parking at the hostess stand if you are a customer.
Sushi Taro Japanese Restaurant
Sushi Taro is a small japanese restaurant with great food. Our favorites: Garlic Edamame, Green Gyoza, General Tso's Chicken, Thai Basil, Yaki Udon, & Mei Fun. There's a printable coupon for 10% off dine in or take out on their website.
Come Back Shack
Family owned/operated burger restaurant with fresh ingredients, hand cut fries, and milkshakes. Alex's Favorites: Bacon Cheddar Burger (no mustard/tomato), seasoned fries, & Nutella Milkshake Jacques's Favorites: The Original Shack Burger, seasoned fries, & Peanut Butter Milkshake They also have another location at 8915 University Blvd, North Charleston, SC 29406
The Roof Top Bar at Coconut Joe's
This roof top bar has a panoramic view of the Isle of Palms Beach where you can watch shrimp boats passing by and potentially see dolphins. Enjoy a frozen cocktail or margarita while eating food and listening to their live music Wednesday-Sunday.
The Windjammer
A small concert venue on the Isle of Palms Beach! Great for live music and a drink in the evening.
The Obstinate Daughter
The Obstinate Daughter is a small Southern restaurant that is influenced by French, Italian and Spanish cuisine with a wood fired pizza oven and open kitchen. Pizza, homemade pasta, small plates and a raw bar are the focus of the menu. Their menu changes seasonally and uses produce from local farms as well as seafood from local fishermen. Reservations are recommended.
Commonhouse Aleworks
Great indoor/outdoor brewery in Park Circle that often has live music. Try their soft pretzel with beer cheese & mustard.
New Realm Brewing Co.
Brewery located on Daniel Island that often has live music outside on their covered pavilion.
Vespa Pizzeria
Cute Neapolitan pizzeria located on Daniel Island with indoor and outdoor seating. Their hours are Monday-Saturday 11 am - 10 pm & Sunday 11 am - 9 pm
Agaves Cantina
The Daniel Island location has a large indoor seating area as well as a large outdoor patio. They serve free chips & salsa to customers. Our Favorites: Frozen Lime & Mango Margaritas, Shredded Beef Chimichangas, & Chicken Fajitas
Sake House Japanese Sushi & Hibachi Restaurant
Our favorite Hibachi restaurant in the Charleston area. This is located near the Tanger Outlet Mall in North Charleston. We enjoy sharing a scorpion bowl and watching the hibachi chef put on a show while cooking our meal. Each hibachi dinner comes with soup and a salad (we recommend the ginger salad dressing). We also love ordering a side order of soba or udon noodles to be cooked on the hibachi grill (this is not on the menu, so you have to ask for it). If you like ginger sauce, ask for a side of ginger sauce when they are pouring the "white sauce" aka Yum Yum sauce.
Blue Tequila Tacos & Grill
This restaurant offers indoor & outdoor patio seating as well as an indoor/outdoor open air bar. This restaurant serves free chips & salsa to customers. Our Favorites: Flight to Mexico Frozen Margarita Flight, Table side Guacamole, Mini Chimichanga's (Shredded Beef & Chicken) & Chicken Fajitas.
Mei Thai Restaurant & Sushi Bar
Our Favorites: Chicken Pad Khing & Beef Pad Kee Mao (Medium spice level)