Pineapple Fountain, an iconic symbol of Charleston, is a popular attraction within the park. Pineapples are common throughout the city, representing its tradition of hospitality. Historically, pineapples were expensive and extremely difficult to acquire, because they could only be grown in South America; this exoticness is what made it a symbol of wealth and hospitality. The fountain itself also represents restoration and hope, as it was opened to the public in the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo.
Folly Beach is a city on Folly Island, in South Carolina, just south of Charleston. It’s home to Folly Beach Pier, stretching more than 1,000 feet into the ocean. Center Street is lined with surf and souvenir shops. Folly Beach County Park has picnic areas and a pelican rookery. As well as beaches and wildlife-rich habitats, Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve has views of Morris Island Lighthouse, completed in 1876
The Angel Oak Park is located on Johns Island where you can find what is known as "A Lowcountry Treasure". The Southern Live Oak tree is a historical site and focal point of one of the City of Charleston's public parks. It is considered to be the largest Live Oak Tree east of the Mississippi estimating to be 300 to 400 years old. The tree is 65 feet high with a circumference of 25.5 feet, shading an area of 17,000 square feet.
This was our first date in South Carolina together! Celebrated for almost three decades... In its thoughtful approach to local ingredients, Anson Restaurant, has always taken the best of what historic Charleston's seasons have to offer & crafted them into innovative turns on traditional Southern cuisine. Casual, quality cuisine, served Tuesday through Saturday, beginning at 5 p.m.
The Battery in Charleston is a fortified seawall and promenade. It is one of downtown Charleston’s most visited spots. The wall stretches along the shore of the Charleston peninsula, bordered by the Ashley and Cooper Rivers which come together to form the Charleston Harbor. In 1737 Broughton’s Battery, later called Fort Wilkins, was built here. During the 1750s, a seawall was constructed using large boulders, stone, and masonry. Broughton’s Battery was later decommissioned and demolished in 1789. When a new wall and its promenade were completed in the 1820's, locals still referred to it as “The Battery.” Today the Battery is bordered by historic antebellum mansions and offers majestic views of Fort Sumter, Castle Pinckney, the USS Yorktown, Fort Moultrie, and Sullivan's Island lighthouse.
This would be a great way to see some dolphins!!
There are so many great restaurants in this part of town!
You could see where Ian popped the question! Middleton Place is America’s Oldest Landscaped Gardens and home to a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Located along the Ashley River in Charleston, Middleton Place is a National Historic Landmark, historic home, research center, and historic plantation and stableyards.
White Point Garden is located in the heart of the historic district downtown. This park provides beautiful views of Fort Sumter and of the Charleston Harbor. The park features lots of grass space, shaded by beautiful old oak trees. The park has a gazebo in the center and features a rich display of history, including an impressive display of Civil War cannons, and several monuments and statues. Take a break from your walk and rest in the shade on some of the benches that line the pathways throughout the park.
For more than 250 years, Drayton Hall has stood witness to the American South. Among the best and most complete examples of Southern colonial life open to the public today, the property holds a vital educational responsibility. It is also an active archaeological site with an extensive museum collection of rare 18th- and 19th-century objects and artifacts.
This is for all the history buffs! Two forts stand at the entrance of Charleston Harbor. Patriots inside a palmetto log fort, later named Fort Moultrie, defeated the Royal Navy in 1776. As Charleston blazed a path towards secession to preserve slavery, construction on a new fort, Fort Sumter, proceeded. The Confederacy fired on the US garrison of Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861 opening the Civil War, which redefined American freedom.
The Nathaniel Russell House is an architecturally distinguished, early 19th-century house at 51 Meeting Street in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Built in 1808 by wealthy merchant and slave trader Nathaniel Russell, it is recognized as one of the United States' most important neoclassical houses
For all the girls who love taking photos this row of homes is SO cute! Rainbow Row refers to the row of pastel-colored historic homes located on East Bay Street, just along the Battery. As one of Charleston’s most iconic sites, you can visit this area on any given day and see couples getting their photos taken for engagements or weddings, along with a drove of tourists trying to get a good photograph of the stunning houses. Though the row of vibrant Georgian houses is beautiful, they attract visitors for more than just their aesthetic charm. As with most historic buildings in the Holy City, these special homes have their own fascinating story to tell.
NICO is an upbeat oyster bar serving French cuisine carefully prepared in a wood-fired oven. With ingredients sourced from the waters of the Lowcountry and a curated selection of the country’s most coveted raw oysters, French Master Chef Nico Romo offers a fresh take on seafood for Charleston's iconic Shem Creek.
Crave Kitchen & Cocktails serves exceptional dishes and classic cocktails in an upscale casual atmosphere. Offering lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, Crave is a proud member of Certified SC Grown’s “Fresh on the Menu” program supporting local growers and producers and utilizing seasonal, sustainable ingredients from a variety of area farms.
Located on Charleston’s Upper King Street, Indaco (Italian for “indigo”) serves regional Italian cuisine. Wood-fired pizzas and hand-crafted pastas fill the restaurant’s menu which can be enjoyed family-style or a la carte. With community tables, an open kitchen, and a comfortable atmosphere, Indaco can accommodate 100 guests for a casual night of food and drinks. The wine list is focused on Italian varietals, the Negroni cocktail is on tap, and the fresh sodas are made in-house.
$$ On outer James Island, almost to Folly Beach, a sandy road stretches from Bowens Island through the marsh. Take this, and it will end at the Folly River's large, weathered building with multiple decks, a hell of a view of Lowcountry sunset over a dock, and—if you're lucky—the smell of freshly fried hushpuppies in the air. Welcome to Bowen's Island Restaurant. The Lowcountry oyster roast—steamed wild caught oyster clusters served on long tables with crackers, lemon, and cocktail sauce—are a Charleston tradition, and when these clusters are in season, Bowen's is the most reliable place to experience this. Beyond that, fried seafood selections reign, and the lightly breaded and tender fried shrimp might be some of the best in town.
$ A little off the beaten path of the downtown corridor, Lewis Barbecue is worth the added travel time. Renowned Austin pit master John Lewis steers the food program, and the menu is simple but abundant—large slabs of melt-in-your-mouth brisket, smoked sausages, and an array of sides, like corn pudding and tangy coleslaw. Here, it's all about the tray, and once you go through the line, chances are you will have one stacked with hedonistic glory. One of the best parts of the experience is the staff, who slice and portion your meats on the plate. They're quick to offer a sample, suggestion, or lay "just one more slice" on your tray before you leave their station. It feels fun, like a friendly picnic for a meat-loving club.
$$ The sea breeze takes you up to the second floor, where it feels beachy inside, but without any hint of maritime kitsch. Bleached wood and pale blue seating are a calm backdrop for a bustling operation: the kitchen keeps the servers pivoting, bringing out trays from the raw bar, pizza from the wood-fired oven, and pasta and seafood dishes, too. This is the sister restaurant to Wild Olive on Johns Island, so it makes sense that it has an Italian inflection too, though interpreted through a coastal lens. The menu has a ton worth trying, so consider sharing plates instead of hogging your own, and convince the group to go for any housemade pasta (especially the seasonal pappardelle), plus a pizza, and anything green. The restaurant is a big supporter of local farms, so the vegetables and salads are always on point.
$$ You probably came here because anybody from Charleston that you've ever asked said FIG was one of their favorites. Admittedly, you'll have some elevated hopes upon entering, but once here, you notice that FIG is, at its heart, a neighborhood bistro, despite all the buzz (that's not a bad thing). It's low-lit, the bar is filled to the brim with people, some of whom are eating full meals, and beyond, there's a dining room with light walls, white tablecloths, and dark chairs and banquettes. The French-influenced execution of a seasonal, locally driven menu is always on point, and seafood is at the pinnacle of this impressive spire. Any seafood, from triggerfish to grouper to squid, is a sure bet for deliciousness, no matter the prep. The ricotta gnocchi is like a hug just waiting for you on the appetizer menu, and dessert—especially ice creams and panna cottas—are some of the sweetest last bites in town.
$$ First opened in 1993 and helmed by Chef Frank Lee, this restaurant quickly became a culinary touchstone for the modern Charleston restaurant that has a focus on in-season, local food. While the quality of the food has never waned, the restaurant has changed chefs and owners, and its dining room, and service details—like paper cocktail napkins under stemware for instance—have retained the era in which it was created. The day boat fresh catch might be the crispiest on the outside, tender on the inside, classic preparation in town, topping some sort of seasonal green and in a pool of delicate, buttery sauce. The cornbread service is on point; the butterbeans soft but not mushy; the okra fried crispy but with a thin coating that lets the flavor shine. This is Charleston Southern, and the Moore kitchen knows they're cooking for the SNOB legacy every night.