Southern Charm
Oh, Charleston. I love this city so much. It is just as much of a feast for the eyes as it is for the belly. Every time I have visited this town, my days consist of meandering through the quaint lantern lit streets and popping in here and there to eat oysters, low country food and discover new cocktails. Earlier this June, one of my closest friends chose Charleston for her "last hurrah" before getting married later this August.
(Day 1, Thursday) - Arriving on the first flight out Thursday morning gave us a full three days to explore; and to my benefit, we had some new activities planned that my previous visits to Charleston hadn't included. From NYC, flights are extremely easy so we landed early enough to still enjoy breakfast at Hominy Grill. They don't take reservations and with a larger group, the wait gave us time to have a drink on their outdoor patio before a table opened up. Most places in Charleston seemed to get a bit flustered by our larger group, so be patient if this is a spot you are considering for a 10+ person weekend.
Our rental home was newly renovated (address: 206 Ashley Ave.) and in the Cannonborough neighborhood, making it a short 2 minute walk from Hominy Grill and 10 minute walk to King Street. After settling in and a quick passing of a thunderstorm, we were off to Rarebit, which is known for their Moscow Mules. These did not disappoint. They were delicious! Dinner was at the popular Husk restaurant. In the past, I have been to Husk for brunch but never for dinner. Their menu was creative and a good representation of southern eats. It changes all the time but among everything we had, there were no complaints. I will say though, it will be my first and last time having pig ears! I just can't!
Nearby Husk Recommendations
SNOB / High Cotton - Two good restaurants that have a nice bar setting for a pre-dinner drink.
Gin Joint - Cool mixology spot good for a pre-dinner drink or easy nightcap.
Pearlz - Good oysters for pre-dinner.
Bin152 - Cute wine bar; Another pre-dinner spot or late afternoon spot.
Blind Tiger - Casual pub. Nightlife can be quiet on a Thursday but pick up Fridays and Saturdays.
Market Pavilion Hotel Rooftop - Great way to take in the city views with a cocktail in hand.
(Day 2, Friday) - Our day started off with breakfast at Poogan's Porch - a spot that has been around since the 1970's. Though we had a car take us there, we opted to make our way back to the house by strolling up King Street. I could have spent all morning stopping in shops such as The Skinny Dip, which also has a cute rooftop bar / event space, but we had to swing back to the house to get ready for our afternoon on the floating Tiki Hut located right in the middle of Charleston Harbor. This we would all agree was a major highlight of our weekend in Charleston and completely different than anything I had experienced during prior visits.
Sam and Drew were awesome hosts for the afternoon - some of us even got up on the flyboard. Drew made balancing and getting actual height on one of those things look much easier than it actually is. The hut is BYO food and beverage but comes stocked with coolers to keep everything chilled. I would definitely recommend this if you find yourself in Charleston for a guys or girls weekend.
Given our long day on the water, we decided to take out Lewis BBQ and head straight back to relax and get to bed semi-early.
(Day 3, Saturday) - By this point in the weekend, I can safely say I had my fill of southern food. In fact, I was still full from Lewis BBQ upon waking up. Instead of sitting down to breakfast like we had done the past two days, a group of us walked to grab coffee at local spot, Brown's Court Bakery on our way to the Charleston Farmers Market. The market is held only on Saturdays from April through November but was clearly a popular destination for local vendors and visitors alike. I was enthralled by this dance crew - they were so talented! One guy even flipped over 8 people. I still don't know how he did it! (see photo below)
We then headed off to Firefly Distillery and Deep Water Vineyard - both located on the same property about 50 minutes outside of Charleston. We ordered Ubers for the way there but booked a larger van to get us all back in one car. You can purchase tickets for both the distillery and vineyard, which I would recommend to get a flavor for each. They also have food trucks once you are there so you don't have to worry about eating beforehand. It's near impossible to go hungry in Charleston!
To close out our last night (and eating tour) in Charleston, we sat down to dinner at Indaco. Picture loads of pasta, breads, appetizers. It was glorious. Across from Indaco, we danced at Prohibition before walking back to the house, packing up and getting to sleep for our early morning flights. Already looking forward to my next trip to Chucktown.
(Sources: Cropped Knit Top - Urban Outfitters; Denim Shorts - Agolde; Bathing Suit - Solid and Striped; Red Tank - L'academie; White Shorts - J.Crew)
