Travel Guide to a Weekend in Charleston
Nothing is more needed right now than a weekend getaway to the beautiful South! Last weekend, my boyfriend and I drove down to Charleston, South Carolina for Memorial Day weekend. I had been wanting to visit here for a while and even given the circumstances of coronavirus, the city was also almost completely open! Some restaurants and shops were still closed, but we were able to go almost every place we wanted to – while keeping a distance from others.
I was so pleasantly surprised with the weather, service, accommodations, food, beverage, and safety precautions. All of these places have my genuine review. If I didn’t have a good experience at a place, I didn’t include it in this post! Keep reading for my favorite places to eat, drink, and stay for a weekend in Charleston.
Where to Stay
We split up our trip into two nights on the beach and two nights in the city. Folly Beach is the most popular beach in the area, but we stayed the opposite direction in Mount Pleasant and it was wonderful!
Beach Resort
The Wild Dunes Resort is located about 30 minutes from Downtown Charleston. This resort was nice! Our room was clean, spacious, and we had a distant view of the ocean. I wish we had been right on the beach, but all of those places were completely booked (we did this trip kinda last minute!).
Downtown Hotel
The Restoration on King was an amazing hotel! The second we pulled up I was so excited. I am such a city girl, so being right downtown was awesome. The quality of our room was so nice and spacious! They left us pimento cheese and crackers in the fridge along with still and sparkling water.
The location of this hotel could not get any better. It is right on King street close to tons of shops and restaurants, and a short walk to the Market and the French Quarter. They also have a rooftop restaurant and a rooftop pool (it’s on the smaller side, but a nice touch).
I HIGHLY recommend this hotel.
Where to Eat
Mount Pleasant
The Obstinate Daughter
The very first night when we stayed at the Wild Dunes we ate at The Obstinate Daughter. I did some research before this trip (obviously!) and this place was one of the top restaurants to go to. It is Italian inspired cuisine and let me tell you, the pasta does NOT disappoint. We had salad, Brussel sprouts, and two pasta dishes – all incredible.
Downtown Charleston
Uncork
Uncork Charleston is the cutest wine bar in the heart of Downtown! They have dispensers so you can choose to buy a sip, a half glass, or a full glass of any wine they have available. The options were great and I had a lot of fun with this! You can get cocktails or wines by the bottle as well. I do recommend this place to a wine lover but the only thing is BE CAREFUL because you might end up spending over $100 on a happy hour…
Wild Common
Wild Common, also connected to Cannon Green (a gorgeous event center), was a couple blocks off of King Street tucked away in a more quiet neighborhood. The venue is beautiful inside and out – with a dreamy and private courtyard.
The service and food here was spectacular. We had the Chef’s 5 course meal ($65 a person) with wine pairing ($45 a person) and it couldn’t have been any better. This is the place to go if you want a private, picturesque and upscale meal.
The Darling Oyster Bar
Did someone say freshly shucked oysters and Champagne?! There are no shortage of oyster bars in Charleston, but the Darling Oyster Bar takes it to the next level. Marble and marine decor is so fitting and perfect for your instagram pics. Not to mention, amazing other seafood options and great service!
167 Raw
167 Raw is another fun seafood restaurant that you must try to go to. I came here specifically for the lobster role and it did not fail me. We also had the chips and guac with an iced tea (I had reached my wine limit at this point) and everything was tasty! The only downside to this place is they do not take reservations – so prepare to wait for a while.
Hall’s Chophouse
Where do I even begin with this place?! So good. Hall’s is located right on King Street and when we walked in we had the warmest greeting with live Jazz music. The menu is phenomenal and the wine list is extensive! We shared salad, the Tomahawk steak and lots of sides with Hall 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a must for a weekend in Charleston.
French Quarter
Vendue Rooftop
This is a fun rooftop bar connected to a hotel in the French Quarter area. We looked into other rooftops and asked some other locals where to go, but this was the best view! You get a 360 view of the city, churches, and water. The drinks are good and the menu is average but the view is worth it!
Magnolia’s
This is pretty much a staple when you visit Charleston. Magnolia’s is a Southern food restaurant with all of your “feel good foods” like pimento cheese, low country boil, gumbo, catfish, crab soup, fried green tomatoes and pecan pie. We had a great dinner here, but there are also many other great southern restaurants on the same street (East Bay) that have amazing reviews as well.
Nightlife
Given the circumstances of COVID-19, our weekend in Charleston wasn’t too crazy, however they did have a lot of bars open!
Vintage Lounge
This would be my number one bar / cocktail recommendation. If your vibe is a late night in a speak-easy vibe bar, with craft cocktail and live music – the Vintage Lounge is your place! I got my usual cocktail (dirty martini) and we sat inside at their marble bar. They also have back patio area that was cozy as well!
Republic
Republic has much more club-like vibes. They have an equally large patio to their indoor space with a long bar. We came here to grab a few drinks and really enjoyed the atmosphere. No dancing, standing or getting up from your table was allowed due to social distancing orders, but we still had fun in our own little section!
We had the best weekend getaway in Charleston. I can’t wait to go back! If you have favorite spots in this city that I didn’t mention, please comment below!
Cheers!
Interested in other travel? Check out my Vacation to Cabo here!
