It's officially been almost three weeks now since I returned from my trip to Charleston, SC. This was a special (albeit scary) trip for me because it was my first time going on a vacation by myself. I've taken solo day trips and use to travel back and forth between school and home in college, however I've never spent an extended period of time alone in an unfamiliar city. I had visited Charleston once before back in high school on a school trip and remember enjoying the city. I've always wanted to go back again so when I had a few extra days off from work, I decided to take advantage and hit the road!
I'm not sure if the anxiety stemmed from being alone, unfamiliar with the city, because it was a last minute or a combination of everything? I definitely still had a great time and I'm so glad I went. It actually feels really good to do something uncomfortable. It also turned out to be a great first vacay for me with lots of firsts and good memories. There's still so much I didn't get to do (and so many places to eat at!!) which gives me an excuse to go back again one day. I wanted to keep things pretty chill and manageable on this trip but I still crossed off most of the things on my list. If you're planning a trip to Charleston or wanting to start solo traveling, hopefully this post will give you a little inspo and/or courage if you need it like I did ;)
Here's a rundown of everything I squeezed in during my two and a half days:
WHERE I STAYED
+Planter's Inn, North Market Street (Downtown)
There are so many amazing hotel options in and around Charleston that I initially had a hard time deciding where to stay. I didn't end up booking my room until after arriving in Charleston-- at this point I think I'm the cause of my own anxiety?? Lol. I spontaneously ended up going with the Planter's Inn which is located in the Ansonborough neighbor of Downtown Charleston. I knew I wanted to stay downtown so that I could easily walk and access a lot of the sightseeing, shopping and restaurants. I also didn't want to rely on having to drive too much, especially in a more congested region like downtown.
Somewhere nice, clean and safe is obviously a given. I chose Planter's because it's location was closer and convenient to a lot of the areas I wanted to visit-- King Street, City Market, etc. I really enjoyed my stay and room in their Piazza wing. I was in the newer building that overlooked the Piazza which was nice and quiet. It also had a separate entrance and direct street access through the hotel courtyard which made going to and from my room really convenient.
The room itself was spacious with tall ceilings, a great bathroom and simple, traditional decor. While not my typical style, I think it was the perfect vibe for Charleston and fit the historic charm of the city.
WHAT I ATE
Pretty much everywhere I ate on this trip was more relaxed and low-key. Normally I would be a little bit more adventurous but que the anxiety, lol. I also didn't have much of an appetite for most of the trip, I think from being sick the week before and maybe a little from being anxious? I SWEAR I had a good time, ya'll! Back to food-- one thing I did challenge myself to do was eat at all new and different places I can't find at home. I love to try things that I can't eat at home, it's part of the reason to travel for me!
+Brown Dog Deli, Broad Street (Downtown)
My first stop was at Brown Dog Deli for lunch. I ate at the Broad Street location so that I could do some sightseeing around the French Quarter + Rainbow Row area. It has a cool, funky vibe with great sandwiches. I ordered the Apple Butter Jeans sandwich and tortellini pasta salad.
+Hyman's Seafood, Meeting Street (Downtown)
For dinner, Hyman's Seafood was just a short walk from my hotel. I'm pretty sure I ate here the first time I visited Charleston so I wanted to go back for their Shrimp & Grit's. Because I wasn't as hungry, I opted for the appetizer version which I ate with their hushpuppies!
+Callie's Hot Little Biscuit, Meeting Street (Downtown)
For years I have seen the frozen Callie's Hot Little Biscuits inside of Fresh Market! I have never tried them before but when I found out they have actual restaurants in Charleston, I had to go for breakfast. Their location inside of City Market on Meeting Street was also right across from my hotel. They offer a selection of both breakfast sandwiches and mini 2" biscuits. I ended up choosing three of the mini ones in Black Pepper Bacon, Shortcake and Cinnamon. The Cinnamon one was by far the best and definitely worth trying. Sweet and delicious!
+Coconut Joes, Ocean Boulevard (Isle of Palms Beach)
On Day 2, I ventured to Isle of Palms to spend the afternoon at the beach! For lunch, I went to Coconut Joe's which is right on the ocean with a direct view. A fun, cool beachy grill. The menu is everything you'd expect at the beach and included coconut shrimp, tacos, burgers + more. One of my only regrets from the trip is that I didn't order the coconut shrimp or a Piña Colada here! Because I'd had shrimp the night before, I opted for a burger but I wish I would have ordered the shrimp too. All of the cocktails coming out looked amazing too!
+Mario's Italian Ristorante, King Street (Downtown)
On my last night I decided to order a takeout pizza from Mario's Italian Ristorante. I kept it classic with the Margarita which was yummy-- very light and fresh.
+Peninsula Grill/Benne's, North Market Street (Part of Planter's Inn, Downtown)
The restaurant inside of my hotel, Peninsula Grill, is known for their infamous 12-layer coconut cake. They offer it both inside of Peninsula Grill as well as next door in their more casual, cafe restaurant called Benne's. I didn't end up eating at Peninsula Grill or Benne's but I couldn't not try the cake. I picked up a piece for takeout on my last night there that I enjoyed in my room. If you like coconut cake, you will enjoy. It was yummy (and huge!) and definitely a fun novelty to try. Does it live up to the hype and the $15 price tag? From a takeout perspective, I would say no. If you were dining in the restaurant, I would likely add some extra points for presentation + ambiance.
+Lost Dog Cafe, W Huron Avenue (Folly Beach)
On my last morning, I wanted to see the beach one more time so I ventured over to Folly Beach. I had never had breakfast on the beach before so I picked up a sesame bagel at Lost Dog Cafe and watched the waves. They serve both breakfast & lunch and the menu options all looked really good-- if I had chosen to dine in, I would have ordered either the french toast or pancakes. Another fun, beachy joint!
WHERE I SHOPPED
+King Street (Downtown)
Most of the shopping I did was on King Street. I didn't end up buying too much-- just a few things at Sephora. If you're curious what I bought, I'll link my Sephora haul here.
King Street has a plethora of stores and pretty much anything you could want-- from affordable to designer options. I'm on the hunt for the perfect pair of jeans so I checked out both Anthropologie and Hampden boutique. Hampden is a really cool local boutique with a neat mix of designer clothing + brands. I didn't find the perfect pair for me but they had a great mix of Agolde, Mother + more. I also spotted Golden Goose sneakers, VEJA and tons of other high-end designers like Proenzer Schouler. Definitely a fun store to check out if you love fashion!
+Target/Nordstrom Rack (Mount Pleasant)
I didn't venture too much into Mount Pleasant but I did stop at a cute little shopping center called Seaside Farms right outside of IOP. I had left my phone charger at the hotel so thankfully there was a Target there that I ran into and picked one up at. There were also a lot of other shops + restaurants in the same area which looked really fun if you're going to IOP or staying at the beach.
I also spotted a Nordstrom Rack on my way back which I was curious to stop in. I don't think I've ever actually been to one-- just regular Nordstrom's. This one was okay-- nothing special to me. It's much closer in feel to a TJ Maxx than an actual Nordstrom which I guess is the point!
+City Market (Downtown)
I also strolled through City Market and browsed around on my way to Callie's for breakfast. It's full of vendors selling gifts, souvenirs, food + more.
SIGHTSEEING + ACTIVITIES
+Rainbow Row
+Pineapple Fountain
+Waterfront Park Pier
There is so much history and amazing architecture in downtown Charleston, particularly in the French Quarter and Historic districts. I had so much fun going back to see Rainbow Row in person, as well as the Waterfront Park Pier and Pineapple Fountain. I'm pretty sure when I visited before we did a bus tour around town--- I remember seeing Rainbow Row driving by but I had to re-visit on foot. Despite it being gloomy out, I still enjoyed seeing all of the history and charm that the city has to offer.
The pier was also really nice-- they do boat tours for dolphin sightings here which is really neat. I think we also did one of these back when I visited in high school. If I went back and the weather was nicer, I would definitely love to go on one of these again!
+Isle of Palms Beach
+Folly Beach
Definitely the highlight of my trip was getting to go to the beach. When I was younger, I never really cared much about the beach itself when we would go on trips. Now that I'm older, I love the ocean and the sand. On Day 2 of my trip, it was sunny out so I drove over to Isle of Palms. It only took about 20-25 minutes to get there from downtown and I loved the whole afternoon. Because it's the off season, it was very calm and relaxing. They also had free parking! Win win.
It was so nice and definitely made me feel at ease + relaxed. I spent a few hours walking around, relaxing and reading in the sand before I headed to Coconut Joe's for lunch.
Because I loved going to IOP and seeing the ocean, I decided I had to go back one more time before leaving. I got up early the last day of my trip and decided to check out Folly Beach which is in the opposite direction of IOP from downtown. It was also only about a 20-25 minute drive and easy to get to. They had some free parking areas too but because I was pressed for time, I ended up paying to park right in front of the beach. I enjoyed my bagel and tried to get my last minute earthing in with the sand + waves! The beach is always a must-do and good for the soul.
That's a wrap! On my drive back home, I was ready to be back in my own bed but was so glad I ended up going-- not only just for the fun of a vacation but because I actually got a little bit more comfortable with the uncomfortable. Totally a cliche for a reason, right?? Like everything in life, you gain new perspective with experience. Everyone always tells you that but you never fully get it until you actually get it, ya know?
If you're going to Charleston soon or thinking about it, definitely go! It's such an amazing city full of history and culture, lots of shopping + activities and so many great restaurants. If you go, let me know everything you do while you're there. I would love to see pictures! And who knows-- maybe I'll be back sooner than I expect with more travel adventures!
