I love exploring new places whenever I get the chance, so when the opportunity presented itself to explore the beautiful city of Charleston, South Carolina for a quick trip, I took it. If you haven’t visited Charleston, it’s one of those places filled with colorful historic homes, palmetto trees and waterfront views. There’s an almost endless selection of ways to explore the historic downtown area, several nearby family-friendly beaches, and enough restaurants for eating your way around town. Definitely too much to see and do in a short visit, but here’s some of colorful photos from my weekend in the Charleston area. I hope you get inspired to plan a trip to this historic and beautiful slice of the south.
*Updated September, 2023 Folly Beach
Just a quick drive from downtown Charleston, Folly Beach is one of several beaches in the Charleston area. I spent my first night here at the Holliday Inn (no that’s not a typo!) This old fashioned inn brought back memories of spending time in our family beach house back in the 1970’s. With a pool and outdoor patio, it’s a laid back place with the perfect beach vibe. There’s only a few hotels in Folly Beach, so unless you are renting a house, it’s best to book in advance. I loved that from my room, I was on the beach in minutes, which made it easy to get up in time to photograph the spectacular sunrise at the Folly Beach Pier and have breakfast at local favorite, the Lost Dog Cafe. Visitors won’t go hungry, with plenty of local restaurants and bars within walking distance.
Sunrise on Folly Beach
Sunrise at the Folly Beach Pier
Sunrise View from Under the Folly Beach Pier
Scenes from Folly Beach
Snapper Jacks Restaurant in Folly Beach
Historic Downtown Charleston
The next morning, it was a short drive to downtown Charleston, where I was excited to take a 2 hour historic tour with Free Tours by Foot. I love their “name your own price” tours, and our tour guide, Scott, was top notch! As we strolled along viewing places like the historic houses of Rainbow Row and the Old Exchange Building and Provost Dungeon, Scott filled us in on the long history of “Charles Towne.” As you can see in the photos, the city has its share of pink buildings to photograph, including the beautiful French Huguenot Church and the Pink House, considered to be the oldest house in Charleston. After the tour, there was time to wander through the historic Charleston City Market to check out the 4 blocks of colorful crafts, jewelry, artwork and other merchandise. As with many structures in Charleston, fire destroyed the original building, but the current market is a National Historic Landmark. While inside the market, don’t miss a stop at Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit for lunch. Order the 3 biscuits for $5 to sample several different flavors. After eating the country ham biscuit, along with the cheese and chive, I reluctantly saved the cinnamon biscuit for later.
The Pirate House
The beautiful gates to the West Cemetery at St. Phillips Church
Other views of the cemetery at St. Phillips Church
The French Huguenot Church
The Pink House
Colorful Street Art
Historic Dock Street Theater
Colorful Houses on Rainbow Row
Lunch from Callie's Hot Little Biscuit at the Charleston City Market
Scenes from a Sunday morning in Charleston
The Iconic Pineapple Fountain at Waterfront Park
Mount Pleasant
Downtown Charleston has no shortage of great places to stay, whether you are looking for a quaint inn or a luxury hotel. On this trip, however, I was planning to meet friends in Mount Pleasant, so it made sense for me to stay just across the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. I was so glad to have found the newly opened Hotel Indigo, a boutique hotel with easy access to downtown Charleston, and close to the popular Shem Creek waterfront. The pool at the hotel was recently mentioned in the Top 12 Cool Pools of Charleston and it did not disappoint! While in Mount Pleasant, don’t miss the Deep Fried Devil Eggs at the Tavern & Table in Shem Creek or the delicious Shrimp & Grits at nearby Shelter Kitchen and Bar.
The Hotel Indigo
The Pool at the Hotel Indigo
Shrimp and Grits from The Shelter Kitchen and Bar, Shem Creek
Shrimp boat in the evening light on Shem Creek
The weekend was way too short, so I’m definitely already planning for my next visit! Thinking about a sunrise kayak tour, then eating my way through Charleston with one of the many food tours. Throw in a visit to Sullivan’s Island and I know it would be another fabulous weekend in Charleston. Be sure to check out some of the many itineraries on the Charleston Visitors Bureau website to help plan your next fabulous visit to this southern gem. The Food Lover's Guide and Soul of the City both sound like they are worth exploring! And if you are looking for another fun weekend getaway in South Carolina, don't miss 7 Fun Things to Do in Columbia, South Carolina.
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