Florals & Musings

South Carolina has always been a second home to me. During my childhood, we took family vacations to Myrtle Beach every year, and I have fond memories of playing with my cousins at our grandparents’ condo. It’s always been a magical place for me, but as I’ve gotten older, the magic has worn off. The last time I visited Myrtle Beach was September 2017 and while it was a lot of fun, afterwards I didn’t feel the need to return for a long time.

Basically, the world is huge and I want to see as much of it as I can. I don’t want to waste years seeing the same destinations, my spirit is too adventurous for that.

That doesn’t mean I wasn’t itching to get back to South Carolina though.  But I wanted to travel somewhere I hadn’t had the opportunity to explore yet – enter Charleston, South Carolina.

Like many of the places I have traveled to, Charleston got on my radar because I wrote about it at my travel agency job. However, I wouldn’t make it there until a spontaneous trip over Christmas break 2018.

I found myself in a new job at a Maryland university in October 2018 which came with time off during Christmas, and fortunately my fiance has the same week off. So, when we returned home from our Disney World trip in early December 2018, I couldn’t let a whole week go by and not go anywhere. When we returned home from Disney, I immediately researched hotels in Charleston, found one for a good price, and convinced Gary to go on a spontaneous 9 hour road trip.

And what a trip it was. We fell in love with Charleston the moment we arrived.

We arrived at around 8 pm on Christmas Eve and after we were checked in, we decided to get dinner. Well, almost everything was closed – everything except the greatest fast food restaurant (except Shake Shack) which is Cook Out. We were starving and got two burgers, two cheese fries, a corndog, two shakes, and dessert for $17. It was everything I wanted in that moment.

But why did we love Charleston so much? It wasn’t just the cheap fast food. If Myrtle Beach is touristy (and a bit trashy) these days, Charleston is authentic, classic, and fascinating. I loved walking the cobblestone streets, strolling through the museums, and enjoying the slower pace of life. We walked by this small house tucked into a corner, a man had his door open, cooking Christmas dinner and singing Christmas music. It was so perfect and it was so Charleston.

During this trip I tried an affogato for the first time and if you’ve never had one, I suggest you get one ASAP. It’s a shot of espresso on top of a scoop of gelato; you’ll feel like you died and went straight to heaven. We also found your quintessential independent coffee shop called Second State Coffee (pro tip: if you see college students working on assignments in a shop – you’re in a good place). There I tried a lavender latte, which sounds weird but was absolutely amazing. I could have stayed in that shop forever.

What else did I love about Charleston? The history. Gary and I continued our tradition of taking a walking tour in each city we visit. It’s a great way to learn about the history of the city and get our bearings when it comes to navigating. Our fantastic tour guide took us to the pineapple fountain (the way Charleston welcomes visitors to the city), the iconic Rainbow Row, the first theatre built in America (the Dock Street Theatre), Stephen Colbert’s childhood home, and so much more.  Our tour guide also recommended an excellent local restaurant, Poogan’s Porch, where I had the best shrimp & grits I ever had. I also enjoyed my fair share of biscuits because when in the South, you must have biscuits.

We also visited the Slave Mart Museum, which stands at an actual outdoor slave mart in South Carolina. It was a humbling experience to stand where such horrible atrocities were committed against human beings. We can’t hide away from our horrible history, we have to face it head it on to ensure it never happens again. I recommend it to everyone visiting Charleston as it is an experience that will stay with you long after you leave.

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to make it out to Fort Sumter due to the federal government shutdown but we did make it to the Angel Oak Tree. It’s about a 20 minute drive outside the city but it worth it. Estimated to be around 400 years old, with approximately 500 years to go, it is a sight you should see in person. The tree’s branches have grown out magnificently and you’ll feel small but mesmerized by nature when you stand next to it. If you find yourself with a few hours to kill, definitely make a trip out to the Angel Oak.

One thing I started to notice about Charleston was the fabulous courtyards that are hidden throughout the city. I had a blast finding and photographing all the courtyards, with my favorite one being at the Dock Street Theatre.

Before we left, we took a tour of the Old Exchange Building. It played a huge role in the Revolutionary War as the holding place of American prisoners in the dungeons below. You actually tour it and it’s fascinating to see. It’s also one of four buildings still standing that the Constitution was originally ratified in (fun fact: another one of those buildings is located in Annapolis, Maryland). At only $10 a person, I recommend taking the tour for the interesting Revolutionary War and Civil War history, and to stand in a building that has seen so much.

And of course check out The City Market in downtown Charleston, it’s a bit touristy but I found some gorgeous photographs of local sites there. So, it’s a cool place to check out.

If you have the opportunity to make it to Charleston, South Carolina – go! It’s a great place for a road trip, for a long weekend, or for a longer trip. The food was fantastic, the architecture is beautiful, the people are kind, and the history keeps you engaged the entire time. Charleston will enthrall you from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave.

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