Charleston, SC will always have a special place in my soul. I was here for two months for work. I could’ve relived this stay a hundred times over and over again. Downtown Charleston is like walking back in time. One thing you will probably notice is that almost all of the buildings are historic, including some of the roads.
If you’re a history buff like me, you’ll likely enjoy the historic areas of Charleston, South Carolina, where the historic plaques tell their stories from long ago. I personally wasn’t a fan of the Charleston History Museum, but that’s just me, but in a place like Charleston you’ll have your fair share of history.
My Favorite Restaurants in Charleston
Now, don’t even get me started on the restaurants. With this city being right on the Atlantic Ocean, you’re bound to have an endless supply of seafood galore.
My favorite restaurants that I ventured to while in Charleston:
Marina Variety Store Restaurant
Ye Ole Fashioned Ice Cream
While “Ice Cream” is in the name of this restaurant, they also serve hamburgers, sandwiches, hotdogs, fries, shakes and many more items for you to choose from. The Turkey Club is my favorite item on their menu. I can’t tell you how many times I kept going back to get this sandwich it was just that good. They also give you a nice portion of fries, that’s always a bonus.
The Sherbert Frozen is refreshing drink on a warm day. It taste sweet with a orangey taste (of course). The Turkey Club is #1 favorite item on their menu. This is a good sized sandwich. It sort if reminds me of the sandwiches on Scooby Doo. It is so good!
Marina Variety Store Restaurant
We primarily ate breakfast here. Their “Sunrise Starter” was what I ordered a few times. This is a traditional breakfast plate. I tried the “Crispy Alligator Tail” or in other words, their “Alligator Bites.” Here me out, if you’ve never had alligator before but think you may want to try it, it taste like chicken.
In my honest opinion, I was not a big fan of their Bear Island Shrimp and Grits (pictured below). The gravy that comes with this meal made it taste really salty. The Alligator Bites on top were 100% perfection.
Tavern and Table
I absolutely loved this restaurant. Without a question a 10/10. One of the things I liked about this restaurant was that the menu wasn’t too overwhelming. The steamed oyster “Oysters on the Half” appetizer was amazing shown in a picture above. We had the “Shrimp and Grits,” the “Burnt End Mac and Cheese,” and the “Crispy Chicken Sandwich.” I would recommend their drink menu where you’ll find a ton of awesome drinks to choose from. Their drinks are beautifully displayed. I ordered the Black and Blue mule which is a black and blueberry cocktail that was delicious.
Charleston Crab House
If you’re like me and love seafood, you’re going to love this place. The food is amazing. I ordered their famous Steampot the “Dungeness Crab” and it was superb. I highly recommend their “Crab Dip.”
Charleston City Market
If you ever visit Charleston, South Carolina, don’t leave without stopping at the Charleston City Market. This was hands down the most unique flea markets I had ever experienced in my life. I was in absolute AW. One thing I will tell you is that it can get crowded. You will have to pay for parking, but it isn’t that much. This flea market has everything here. From unique custom jewelry, handmade sweetgrass baskets from the Gullah Geechee people are sold here, sweets and treats, beautiful hand drawn artwork, cooking seasonings, cookbooks, you name it they have here. The diversity here was really incredible. I would highly recommend you google this place.
You also take a horse drawn carriage ride located next to the City Market. There were several of these in this area.
List of Beaches Around the Charleston Area
The beaches surrounding the areas are not very far from each other. You will have an easy pick of what beach to visit. The beach that I would recommend the most is Sullivan Beach. This beach was not crowded compared to the other beaches. If you’re looking from a chill spot, Sullivan is the place for you. This beach is located on a barrier island in Charleston, South Carolina. The area is still Charleston, but it just looks like a small beach town sort of away from the city. The parking was free. The signs for parking and the how to get to the beach were very easy to follow.
Isle of Palms (a photo that I took while visiting can be found at the top of this page)