Charleston, SC

[mickeygirl14]

Living in Charleston, there are LOTS of great things to do and great places to eat. I know several have mentioned Hymans, but it's the one place I'd tell people to avoid as a tourist trap. SO many better places to eat. Fine dining: Grill 225, Cypress, Husk, Lana's, Slightly North of Broad (SNOBs). For more casual, South End is good, we love Taco Boy, Kickin Chicken. Kaminskys is great for dessert.

Agree with PP about ghost tours - always fun. Carriage rides are good - go to the Big RedBarn (Palmetto Carriage Co). Visits to Fort Sumter, SC Aquarium, Magnolia Gardens are all good choices. A day at the beach is a great way to spend the day too. Depending on where you stay, Folly, Kiawah, Sullivan's, or Isle of Palms are good beach choices. (If you're coming during the summer, go early or be prepared for lots of traffic heading to beaches on nice days.)

Hope that helps - would be glad to answer any specifics if you want to PM me.

 

[mickeygirl14]

Also...the Firefly distillery has wine/bourbon tastings. Haven't done this yet, but hear it's a great time. There are actually several breweries around that do tours, I believe.

 

[GrumpySue]

All I can tell you is that when I lived in Charleston 7 years ago, it was awful. If it's any better nowadays I'm not sure. If it is still as bad as it was then, I'd say stay far far away. I say this not because of rumors I heard but because I lived in North Charleston. It was a very scary place to be, and I've lived in a number of sketchy places. It was very run down and dirty, lots of violence, junkies, just in general not a nice place. I didn't go out at night at all, and I didn't walk alone during the day.

Wow, that bad ?? Really ?? We will have to drive through there on the way to I95 to get home, now you have me worried. Anyone been there more recently ???

 

[Stephanie218]

We love Charleston! My husband is a Citadel grad, so we try to get back fairly often. One place that I haven't seen mentioned yet is Cru Cafe - the food there is fresh and delicious. Try to make reservations though, as they get booked even for lunch. I would second the recommendation for 82 Queen - they have a lovely garden seating area with lights out back if the weather is good. I personally enjoyed Boone Hall over Magnolia Plantation. The Oak Ave. leading up to the house is beautiful. They are also doing strawberry picking at the Boone Hall farm right now, right down the street from the house for $1.89/lb. We got about 4 lbs last weekend

Something else we really enjoyed was taking a tour through Charleston Outdoor Adventures http://www.charlestonoutdooradventures.com to Morris Lighthouse. The boat driver dropped us off on the beach for a while by the lighthouse, and we got a bunch of amazingly huge shells and sand dollars.

 

[mickeygirl14]

Wow, that bad ?? Really ?? We will have to drive through there on the way to I95 to get home, now you have me worried. Anyone been there more recently ???

You'll be find on the interstates...I think what PP was referring to are some of the rougher neighborhoods in North Charleston (which is a separate city from Charleston and about 20 minutes north of what most people think of as downtown historic Charleston). You'll be fine on I-26 to get back to I-95.

 

[mom23goofballs]

Everyone has given great advice. We lived in Charleston for years and go back many times a year now. I agree with above re. bypassing Hymans for better seafood. There are plenty of other restaurants with better food for similar prices. If you want fried seafood look up 'The Wreck' on Mt Pleasant. It's on the water and has fresh off the boat seafood. I'm also a fan of Hominy Grill in downtown. Jestine's Kitchen is raved about- but get there early. Other really good places to consider- Bowen's Island, Sesame (burger place, 3 branches), High Cotton, Wasabi, Carolina's. There is another seafood restaurant in Awendaw on hwy 17-N that is great, but I can't remember the name.

Beach wise, Folly now charges for parking approximately $1/hr. It was previously our favorite beach and we lived there for several years. More recently, we've been going to Isle of Palms or Sullivans Isl. The Isle of Palms county park has parking with in/out access for a set rate all day. Plus showers and restrooms- missing those on Folly.

As a tourist, def consider checking out the Battery/White Point garden, the Charleston museum with associated house tours, a harbor cruise, the Hunley museum in N Charleston, a plantation or two. While we love the aquarium, there are larger ones around. But they do have a sea turtle hospital there which you can visit.

North Charleston, like many cities, has it's sketchy areas to avoid. But the "downtown" portion is undergoing revitalization. It's a matter of paying attention to your surroundings. While I have no problem walking in downtown Charleston, I drive in N Charleston.

 

[SUSIEQ]

Also, there is a great cupcake place downtown I forgot to mention. It's called cupcake.

I'm eating a red velvet cupcake from Cupcake right now! So GOOD!

 

[nighttowll]

You'll be find on the interstates...I think what PP was referring to are some of the rougher neighborhoods in North Charleston (which is a separate city from Charleston and about 20 minutes north of what most people think of as downtown historic Charleston). You'll be fine on I-26 to get back to I-95.

Yes, I'm not talking historic downtown or anything. I was talking North Charleston.

 

[GrumpySue]

Thank you all so much for your input. We only have three days in Charleston but you all have given me enough to do for a month !!! I am starting my diet now so that I can feast the whole time I am there. If there is one thing I look forward to it is great food and I have heard so much about Charleston's awesome restaurants. Again, thank you all for helping me out, it is very much appreciated.

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

Wow, that bad ?? Really ?? We will have to drive through there on the way to I95 to get home, now you have me worried. Anyone been there more recently ???

Depends on where in North Charleston. N Charleston over by Northwoods Mall & the Ice Palace is fine, it's mostly just chain restaurants/shopping (sports authority, best buy, walmart, pier one etc). Nothing super fun for a tourist you probably couldn't do at home, but that part isn't bad. At least i didn't think so.