WHERE TO STAY //

Our original plan was to stay somewhere downtown and Uber everywhere or walk. It ended up being a bit pricer to stay downtown, so we found the most ADORABLE Airbnb in North Park Circle which is about 15 minutes  from downtown Charleston. We got a rental car, (we got a free upgrade to a Jeep Wrangler who we named Hank the Tank) which ended up being one of our favorite parts of the trip. We rode around with the top down and blasted country music and had the best time.

Anyways, this Airbnb was perfect for us and we didn’t have to worry about paying for parking or waste time getting Ubers, and our hosts were so great!

WHERE TO EAT // BRUNCH

My favorite places to eat on this trip were the brunch spots for sure!

The Harbinger Cafe // Two words: Avocado. Toast. This place had the best i’ve ever had. This little southern charmer is on King Street and is cafe style, so no reservations are needed. The space is so warm and inviting, its so easy to spend a relaxing morning here. They feature locally-sourced, handmade breakfast options as well as an amazing selection of fresh baked goods. Vegan and gluten free options are available! This is for sure a hidden gem!

The Park Cafe // We had the most enjoyable little brunch here. This place was doggy-heaven! If you live in Charleston, I think its required to own a dog lol. Everyone was super friendly and the food was delicious! They don’t take reservations, but the wait wasn’t too bad! They have a little outdoor stand where you can get water and coffee or a little OJ, and you get to enjoy the views of the park across the street while you wait outside.

Beech // This is a great place to stop along King Street for lunch or an afternoon pick me up. We had acai bowls here and holy moly, they were delicious!!

WHERE TO EAT // DINNER & DRINKS

Taco Boy // This place was perfect for a chill dinner our first night in town. The outdoor patio is amazing and their guacamole was one to remember! There are two locations, one on Folly Beach and one downtown on Huger Street—this is the one we visited.

Pier101 // We visited Folly Beach and had dinner here on our last night. Sitting by the water and listening to live music and watching the sunset was the best way to end our trip. The staff here is the definition of southern charm and the food and drinks did not disappoint!

Le Farfalle // YUM! holy moly, this place was good! The interior decor was so pretty and the outside patio was full of twinkle lights and greenery. I highly recommend ordering the Warm Rosemary Focaccia, probably the BEST bread I have ever had. This place does take reservations and is right in the heart of King Street! It was fun to get dressed up and have a girls dinner date night!

The Rooftop Bar at Vendue // After a night of walking and exploring downtown, we headed here for a drink! The view is amazing, you can see the whole city! The hotel is also a beautiful site to see.

Carmella’s Cafe & Dessert Bar // I wish we had a place like this in Cleveland! The vibe was so fun and the menu was amazing! Sugar overload for sureee, which is my kind of place ;) This is such a fun hang out place with your girlfriends or for a date night! They have a huge menu of daily changing gourmet desserts, gelato and sorbet along with a full bar with a diverse collection of dessert cocktails. This place was one of my favs!

WHERE TO SHOP //

Charleston City Night Market // Friday & Saturday Nights // We had planned to go to the City Market during the day, but when we were walking around the city after dinner, we decided to take a stroll through the night market instead. So many awesome local vendors with one of a kind artisan products. They switch up some of the vendors for the night and day markets but you can’t go wrong with either one.  

Dress Up // This was my favorite boutique to visit on King Street! Love their ever-changing selections and their prices were super affordable!

Copper Penny // This was another awesome little boutique that you for sure have to check out if you are shopping along King Street. My stripped romper in the photos below is from here!

Candlefish // This place is every candle lovers DREAM. Candlefish brand candles are sold in Anthropologie. You can book a workshop here and make your own! We unfortunately didn’t have time to do the workshop, but they had great stuff to browse through. For sure worth a visit.

Marion Street Flea & Farmers Market // This was recommended to us by a friend, and it did not disappoint! The market has lots of yummy food and drink options and various types of local vendors. We parked in a lot near King Street and did the market and the shops in one afternoon!

THINGS TO DO // PLACES TO SEE

Isle of Palms // We drove our trusty Jeep, Hank the Tank with the top down to visit Isle of Palms. We were originally going to go to Folly Beach but the locals recommended this one instead so we took their advice! It was a super fun day filled with lots of pups frolicking in the water and Coconut Joe’s for lunch, which was right on the water and it was DELISH! Highly recommend the coconut shrimp!

Rent Bikes // We rented bikes through Holy Spokes which was so easy! You just download the app SoBi and everything is set up through that. It was  a fun way to see the city!

Rainbow Row // I think I was most looking forward to seeing Rainbow Row! The architecture fascinates me and the pastel colors, I mean COME ON! We rode bikes through the street and I felt like I was in a movie, it was incredible!

Boone Hall Plantation // This place has been featured in several movies including Gone With the Wind and The Notebook! (the main house on the grounds is Allie’s parents house in The Notebook!) Boone Hall is also where Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds got married. It's truly a picturesque property and well worth the drive. The trees were my favorite part and I could have sat underneath them all day. We did the guided house tour, as well as the slave houses tour and the tractor ground tour. It was the perfect day! This place is a must on your list if you are visiting! **If you are a AAA member, bring your ID card you get a discount on tickets!

HANK THE TANK! ^^ This girls trip was one in a million! The cool thing about the city of Charleston is you could spend 3 days or a week here and still have plenty to do! This city for sure left its mark on my heart. Where to next??

Much love <3
A