Weekend Escape: Charleston

The Battery, Charleston (Pic credit: charlestoncvb.com)

“Once in a while, you need to pack a bag, get the girls, and go on a road trip.”

When the going gets tough, the tough pack a bag, call some girlfriends, and head to Charleston. Sometimes, you just need to escape your hectic lives, loud children, and stressful jobs. Recently, three of us did just that. Our goal? To sleep in until it would otherwise be considered worrisome, beach it up with no one to have to save from drowning, and eat our way through this amazing gem of a city without having to ask for a kid’s menu or crayons even ONCE.

Here are my recos for your very own ‘Escape-From-Reality’ getaway to Charleston, South Carolina.

Stay:

There are sooo many charming spots to stay in Charleston; there’s truly something for everyone. I’ve narrowed it down to two, here:

• The Vendue is fantastic as it really blends old and new elements, seamlessly. The hotel is made up of a series of buildings on both sides of the street; each of which are historic and quirky. Walk through stone archways and climb a set of steep stairs to get to your room (which takes a good ole’ key to get into, none of this fancy electronic card nonsense). The art spans Renaissance through modern/pop. And there are complimentary cruiser bikes to take out and explore the city on two wheels. There’s also a modern rooftop bar which is a great spot for watching those epic southern sunsets.
• The French Quarter Inn, while located in the belly of the tourist beast, is really quite charming — and the convenience can’t be beat. You can walk almost anywhere, from The Battery to King Street shopping, to any hot restaurant or bar. The rooms are ginormous. Ours (not a suite) opened into a living room, with a hallway taking you to a massive bedroom with a cute little balcony (big enough for two chairs, for watching sunsets or listening to street music from below). The bathroom was just as large. Amenities were maje here… from the 24/7 jelly beans and M&Ms in the lobby (gained 4 pounds just from these) to the delicious, inclusive breakfast spread each morning… They also have bikes for guests, and serve complimentary wine and cheese each evening in the lobby. And they have a pillow menu. A pillow menu! Choose from 10 or so specialty pillows to make your stay even more restful. Like a NASA-designed one, or a full body pillow for snuggling. Bonus: their beds are amaaaazingly comfortable. Zzzzzzzzzzz….

Tip: We found a ton of Charleston hotel options discounted on Jetsetter.com.

Play:

• One thing that’s so cool about Charleston is, it’s this city rich with Southern history and culture — and yet, just a short 10-minute drive and you’re sitting on a beautiful east coast beach in a charming coastal town. You really have the best of everything here. So if the weather is in your favor, head out to Sullivan’s Beach for a few hours. Noted as one of the “richest zip codes in the US,” Sullivan boasts beautiful coastal architecture that pays homage to the South and the Charleston style, and the beaches are beautiful and mellow. (Note: there are no public restrooms at Sullivan’s Beach, so plan accordingly.)
• Folly Beach is a different vibe altogether. South of Sullivan, this town has a much more casual boho vibe, but it’s just as charming in its own way. The locals say this is more of a “college kid” beach, but we didn’t get that vibe when we were there. It could be because they recently changed the open-alcohol laws, meaning no booze on the beach. Bad for the college kids who maybe used to show up with cases of beer; not so bad for anyone smart enough to pack their rosé in water bottles and play it cool.
• If shopping’s your thing, there’s plenty to keep you happy. Check out King Street for everything from cute local boutiques to big chains and luxury labels. Favorite shops include House of Sage for on-trend clothes and accessories, Pink Chicken for adorable kiddo wares, and Blue Mercury for a curated beauty boutique experience.
• Take a late-night pedicab ride. Now, I know what you’re thinking… ‘What kind of average tourist do you take me for?’ But trust me. After a long day of beaching and shopping and dining and imbibing, there was nothing more fun than hopping in the back of a pedicab and asking the driver to take us on a half-hour tour of the Battery and pretty neighborhoods that surround it. It was the best $60 we spent all weekend. Our driver was more than happy to share some history with us, and at the end of it, he dropped us at the front door to our hotel. It was a magical end to the night.

Eat:

The hardest part of your visit to Charleston is deciding where to eat. Because, in deciding where to eat, one must make a decision of where not to eat. And that’s the conundrum. There’s so. Much. Good. Food. In Charleston.

(Photo cred: The Obstinate Daughter)

• If you hit Sullivan’s Island, you’d be remiss not to eat at The Obstinate Daughter. This was one of our favorite meals of the weekend. Not only is the food phenom, but the vibe is just so special. We feasted on Roasted Beets with ricotta and pistachio, SC Peaches with prosciutto, gorgonzola and spiced pecans, and Geechie frites (like polenta fries, but way better). But the highlight of our meal was the platter of steamed mussels, soaking in an nduja, white wine and roasted red pepper aoli that we couldn’t get enough of. We fought each other for the last drips of it on the plate — soaking up every last piece of bread we could find.
• Out at Folly Beach, take a break from the beach for an unforgettable sandwich at The ‘Wich Doctor — an unassuming spot on a side street, serving up spectacular sandwiches and pizza with a fusion flair. The Korean BBQ and Kimchee sandwich is pretty much perfect, and the slow roasted brisket sandwich on Chinese steamed buns had us at hello.
• The Ordinary bills itself as fancy seafood, and fancy seafood it does. Its crown jewel is the seafood tower — that’s really what people come here for. Housed in an old bank, the place is downright striking — the historic, rich architectural details tempered with the coastal cuisine — definitely sets a vibe. The flounder ceviche is perfection, as are the crispy oyster sliders, which come tucked in soft, sweet, buttery Hawaiian rolls. Most of their menu rotates daily based on fresh catch, and their oyster selection is pretty worthy for the most part. They even offer oysters up “Moscow style” for those daring enough to try, topped with a little tower of horseradish, caviar and vodka. Don’t try ordering anything other than a rum cocktail from the bartenders, however, as you’ll be given a stern talking to. Their theory is, rum is the “drink of the sea,” and anything else is reason to send you down the plank. Despite their oddly aggressive stance on this, I managed to cajole a Tito’s martini out of them and it was pretty good. I win, hipster bartender.

9Photo cred: HUSK)

• The piece de resistance in my book, however, was HUSK. This place is just magical. Housed in a gorgeous Southern plantation-style home in a residential neighborhood, HUSK stood out to us for its unique, creative menu and it’s inviting upscale vibe. Menus here are updated twice daily. So your experience will be pretty unique each time you visit. Major wins for us here were Southern fried chicken skins (I KNOW, right?!), which arrived in a burled wood bowl and looked more like a piece of art. Other memorable tastes? The skillet cornbread with Benton’s bacon, and the Cilantro Will Prevail cocktail, which is made up of tequila, cilantro, fig, lime, tonic and salt. DELISH.

Southern Fried Chicken Skins. The most addictive, amazing crack — I mean, food — ever.

There is so much to eat, see, and do in Charleston, you won’t be able to fit it all into one weekend… and that’s really the most exciting part — there’s always a reason to come back for more. Until next time…

Note: If you’re from the Triangle region, Charleston is about a 4 to 4 1/2 hour drive away.