Charleston is one of our favorite cities to visit. We try to visit every summer, but sometimes we can't help ourselves and ended up randomly flying down in February. We arrived in Charleston on Friday and checked in at Barksdale House Inn, a charming bed and breakfast located close to downtown. We had plans that evening to drive into North Charleston, specifically Park Circle to meet friends for dinner.
Quick Hit List
Where we ate | Where we stayed | What we did |
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Day One
As our readers know, I am somewhat of a pizza connoisseur (i.e., I just want to eat pizza every day). So I was very excited to go to Evo Pizza. The pizza at Evo was amazing and on top of that they support local farmers and purveyors so it's a no-brainer to eat there. We had the cheese, white, and the mushroom and arugula pizzas with a side of meatballs. The crust was soft and chewy which, when paired with the aforementioned local ingredients, made this dinner a winner.
Day Two
The next morning we packed our bags and drove to Boone Hall Plantation and Farm. The entrance road leads you to a boulevard lined with Spanish moss draped oak trees. The main house is very large and ornate, although not the original house from the 19th century. They have kept the history of the property intact with very detailed and eye-opening exhibits, including the original slave quarters. We were able to catch the Gullah Geechee show outside, which was a truly incredible interactive show that told the story of Gullah customs, culture, and language.
After the tour, we drove back into Charleston for lunch at one of our favorite restaurants in the country, Husk. I ordered the shrimp and grits and Yelena got the quiche. One of the things we love about Husk, apart from the modern Southern cuisine, is the ever changing menu. This is a must-reserve restaurant when visiting the area.
After lunch, we walked around downtown Charleston to check out the famous Pineapple fountain and Rainbow Row.
After lunch, we drove over to 20 South, which is a newly renovated historical mansion turned into an inn. This property is absolutely stunning. The quality and quantity of amenities are superb. The inn hosts a complimentary cheese and wine hour, so Yelena and I did our duty (which is just eating cheese and drinking wine).
We had reservations later in the evening at Church and Union (formerly known as Five Church). We shared the pate board to start and the prime burger, as well as the lamb ragu. As always, the food was high quality and the vibe of the restaurant is like nothing we've been to. The décor is incredibly unique.
Day Three
The next morning, we were offered a tour of 20 South where we learned about the history of the inn, the various renovations over the years, and were treated to a great view of the downtown area from the top floor. We popped over to The Daily, a small local coffee shop, to caffeinate before starting the day in earnest.
Since it seemed like our entire trip was some form of history tour, we decided to drive to Fort Sumpter National Monument. From there, we drove to the must-see Angel Oak tree on John's Island. The Angel Oak tree is around 500 years old, 66.5 ft tall, has a circumference of 28 ft, and produces shade that covers 17,200 square feet. After taking many photos, we stopped at one last site, the Sullivan Island Lighthouse, which is the last major lighthouse built in the US.
After running around all afternoon, we stopped at NICO, which is an oyster house in Mount Pleasant. This was our second time eating there and it did not disappoint. I had the Croque Monsieur and Yelena had the lobster roll - we split the oysters and fried halloumi.
We love Charleston and we hope you visit soon. As always, don't forget to see the world and eat the food.