Have you ever gone somewhere and on “The Way Home” you are thinking about all the stories and pictures that you want to record and share with your friends and family? One of the main reasons I wanted to start this blog is to share and document different travels. I gain so much inspiration and new perspective from traveling and I would love to bring you along for the fun and details waiting to be discovered in each new place I have the opportunity to visit.
Last minute trips are the best! After dropping the girls off for 2 nights with cousins and seeing rain in the local forecast for the next 24 hours, I told Jonathan we should go somewhere. A quick search looked like Charleston should be clear for a day, so we grabbed a few things, cashed in Marriot rewards and set off on an adventure.
Neither one of us have been to Charleston, so I spent the 7 hour ride looking up must do attractions with limited time and getting suggestions from my sister-in-law, who has been several times.
We were in Charleston for less than 24 hours, but long enough to see some of the must see sites and eat some great food.
Our first stop was the Magnolia Plantation. Magnolia Plantation is home to one of America’s most beautiful gardens. Even in the middle of winter there was beauty to be discovered around every corner. The grounds would be a haven for any type of artist during the spring months when the full array of flowers are blooming.
I normally would skip out on the petting zoo, but I am so glad we didn’t or we would have missed seeing these beautiful animals.
After a few hours of walking around Magnolia Plantation we made our way to downtown historic Charleston. We only had a few hours of daylight to check out some of the landmarks. Of course I could have spent an entire day photographing doors and the beautiful homes and churches that have been meticulously cared for over the years.
Did you know Charleston is known as the holy city? It is known for its tolerance of all religions and numerous historic church buildings.
When you visit Charleston, you have to check out the Rainbow Row on E. Bay Street near the Battery. These 13 pastel Georgian row houses are probably some of the most photographed buildings in all of Charleston. Grab a selfie or have a friend snap a portrait of you with this fun background.
With all the walking around you will be doing, make sure you stop in at Byrd’s Famous Cookies and sample their local wafer cookies.
We were very pleased with our one night stay at the Renaissance Charleston Historic District Hotel. The rooms included a fun array of artwork and it was within walking distance of landmarks, restaurants, and shopping on King Street.
You won’t go hungry with the number of restaurant choices you have to choose from! At the recommendation of my Sister-in-law we ate dinner at Old Towne Grill and Seafood. It was a good Mediterranean inspired seafood locale.
After an early dinner, we were on the hunt for cute coffee shops and came across Off Track Ice Cream that was slightly off the beaten path. With many establishments closing early, we were excited to find this amazing homemade ice cream and vegan ice cream menu. Great customer service and experience that I give two thumbs up!
I don’t eat bread often, but when I do, I want every bite to be worth it! I went to bed the night before dreaming about Callie’s Hot Little Biscuits! I would concur the line is worth the wait. We had to bring back the baker’s dozen with a variety of mini biscuits for the girls to try.
Before we left town, we drove out to Folly Beach to check out the Atlantic Coast before the rain blew in.
Sometimes you just need to get away for a change of scenery and inspiration.
Charleston I will be back for more of your Southern charm!
