A three-hour drive east of Greenville via I-26 will bring you to Charleston, the city that Travel + Leisure magazine has named the No. 1 City in the U.S. for 11 years running. It’s easy to see why. Steeped in charm, Charleston takes Southern hospitality seriously. Like a gracious Southern lady, this grand dame always minds her genteel manners and does her darnedest to show visitors a good time.
Those good times begin in Charleston’s 5.2-square-mile Historic District, which perches on the end of the peninsula where English colonists erected a walled town in 1680, christening it Charles Towne to honor King Charles II. South Carolina’s oldest city shows off its storied history almost everywhere you look, and a horse-drawn carriage tour will give you the quintessential overview at a clip-clop pace. From the 1713 Powder Magazine to the graceful antebellum mansions along The Battery and the distinctive single houses (positioned with the length of the house perpendicular to the street, a style imported by early settlers from Barbados), Charleston owns an awe-inspiring collection of historic public buildings and private homes.
Equally lauded for its restaurants, the city boasts three James Beard Award-winning chefs and a slew of semifinalists. For a true taste of Lowcountry cuisine, check out a local oyster roast (if you’re in town during the winter months), and be sure to sample local specialties like shrimp and grits, she-crab soup, and Frogmore stew, which are featured on countless menus.
Performing arts, museums, antebellum plantations, and nearby beaches likewise play a part in luring visitors to this enchanting Southern city of 150,000 people. Between savoring seafood fresh from the offshore waters, perusing handmade sweetgrass baskets at the Old City Market, and simply relishing the laid-back pace of the Lowcountry, a weekend in Charleston will only whet your appetite to return.
Charmed City
See
Fort Sumter National Monument
The fort from which Confederate soldiers fired the first shots of the Civil War on April 12, 1861, sits in Charleston Harbor.
Accessible by boat from the Fort Sumter Visitor Center (next to SC Aquarium at Calhoun & Concord St., Charleston) or Patriots Point, Mt. Pleasant. nps.gov/fosu
Gibbes Museum of Art
Displays inside the renovated 1905 Beaux-Arts building highlight American art with a Charleston perspective.
135 Meeting St., Charleston, SC. gibbesmuseum.org
International African American Museum
Opened in summer 2023, the museum limns the journey of African Americans in the U.S. through scores of artifacts, compelling exhibits, and video storytelling.
14 Wharfside St., Charleston, SC. iaamuseum.org
Nathaniel Russell House
If you only tour one historic home, make it this one; the three-story brick beauty (1808) is considered to be one of the country’s best examples of Federal-style architecture.
51 Meeting St., Charleston, SC. historiccharleston.org
Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum
The whole family will enjoy exploring the decks of the massive WWII-era aircraft carrier, USS Yorktown, nicknamed “The Fighting Lady” by her crew during the war.
40 Patriots Point Rd., Mt. Pleasant, SC. patriotspoint.org
South Carolina Aquarium
From sharks to sea turtles, more than 6,000 denizens of the coastal waters surrounding Charleston inhabit the exhibits here.
100 Aquarium Wharf (east end of Calhoun St.), Charleston, SC. scaquarium.org
Eat
167 Raw
In its new, larger space on King Street, 167 Raw is the place to go for lobster rolls and raw oysters.
193 King St., Charleston, SC. 167raw.com/charleston
Brasserie La Banque
Escargot, coq au vin, and duck breast cassoulet offer but a soupçon of the excellent French fare served in an elegant former bank building (c.1700s.)
1 Broad St., Charleston, SC. brasserielabanque.com
Chubby Fish
It’s worth the wait (they don’t accept reservations) for Chef James London’s imaginative seafood preparations at Chubby Fish, just two blocks off King Street.
252 Coming St., Charleston, SC. chubbyfishcharleston.com
FIG
FIG (an acronym for Food Is Good), dishes up excellent seasonal offerings that pay homage to the Lowcountry.
232 Meeting St., Charleston, SC. eatatfig.com
Rodney Scott’s BBQ
One taste of Chef Rodney’s amazing barbecue, and you’ll understand why he won a James Beard Award in 2018.
1011 King St., Charleston, SC. rodneyscottsbbq.com
Sorelle
Occupying two late-19th-century townhouses, this buzzy Southern Italian restaurant from celebrity chef Michael Mina incorporates a ground-floor Mercato and snazzy U-shaped bar, and a sumptuous dining room on the second level.
88 Broad St., Charleston, SC. sorellecharleston.com
Vern’s
The new neighborhood bistro by Chef Daniel “Dano” Heinze and his wife, Bethany, wins raves for its innovative shareable plates paired with bottles from their selection of organic/biodynamic wines.
41 Bogard St., Charleston, SC. vernschs.com
Stay
The Charleston Place
In addition to 433 elegant rooms in the heart of the Historic District, iconic Charleston Place includes a full-service spa, a rooftop pool, and the acclaimed Charleston Grill. The new owner, Beemok Capital, the “family office” of Charleston billionaire and philanthropist Ben Navarro, said it plans to make a significant investment in improving the property while preserving its status as the “living room” of the city’s historic downtown, with renovations set for early 2024.
205 Meeting St., Charleston, SC. charlestonplace.com
The Dewberry
Just off Marion Square, The Dewberry fills a 1960s-era federal building with luxe mid-century-modern decor. Its 8th-floor Citrus Club bar is the highest rooftop in Charleston.
334 Meeting St., Charleston, SC. thedewberrycharleston.com
Hotel Bennett
Whether you’re toasting to the weekend atop the roof at Fiat Lux or pampering yourself at the on-site spa, the Bennett offers top-shelf service in the former Charleston Library, adjacent to Marion Square.
404 King St., Charleston, SC. hotelbennett.com
Loutrel
Turndown service, fine Matouk linens and robes, and a complimentary European breakfast number among the creature comforts at this boutique hotel in Charleston’s French Quarter.
61 State St., Charleston, SC. theloutrel.com
Planter’s Inn
Book a renovated suite overlooking the lovely palm-studded courtyard, and don’t miss the signature nine-layer coconut cake at the inn’s Peninsula Grill.
112 N Market St., Charleston, SC. plantersinn.com
20 South Battery
From its breezy front porch overlooking White Point Gardens to accommodations decked out with period antiques, this 11-room inn—built in 1843 as a private mansion—lays out luxury in historic style.
20 South Battery, Charleston, SC. 20southbattery.com
