22 May 2010

Advice Requested - Romantic Weekend in Charleston.


Chalmers St., Charleston, S.C.

Not for me. Sheeesh. Nice thought though!

Charleston is a perfect romantic destination. Fellow blogger Kristi from Alabama is planning her wedding and is coming to Charleston for her honeymoon.
Honeymoon destination: Yes, we will be traveling northeast to visit the great state of South Carolina. We'll spend three nights in Charleston and two nights in Hilton Head.

Neither of us have been to either city before, so I need your advice! please

Are there any places (restaurants, shops, museums, landmarks) we should see while visiting these two towns? I love to shop and we both love to eat. I would LOVE to hear your suggestions if you have traveled to this area.

What shall we tell her? Let me know how newlyweds should spend three days in the lowcountry and I will add them to the post. Where shall we send them to eat and what should they see? I think we can assume that she will write about wherever we send her. Let's plan Kristi's honeymoon.

Advice so far:

Stay at: Charleston Place or Battery Carriage House Inn
Romantic Big Treat Dinner: McCrady's
Breakfast: Fast & French (G & M Broad St.), Hominy Grill
Beach: Sullivan's Island with lunch at Poe's Tavern.
Plantation: Magnolia Plantation, walk the romantic garden but don't miss the Audubon Swamp Walk.
Picnic: Battery Park.
Churches & Cemeteries: Gateway Walk
Sunset Sail: Schooner Pride
Comedy Improv: The Have Nots
Evening Dessert Treat: Kaminsky's
Saturday Morning: Farmer's Market

Keep 'em coming! This is fun.

17 comments:

Catalyst said...

Well you have to send them to McCrady's, don't you?

Charlestonjoan said...

I think you can safely say that I would recommend McCrady's for a romantic dinner! Thanks Catalyst. :) Where else?

Suzie said...

I think they should stay at Charleston Place and take a picnic to Battery Park. You know I love Magnolia Gardens and the Swamp Walk. Also a visit to Sullivan's Island with lunch at Poe's would be good. Oh, there is so much!

Charlestonjoan said...

Cool! All great. I will add them to the post. keep 'em coming!

Mrs. K said...

oh my goodness! you all are SO WONDERFUL!! Thank you for sharing your ideas. I'm writing all these down :) :)

John Prince said...

Wonderful photos, Joan. You show the character and fabric of landscapes superbly. "Just say no" to the suburbanization of our great old American cities! Keep the character alive!

Charlestonjoan said...

Thanks John!

Kristi - What are the dates of your trip to Charleston? That could make a difference. It might be in the middle of the Spoleto festival.

Hallie said...

Breakfast at Fast & French!

Pamela said...

Brunch at Hominy Grill is so worth the wait for the cinnamon french toast w/ apple maple syrup & pecan butter or shrimp and grits!! Also, a sunset cruise on the Schooner Pride is lovely - get there early to make sure you get a good seat! The Gateway Walk is a great way to see Charleston's gorgeous churches. I took the walk recently on a Saturday around 10:30am and a couple of the churches were open for visitors. Stay at a B&B like The Battery Carriage House Inn - you always get that extra little pampering unlike large hotels! Late night dessert at Kaminsky's is a must! Stroll around the farmers market on a Saturday morning. Charleston has wonderful theater. See the Have Nots! improv on Wednesday, Friday or Saturday at Theater 99 - always a good time! Gosh! I could go on and on!

Charlestonjoan said...

Hallie - It's been years since I've been to Fast & French and never thought of them for brekkie. Thanks!

Pamela - All good! Thanks.

Marcheline said...

Joan, do you know what I would tell her? I would tell her to show up in Charleston and see where her nose leads her. I firmly believe in flying by the seat of my pants... every trip is my own, my own experience, and I never go where anyone else tells me to. If I find a gem, it's by providence. If I find something not so great, it makes a great story for later.

I don't know if it's overconfidence or stubbornness, but I prefer to let travel be a real adventure. Take the good with the bad.

When my husband and I went on our honeymoon, I measured the miles between our house in NY and the wedding site (my mom's house in NC), then split it in half. Then I looked for a spot in that halfway region. Had never been there before - just "winged it" - and we had a fantastic honeymoon! It was a romantic plantation estate in Virginia, and we had the entire place to ourselves, excepting the owners and the chef (thank the gods!).

Live on the edge, girls - it's fun!

Charlestonjoan said...

In Charleston, with a few days to spend I hate to take people off the peninsula too much. Wandering the historic district still charms me after all these years. That said, it's nice to hear what people who live in a place say they really enjoy.

I once spent a week alone in Amsterdam with no preparation at all. Landed late at night without a hotel or any plans. It was one of the best holidays of constant discovery.

Mrs. K said...

thank you thank you thank you!!!

we will be there June 6 - June 9

Pamela said...

Kristi, you will be here during one of Charleston's busiest tourist times - The Spoleto Festival. The streets will be ALIVE with tourists, street performers and tons of things to see! Check out http://www.spoletousa.org/ or http://www.piccolospoleto.com for events! it's a great time to be in our wonderful city! Have fun and congratulations!

Anonymous said...

If they get tired of the crowds, they can always take a day trip to Brookgreen Gardens. Just a little over an hour away, always something beautiful to see whether it's the gardens, sculptures, or even the zoo.

Anonymous said...

Jestin's

Anonymous said...

When I lived in Charleston my favorite thing to do was just wander around the historic district and check out all the old graveyards. I know it sounds creepy but it's not. Just peeking around corners will show you the best things that Charleston has to offer :)