Guest post by kpreyss
Map tips: each color represents a different day. Click a marker to learn more about the spot, and click the star in the map header to save the entire map under Your Places in Google Maps.
Day 1
- North Charleston
- Folly Beach
- Coast Bar and Grill
We flew from Cleveland into Raleigh-Durham airport because it was a bit cheaper. We then rented a car and drove the 3+ hours to North Charleston where we were staying. Again, this was due to price. We wanted a weekend getaway that wouldn’t break the bank. Early Saturday morning, we got up and drove to Folly Beach for a day in the sun. It was just what I needed. The water was super warm, there were hotels and cafes close by for lunch and drinks, and chair/umbrella rentals were surprisingly affordable. After 6+ hours in the sun, we headed back to our hotel in North Charleston to shower and nap. We decided to cab to Downtown Charleston that evening. We had a phenomenal dinner at Coast Bar and Grill. Not only was the building amazing with a tin roof and high ceilings, but the food was so delicious. It was the freshest seafood I’ve had in the States in a while. They have some great creative drinks too. We walked around the city for a bit then headed back to the hotel.
Day 2
- King Street
- Meeting Street
- St. Philip’s Church
- Rainbow Row
We used Sunday to explore the city. They offered some horse drawn carriage tours, but we decided to just explore ourselves in the few hours we had left. We walked a few miles around King and Meeting Street stopping in stores and taking in the southern architecture. We popped in St. Philip’s Episcopal Church which is a historic landmark and right on the main street. There is a cemetery located next to and behind the church. It’s a pretty cool stop when you have 10-20 minutes. I was amazed by how small some of the tombstones were. Some dated all the way back to the 1500s. The Spanish moss added to the scenery too. We stopped for some good ole Carolina barbecue before heading over to Rainbow Row (where I swear I will own a home one day). I definitely recommend at least driving down the street if you don’t want to walk it. Between the pastel colored homes, ivy covered porches, and waterfront, it will really something to see and very southern. We also were fortunate enough to be there for Second Sundays. On the second Sunday of every month, King Street closes down for a street festival. Shops and restaurants set up booths on the street and there was a lot of live music, people dancing, and just enjoying the sun. If you happen to be in Charleston those weeks, I recommend checking it out. We then made the drive back to Raleigh before taking an evening flight back to Cleveland. I wish we had more time to explore, but it was a perfect 36 hour getaway.
Traveled in June 2015
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