A Little Charleston Guide

We love this city, and over the years we've tracked down the places worth going back to. Here are a few of our favorites, from morning coffee to late-night drinks. Some are Charleston classics, some are our own little secrets. Consider it a starting point, and go find a few favorites of your own.

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Breakfast

Cheap But Amazing
πŸ§‡

Waffle House

A Southern road trip classic. Hash browns scattered, smothered, and covered, open whenever the craving hits.

🍳

KISS CafΓ©

A husband and wife spot on Johns Island cooking fresh, simple, local breakfast and lunch.

🏑

The Bourgeois Household

(Our house.) Reservations are impossible, the chef is unpredictable, and the coffee is always on. You'll have to know the owners. Lucky for you, you do.

By invitation only β™‘

πŸ₯

Miller's All Day

All day biscuits, stone ground grits, and house pastries in the middle of King Street.

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More to Come

One of our favorites is going right here. We just have to agree on which one.

Stay tuned β™‘

🦐

Lunch & Dinner

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Home Team BBQ

Smoky Lowcountry barbecue, live music, and the famous frozen Game Changer cocktail.

🍺

The Griffon

A beloved pub in the French Quarter, its walls papered in dollar bills. Great burgers and a good pint.

🦞

Hyman's Seafood

A downtown institution since 1890 for fresh local seafood and she crab soup.

πŸ…

Blind Tiger Pub

A historic Broad Street pub with a leafy, hidden courtyard out back.

πŸ”₯

Lost Isle

Charleston's fire to table cookout on Johns Island, named Southern Living's Restaurant of the Year. Opens at 4.

🍹

Lowlife Bar

Folly Beach's easygoing beach bar. Fresh cocktails, slushies, and all day brunch.

🍦

Ye Olde Fashioned

A Charleston favorite for hand dipped ice cream, floats, and old school sundaes. Classic diner fare too.

🍨

Carmela's

Gelato, espresso, and dessert cocktails tucked by the City Market. The sweet way to end a night out.

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Drinks & Breweries

πŸŒ†

The Rooftop at The Vendue

A Charleston classic. Craft cocktails and light bites with skyline and harbor views.

🍻

Edmund's Oast

Twenty six taps of house brewed beer, wood fired food, and a lively patio.

🍺

Low Tide Brewing

Johns Island's first brewery. Easygoing outdoor space and rotating food trucks.

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The Co-Op

A Sullivan's Island beach bodega famous for frosΓ©, coffee, and great sandwiches.

🏭

Holy City Brewing

A big, classic North Charleston taproom on a few creekside acres.

🀠

Saltwater Cowboys

Waterfront dining on Shem Creek. Seafood, BBQ, cocktails, and live music over the marsh.

βš“

Sights & History

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USS Yorktown

Walk the decks of a WWII aircraft carrier at Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant.

🌳

Angel Oak

A roughly 400 year old live oak on Johns Island with sprawling, otherworldly limbs. Free to visit.

🌈

Rainbow Row

The famous row of pastel historic houses along East Bay Street.

🍍

The Pineapple Fountain

Charleston's beloved fountain at Waterfront Park, made for a harborside stroll.

🐠

South Carolina Aquarium

A harborfront aquarium with a two story Great Ocean Tank and a sea turtle hospital. Open 9 to 4.

βš“

The Battery

A waterfront promenade and White Point Garden lined with cannons, oaks, and grand old homes.

🏰

Fort Sumter

The island fort where the first shots of the Civil War were fired. Reached by ferry from Liberty Square.

⛓️

The Provost Dungeon

Colonial cells beneath the Old Exchange, one of America's most historic buildings. Toured with Bulldog Tours.

πŸ‘»

Ghost Stories

Charleston is one of the most haunted cities in America. See it after dark on a walking tour with Bulldog Tours.

🚒

The Hunley

The H.L. Hunley, the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, raised from the harbor and now under conservation in North Charleston. Tours on weekends.

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More to Come

Charleston has more history than we can fit. Another sight coming here soon.

Stay tuned β™‘

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More to Come

Saving a spot for one more piece of local history.

Stay tuned β™‘

🍍

A Little Local Lore

Old sea captains used to spear a pineapple by the front door to let everyone know they'd made it home in one piece and the door was open. It has meant "welcome" in Charleston ever since, and you'll spot one on just about every gate in town.

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Outdoors & Day Trips

🚒

Patriots Point

The Naval and Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant. Home to the Yorktown, a destroyer, a submarine, and harbor cruises.

πŸŒ‰

Ravenel Bridge

Walk or run the pedestrian lane across the Ravenel Bridge for sweeping views of the harbor.

πŸ›Ά

Shem Creek

Mount Pleasant's working waterway lined with seafood decks. Kayak or paddleboard past the resident dolphins.

🌲

James Island County Park

643 acres of marsh trails, a climbing wall, paddling, and a dazzling holiday lights show.

πŸ–οΈ

Folly Beach

A laid back surf town beach about 20 minutes from downtown.

🌷

Magnolia Gardens

America's oldest public gardens, dating to 1676. Romantic paths, a white bridge, and centuries of history.

🌊

Sullivan's Island

A quieter, atmospheric beach town about 20 minutes out, loved by locals for its calm shore and easy pace.

β›΅

Charles Towne Landing

The 1670 site of the first English settlement in the Carolinas. Gardens, a ship replica, and an animal forest.

Honorable Mention
πŸ—‘οΈ

Trash Gurl

Not your average dumpster. A bit of Lowcountry legend that somehow earned a spot on our list. You'll know it when you see it.

πŸŒ‰

A Little Local Lore

The Ravenel Bridge runs about two and a half miles between its two diamond towers, making it one of the longest of its kind in the country. The best part for guests: the walking lane is free, and the view is worth the hill.

πŸ›οΈ

Shopping & Tours

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King Street

Charleston's main shopping street. Local boutiques, antiques, and big name brands, all walkable.

🧺

Charleston City Market

An open air market since 1807 with 140+ local makers, including the Lowcountry's sweetgrass basket weavers.

🐢

Bulldog Tours

Charleston's go to for guided walks. Ghosts, history, and dungeons, and great for groups.

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More to Come

A favorite shop or tour is going right here once we pick one.

Stay tuned β™‘

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More to Come

Room here for another recommendation. We'll add it soon.

Stay tuned β™‘

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More to Come

One more spot to come. Check back closer to the wedding.

Stay tuned β™‘

Everything on the Map

Breakfast Lunch & Dinner Drinks Sights Outdoors Shopping

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