Lubna 
Charleston greeted us with it’s classic Southern charm, dense greenery and muggy humidity! Our weekend in Charleston, South Carolina was filled with good memories, amazing food and a rich combination of history and culture.
This was our first trip without our kids ( as a couple!) and Charleston was the perfect getaway! We stayed in the historic downtown Charleston area at Hilton. Downtown Charleston is essentially a peninsula so you can access the harbor on both sides. The Visitor Center and a multitude of tourist attractions were just a walk away from the Hilton.
Transportation:
The city does offer three free shuttles that cover most of these areas and improves accessibility. These are the 210, 211 and 213 DASH shuttles. While these are convenient, it’s best to track their arrivals in real time on CARTA’s official site. They usually run every 20 minutes. We ended up covering a lot on foot instead, choosing the shuttles only when desperately needed.
Waterfront
Our first stop was the Waterfront. The iconic Pineapple Fountain overlooks the Cooper River. Many people cool off by stepping in the fountain. Just a stone’s throw away, you can sit on the docks and fish or marvel at the giant bridge that connects Charleston to Mt.Pleasant. In the distance you can see Fort Sumter, the site of the longest seige during the Civil War. There are many boat tours and ferries that can take you to the Fort. While sitting on the dock at sunset, we were pleasantly surprised to see a few dolphins come to the surface quite close to shore. Dolphin sighting for free!
Rainbow Row
We took full advantage of the relatively cooler evening temps and explored the Rainbow Row area. The houses on this street and on adjoining Kings and Meeting Street are spectacular! Pastel colors with upper and lower level long balconies signal a laid-back lifestyle. Rocking chairs and ceiling fans on every porch and quaint courtyards adorned with fountains added to the charm. This area is in the French Quarter and reminded me of New Orleans and San Francisco. Some are in the White Roman Corinthian style with pillars while others have scrolled wrought-iron embellishments in typical French or European styles. Typical red brick buildings and cobblestone roads gave it a very English vibe.
Holy City
Since Charleston is technically below sea-level, most of these houses were three stories high. There is a local law that no building in Charleston can be higher than the tallest church steeple! And there are countless churches in Charleston. No wonder it is nicknamed ” The Holy City”! We walked into a few churches to get respite from the afternoon heat and were spellbound by the stained glass windows and ornate architecture. It felt peaceful and serene! Even more interesting were the connected graveyards! Some tombstones dated back to the 1800’s! Ghost tours are fairly popular in Charleston, but personally I find walking through a cemetery very calming and reflective. One wonders what stories are behind the people buried there. The tall oak and pretty flower bushes signal a spiritual tranquility that is often overlooked in the rush of modern life.
I was equally fascinated by the narrow alleyways on our walk towards the Battery. Some restaurants on Kings Street have used the alleys as outside dining spaces, adding to a quaint dining experience.
Good Eats
Every time we asked an Uber driver or hotel staff for restaurant suggestions, they all had the same thing to say. Whatever you end up choosing, there is no bad food in Charleston! My wishlist included raw oysters, local fish, and typical southern favorites like shrimp and grits and fried Green tomatoes. The best experience was at Hyman’s on Meeting St. It is a fourth generation iconic restaurant that has hosted celebrities like Lindsay Wagner, Michael Bolton, Michael Phelps, Neal Armstrong and Oprah to name a few! Despite, its popularity i found it so sweet that the owner came personally to each table to check on service and quality! The food was amazing and I loved that they had conversation cards at each table that imparted words of wisdom or humor you could share over dinner! I also had my first taste of boiled peanuts, a local favorite!
Charleston Market
Walking around town we got a chance to visit the Charleston Market, an indoor facility with local artisans and vendors.Live music and an upbeat atmosphere made it fun to peruse through local crafts like basket weaving, homemade sea salt caramels and salt scrubs. We tried a spicy ginger lemonade from one of the stands at the Farmers Market opposite the Citadel, and it was so refreshing. Beating the heat is easy, as there is an ice cream bar at almost every corner!
Another interesting observation was that instead of landscaping rocks, empty oyster shells were used around trees for an added flair! You will occasionally come across horse mounted police and you can also book a horse-drawn carriage tour of the city. I was amazed st how clean the city was. Unlike New Orleans, where many alleyways reek of filth or booze, Charleston was very well-maintained and felt extremely safe even at night.
Slavery and a Plantation Tour
One cannot deny the sad aspects of Charleston’s history, and the role it played in slavery. It was one of the largest ports where slaves were brought to be auctioned off. The city is built on the trials of the African-American community. We took a plantation tour at Magnolia Gardens and I was hesitant at first, no knowing if the profits would only go towards the upkeep of the mansion or the grounds. However, the tour of the slave cabins was very informative and our guide Joe was candid in telling us that only in the past decade have the descendants of the owners agreed to depict a true representation of what the actual treatment of the slaves were like. When importing slaves was legal, the average lifespan of a slave was less than 5 years. But in 1808, once importing slaves beca.e illegal, the pressure was to elongate a slaves life and promote human breeding of slaves. The Magnolia Gardens and The Drayton family profited from the rice paddies. Interestingly, the slaves were familiar with the habitat of Charleston since it resembled that of West Africa. They figured out how to control the level of the river waters to stagnate the water for growing rice.
Magnolia Gardens
The Gardens have trails that you can take next to the Ashley River, the slave cabins and the mansion. There is also a small zoo where peacocks, deer and chickens roam around. Other creatures like alligators and snakes are in caged compounds. Be aware that getting an Uber or Lyft to and from this plantation is a little difficult. The gates close at 5pm and we had to wait outside the gates while we waited for our ride. I was borderline panicking thinking that we would be stranded in the middle of nowhere!
Weather and other Tips
We were extremely lucky that our stay in Charleston afforded us clear weather. Only on the day we were returning, did we experience heavy downpour that started flooding the low lying downtown area. However, our Uber driver masterfully navigated those areas and got us to the airport in time! I would highly recommend a trip to Charleston, but do remember to take comfortable walking shoes, an umbrella and lots of sunscreen!
