I don’t know about you, but time is just flying by. This summer is gonna be a blink I can just tell. I can’t believe our vaca came and went already. You guys we had the best time. I have a friend who lives there tell me that Charleston has the BEST food and she wasn’t kidding. I had some of the most delicious meals I have ever had. I had a dream about one the other night it was that good. True story. So, we decided to budget eating out for breakfast and dinner every day to really try some fun, new places. Bryan and I hadn’t been on a vacation just the two of us since our honeymoon, so we wanted to do something fun this year to a place neither of us had been. We kicked around the idea of Maine for a while, but with our budget and having to fly it just wasn’t gonna work out. So, Bryan suggested Charleston, SC. If you get the chance to go, you must. It’s one of the most unique cities I have been to. So much pretty, so much history, both ugly and beautiful, and so much to see, do, and oh yes. Eat. I wanted to share our adventure. What we did, where we went, and places you must go get some solid grub. Side note. I am a health nut. About 8 years ago I lost 60lbs, and never looked back. another story for another time, but one of the best life changes I have made so finding restaurants that have food I eat can be tricky. Also fun though. I enjoy and love finding places that value quality food and good ingredients. It just tastes better in my humble opinion.
We stayed at this Air B&B cause even the simple “Day’s Inn” in the middle of downtown Charleston was roughly $220 a night minimum. We scored this Air B&B about 3 miles from Historic Downtown and was perfect for what we needed. We spent morning till night out and about anyway so really all we needed was a safe place to crash at night! It was wonderful and in a safe area. Lots of amenities and the best part $95 bucks a night (plus some service fees). Yup. Score! I mean really though. It’s places like that and Air B&B that have made it possible for budgets like ours to still go for a whole week and stay in a place that we wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise. It was an excellent find and the hosts were great! I highly recommend it!
We got there Monday night and simply wondered the city. It was a dream y’all! So beautiful. You could easily spend days just walking around and not get bored. They have a preservation law in Charleston that protects anything 75 years or older outside of and “act of God” it must be repaired or redone the exact way it was originally. So much of the city looks the exact way it used to. Speaks my language. We kicked it off by eating at this place called “The Rooftop” at “The Vendue Hotel” we really enjoyed it. It wasn’t my favorite of the week, but definitely worth checking out. The views are amazing and worth it alone. After we came downstairs where they were having live Jazz music in the Hotel which Bryan totally geeks out on so that was delightful to enjoy for a bit! We finished off our night with a walk down the pier and watched the sunset!
Tuesday, we kicked it off with Breakfast at Hominy Grill. You guys. We went here twice it was that good. Every travel guide we found recommended this place and they weren’t kidding. It was so good. The only place we went to twice that week.
After that we made our way to Magnolia Plantation for a couple tours. Bryan was a history major in college, so he really finds anything to do with history interesting as do I though so we both really nerd out on learning it. I definitely watch documentaries at home by myself. Can anyone relate? Haha. It was a really humbling experience. To see and hear what many endured and had to go through in a very ugly time in our country and its history. However, the gardens are magnificent. So stunning to walk through and learn about the plantation.
That night we went to “Henry’s House” Bryan found more live Jazz, so we went to check it out. The service was not great sadly, at least the night we were there….the food though. Definitely a 10! So, it made up for it. Gosh it was delish. I got their Mediterranean Tacos. Deng. Yum! Unfortunately, we got some wrong info and music didn’t start till much, much later and we’re old farts so we we’re not staying up that late.
Wednesday we started by taking some styled photos for my blog and Instagram @laurenannkoleff cause my husband is amazing and willingly and lovingly is helping me pursue a dream. I will be sharing in future posts! After that we went to “Toast” for breakfast. I really enjoyed it, but it was not Bryans favorite. They really, really enjoy their Brunch down there and we just can’t relate. I have strong feelings about brunch. Be breakfast or be nothing. I’m sorry it’s just how I feel. I support Breakfast. Brunch messes up my whole day. 😉 From there we had a shopping morning down infamous King Street and, in the afternoon, got real touristy and went on a horse carriage tour around downtown. It was fascinating. I loved it. So many interesting facts and things about the city. For instance, this was so interesting to me, remember that preservation law I mentioned earlier? Welp there is a bungalow downtown that had a copper roof put on it over 75 years ago so when it came time for the family to replace it from wear and tear the family had to fork over $250,000 bucks to replace it with copper today to preserve the authenticity of the home. YIKES. That’s like two of our home just for their roof. It’s no joke buying a home down there.
For dinner we went to one of our top picks and recommendations of the week called “Basic Kitchen.” Friends, this joint is the BOMB. They really value local quality food and it showed. You have to check this place out if that’s your type of food! It was amazing. Slash I am running out of descriptive words for food. I’m no writer y’all, lets clear that up right now!
Thursday was Folly Beach day, bur first we got a recommendation from the lady that did our carriage tour to try “Café Framboise” a French joint where I had the BEST Spinach and Goat cheese quiche of my life. Bryan tried their savory Crepe and loved it. Y’all must try it out. Excellent suggestion! We then drove about 9 miles to Folly Beach. It was relaxing and we really enjoyed the rest chillin on a beach brings, but Bryan and I have come to the realization we just aren’t beach people. We enjoy activity, although it is such a good thing to rest and be still, we love the mountains and I would just rather have a campfire in the mountains than at the beach. Sorry beach people. It was still so nice to go for a run by the ocean and quiet our hearts for a couple hours. We came back into town and had scheduled a tour at a local Distillery. It was so interesting. Bryan really enjoys the crafting of Spirits so it was so fun to see the making from start to finish some local brews. After the tour and tasting we wondered around exploring more till our next stop at “Five Loaves Café” this was not my favorite. However, I think I 100% ordered wrong so I’m gonna blame this one on me cause Bryan LOVED his and I would totally recommend it just order something other than a salad and soup like this noob did.
After dinner, I found something online that was like “Hidden Alleyways of Downtown Charleston” so we went on a scavenger hunt and found them all. It was totally worth it. They were so neat and just fun to see! “That’s pretty neat.”
Ah man the last day. Friday. This was our second venture back to Hominy for some banana walnut pancakes and a crab cake for Bryan. Yikes. But he adored it. After we checked out out a local Coffee house called “Black Tap” you must go. It was absolutely our kind of place. They had really great coffee and crafted drinks. We ended up playing Monopoly Deal for a solid couple hours before we hit up the historic City Market. It was perfect before our second tour of downtown.
We capped it off with our final and BEST food of the week. “Butchers & Bee” My friends. I have never had food this good. I don’t even know why it was so good I got basic Hummus and pita with a side of grilled sweet taters, but it was incredible. Bryan was losing it over his meal too. You must…must…must. Go here! It was fantastic. Plus our receipt was brought to us in a book about wildflowers. That spoke to me on a deep level. haha. There is also one in Nashville!
Finally back down downtown for one more walk and some gelato to fuel our 12 hour drive home.
We truly had the most wonderful time! Really if you get a chance to go you must. I’m so thankful we got to go on an adventure, just the two of us, this year! We made some precious memories. I hope some of the recommendations were helpful and you’re able to try them out someday!
Have a great rest of your week my friends! <3
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