The Weekender: Charleston, South Carolina

by Natasha Wolff | September 7, 2018 11:00 am

If there’s any Southern city as synonymous with old-school charm as it is new-age culture, it’s Charleston. With inherent history and hospitality, it’s the perfect weekend destination for any type of traveler. Whether it’s sights, food, drink, accommodations, or the people, Charleston offers endless opportunities to fill a weekend with impossibly quaint experiences in impossibly quaint settings.

From the best food and drink hotspots to the walking tour that’ll help you work up an appetite again, see below for a snapshot of our ideal three-day jaunt in one of our favorite Southern cities.

Friday Morning/Afternoon: Arrive in Charleston by the transit option of your choice and check-in to the French Quarter Inn[1]. Drop your bags and get ready to hit the streets of this vibrant city! Well, the open seas, rather. You’re due for a sunset sail on the Schooner Pride[2]. Take a car to the wharf and remember to keep your eyes peeled for dolphins.

French Quarter Inn

Friday Evening: After your cruise, head back to the hotel to freshen up for dinner. Your reservation at The Grocery[3] awaits and you should be sure to order seasonal and year-round house favorites like the Italian butter bean salad, bone marrow brûlée, cabbage gratiné, seafood salad, and Keegan-Filion pork chop with apple cider mustard cream. The Grocery’s passion for supporting local farmers, foragers, producers and fishermen is heavily noted throughout the menu and experience as a whole.

Saturday Morning: Rise and shine for a room service breakfast followed by either a guided walking tour or a freestyle bike adventure (the hotel’s courtesy bikes are the perfect way to explore the city on your own time). Either way, you’ll be sure to burn off last night’s dinner and make room for a copious lunch ahead.

French Quarter Inn

Saturday Afternoon: Make your way over to One Broad Street[4], where a sunny and healthy lunch spread awaits. The space is so inviting and cozy coupled with the lovable fare and neighborhood vibes, you’ll most likely want to spend a solid few hours here just soaking it all in. Try a breakfast sandwich (served all day long), roasted lamb naan, little gem salad with bagna cauda, grilled brown butter squash, and potato soup with pickled egg.

If you have time (and happen to love kittens and wine), you’ll want to set aside an hour to visit Pounce Cat Café [5]on Meeting Street. Trust us on this one (however we are not responsible for any impromptu cat adoptions, tempting as it may be).

Saturday Evening: No visit to Charleston would be complete without savoring a delicious dinner at FIG[6]. Much like The Grocery and many other fine establishments in town, emphasis is placed on supporting local producers in the name of community (and the spirit of good food, of course). The baked snowy grouper with spring shallot and champagne sabayon as well as the ridiculously velvety Yukon Gold potato purée are not to be missed.

Sunday Morning/Afternoon: Depart for home, wherever that may be.

Source URL: https://dujour.com/life/luxury-weekend-travel-guide-charleston-south-carolina/