I CAN’T believe that I’ve never been to Charleston before! It was such a joy to be able to spend a few days in this beautiful city with my sister.
In some ways, Charleston reminded me of San Francisco (but without the hills). The colorful buildings and palm trees made me feel like I was back in California! It was such a lovely time, and SPOILER ALERT biking around Charleston is the best.
We fit so much into our few days in Charleston so I wanted to share what we did! These things are perfect if you’re only there for a few days but want to see the highlights!
What we saw
King Street
From what I’ve heard, King Street is classic Charleston! It’s bustling with people and charming because of its old buildings. My sister and I walked the entire thing, while window shopping and taking photos! You have to visit King Street if you’re in Charleston.
Rainbow Row
Rainbow Row is another must-see! It’s a row of 13 historical and colorful houses that are perfect for a photoshoot! 😉 All of the colorful houses in Charleston make me want to live in a pink house!
Blue Bicycle Books
This was a fun stop if you’re like me and can’t get enough of bookstores! I couldn’t buy any because of my shopping ban, but I still LOVE looking through books. Blue Bicycle Books was such a cute little store, and they actually do have a blue bike with books on it outside!
Waterfront Park
Another classic Charleston spot! There’s the Pineapple Fountain – which is the first of many pineapple themed things you’ll see in Charleston. It’s such a beautiful walk by the water!
The Battery + Whitepoint Garden
We had the BEST time biking around the Battery, Whitepoint Garden, and a few neighborhoods. We rented bikes from Holy Spokes, which was super affordable (only $12 for the whole day!). Now I’m convinced that there’s no better way to navigate a city! We were able to see so many of the different neighborhoods this way.
The water on one side of the Battery and the garden on the other side was such a beautiful view as we biked by! Seriously, biking in Charleston was just the best.
Where we ate
Basic Kitchen
The best part of any trip is the food, right? We were definitely not disappointed by Basic Kitchen – it was beautiful on the inside (totally photo-worthy like everything else in Charleston!) and the food was delicious! I got a bircher muesli with berries and my sister ordered the avocado toast. The chai tea and coffee were great too! I will definitely return here next time I’m in Charleston.
Queen Street Grocery
This restaurant was recommended to me by a friend for its amazing crepes! My sister didn’t love the crepes she had in Paris but liked these (which I can only attribute to the fact that she didn’t just have a crepe with butter and sugar), so hopefully I’ve managed to convince her that crepes are the best.
Queen Street Grocery also has a really pretty view of some beautiful Charleston houses, plus the restaurant has been there since 1922!
Henry’s House
This pub had a cool vibe – it has live jazz and a rooftop deck and we were greeted by an enormous photo of Johnny Cash when we walked in. Which is just the best. This is a good place to eat after you finish exploring Charleston City Market!
Where we drank coffee
We visited SO MANY cute coffee shops in Charleston, so I had to share them! I’m obsessed and I wish I could go back to them every day!
The Daily
The Daily was so cute, and we loved the food too! I got a curry cauliflower sandwich and my sister got Asian chicken tacos. Both were delicious!! I definitely would go back for the food, and my sister said the coffee was great too! Plus, it was just a really sweet little shop – we especially loved the pops of blue on the walls!
Eclectic Cafe & Vinyl
Eclectic Cafe is super unique! We came in here to read one evening and really enjoyed the atmosphere. I would definitely go back to try the food. Plus, any coffee shop that has an in-house library is a winner in my book.
City Lights Coffee
City Lights was a recommendation from a friend we made in another coffee shop in Charleston! He said that we needed to try their coffee milkshakes, and they were SO worth it! I couldn’t tell you why I don’t like coffee but love coffee ice cream…it’s a mystery.
Black Tap Coffee
I seriously cannot hype this place up enough! Black Tap is probably in my top 5 coffee shops ever. I LOVED the atmosphere, my sister said their coffee was amazing, and I really enjoyed their Earl Grey tea. The entire front of the shop is windows, so it was so bright and cheery. Plus, I also really loved the minimalistic decor, so obviously we had to have a mini photoshoot in here.
My sister and I hung out in Black Tap for probably 2+ hours. We had the spinach and feta quiches and then spent some time in the Word and talking about theology. A guy sitting at the table next to us overheard us talking about our faith and joined in the conversation. It’s so beautiful how the Lord uses seemingly random things to encourage us!
All in all, we LOVED Charleston! It was such a sweet (and needed!) time of rest for both of us. I’m definitely planning on moving to Charleston! 😉
