If you’re looking for a weekend getaway that isn’t too far from Atlanta, Charleston is the perfect location. It’s just over 5 hours away by car or a 1 hour flight if you’ve got miles to use. Charleston is a city that has a little bit of everything. Art, history, cuisine, beaches, shopping and food. I’ll share with you what my husband and I did and give you a few tips to plan your visit there.
EXCITING THE SENSES
We were there from Saturday-Tuesday. I had been to Charleston a couple of times before this so we didn’t do tours or sightseeing on this trip. This one was for relaxation, food and drinks. I’m not going to recommend a lot of places to stay because we stayed at just one place and it was perfect. I can’t recommend the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Charleston enough!
The location is fantastic, we walked everywhere. And not only is the staff super friendly and helpful but the hotel is beautiful. They are a part of the The Kessler Collection Hotels and they like to captivate their guests by the five senses: Smell; Sight; Touch; Sound; and Taste. They do this so well at Grand Bohemian Charleston:
- Smell – they have a signature candle that they burn at the check-in desk and you smell it upon entering and it’s divine;
- Sight – everything is stunning, they have artwork in every single room on site and they even have their own art gallery there at the hotel;
- Touch – the fabric chosen on the furniture is so intriguing that believe me you will want to sit on the couch, the chair and you will want to touch everything you see;
- Sound – they play nice music throughout the hotel and even have live music on their outdoor patio on certain nights; and
- Taste – they have a really good restaurant on their rooftop and also a rooftop bar but you can also do wine tastings or wine classes in their wine rooms!
They have thought of every detail and strive to make a stay with them a memorable one for their guests. I was so impressed and will be looking for the Kessler Collection hotels in other cities I visit from now on! (Insider Tip: Kessler is part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection so you can use or collect those points)
SATURDAY
After checking into the hotel, we decided to walk around and grab some lunch. One thing I will tell you is that Charleston gets very busy on the weekends, at least in the summer, so if you don’t have reservations, you can expect to wait!
167 Raw
We had heard about 167 Raw so decided to go there, the wait was over 2 hours so we put our name in and went to some shops. Although there is almost always a wait at 167, it’s worth it. It was so good we went back again! Try the pork tacos, the sampler, the lobster roll and the Paloma cocktail. (Insider Tip: you can enjoy one outside while you wait for a table).
Shopping
There is a ton of shopping everywhere, a few of my favorites are The Impeccable Pig, Sapphire Boutique and the Charleston City Market where local vendors are selling their products.
Felix
For dinner that night, we made reservations at Felix Cocktails et Cuisine a month before. It was a great spot, good drinks and my favorite dish on the trip, the Truffled Lobster Gnocchi Au Gratin, it is insane!!
Wine at the Grand
We ended the day back at Grand Bohemian Hotel and had a glass of wine at their lovely outdoor area by the wine bar. You can do wine tastings here too, which sounded really fun. And if you have a bigger group you can even do wine blending glasses to make your custom bottle of wine!
SUNDAY
After a wonderful night’s sleep, which we both needed, and a mandatory glass of bubbly, it was time to start the day!
82 Queen
We had a hard time finding a place to eat for brunch at first so if you can make reservations before you come, do that. We finally walked into 82 Queen and found a table open in the bar area where we had drinks and a nice brunch. (Insider Tip: those tables are first come – first served)
Sunday Stroll
We walked around for hours popping into different shops after that. If you’re interested in an art, history or ghost tour there are a ton of places you can walk into to set that up.
Husk and Doar
We had reservations for Husk which I had made several months in advance, it was a great meal, the menu changes frequently so I won’t give too many recommendations but the cornbread is a classic. Other recommendations for dinner that you will need reservations for are Fig, The Ordinary and The Obstinate Daughter. After dinner we went to a cool bar called Doar Brothers, they make some fun drinks and of course all of the classics.
MONDAY
No Work, Just Relax
We started the day early by getting massages at nearby Earthling Day Spa. I got the recommendation from the hotel and booked a week before we went. The massages were fantastic!! Definitely would recommend them if you are looking to treat yourself.
Feeling French
After that we went to a cute little crepe shop that wasn’t far called Breizh Pan Crepes. They have sweet and savory ones and they were so good! After we got cleaned up we checked out the art gallery at the hotel and then the Charleston City Market. Lots of local vendors selling their products and a lot of art. Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit is located there too if you want to check them out.
Elevated Treats
For a treat I grabbed an ice cream sandwich at Peace Pie…OMG so yummy! I had the Strawberry Shortcake one and loved it. Then we did dinner at the hotel restaurant, Eleve, which is on the rooftop. We had the calamari, salmon and salted caramel cheesecake for dessert and everything was wonderful!! The view and cute rooftop didn’t hurt either. It was a really nice night and we stayed up there until we saw the sunset.
TUESDAY
Millers All Day
We woke up early to get ready and pack up our stuff then headed out to grab breakfast. We had tried to go the Millers All Day two other days but they were always packed! And they do not take reservations. I had heard Tuesdays were a slower day and we went early so we got seated right away. It’s such a cute spot! And the breakfast was delicious, really good biscuits.
Final Thoughts
That’s it for our stay, we had a lovely getaway. Thank you so much to the Grand Bohemian Hotel Charleston for hosting me. Something they say at the hotel also describes Charleston perfectly: “Exactly like nothing else.”
I can’t wait to visit again one day – stay bubbly Charleston!