72 Hours in Charleston, South Carolina
72 hours may seem like a quick trip, but don’t be fooled. You can actually see so much of Charleston in just a few short days. Caleb and I are far from locals, but having taken three trips in three years to the beautiful city of Charleston, we have nailed down our own “go-to” spots for a leisurely brunch, a Saturday-morning stroll, a delicious date night dinner, and a stunning front-row seat to the most beautiful sunset over the bay. Here is a detailed look at our 72 Hour Charleston Itinerary.
Where To Stay
If you missed our recent recap of Our Lovely Stay with 86 Cannon, definitely read this for a more detailed summary of the amenities offered at the historical inn including European-style continental breakfast, complimentary bicycles, surprise chocolate truffles, and more. Charleston offers a variety of stunning hotels for every budget, and you also can’t go wrong with a curated home on Airbnb or VRBO either. In addition to our stay with 86 Cannon, we have also personally stayed at The Marriott on Lockwood Drive and in an Airbnb on St. James Island. We had excellent experiences at both.
Here are a few more options categorized by price point. Hotels fill up quickly and prices may vary depending on the time of year and day of the week.
$ – Priceline and Hotels.com are filled with options for $100 or less. We love utilizing Priceline Express Deals, which we used for our stay at The Marriott.
$$ – The Mills House, The Inns (Great for large groups)
Friday PM
If you are like us, you will likely want to take full advantage of every minute you have in this dreamy destination. We arrived at the Charleston International Airport around 5:45 pm and quickly picked up a rental car. Having a rental car allowed us to store our luggage for a bit while we picked up pizza at Coastal Crust and headed straight to Sullivan’s Island. You would be hard pressed to find a better pizza, and what is better than an evening picnic at the beach? Despite the beauty of downtown, some of our favorite parts of Charleston are located on surrounding Islands and suburbs, so having a rental car is a huge advantage.
After a sweet pizza picnic in the sand, be sure to drive or walk around the Island before the sun sets. Some of the most beautiful and impressive homes are located along this coast line. Beardcat‘s Sweet Shop is also located on the Island. The Stracciatella Gelato is my personal favorite, but any of their signature flavors would make the perfect addition to your Island exploring.
After dinner, dessert, and beach-house-admiring, it’s about time to settle into your hotel of choice for the night so that you can rest up for a very full Saturday itinerary.
Saturday Morning & Early Afternoon
It’s now Saturday morning and your first full day in the loveliest city. Depending on your hotel’s amenities, you may or may not need to pick up breakfast. Of all the breakfast spots we have tried, nothing compares to Vintage Coffee Cafe. We have eaten there seven times on our three trips. I mean, you could almost call us “regulars” at this point. Our go-to orders are the cinnamon bun french toast with a fresh lemonade and the avocado toast with an iced tangerine white tea or a decaf honey latte.
On our most recent trip, we also discovered that the Old Village Historic District is less than five minutes from Vintage Coffee Cafe. If you are looking for a great spot for an early morning stroll, take your coffee to go and head on over to Pitt Street. Laced with fragrant jasmine and gardenias, this district will leave you planning gardens of your own. Be sure to also stop into Shop Out of Hand, a charming clothing, home, and garden boutique located in the heart of Old Village Historic District.
Before leaving Mount Pleasant, take a 15 minute drive over to Abide A While – another local boutique and garden center. I have been following Abide A While for quite some time, and have purchased a few of their beautiful Bergs pots. The center is divided into the garden center and the boutique. I spent most of my time wandering the boutique itself, and was so excited when I found this book of flowers. It is tradition for us to purchase a book in each city we travel to together. Abide A While is the ideal place to purchase a timeless souvenir (or two) and is certainly worth visiting on your next trip!
If time allows, you can also stop by Monkee’s of Mount Pleasant and II Brunettes which are both located in Mount Pleasant as well. After shopping, head back to the hotel to relax and freshen up for a nice night on the town.
Saturday PM
Now that you are dressed up and ready to hit the streets, you will need to decide on where you would like to eat. I am pretty sure you could eat at a new Charleston restaurant every weekend and never scratch the surface of all the city has to offer. With that being said, you really can’t go wrong with any of the available dinner choices. On our most recent trip, we tried Basic Kitchen for the first time and really enjoyed their unique menu. If you enjoy a healthier menu and lots of seasonal produce, Basic Kitchen is delicious.
Other great dinner spots include the Zero George Restaurant, High Cotton, Magnolias, and Husk. After dinner, take a stroll down to Carmella’s, a cafe and dessert bar located on East Bay Street. Enjoy a Mixed Berry Pavlova, a Key Lime Pie, or a S’mores Cheesecake Bar while sitting at the french-inspired outdoor bistro tables.
Of course, you may need to take a few moments to allow all the yummy food you just ate to settle, but don’t head back to the hotel just yet. Waterfront Park is less than a five minute walk from Carmella’s and is the perfect spot to observe the most playful dolphins! The iconic “pineapple fountain” is also located within this park. South of Broad and The Battery are also lovely places to wander in the evenings.
Sunday AM (& Early Afternoon)
Sunday mornings and vacations have always been a bit odd for us as vacations throw off the usual Sunday morning church routine. We tend to mix it up on our own vacations. Sometimes we visit a local church, sometimes we stream a service, and sometimes we just enjoy a slow Sunday morning (a very rare occurrence for Caleb as a pastor). If you are looking for a great church to visit in the Charleston area, I have been impressed by East Cooper Baptist Church on Mount Pleasant for the last several years. Regardless of whether you visit a church or not, Sunday morning will likely be a bit slower than Friday or Saturday, and that’s a good thing! You are on vacation after all.
Once you finally roll out of bed and get going on this Sunday morning, it’s time for breakfast. If you are looking for a quick bite to eat, The Daily is a yummy and highly recommended option. But, if you are like us, and love a good brunch, The Darling Oyster Bar is also a Charleston favorite.
After breakfast (or brunch) it’s time to explore Charleston the best way we know how – on bicycles. Charleston is perhaps one of the most bike-friendly cities and there is no better way to admire the charming homes and exquisite gardens. We highly (highly!) recommend biking through Hampton Park, a park filled with beautiful white oak trees, spanish moss, magnolia trees, jasmine, and more.
If your hotel does not provide complimentary bicycles, Hampton Park is also the perfect place to begin your route as you can rent bicycles through a bike share called Holy Spokes right inside the park. All you have to do is reserve a bike via their easy-to-use app and then use your four-digit PIN code to unlock the bike. You can find the Holy Spokes system map and other bike hub locations here.
During the last two days of our most recent trip, we biked just about everywhere. By the end of the second day, we had already memorized the route from our hotel to South of Broad and the Battery. Our bums were a bit sore, but we much preferred biking to driving or walking. Whether you bike everywhere on your trip too, or simply rent bikes for a few hours, map out your own route and explore Charleston by bike. You will not be disappointed!
If you need a bite to eat, a refreshing drink, or a break from the heat (and humidity!) while riding, pop over to La Patisserie, Hotel Bennet’s in-house french pastry shop. La Patisserie serves traditional french pastries like eclairs, macarons, and croissants, as well as cold and hot drinks. The french decor within the shop was darling too!
Sunday PM
On our final night in Charleston a few weeks ago, we met up with Karen Schanley, a friend and photographer moving to Charleston very soon. It just so happened that while we were vacationing to Charleston for our anniversary, she and her family were house hunting in the area. It is such a sweet gift to now have these memories documented on film.
If you are visiting the city over a special occasion, or if you are reading this as a local bride-to-be, I cannot say enough about how talented and kind Karen is. I am sad to see that she is moving away from Ohio, but so excited for the many of you that will be in need of a sweet photographer in Charleston. During the shoot, it felt as though we were wandering the streets with a long-time friend, and her photos are a timeless treasure. Here are a couple of our favorite shots from that night, and here is a link to her website.
Now, back to your trip! It is officially your final night in Charleston. I know… it’s sad to say goodbye to this place. Don’t worry though, you still have a lovely evening ahead of you to enjoy. Hopefully you made it back to the hotel to freshen up, but if not, it’s always fun to dress up for dinner on vacation and Charleston will wait for you, I promise!! Go back, freshen up, and then make your way to a place like Husk, High Cotton, or Magnolias.
After dinner, make your way to The Battery, Rainbow Row, and South of Broad if you have yet to see it, or revisit your favorite spot from the previous few days. I could sit outside of Waterfront Park for hours and hours and hours watching the dolphins. I’m sure you have a favorite spot already too!
Once the night begins to fade and the clouds begin to turn their usual pinkish hue, it’s time for one last adventure. Enter “Pitt Street Bridge” into the GPS, but be quick because the sun will set quickly. The GPS will only take you so far, so eventually you will need to park your car and walk the rest of the way. Once you arrive, pick a spot with the bridge in view, and wait. You might be tempted, as we were, to think that the sun will set behind you, but just wait. Somehow it travels across the sky and paints this beautiful picture just over the iconic bridge.
We hope you enjoy the city as much as we have. Let us know if you try out any of the spots listed in our 72 Hour Charleston Itinerary, and definitely fill us in on any new spots you find too!
Want to read more? Read more about our experience at the boutique hotel 86 Cannon here.
