#2: Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston will hands down be my future home someday. While Yosemite stole the #1 spot for favorite trips, Charleston has my heart! No question about that. Oddly enough, I have only been twice, but the first time I landed, I knew I was “home”. Someday I will move there and enjoy everything I love about it on a permanent basis. Until then, my Flashback Friday is remembering why I fell in love with the city by the beach.
City by the beach- do I need to say anything more? My future home is the beach! The greatest thing about Charleston is that you have options for the beach. You have Folly Beach (my favorite), Sullivan’s Island (second favorite), Mount Pleasant and everything in between. The first time I was in Charleston I made my rounds to the different beaches and made sure I hit up local, touristy spots at each beach. Since Folly Beach is my favorite, I will spend my time talking about it, instead of the others.
First time: I went out to the beach early, so I could eat breakfast at Lost Dog Cafe. Cute little spot with dogs all over the walls. Good breakfast spot, too! After grubbing out, I made my way to the beach. Stepping on a beach is one of the most magical things- sand between your toes, warmth on the soles of your feet. It was no different on Folly Beach! Folly has a pier and plenty of surface area of sand. It was a tad crowded, but I managed to find a spot with a little distance from my neighbor…and I soaked up the sunshine for the rest of the day. A little rest and relaxation.
Second time: I made sure I got to the beach the night I landed in Charleston (it was actually Sullivan’s Island, not Folly, but who cares!). I made it in time to watch the sunset behind a sand dune- it was the best way to start this trip. During this trip, I was rear-ended by a local college student, so unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make it to the beach as much as originally planned. But I can’t complain because I spent the next two days at Folly Beach. The second day was much more adventurous- my friends and I took out their boat and ended up walking out to the Morris Island lighthouse. (Pretty cool since my friend has lived there for years and that was her first time walking out to the lighthouse!) What a great journey.
Charleston is more than just the beach, though. It is full of history, beautiful architecture, captivating churches, and let’s not forget- AMAZING food. One of my favorite things about this city is the fact that it is up and coming for food, and gets better each time I go. My favorite restaurant was Fig, no doubt about it. Next top choices were Xiao Biscuit, Charleston Farmers Market, and The Macintosh. My favorite food is bound to change each time I go back to visit (don’t think Fig and the Farmers Market will ever be replaced, though!)
Top L to Bottom R: Fig (dessert shared with a stranger at the bar); Xiao Biscuit; Charleston Farmers Market; The Macintosh.
Have you ever heard of an “elephant ear”? And no, I’m not talking about the big, gray, floppy thing hanging off the ginormous, peaceful animal. It was like a funnel cake, but maybe better? After the car accident, I spent most of the day to waiting for a tow and getting a new car rental. So, I asked the tow guy what was happening around the area that a tourist like myself might enjoy. He mentioned the Coastal Carolina Fair in Ladson, South Carolina. As soon as I got my new car and a large dose of Advil, I was off to the fair! Between listening to live country music and eating my elephant ear, I forgot about missing most of the day. Since I had never heard of an elephant ear before, it was the first thing I was on the hunt for when I got to the fair. There were multiple stands that made them, so how to pick the best? Well, I ended up picking one close to the ATM machine- ha. So cheers to my first elephant ear!
It’s fun thinking about the meals that I ate in Charleston. Because I am a solo-traveler, I tend to grab a spot at the bar for dinner. Doesn’t matter that I don’t drink, you still get the same service and food, with a lot less of the wait. So, on two occasions in Charleston, I shared some part of my meal with a complete stranger. You meet some of the most fascinating people when you look up from your phone and actually have a conversation. I met a photographer, from New York, who worked for William Sonoma (I think). And then met a guy from New Zealand and his business partner, and ended up going to karaoke with them. I have some of the best memories meeting new people and learning about their lives and where they come from.
Enough about food- it’s making my hungry. Let’s talk about the attractions, landmarks and was else makes Charleston GREAT! My adventures led me to tons of different places in downtown Charleston: The Battery, Rainbow Row, City Market, The Citadel, Magnolia Cemetery, College of Charleston, Four Corners of Law and so much more. I think I have two absolute favorite places to visit, though. One is the swings at Riley Waterfront Park. They are close to the famous pineapple water fountain- make sure you take a second to take a picture with it. The swings are hard to come by, but when one opens up, grab it! They are a great place to people watch and take in the peaceful surroundings on the water. My second favorite place is close to White Point Garden, along the water. I remember walking at sunset one night and simply smiling for no apparent reason. I was at peace in that moment, and couldn’t stop thinking how someday Charleston could be my home.
R to L: Charleston Fire Station and Fire Truck; Me on one of the swings, even though you can’t tell; Famous pineapple fountain.
Ironically, on my first trip, my flight were canceled. Bad storms came through, either there or back home. But it was like Charleston didn’t want me to leave. The rain was Charleston crying that I was leaving and I believed it.
Needless to say, Charleston made its lasting impact on me- I have house alerts and constantly look for jobs in the area. Maybe someday soon this will all become reality! (I just need to be patient.) I will continue to plan trips to Charleston and continue to explore all it has to offer. Until next time Charleston…which will be soon!