Planning 1st visit to Charleston,SC in mid-April

We really enjoy traveling that area and usually stay in Mt. Pleasant or Isle of Palms and drive into Charleston when we want to visit the Historic District. We like the location halfway between Charleston and the beach but you might want to stay in Charleston. When we stay at Isle of Palms we rent a house or condo from VRBO. In Mt. Pleasant we usually stay in a Hampton Inn. The restaurants in the area are really good for seafood.

We recently had dinner at Grace and Grit in Mt. Pleasant and enjoyed the vibe and food. For pub food, Poe's on Sullivan's Island is good or The Obstinate Daughter for pizza. Fig in Charleston is good.

We usually wander around the historic district of Charleston on our own but there are many walking tours.

Others who live in the area will have lots of good tips, I'm sure!

In 2021 we enjoyed staying on the edge of the historic district for 6 nights, walkable to all of the core sites but on the free city bus route. We took a historical walking tour which we liked a lot. We had the benefit of a local acquaintance who gave us more walking tours and a wonderful trip to Sullivan island, the fort and national park.

We had several excellent meals within a few blocks of the market area or on the water. We enjoyed the numerous boutiques, one of a kind shops and regionally made crafts in the CBD.

We never ran out of things to explore, great restaurants and lots of history. It was our first trip to Charlotte.

My family had a reunion there about 10 years ago so we rented a large house from VRBO on Isle of Palms. It was a gorgeous setting and we really enjoyed it. Here is a list of activities that I wrote out for us. We didn’t do them all, but they’re all worth doing, I think.

Drayton Hall. This is one of the oldest surviving plantations, built in 1738
Boone Hall plantation.
Magnolia plantation.
USS Yorktown at Patriots point.
Fort Sumter national monument.
Fort Moultrie.
The French Protestant Huguenot church
Saint Mary’s Roman Catholic Church
Aiken-Rhett house
Charlestown landing State historic site
Middleton Place plantation.
Market Hall
Nathaniel Russell house

There is also Cypress Gardens, which is a 163 acre swamp garden, complete with alligators, woodpeckers, otters, and other wildlife.

Also, if you’re interested in getting out on the water, you can rent kayaks, or take kayak tours. One of the places we looked at was Coastal Expeditions. I forget which one we chose, though.

I forgot to add this - here's a list of the best cemeteries to see. And I empathise with your wife - I love cemeteries and visit at least one wherever I go. :) https://www.walkingcharleston.com/blog/2017/10/5/historic-graveyards-and-cemeteries

In 2021 we stayed at Barksdale House for a sibling reunion. It had parking and the Central Market was about a mile away. We walked most everywhere. We had a nice dining experience at Fleet Landing and a terrible experience at Poogan's Smokehouse.

We were in Charleston in April '22. We live in Columbia, less than 2 hours away, and go there every three or four years. It's easy to fill four days or more in the area.

I agree with Marsle - unless you have a fear of bridges, stay in Mt. Pleasant. There are plenty of great restaurants for both breakfast and dinner, with smaller crowds and lower prices than what you'll find in town.

Mardee hit most of the high points. I'll add a few notes.

• I'm not downplaying Ft. Sumter, but Ft. Moultrie is under rated. It's part of the same park as Ft. Sumter but it's reachable by car. The fort is preserved in stages, with each section presenting a different period in the fort's extensive history. Regarding the ferry to Ft. Sumter, in addition to the ferry that leaves from Charleston, if you stay in Mt. Pleasant you can catch a ferry from Patriot's Point. 2-3 hours each.

• Drayton Hall, Magnolia Plantation, Middleton Place, Boone Hall - Two of these are usually plenty. I'd go with Magnolia (the azaleas will be stunning!) and Drayton (best historic presentations). If you stay in Mt. Pleasant, Drayton is on that side of the Cooper River. In all cases, include the house tours. If you're birders, add the Audubon Swamp Garden or the Nature Boat to the Magnolia ticket. A half to full day at any of these, depending on what add-ons you add on.

• The USS Yorktown dominates Patriots' Point but don't overlook the USS Laffey. The destroyer features presentations on the ship's history, concentrating on the pounding the ship endured toward the end of WW2. They're truly moving. Definitely wear your best walking shoes; the steel decks of both ships have ZERO give. Half to full day, depending on your feet hold up.

• If it looks like rain, save the houses and churches in town for those days. Add the excellent Charleston Museum or the SC Aquarium. If you have the the slightest interest in naval history, the Civil War, or archeological reconstruction, the HL Hunley exhibition is a must-see (the first submarine used in combat, recovered from the river bottom and undergoing preservation). You could fill two - three days with these.

• Time permitting, 90 minutes will have you at Brookgreen Gardens. The gardens themselves are beautiful but they're a backdrop to a great collection of outdoor sculptures. Take the boat ride to learn about the slave-based rice cultivation and see plenty of wildlife (alligators almost guaranteed). A full day.

https://www.hunley.org
https://www.brookgreen.org

We really enjoyed a carriage ride thru historic district and the market that I think is in an old railroad terminal. Fyi from North Jersey to Richmond is about five hours or a little more and I think a great stop on the way is Richmond to see the Edgar Allen Poe museum and the extremely well.done Holocaust museum which is really nearby.

Fred, be prepared that you may decide you want to move to Charleston! Before we bought our house on IOP, we rented on IOP or stayed at the Doubletree or Embassy Suites in downtown Charleston(or drove down for the day when we lived in Columbia). Our favorite activities that we do with guests are:
Carriage tours-they are all interesting and the guides do an amazing job with the less-desirable itineraries(determined by lottery, no way to know in advance which tour you're getting).
Historic houses-Edmonston Alston is our favorite. The houses on Magnolia and Middleton Place Plantations were burned by you-know-who and although Boone Hall in Mt Pleasant is very interesting, (it has a fabulous exhibit on Black History and a very good Gullah show), its' house was built in the early 1900's. The gardens at Magnolia and Middleton should be lovely in April. Drayton Hall does not have any furniture, so I didn't find it very interesting.
I agree that Fort Moultrie is more interesting than Fort Sumter and we actually go to the church that bought the Fort's chapel when the fort was decommissioned. I've never seen another church that has a cannon on its' grounds! The fort's visitor center shows an interesting 1960's era movie about the fort.
Be warned that some restaurants are charging a fee for using credit cards, including our favorite, 82 Queen(where there is also a conveniently located city parking garage). EDITED: Both Magnolia's and 82 Queen are open for lunch. Fleet Landing is on my list to try and we eat at Page's Okra Grill in Mount Pleasant on a regular basis-Southern Living said it is the best locally-owned restaurant in SC. EDITED: Page's has a large gravel parking lot across the street from the entrance. We go at lunchtime and have never had a really bad wait.
I found the SC Aquarium to be very over-priced compared to the zoo in Columbia, which also has an aquarium.
Have a wonderful time and be sure to put bug spray and sunscreen on all exposed skin!

Awesome. TRUTH: you should be making the dinner reservations you really care about when it gets to 30 days out. The race is definitely to the swift.

I was just about to say the same thing as Kate. I wanted to eat at Fleet Landing at 4 PM tomorrow and there was nothing available that day. Next week it appeared that early lunch was the only possibility.

Fred will be there in April but for the benefit of others who may read this, be wary of late May and early June. The annual Spoleto performing arts festival runs then, and you'll be competing for hotel and restaurant reservations. Unless you're specifically interested in attending the festival's excellent events, there are better times to be in town.

Fleet Landing sometimes has additional reservations available if you call, but they don't serve between lunch (ends at 3:30) and dinner (starts at 5) except walk-ins at the bar.

smnielson83, thanks for the info about Fleet Landing.

We just went downtown today. Some more thoughts: Restaurants: Water's Edge in Shem Creek in Mt Pleasant; for an expensive nice meal, High Cotton, near Magnolia's.

Weather is unpredictable. Lows were in high 30's, low 40's earlier this week. Today, highs are in mid-high 70's with light breeze and we were sweating. I was wearing a shortsleeve t-shirt and long pants(but not jeans, which are too warm).

Charlie is right. For others planning a visit to Charleston in May or June, be aware of Spoleto Festival.
This year it's from May 26 through June 11.
For anyone wanting to browse the events, here's the official website:
https://spoletousa.org/

Definitely make reservations for meals and make them early.

The Festival of Houses and Gardens is going on now and will end on April 16th. Go to the Historic Charleston website to see everything offered.
https://www.historiccharleston.org/
The walking tours are at your own pace. There are docents at each house that give a small talk to the group. They also have folks on the streets helping with directions. The Luncheon Lectures are usually good. In the past they have done a short walking tour afterwards for anyone interested.

Definitely go to Magnolia Plantation. The gardens will be fantastic in April. Drayton Hall is next door. The owners of Magnolia and Drayton Hall were father and son. There used to be a small discount on admission if you did both, but I don't think they do that anymore. They give a talk before the house tour at Drayton either in the gift shop or out in the yard under some nice shade trees. Drayton really is my favorite house. Middleton is also on the same road.

Cemeteries? I love them too. And when I spend the day in Charleston I usually park in a garage on Cumberland and walk through the Circular Church's cemetery across the street. The Huguenot Church has tours during the week I think. Or if you attend services there on Sunday, someone from the church gives a small talk after church is over.

The Charleston museum is good, but if you are looking for something that takes less time, go to the SC Historical Society Museum. It is in the Fireproof building on the corner of Meeting and Chalmers. Website here https://schistory.org/

Go to Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island as others have mentioned. It was where a little band of Patriots in an unfinished palmetto log fort were victorious against an attack by the British navy on June 28, 1776. My 4X G-grandfather was one of those Patriots!

The last replica of the palmetto fort got washed away by Hugo, but they have a model of it in the visitors center.

Wear your good walking shoes for the historic district. You'll be parking the car and walking everywhere. Sidewalks can be uneven.

Most of all, have fun in Charleston and eat lots of low-country seafood.

We really enjoyed a carriage ride thru historic district and the
market that I think is in an old railroad terminal.

The Charleston City Market has always been a market. The land was ceded to the City of Charleston by Charles Cotesworth Pinckney for use as a market with the stipulation that the land remain in use as a market for perpetuity. It was a meat and produce market.

Be on the lookout for teenage boys around the market selling palmetto roses to "raise money for a school project" or offering them to you for free. It is illegal for them to do this. The police do a good job of keeping them away, but they still hang around.

Hello,
Regret not checking in sooner (tax season). I wanted to say "thank you" to everyone who responded to my request for info. Some really great ideas and suggestions. I am going to spend the next couple of days mapping out the plan for the trip and will incorporate many of the recommendations. Great site / great people.
Thanks!

There are scads of historic houses you can tour in the main historic district, as well as a few museums, a couple forts, a modest sized aquarium, and some plantations. It’s well worth researching in detail. There are about 3-4 days worth of things to see if you’re thorough.

Regarding the Ashley River Road plantations, Drayton Hall has the best house and Middleton Place has the best landscaping and gardens — which is not to cast aspersions on Magnolia Plantation. They’re all worth a visit.

There are plenty of good restaurants that serve Low Country or Southern cuisine. There’s also South Carolina style BBQ which is mustard based, with Bessinger’s being a very good place for it.

"There’s also South Carolina style BBQ which is mustard based, with Bessinger’s being a very good place for it."

bachslunch, them's fightin' words!! Vinegar & pepper is the only way to go, from a Mom-and-Pop, not Maurice's chain!

For the benefit of others, 'Barbeque' in the Carolinas always means pork. Large cuts or entire sides are cooked 'low and slow' over the heat source for 8 to 16 hours. Hardwood is preferred but charcoal is tolerated; gas is not. There are at least four very different bases for saucing the meat. Vinegar & pepper, mustard, tomato sauce, and ketchup (different from tomato). There's also the mayo-based stuff that sneaks over from Tennessee. Sauce is usually applied after cooking, not during. Some places also have chicken or brisket but don't be surprised if pig is the only meat offered.

Arguments over which is best make college football rivalries look like kindergarten milk and cookies. Some BBQ joints offer multiple varieties, some swear by only one. Definitely try as many as opportunity permits before you decide vinegar & pepper is best!

Charlie, I belong to the mustard-based BBQ crowd. And after living in AL for 20 yrs, I disagree that college football rivalries are less intense than BBQ rivalries. It is now 5 months until we can again hate people for the right reasons.

Regarding Bessinger’s, my understanding is that the owners were indeed related to Maurice Bessinger, but their place is a one-off and NOT part of his local Piggie Park chain of Columbia SC. They’re definitely an example of South Carolina style mustard based BBQ and very good if you like this kind of ‘cue. I’ve had all three kinds of Carolina BBQ (Eastern style vinegar and peppers, Lexington red sauce style, and SC mustard style), Memphis style, KC style, and Texas style back when I was a semi-frequent meat eater, and I enjoyed them all.

The notion that there’s only one style of Carolina BBQ is not correct. There are at least three styles that I’m aware of. As to which is the best, that’s a personal preference issue.

I live about 3 hours away from Charleston and go several times a year for the past 20 years. Its been a long time since I've done the "touristy" things so I'll leave that to others but wanted to point out there is also Folly Beach which is on the southern side of 17. It's my preferred beach and is a little grittier (in a good way) then IOP. Lots of surfers which is always fun to watch. The only negative is getting on island can be tough at certain times of the day. Beat the crowds by going either early or late.

Since that is my preferred beach I typically stay in the West Ashley area. In that area is a fantastic diner - Early Bird Diner. Not to be missed but do check the hours before going. The best chicken and waffles I've ever had and featured on triple D. The other place I never miss when going here is Lewis Barbecue. Highly, highly recommend both places.

The only time of year I tend to avoid is when the Cooper Bridge Run happens. Looks like its April 1 this year.

Have fun!

For the benefit of others, 'Barbeque' in the Carolinas always means
pork.

And if you order Iced Tea, it will be sweet. Saturated sweet.

I typically stay in the West Ashley area. In that area is a fantastic
diner - Early Bird Diner.

Another good breakfast/brunch place in West Ashley is Three Little Birds.

WOW - I'm going to have to add a couple of days as well as a couple of notches to not belt. Sounds like Charleston will be awesome.
Thanks again to everyone for taking the time and interest in sharing so much.
All the best to each of you.!

WOW - I'm going to have to add a couple of days as well as a couple of
notches to not belt. Sounds like Charleston will be awesome.

I've spent at least 30 years going to Charleston for a day, weekend, week and there is still new stuff to discover both in Charleston and the surrounding areas.

And based on what I've heard, Savannah is just as awesome.

Georgetown County, SC is another awesome area if you are interested in history/plantations/plantation houses and great seafood.

Sorry, I grew up in GA and have been to Savannah several times and it is nowhere near as awesome as Charleston. It does have some good cemeteries.

Fred,

Curious about how you liked Charleston.
What did you see/do?
Where did you eat?
Where did you stay?

I spent less than one day in Charleston a few years ago--it involved a canceled flight out of Savannah, renting a car and driving to Charleston for a flight out of there the next day. I had to go to "south of Broad" which was mentioned many times in books by Pat Conroy who had attended The Citadel. It was lovely. Not much, but I was able to check it off my list.