Charleston has always been known for its charm, and the Southern city definitely delivers on that.
I love all things color, as any of you who follow along with my adventures will already know, and I also love food—two other things Charleston has been known for, so it felt like an ideal weekend getaway for this year’s birthday trip.
For such a short jaunt, I can’t pretend to know all of the most charming places in Charleston, but if you plan to visit, here are six sweet things worth seeing/tasting.
Rainbow Row
Let’s start with my favorite Instagram-worthy spot, Rainbow Row. It’s a series of thirteen colorful Georgian Row houses in the historic part of Charleston. They were painted these pretty pastel colors in the 1930s and 40s. If you get there early enough, it’s so peaceful with the sun grazing the homes with that soft morning light and just a trickle of residents who will all tell you good morning. You’ll find this colorful gem at 79-107 East Bay Street.
Callie’s Charleston Biscuits
Soooo, if you miss this place, you’ll pretty much need a do-over. When people talk about biscuits in Charleston, Callie’s Charleston Biscuits is often at the tip of their tongue. The biscuits are hot and fresh and buttery and melt in your mouth without giving you that desperate need for water that too-dry biscuits do. Try the sandwich versions with options like bacon, egg and cheese or veggie versions with avocado and roasted tomatoes. *Note: You may also encounter Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit, which is the same place, but just a smaller pop-up kind of version.
Charleston City Market
Charleston City Market is central to both the history and energy of Charleston, and it’s great for city finds like locally made honey, paintings of Gullah images by artists like Jonathan Green, and packets of biscuit mix by the boatload. The craft the market is most known for, though, is its Sweet Grass Baskets, handwoven works of art made by the Gullah people, who are descendants of Africans brought to Charleston in the slave trade. The baskets are on the pricey side, but beautiful if you’re willing to drop the coin. Stop and talk to one of the weavers making baskets on the spot and ask them a bit about their story. Most will tell you Sweet Grass Basket making has been part of their family for at least four generations—in many cases, even longer. One more thing to note about Charleston City Market is that it was a major site where slaves were bought and sold, so don’t let that part be lost on you.
Market Street Sweets
Sweet in more ways than one, Market Street Sweets (part of River Street Sweets) is the kind of place where the staff will call you in from off the street saying, “Baby, come on in and try some,” and then proceed to give you a warm, freshly made praline. That’s actually what happened to me there. If you’re into sweets, this place kind of can’t be beat, as they’re stocked with nearly every Southern sweet you might dream up, and even more. Also, it’s right across the street from Charleston City market, so you can enjoy your fresh praline while you peruse the little local stalls and shops.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
Since Charleston was the major hub of the slave trade in the U.S., plantation life was big here, and visiting the plantations is part of understanding that history. Many of them are very beautiful now despite their dark pasts, and Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is among the prettiest. But if you’re going there, go for the beauty of the gardens, because you’ll find places where the true stories of plantation life, from the perspective of the slaves, are better told, like McLeod Plantation.
High Cotton
I was trying to make it my mission to try Charleston’s famed She-crab soup as many times as I could while in the city. It’s a kind of crab bisque so named because roe from the female crab (hence, “she”), is a key ingredient. I managed to try it at three places in three days (which I’d say was a pretty good effort) and the one at High Cotton was by far the best. The restaurant had live jazz playing when I went for Sunday brunch, and the music pipes through rooms that feel like you’re sitting in someone’s home (a very rich someone, but still). I was also making it my mission to eat shrimp and grits as many times as I could, and this was the most beautiful rendition of the Southern staple I’ve ever come across. It was one of those meals you’ll still be telling people about years from now and salivating over when you think back on it.