Quick Getaway to Charleston, SC

Everything you've heard about Charleston, SC is absolutely true! I'd be really surprised to hear if you hadn't learned anything about this charming city yet because it's pretty popular. The Holy City entertains nearly 4 million visitors on an annual basis. Good thing it's large enough to accommodate all those who choose to travel to Charleston, SC; it is the second-largest city in South Carolina!

This town offers all sorts of different experiences depending on what appeals to you. Trust me, you won't run out of things to do in this bustling town no matter what you're into. While a weekend getaway is sufficient to explore some of the highlights of Charleston, SC, it's not nearly enough time to experience everything they have to offer from the amazing local restaurants found around every corner, to the museums, churches, and other architectural delights to see throughout the town.

WHEN TO GO

The question really should be, “When is there NOT a good time to go”, because you can visit Charleston during any season and be pleasantly surprised by what you can discover. Late fall had lovely weather during the day with crisp, cool nights after the sun went down. A far cry from the dead heat of summer I experienced when visiting last year in August. The only way I'd tell you to go during the summer is if you planned on spending most of your time at a Charleston, SC beach! Otherwise, you'll be going from one air conditioned store to another for a reprieve from the heat—I speak from experience.

WHERE TO SLEEP

My most recent trip to Charleston mid-November included accommodations that were a whole lot different from what I experienced previously. Mainly, because this trip wasn't planned by me (I'm cheap). Cody was the one who made all the arrangements this time around, which is a little out of the ordinary for us because I'm typically the planner. I was downright shocked when we were pulling into a hotel that was right in the heart of downtown Charleston! 

And not just any hotel either, we would be staying at the CHARLESTON PLACE, which, from what I could tell on the outside, was as posh as it gets! We were greeted by valets and ushered in by bellhops. I didn't know what to do with myself. I was floored. All I could keep thinking in my head was, “How much did he have to pay for this place?!" haha But he wouldn't divulge that information no matter how many times I asked.

[RELATED ARTICLE] 20 Reasons Why I Love Charleston, SC { link }

After I got over the initial shock of how fancy this hotel was that we would be staying at, I was railroaded yet again by how beautiful our room was. Seriously, I don't get to stay in places like this normally, so I'm easily impressed. We even had a balcony that overlooked the courtyard below that gave us a nice little view of a small portion of the city. The bathroom was ridiculously luxurious, too, with marble tiles on the floor and bathtub walls. It was almost like stepping into a magazine. I felt so spoiled. Aside from how amazing this place was, the staff was also super friendly, courteous, and always asking how they could help make our stay more pleasant. A girl could certainly get used to that sort of treatment, for sure.

WHERE TO EAT

One of the main reasons we love Charleston so much is due to the fabulous restaurants that can be found without even really looking very hard. We had some terrific food during our last trip, and we were very much looking forward to revisiting some of our favorite restaurants as well as try a few new ones while we were there.

When it came to breakfast we were quite lost on where to go, so we basically stumbled around until we found something that tickled our fancy. After stopping in to check out the menu at several different places, we settled on breakfast at a place called TOAST. I think that one of the major reasons people eat at Toast is because they are home of the bottomless mimosa. Truth be told, that was probably the deciding factor of why we were eating there! Haha Although I have no complaints whatsoever about the food I ate. The “Eggs Meeting Street” was pretty delicious! It had a fried green tomato topped with a crab cake, poached egg and Lowcountry remoulade sauce, served with home fries. I ordered it because it sounded so weird, and I just had to get a taste. The tangyness of the flavors in this dish may not appeal to everyone, but I thought it was very good!

[RELATED ARTICLE] 5 Great Restaurants in Charleston, SC { link }

Based on a recommendation someone gave on the WW Facebook page, we found out about a fairly new restaurant in Charleston called HUSK. This restaurant was named 2011 Best New Restaurant in American by Bon Appetit Magazine. So, what's all the hype about? Well, Husk has decided to do things a little differently than the typical restaurants you'll come across, not just in Charleston, but anywhere, really. The menu at this restaurant changes daily, and they take being a locavore to a whole new level with their commitment to only serving ingredients procured from the South.

After pouring over their menu, and not being able to decide on what I wanted, I decided to ask our server what she recommended. Actually, I asked her what was the best-looking dish they had today, which elicited an interesting look, rightly so. I ended up going with her suggestion, which was the Monte Cristo. It included VA Lamb BBQ, TN Buttermilk Cheddar, fried egg, Surry Sausage, and Potato Hash. I've grown accustomed to seeing a plate piled with a number of different ingredients, so to have this lovely plate presented to me in such a simple fashion was really out of the ordinary. It doesn't look like much, but looks are certainly deceiving in this instance, because the food was fabulous! I can't wait to go back and eat at this restaurant the next time we're in town!

Aside from our eating exploits and the time spent at the amazing hotel, there wasn't much time left to do anything else, really. A weekend in Charleston, SC isn't near enough time to explore everything this multi-faceted city has to offer. However, you'll definitely want an excuse to come back and discover more!

If you'd like to find out more about Charleston, SC, here is a link to the visitor's website.

If you're looking for things to do in Charleston, SC, I have included some links in this post to related articles from my past trip that could be useful (look for the red text above). I would have included some here, but the post was getting entirely too long! Another thing missing from this post is the "bonus surprise news" I promised to share, which I fully intend on doing, but I'm going to save it for Thursday because it deserves more than just a blurb!

Question: Have you ever been to Charleston, SC? 
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Going Coastal in Charleston, SC (The Raw Footage)

This video is fresh from our recent mini-vacay to Charleston, SC. The magic of my flipshare software created this compilation from approximately 130 short clips I took throughout our visit. It's raw, real raw. 

But I'm not judging it, I just want to share snippets from my trip sooner than I usually do and I thought this would be a fun way of  bringing it to you. Instead of solely sharing static images I liked the idea of capturing dynamic "photos" that added a sense of sound to the mix. 

Along the way, we discovered that Charleston, SC is a multifaceted city that took us through endless adventures. This video gives you a sample of all that we encountered. More to come!

24hr Adventure in Asheville

 

Nestled between the Blue Ridge mountains and the Great Smokies, the city of Asheville is centrally located amidst an array of activities that draws visitors from all over the country. From major historic attractions such as the Biltmore House to more outdoorsy explorations bordering the city, there is something for everyone in this high-traffic town.

Asheville is a melting pot featuring an eclectic mix of natives, transplants and travelers (most of which who were converted to residents long ago). It's not hard to see why anyone finds it impossible to leave once this town has cast its wondrous spell.

Due to the hurried nature of this recent trip, we weren't able to get much planning done before leaving. Truth be told, I actually enjoyed not having to worry about the extra details beforehand. Given all that there is to do in this mini-metropolis, making it up as you go along is the fun part! It's then that you sometimes stumble upon the unexpectedly interesting stuff like we did.

What would normally take days to unearth, our time in Asheville was limited to a 24 hour period. I'll tell you what, though, a single day is not nearly enough time to see all the surprises this sprawling city has to offer. Despite the numerous hours we spent on-foot happily exploring the downtown district, we barely scratched the surface of this artsy community. We made the most of what little time we had and strictly stuck to the downtown area. Along the way, we managed to happen upon a few notable stops that helped to round out our fleeting retreat.

One thing that drove the direction in which we traveled across the streets were our desires to gratify an intense thirst or to rest our weary feet. It wasn't 10 minutes after landing downtown and parking our cars, that we found ourselves in need of something refreshing, which lead us straight to WOOLWORTH'S.

This landmark oozes history when you walk through the doors, and the old fashioned Soda Fountain is the first thing to draw your attention. After a prolonged wait in line, we settled on a couple Nehi sodas in those nostalgic glass bottles and a vanilla malt because we couldn't resist. Still full from breakfast, we skipped ordering any food, although the Carolina Reuben looked tasty.

Securing seats to pop a squat might be quite difficult since this place is pretty packed at lunch time. Luckily, Cody was able to grab some for us at the counter where we could sit down to enjoy our refreshments.

While our first stop at the Soda Fountain was a big hit, it was the mid-day because-we-have-tired-tootsies rest stop that we weren't too thrilled about. They may boast one of the biggest and best beer selections in Asheville with over 200 different options to choose from, but the BEIR GARDEN disappoints in other areas, particularly the food.

Our group was extremely satisfied upon receiving the drinks ordered, but when the Tuna Salad Satay Wrap arrived things began to go downhill. The flavors were completely off when compared to the menu description; we were expecting a peanut satay sauce with pineapple salsa and instead got some yellow radioactive looking curry flavored mishmash that was barely edible.

The waiter quickly dismissed our inquiry about the wonky wrap, and we left virtually the entire thing on the plate with only a few bites missing (the sweet potato fries were ok, though). I can't say that we'll be planning to return the next time we are in town, but maybe they have better edibles on the menu for anyone else looking to give them a try.

There was a point during our tour of the town, somewhere between “I'm ready to go take a nap” and “Let's check out the nightlife” that we needed to put a little pep in our step. Almost as soon as Cody said “I need an espresso...”, a hole-in-the-wall cafe appeared in the distance.

IZZY'S COFFEE DEN seemed like the type of place that mostly caters to locals, it was quiet, quick and had free wi-fi based on the amount of laptops I spotted.

Gazing above head at the extensive menu wasn't really necessary, since shots of espresso were the required wake up. We didn't stay for very long, although this would be an ideal place to enjoy some peace and quite if needed.

Early in the evening, we decided to head back to our homebase so that we could relax before experiencing the nightlife. Once our bellies began grumbling loud enough (which wasn't very long) and the ladies got ready (guess which took longer), a place to eat was selected from an Asheville map with local advertisements.

I don't usually make such hasty selections, but I had eaten there on a visit to Asheville years ago; I just didn't know it was still open until I saw it on the map. When I did, though, that was it. I wanted to eat there!

The walk to the restaurant looked as though it might be quite a distance away, however, we were surprised to get there after a mere 2 blocks. After shuffling through the happenings taking place along the sidewalks and immersing ourselves in the electric atmosphere intermingling through the streets, we would have gladly walked further, though.

The familiar red lanterns brightly hanging above the open-air dining area signaled our arrival at THE NOODLE SHOP which is tucked in a small, but busy corner pocket across from Pack Square. There was so much going on around the noisy intersection, it was difficult to take it all in, but we tried.

We didn't have to wait long for a table and were promptly seated away from the crowd. Once settled, a quick scan over the menu set our sights on a familiar dish we repeatedly order from other establishments. As usual, the pad thai looked too good to pass up, so much so it's what our table of three all ended up eating.

My friend and I decided to share an order, because after looking around at the portions sitting in front of other diners, I didn't think that I could finish an entire meal alone. This ended up being a wise decision as we didn't even finish our entire plates, although we were tempted to stuff ourselves. I definitely remember a comment about it being the best pad thai they have ever tasted.

Not only was the food delicious, but the nearby street performers serenading us with soulful tunes and drum beats was an unexpected treat during our dinner, as were the extremely accommodating servers. Although somewhat small, this restaurant has a lot in its favor with the intimate ambiance, tastiness of the pan asian cuisine and price. Overall, we had a great experience and will be hard pressed to not eat there the next time we visit!

Don't ask me how we found the time to make so many stops in such a short period of time. All I know is that my feet hurt. Is your head spinning yet? Can you believe that this is just half of what I have to share from our day in downtown Asheville?! I don't want to make this post too long, though, so I'll save the 2nd half for Friday. Do come back for the next installment where I plan to share where we stayed in the heart of downtown, as well as some of the shops and boutiques we perused while walking around. Stay tuned!

EATING & DRINKING info

• Woolworth's, 25 Haywood Street; 828-254-9210; http://www.woolworthwalk.com/
• Beir Garden, 46 Haywood Street; 828-285-0002; http://www.ashevillebiergarden.com/index.html
• Izzy's Coffee Den, 74 N Lexington Ave; 828-258-2004; http://izzyscoffeeden.com/page/1663-Home
• The Noodle Shop, 3 Pack Square; 828-250-9898; http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-noodle-shop-asheville

Asheville