The ghosts love Charleston South Carolina

Even the ghosts love Charleston. If you are not a believer in ghosts or spirits, you may become a believer after visiting battle hardened old Charleston, or at least get a little closer to believing then you were before.

There is a lot to love about Charleston, South Carolina. With each visit, I actually become more attached and I see historic aspects that I missed before. I honestly think I could spend the rest of my evenings just meandering the old streets of Charleston and never get tired of it

To start out, staying in Charleston is a treat and there are great places to check out.

Due to the fact that Charleston is brimming with history, charming boutique hotels are fairly abundant. Here are a few Inns around downtown that are under $200 a night (unless special occasions or holidays) and that have above a 4.0 rating.

The Elliott House Inn (CLICK IMAGE FOR ELLIOTT HOUSE INN) is brilliantly quaint with the typical Charleston courtyard, old floors and elegant rooms. This Inn is perfectly located on (my favorite street in Charleston and one of the oldest) Queen Street which situates you for all the shopping, dining and walkable locales of Charleston. This Inn has a 4.2 rating and you can see why.

Meeting Street Inn (CLICK IMAGE FOR MEETING STREET INN) is located in the downtown Charleston area on one of the oldest streets in the country. Stylish rooms and piazzas are some of the reasons why this Inn receives a 4.4 rating. BOOKING.COM MEETING STREET INN

Vendue Hotel (another favorite area) (CLICK IMAGE FOR VENDUE HOTEL) is located at the Waterfront Park which is one of the best locations in Charleston. This is a busy area full of shopping and an easy walk to The Market and fine dining restaurants. Vendue Hotel also treats their guests to an onsite art gallery and rooftop cocktails while looking out over beautiful Charleston Harbor. This hotel was awarded #1 hotel in Charleston by Travel & Leisure and holds a 4.8 rating. BOOKING.COM VENDUE HOTEL

Ansonborough Inn (CLICK IMAGE FOR ANSONBOROUGH INN) is a boutique hotel located in historic Charleston that boasts antiques, breakfast, wine and cheese and a rooftop terrace. This very quaint hotel has a 4.7 rating.

So, now that you are settled, you need to spend the rest of your time walking the old city. You have THE CHARLESTON CITY MARKET which sells just about everything but at a heavy price and horse drawn carriage rides pulled by sweet draft horses. Take a walk to the shopping area along Vendue Street, spend time at the Waterfront Park and walk the pier where you can grab a huge porch swing. Be sure to get the Belgian Chocolate Gelato at the Belgian Gelato ice cream shop right across the street from the Waterfront Park fountain (Happiness in a cup).

We always partake of these necessary and super enjoyable sightseeing focus points on a regular basis when we go to Charleston but my favorite part of Charleston is away from the crowds and shops. It is strolling the old roads and narrow side alleyways of the residential area and, of course, no city has graveyards like Charleston.

BOOKING.COM CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA

When facing Waterfront Park, take a right down Concord Street and head for The Battery which will take you within the oldest part of town to streets like Meeting St, Tradd St., Church St., E. Battery and all the side roads and alley ways of the when, where and how Charleston began.

Nearly every building sitting underneath the live oaks with their elegantly dripping moss has an historic plaque and information on its wall. Ok, so don’t tell anyone this but I do love to peak between bushes and observe the cozy nobility-style courtyards separating the rambling old homes, There’s something so romantic and a little spooky about them especially if you’re walking the old streets around twilight.

Be sure to take the side road of Chalmers Street to see the Pink House which was built around 1694-1712 and is one of the oldest houses in Charleston. It is supposed to be haunted (of course it is because everything is haunted in Charleston) and, when I stood there on the cobblestone street in front of it, I have to admit that there is a degree of eeriness.

Or maybe, it was just me.

Take your time and walk slow along these old streets of America. There are streets where, when it’s getting to be dusk and the lanterns are lit and no one is around, that you just know the pirate, Stede Bonnet, who was hung at White Point Garden in The Battery just up the street, is going to turn a corner.

And don’t miss going into the cemeteries and reading the gravestones of people who once lived in Charleston centuries ago. The ultimate way to experience the many graveyards of the city is to go at dusk or after dark. If it would make you feel better, there are numerous ghost tours available where you can not only get spooked but also gain a wealth of historical tales of woe and tragedy.

Philadelphia Alley

I did walk along the most haunted alley way, yes it was during the day, but even with the sun shining you still have your hair standing on end. The alley is called Philadelphia Alley. It is really a very pretty alley way along a brick wall that separates it and a cemetery and was known to have been the place gentlemen had their duels and thus, many deaths occurred here.

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Stroll slowly along Church Street and please so go through the huge doors of the old cathedrals and visit the adjoining graveyards. All of this is free and open to the public and full of history. At the Dock Street Theater (held the first opera in America and is still in operation), we were allowed to go up the stairs and sit in the intermission parlor where gentlemen had once stood in cloaks and ladies had sat with long dresses to talk over events of the day, possibly revolution or trade.

Dock Street Theater image via Atelier Teee

One can learn so much history and information just by walking around and listening to people. Tours are the ultimate way to get a complete and informed rundown of all the incredible history you are looking at. A great deal of information can be gained by simply being near a tour group as they pass by and listening to the guide. Being in the right place at the right time sort of thing. Charleston has many informative plaques along the way that gives you a brief highlight of events that took place at that particular location.

After spending hours exploring captivating history, there are hundreds of places to eat. Eating is a majorly important aspect of when I go anywhere.

***TOURS, ACTIVITIES AND TICKETS FOR CHARLESTON

During the month of September, Charleston has Restaurant Week. This is a true culinary blast that most restaurants participate in. Rather than ordering from a regular menu, they provide special selections at a fixed reduced price where you can sample 5 star restaurant food at a reasonable cost. This year Restaurant Week is scheduled to occur 9/9/21-9/19/21. My family and I did participate in this event in 2019 and I highly recommend taking advantage of this brilliant program.

There are many budget small restaurants and bars to eat at that do a horseshoe around the market and a couple of food marts inside the market itself that have really good sandwiches and wraps. A high priced restaurant also in the vicinity of the market is 5CHURCH where you can dine beneath a stained glass window while partaking of their Restaurant Week reduced menu.

SNOB and HIGH COTTON to name a few are located on E. Bay Street close to the market. I did patron SNOB and was glad I did for its cozy old Charleston atmosphere merged with an upbeat warehouse feel was highly enjoyable. These restaurants are along the busiest section of downtown Charleston and they do fill up fast.

A budget restaurant that sits close to Vendue with an outdoor deck dining option overlooking the harbor is FLEET LANDING. We love to eat here because of the party like vibe and the water view.

The food was delicious and generous and super convenient as it is right in the heart of downtown. Plus, the prices are easier to swallow outside Restaurant Week.

My favorite restaurants in Charleston to this date are NOT budget but I love them too much to pass them up whenever I visit the old city. The good news is they do participate in Restaurant Week so these fine dining menus are more budget friendly.

However, I do try to visit these establishments outside Restaurant Week in order to simply sit and enjoy the ambiance of these historic locations. I will order a simple salad/soup combo which are perfectly delicious and satisfying (it works).

You must go to 82 QUEEN and sit under the 300 year old magnolia tree in the outdoor garden dining courtyard. It really doesn’t get much better then this. It doesn’t matter what time of the day or night you go, it is all divine (I will say the brunch is spectacular). The cuisine is diverse and the environment full of Southern hospitality.

I admit I cannot tell you what it is like inside this old building but a peek in the window the last time I was there proved the indoor dining area to be very old southern elegant. You cannot make a mistake dining anywhere at this place however, eating under an ancient magnolia strung with white lights in total Gone With The Wind garden decor is just too perfect.

And they are Restaurant Week participants. .

Also along the same street, Queen Street, are two other restaurants, one is HUSK (never ate there but want to) and Poogan’s Porch (eat there all the time). Both are old, both symbolic of antebellum Charleston and both are expensive.

POOGANS PORCH is on the Restaurant Week list and is one of the oldest restaurants in Charleston. At one time, it belonged to a little dog, a little stray, who made this porch his favorite place to hang out and enjoy the shade. Poogan was a great host who would greet people as they walked up the stairs and visit with them while they were waiting on his porch to be called to dinner.

Poogan died of natural causes but it is said by the people who work there that his ghost is still around. It is a very friendly sweet little ghost. You might be sipping your wine or munching on bread and suddenly feel a strange brush of dog hair on your leg that makes you peer under the table only to find nothing is there. The staff at Poogans Porch told us that diners frequently do speak of feeling something furry dash between their legs while sitting at the tables.

Poogan isn’t the only ghost the establishment will tell you about. There is also a woman named Zoe who is seen regularly by diners. Many who see her think she’s an older patron walking around the grounds until they see her picture and realize she died in 1954.

When you get to this lovely, historic exceptionally walkable town, be sure you allocate several days of stay. There is so much to see, to experience, to eat and to learn so take your time and enjoy. You will see why even the ghosts love Charleston.

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Kiawah Island

If you get the chance, be sure to visit KIAWAH ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA which is a 40 minute drive from Charleston. You will love the beach and the tropical beauty of this barrier island.

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