Strolling into Spring

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome y'all. Today we're going to take a leisurely stroll
down the streets of beautiful, historic Charleston, South Carolina, the
Holy City. So whether you're here for the first time,
planning your trip for the first time, or you've been

(00:20):
here a lot, I think you'll get something out of
this out of this episode. So let's uh, let's just
jump right into it. You know, Charleston's going to be
just an absolutely perfect place for just an unforgettable getaway.
And yes, I do live in Charleston, so I know

(00:41):
a couple of things here and there. So I've made
some good notes, I think, and some things that will
help you. I am really concentrating on people just now
planning a trip to Charleston, or or just got here,
or you know, first time to Charleston. But if you've
been here more than that, there'll be some some good
stuff in here for you too. So before we get

(01:04):
into the fun stuff, let's quickly cover how to get
to Charleston. If you're flying in, Charleston International Airport is
your gateway. It's only about a fifteen minute drive from downtown.
The airport is very manageable, it's not too big, so
there's no need to stress about long lines or complex

(01:24):
terminals and just feeling lost. So just you know, fly
on in. It's very hospitable. From the time that you
walk off the plane, you know, the gate opens up
and there you are. You're in Charleston and just time
to just have a good time and relax. If you're
coming from somewhere nearby, Savannah is just a two hour

(01:46):
drive south of Charleston, so it's easy to pop over
and enjoy both cities. If you're looking for a scenic option,
you can take Amtrak or even Greyhound bus. If you're coming,
you know, from along the East coast. You know, also
it's a pretty easy drive to get to Charleston. If
you're in the southeast. There's interstates that go right into Charleston.

(02:10):
Map it out. I know, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia,
particularly if you're along the coastline, is an absolutely beautiful drive.
Might be a little slower than you're used to, but
it might be worth it too to really really see it. Okay,
so now let's get into what you really came for here,

(02:31):
what to do once you're here. First, let's talk history.
Charleston is a city steeped in it, so you've got
to see some of the landmarks. Start with the Battery
and White Point Garden, a beautiful stretch where you'll find
historic mansions, old cannons, and stunning views of the harbor.
It's the kind of spot you'll want to pause and

(02:54):
take a few pictures or a lot of pictures. It's
a beautiful spot. And while you're in the historic district,
don't miss King Street. We're gonna touch more on King
Street a little bit later. But this is a perfect
blend of shopping, dining, sightseeing. Whether you moved for boutique
shopping or just want to enjoy a nice stroll, King
Street is a place to be. The vibe in King

(03:15):
Street and really all over Charleston is pretty laid back.
It can be lively at times, but it's still a
laid back, lively vibe. How about that. Perfect for first
time visitors. And believe me, people in Charleston, we love
to see you come visit, so don't think you're not
going to be a welcome part. Just come on, come

(03:36):
on with y'all. Now, let's talk about food, because that's
one of the things that Charleston, other than the history
and the Friendly People is the most famous for So
Charleston is absolutely a foodie paradise and you simply can't
visit without sampling some of the city's best dishes. For

(03:57):
Southern classics, Husk is a rate as a great restaurant.
Hall's chop House is of course, you know, one of
my favorites is probably already know. There's several restaurants that
are that are on the water. Uh, it's just you

(04:17):
just can't go wrong. Felix is a great place, had
some really good times there with some really good friends.
The Ordinary is also a great a great restaurant. So
all of this is pretty much off a King Street.
So King Street, as you're kind of understanding, here is
the place that you want to be, so that you
also want to try to find a place to stay

(04:38):
if you can close to King Street. There are some vrbos,
there are some airbnbs. There are several hotels different different
price levels on or close to King Street. If you're
looking for a cool spot for brunch and there a
brunch is all over Charleston, particularly on Saturday and Sunday.

(05:00):
The Glass Onion it's a little bit of drive from downtown,
but it is excellent, low country food, relaxed vibe. You'll
love that. And if you want some dessert, Kaminski's Dessert
Cafe is absolutely awesome. I don't know the dress off
the top of my head, but you know, look that up.
It's worth it. Something that's often overlooked in my opinion

(05:20):
in Charleston is a nightlife. Now we're not talking Miami,
you know, we're not talking New York where things stay
opened until it's time for brunch. You know, we're talking
about a laid back, relaxed vibe. It can get a
little lively, and it's a good selection of bars and

(05:43):
a couple of clubs, so there's a lot. There's a
lot to take in. So so if you if you
head downtown when you're head to King Street and just
off of King Street the Cocktail Club, which is a
rooftop bar with stunning views of the city. Another great
choice would be the Gin Joint. It's kind of a

(06:04):
speakeasy style bar, serves up really amazing handcraft to drinks
and it's kind of dimly lit and cozy setting. So
I always say that, you know, the lower the lights,
the better I look. So if you feel that way,
this is the place for you. For something more lively,
check out King Street at night. There are plenty of

(06:25):
pubs to hop between, whether you're want to enjoy live
music or just sip on a cocktail. The Vendu Rooftop
Bar has been around a long time and it is
amazing views. If you're in Charleston, you've got to take
in some of the jazz. It's home to some fantastic
spots where you can enjoy live performances like the Commodore,

(06:47):
which is which is again one of one of my
my wife's favorite. Always gives us a little bit of trouble,
but and do we have a good time there. It's
great soulful tunes. I mean, that is a great place
to be. Sometimes just turns into one great big dance
party and everybody's just having a good time. Some activities
in Charleston horse drawn carriage rides. Yeah, that might sound

(07:12):
a little bit touristy, but I'm going to tell you something.
These people, the tour guides, they know their stuff and
why you're on this really cool horse drawn carriage as
a single horse and it's taking you through a lot
of the back streets of Charleston. Places you probably wouldn't
see if you were just driving around yourself, and these

(07:35):
guides are telling you things that I had lived here
for probably ten twelve years before I took my first
carriage ride, and I learned so much from these carriage tours,
So I would say, definitely go give that a shot.
It's a must. And also if you're my wife and
I are always into, like you know, paranormal ghost stories,

(07:57):
ghost hunters and that kind of thing, so go on
a ghost tour. I mean, Charleston is one of the
most haunted cities in the nation. It really is, and
these tour guides are also really good. There's a walking
tour generally of downtown Charleston and the Old Jail and

(08:18):
places like that where there's some great, great ghost stories
and some hauntings and things like that. So there are
several tour companies to choose from, so pick the one
that fits your vibe, whether you want something more hysterical
or just something downright spooky, because there's something for you
no matter what that is. Don't forget that Charleston has

(08:44):
beaches right now, maybe not downtown Charleston there's not a beach,
but you can go twenty minutes to the south. It's
about twenty minute drive and it's Folly Beach now. Folly
is a laid back beach town. It's great place for
surf to go surf. There's plenty of restaurants and bars
and really laid back places. There's a tiki hut at

(09:07):
one of the hotels. I don't I don't know if
that's what hotel that is now, but it's changed hands,
but the tiki hut is still there, so that's a
fun place to go. You can grab a drink on
the water, which is always often, which is awesome, and
you can also you know, you get to watch the
surfers in action, which is it's fun to watch them
catch the waves. It's fun to watch them wipe out.

(09:28):
But it's it's a It really is a cool spot
if you're looking for something a little quieter, a little
a little even more laid back, kind of family ish.
Sullivan's Island is another great beach. It's more relaxed, it's
less crowded than Folly is. It's got a charming, small
town feel. The sand is beautiful, cool little spots to

(09:53):
grab a bike. It's like at a little town within itself.
Right there on the main commercial strip there, there's High Time,
there's Home Team, and these are restaurants. Uh, there's Po's
Obstinate Daughter. We call it Od's. They have a great
gelato place downstairs from Ods. Uh. Just just a lot
of fun. Don't forget Don Levy's Pub. That's a must

(10:15):
stop buy for at least a good a good Irish beer,
maybe a maybe a pint of Guinness. So here's some
tips for the first time visitors that I want to
talk about before we wrap this up. And this goes
to every really every destination that you're going to be walking.

(10:36):
But do some comfortable shoes when you're out walking around.
Doesn't you know you don't have off excuse me, uh,
all fancy when you're down downtown Charleston, especially in the daytime.
So just you know, you know, put on your sneakers,
your running shoes, whatever is working is working for you,

(10:58):
and uh and go. You don't want blisters. You don't
want to get to one place and then have to
get you know, a taxi or a rickshaw or something
like that to take you take you back. And also
I want to touch on the rickshaw now that I
just mentioned that rickshaw's or a great way to get
from point A to point B. Wants you downtown Charleston.

(11:19):
They're they're very inexpensive. You know, if it's winter time,
make sure you have a coat or something. I think
sometimes they do have blankets for you. Make sure you
tip these guys really well, because they work hard to
get you anywhere downtown. I've taken some like probably fifteen
minute rickshaw rides. And for those who don't know, that's
you know, it's a guy or a gal on a

(11:40):
bike with a little you know, carriage in the back,
and they take you wherever you want to go. And
if you if you want to engage them, they always
have some really cool stories to tell about Charleston. Remember
Charleston is in the southeast. It is subtropical, and it
is very humid. Don't forget that. If you're out walking,

(12:05):
make sure you have plenty of water. Stop in some places,
get water, get some you know, get something good cold
to drink and not just adult beverages. Keep yourself hydrated.
Don't forget that. Charleston is a city best explored at
a leisurely pace. And I can't say this enough. I

(12:27):
beat people over the head with us sometimes, so plan
to take some time and just relax. No one's going
to be in a hurry here for you. It's almost
like island time. There are some places like Waterfront Park,
which is right across the Ravenel Bridge. You definitely want
to go across the Ravenel Bridge. You can walk it,
you can bike it, or you can drive it. Amazing,

(12:50):
amazing bridge and you can see all the mount pleasant,
you can see some of the beaches, and you can
see downtown Charleston all from the top of the bridge.
So let's don't forget preparing to head home. So after
an amazing trip, it's time to head home. But before
you go, take one last stroll through the city, grab
a few souvenirs soak up the last bit of Charleston charm,

(13:13):
whether you're picking up some sweet grass baskets for the
market or grabbing a bottle of hot sauce to take home.
Got some great markets for that kind of stuff. Charleston
has plenty of unique items that make perfect souvenirs for
gifts or for you to keep, or you know whatever.
When you get home. If you're flying if you're flying out,
be sure to give yourself extra time to get to

(13:35):
the airport. As Charleston is a small airport, it can
still get a little busy during during peak travel times
in certain days that are kind of like turnover days.
But just want to reiterate that the Charleston airport is
very easy to navigate. You don't you don't need a map,
you just need to kind of show up. So that's

(13:58):
about it on Charleston. We're going to do we'll do
Charleston in depth next time and we'll talk a little
bit more about certain things that we just touched on.
Today was for the first time first time visitors, just
to kind of get their feet wet and get used
to Charleston. So listen. I hope everybody has a great
time when they come, and y'all have a great day.