PLACES TO EAT:

Poe's on Sullivan's Island
Home Team BBQ in West Ashley
Taco Boy in Folly Beach
Red's in Shem Creek

DONT'S:

Drive down a one way street the wrong way
Rubber-neck and stop in the road to sightsee

Grew up there.  Alot of good food has been mentioned.  Jestines is a must.  Drayton hall is a must see i think.  Aquarium is pretty good too!

If you like to fish, alot of good fishing down that way too.

Visit:

The Citadel (hopefully you can attend a parade)
Botany Bay Plantation
The USS Yorktown (and take a dinner cruise)
The Charleston Museum (Meeting & John st)

Beaches:
Sullivan's Island
Isle of Palms
Edisto Island

Eat:

I have yet to come across any bad restaurants in Charleston, tbh; so just throw a dart at a map.  But I especially liked the Hominy Grill on Rutledge Ave for breakfast, Charleston Grill on King St, and Craftsmen Kitchen and Tap house on Cumberland St.  Hymans isn't bad, but yeah it's pretty much where all the non-locals go to wait to eat. We always stop at Ye Olde Ice Cream in Mt Pleasant when we go.

Pretty good list so far.
Visit Charlestowne Landing state park if you have time.
Or, do the tour to Ft Sumter.
Eat lunch or dinner at THE VARIETY STORE at the old Charleston Marina on Lockwood.
Eat at Shem Creek Raw Bar on the upstream side of Shem Creek in Mt. Pleasant.
There is a Tanger Outlet Mall near the airport, right in the flight line so if you go don't be surprised when jets come in low overhead.
Take the Hwy 30 expressway from downtown to James Island then run SC171 out to Folly Beach, its finally upgrading its image somewhat. Eat at Lo Lo's on the way over.

Glad this thread popped up, me and the wife are visiting from the upstate in June for a long weekend. She wants to go to Folly beach.  My American Lab turns 9 in June.. his arthritis and health are going downhill quicker these days, and my wife wants to let him run (if he can) on the beach.   any other pet friendly beaches?  dog parks are out... he can't keep up with the masses anymore and I think the gradual water thing is the best.  
Of course I'll be looking at the food list you guys create.... Beer and BBQ for me...

The local  chefsingletary is no longer at SNOB.  He is now at Hall's in Columbia.  Heads up, Hall's owns SNOB, High Cotton, HCH and a few other places throughout the state and all are fantastic.

The staff at HCH in Columbia are 2nd supporters.  The GM has NFA toys etc.   This is not the norm in the food/bev world as the folks are often full on libertards.

If you have kids, the Charleston County park on James Island has camping and a water park.

The Spoletto festival happens every late May/early June in Charleston. If you want to go to the events, get your tickets and lodging early and be prepared to P.A.Y.... Otherwise avoid this period of time in Charleston.
Website: https://spoletousa.org/

The Charleston Food and Wine festival was last weekend. It will come around next March. https://charlestonwineandfood.com/

The Southeastern Wildlife Exposition is every February:  https://sewe.com/

Just got back from Charleston.  Here is the scoop.  This is not some BS google search stuff.  This is recent, firsthand reporting.

The visitor center in Charleston is great.  I would make that a first stop.  Get the map of the restrooms in the city.

Stayed in Mt. Pleasant at Air B and B. called Groves Gateway.  Good location.  New construction.  Very nice host.  Most of the restaurants and attractions were on that side of bridge.
A small car is nice to drive and park in tight spots like restaurant parking lots.

Boone Hall Plantation is great.  Short house tour with super docent.  Slave houses.  Tractor ride around the place.  About a 3 hour event.  Traffic in and out.  Seasonal events and tours changing.

Yorktown Carrier and Laffey Destroyer.  Can spend as little or as much time as you want.  Viet Nam exhibit was good.  Medal of Honor hall in the Yorktown was good.

Confederate Museum at the start of the long market hall was worth $5.  All the other attractions are about $25 each.

Market hall is full of junk.  King Street shopping is chain retail with no charm.  I went to both to keep the peace.  I would not go back to either at gunpoint.

PSA is in Mt. Peasant.  They are open till 9.  Lots of stuff.  But the stuff I wanted everyone else wanted and they were out.  My advice is to go and handle things, then order online.  Free shipping.  No tax.

Walk through Charleston was cool.  Seawall.  Splash pad for kids.  Colorful homes.  History.  Wear good shoes.  Did not see one deadbeat.  No pan handlers.  No dope heads.  No human waste on sidewalks.  The anti-San Francisco.

Ft. Sumter is a mandatory tour.  Read up on it before you go.  You only get one hour in the fort.  Do a little homework on period artillery.  And the siege on Charleston.

Eats.................

Shem Creek Bar and Grill may have been good a decade ago, but not now.  Very overrated.  Looks like someone bought it and cashed in on the name.  Food was so-so.  Prices high.  Service better at Chick Fil-A.  The place was filthy.

Pages Okra Grill is great.  Like most places, there is a wait.  But there is a bar and some games to stay occupied.  Very high quality food.  Huge shrimp.  I was told that their breakfast was the best meal.  Shrimp and oyster po-boy was superb.

Acme Low Country Kitchen.  Got right in at 2 pm.  Shrimp and grits were excellent.  Service with a smile.  Worth the trip.  Fried flounder was great.  Check their hours before you go.  Excellent cole slaw.

Wreck of the Richard and Charlene was great.  Boiled peanuts to start.  If you are lucky, you get a water view.  They will bring you a beer while you wait in line.  Very tight parking.  Simple menu.  Simple dishes.  Top quality fresh seafood.  Fried oysters were fresh, tasty, and cooked correctly.  A dress down sort of place.

Griffon Bar.  Charleston.  They have location.  Location.  Location.  Good but not great food.  A few beers on tap.  Cheerful waiters.  Fried chicken is the deal there.  Funky little bar.  Fish and chips were ok, but they claimed to be the best in town.  Good place to duck in and freshen up on the walk around the lower end of Charleston.

We only had time for one brewery.  There are about 10 in the area.  Try them on tap in the restaurants/bars.  We did Two Blokes.  Food truck shows up at about 4 pm.  They had a sour beer that was great, if you like sours.  Tart Vader.  New facility.  Family friendly.  They have a place for your kids to play while you hammer them back.  Seemed odd to me.  Bottles is a liquor store in Mt. Pleasant.  Huge beer selection.  I would go there on day one and stock my frig.  They have one guy who really knows his beer.  Have him select the best of the local breweries and build you a couple of six packs.  Everyone else in the store are deadbeats.

Every, not almost, but every business in town has a help wanted sign in their window.  This says something about the economy but it also means things will be a little slower and a little disjointed.

Concealed carry.  Same ole drill.  Check your reciprocity.  Check the SC laws.  The Yorktown is a National Park.  Signs say no guns on yourself or in your car there.  Several businesses say no guns.  Do whatever you think is the right thing for you.  There are probably neighborhoods that you should stay out of but Charleston and Mt. Pleasant seemed as well policed and safe as any touristy place I have been.
That’s it.

Summerville resident here.

Eat at Lewis BBQ. It close to down town and extremely good food.

Another place that gets rave reviews is Rodney Scott BBQ.

The PSA in Summerville is nice too.

The roof top bar at The Vendue is cool, as said above.

Any hiking trails?

Rodney Scott BBQ was really good. Didn’t have a mustard sauce, but didn’t matter. It’s a small eat-in/take out spot on the far end of King St heading out of the downtown area.

Ink and Ivy’s Sunday brunch was AMAZING. The chicken and waffles was superb, and all dishes were just $10.

Neither the museum on meeting/john st or the aquarium have metal detectors. Folly beach is nice and uncrowded in the afternoon, but street-side parking is a bear.

Peace Pie now has two locations; one on Meeting st next to Hymans, and now one on King @ Mary.

Jeni’s Splended icecream next to Peace Pie on King st has nice flavors, but their scoops are little.

Wife and I will be in Charleston next weekend. We'll be staying at the Hilton Garden Inn o. Lockwood Dr. Does anybody know if it's ok to fish near that hotel? If not is there anyplace close to the hotel that I could have a chance at flounder or sheepshead?
Thanks in advance for all information.

I did a google search. There's a park with a pier right close to our hotel. I'll post a review when we get home. Thank you.

Saturday or Sunday brunch at STARS on King St. Awesome buffet.

So many good brunch places around here...both “formal” and hole in the wall.

My wife and were there at the end of June, we had a wonderful long weekend

I'll add to the list, walking tours, the harbor tour and we got a peddle cab to give us an hours tour at night.

Poogans Porch is great for brunch and we had a spectacular dinner at the Oyster House on Market

If you do a plantation tour take mosquito spray.  I wish we had

Henry's near the market. PHENOMENAL jambalaya and low country boil. Really cool rooftop bar and whiskey bar.
Big Guns, a small bar with attitude not too far from the Embassy Suites. I mean a REAL bar, meant for good times not a fashion show.

If you cook, The Spice and Tea Exchange down near the market is the place to go and spend a bunch of money. I especially recommend the black chocolate tea... liquid velvet! Put in some of their granulated maple syrup for a sweet, buttery finish.

Just got back from a long weekend in Charleston, hit up a few spots mentioned here. Lu Lu’s on the way to Folly was great and inexpensive. I’ve eaten at Hymen’s 3-4 times in the past few years, it is “Touristy” but the food is great imo, and I’m no stranger to good (southern) seafood. New York City Pizza (Downtown) was right across from where we stayed and delicious.

Trying to put together a trip likely in the new year in JAN/FEB after I get back from my current international government funded travel.

From what I've seen the Yorktown and most of patriots point is open again (but not the sub Clamagore).
Looking at a day that'll either be Yorktown or Ft Sumter and bookended with some downtown walking and restaurant. The other day will be more for my wife and trying to decide on those things now-

Anybody up for a M&G next week? Couple of Kentuckians coming down to town for a few days...

lots of good suggestions!!!thanks!!
will be back  there in late may/june
cant wait!  one of my favorite towns!

This thread is very relevant to my interests. The wife and I are heading down there end of next week to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary

How did I miss this thread?

We had a great time. We will be back.

What are the reasons to avoid North Charleston?  The reason I ask is that I’ll be in the area to visit my son, who is in training at Goose Creek. We have a reservation in Ladson, but if the vibrancy is going to keep me up late, I can change my reservation.

DISCLAIMER: not a Charlestonian or from SC for that matter. Just a hillbilly from TN, but me and the wife have spent a long weekend there at least once a year for the past 7 years. Usually around our anniversary in October but once in Feb. some places where closed in winter and town was dead but we liked it that way.

Don’t go there unless you want to feel “rich and vibrant” and die of diversity……

We ALWAYS stay down town. Have stayed at the :
Vendue - hard pass. Pompous art bullshitand even worse THIN DOORS!!!!  Don’t want the kids that may be staying next door to hear what we are doing!
Harbor View 2nd favorite
Belmont (the last 2x) our favorite- easy walking to everything we like to see and eat.
Mills house? Average
Francis Marion- too far away from the better eating places.

Reasons to avoid North Chuck

Higher crime rate

Better odds to be shot as an innocent bystander in a drive by

Down here right now at Planters INN. Good location crappy hotel. 4 and 1/2 stars my ass. Wife wanted to try it. Belmond it is from now on…..

This video overview of the Charleston Area was recently posted on Youtube:

Charleston Tourism Overview Video

Check in to Belmond Hotel concierge floor.

Don’t leave.

Stay Here: Ansonborough Inn

Museum at Market Hall and the Hunley.

Just got back last week.  Went down Friday to Tuesday.  Had no plans just the wife unit and I enjoying each other.  Stayed at the Hotel Indigo in Mt. Pleasant.  It was ok but not for the price IMHO.

Page's Okra Grill had great dinner and brunch both.  They had a very good Bloody Mary and the Banana Pudding Chicken and Waffles were awesome as were the "signature" chicken and waffles that were a little more savory.  

Went to Isle of Palms beach twice.  Get there early if you expect to park.  Sea Biscuit Cafe had decent breakfast and great Sweet Tea.  Dinghy's was a dive bar with great fried seafood and cold drinks.

We went out to John's Island and visited the Charleston Tea Plantation.  Supposedly the only tea grower AND processer in North America.  Pretty neat but off the beaten path.  Ate at the Twisted Moose on John's Island while over there.  Pretty good food.  

Shopping is everywhere if you like that stuff.  Had a very nice dinner at Leon's Oyster's and Poultry.  Highly recommend them and their fried half chicken.  

Plan on going back whenever I get the time.

Spent the weekend south of Charleston at an RV park near Hollywood.

I have for years and still loathe Charleston.
Didn’t pay attention and Spoleto was going on.
Busy and crowded everywhere.

Lots of homeless on the street and pier. Lots of Geechie or some other islander or African kids pushing their woven flowers.
It was nasty and I hated to sit anywhere.
In battery park, the birds were pooping on everything and everyone.

So happy to get back out.

Went the next day to Botany Bay and the Angel Oak.
That was awesome.

Only time eating out was at Gilligans on Johns Island, and it was pretty good.

My family will go back, but not for downtown.
Hopefully camping at Edisto State Park

How bad is the area around the Convention Center? The hotels are much cheaper out there, but I'm willing to stay even further out of necessary.

The area close to the hotels is relatively safe, more than a few blocks away and it can get sketchy pretty fast.

In general, North Charleston has a pretty high murder rate, so staying away from the high crime areas will increase your odds of survival. Most of the violence is drug and gang related, not so much mugging tourists.

I stayed near an entrance to the Charleston AFB. The residential neighborhood did look a little rough--mostly mobile homes in poor condition. It was still a good place to stay--about one-fourth the price of a hotel downtown.

We parked twice at the Visitor's Center parking garage. It looked sketchy, was filthy and smelled, and had a lot of bums hanging around outside. Did a walk to the Battery and back. Visited the Charleston Museum, which I'd recommend. Many museums in the city are closed part of the week or open limited hours. Downtown Charleston is pretty, has many old buildings and historical markers, and stinks like piss and puke in places.

We went to Patriots Point and saw the Yorktown and Laffey. This was a highlight of the visit for me. I also liked the Vietnam firebase they set up there.

Also visited the Hunley. They cleverly no longer call it the CSS Hunley. The volunteers give a number of interesting lectures during the day.

We went to Sullivan's Island and walked on the beach, which was beautiful. I'd love to live someplace where the beach is so accessible. Parking was free, at an elementary school that is right on the beach.

We also visited First Landing state park. This was also nice, interesting, but could be skipped for other touring venues.

Last we took the boat to Ft. Sumter. It poured rain and we got soaked, and didn't get to see everything there. I still think it was worth a visit, even though the fort is very different from its 1861 incarnation. The best place to park is at the Aquarium garage across the street from the Park Service facility.

We did not get any tours of old houses or plantations.

Best food: we found an old-fashioned cafeteria called S&S. Reminded me of Luby's.

The Boone Hall Plantation, Firefly distillery and Pineapple fountain worth it? Lady wants to see them. We're looking for a decent river cruise to dine but seems to be all sold out at the moment. Trip is planned for Sept. 28 into the weekend.

The pineapple is in a nice park area down by the water. It’s a pretty walk and worth it IMHO.

I don’t know about the distillery but I would recommend the drive out to the Charleston Tea Plantation.  It’s a little out of the way but pretty interesting and the wife would probably like it.

Only place in North America where tea is grown and processed

So far, staying at the Cambria Hotel in Mount Pleasant. Looks like we'll do the tea plantation, Angel Oak tree and Pineaple fountain in a day. Dine at the Tatooed Moose. Next day will be Fort Sumter trip. Either just the fort or the whole trip with the Yorktown. Looking up more dining options. She does want to see the market. It's shady there?

Yea the indoor market is all covered and partially air conditioned.

I also recommend Leon’s for a meal. Fried chicken and scalloped potatoes and charbroiled oysters were amazing.

How do you locals feel about Anson?

We had a great meal there. Upstairs. The servers and staff were top notch.

Anson was one of our favorites downtown. The flounder is great.  We haven’t been there in a few years, as we try to stay away from downtown.

You should check out Shem Creek in Mt Pleasant for kayaking. There is a boat landing there to launch from. You can go upstream in the tidal creek or downstream to the harbor.

Edmunds Oast brewery hosts a drag queen event on Sundays.  I won't be buying their beer or visiting their brewery, and I hope you will consider the same.

Just got back from 3 nights there. Didn't have enough free time to get everything in that I wanted to do but I still really enjoyed it. Stayed at the Hampton Inn on Patriots' Point (not my choice) and I don't recommend it.

Things that were good:

USS Yorktown/ USS Laffey tour - 100% would not miss this if you've never been
Sullivan Island - this was close to my hotel so I drove out and walked the beach at 0600. Looks expensive, has a cottage town vibe.
Charleston Tea Garden - this is apparently the only tea farm in the US. It's a working farm/production facility with a short tour. Wife wanted to go but I thought it was ok. Fairly interesting and made the wife happy. We stopped at the Tattooed Moose on the way back, a place that's been on triple D with Guy Fieri. Really good for burgers and their Thanksgiving sandwich. + duck fat fries.

Downtown Charleston: Poogan's Smokehouse and Slightly North of Broad were both good food. SNOB is $$$$, Poogans is $$.

We mainly walked all over downtown checking out the architecture day 1. Day 2 we did a historical carriage ride and the guide really knew his stuff. In retrospect, should have done that first and then walked around second.

We had no problems of the 2-legged kind at all. It was a pretty chill 3 nights there.

The tea plantation was one of the high points the first trip to Charleston.

The equipment and the techniques to get the different teas was very informative. I love good tea and that was some great tea.
I’m sure it is hotter than hell now and getting hotter but being from the gulf coast we are used to that.
Hope to go back soon.