Everything You Need to Know about Charleston, SC

The day has finally arrived!  Well, first of all, it’s Friday so that’s always a plus. But secondly, I’m so excited to share my Charleston city guide with you!  Charleston completely stole my heart and I cannot wait to go back.  From our luxury hotel, pink buildings, to all of the amazing food… This is my Charleston City Guide!

Where to Stay

Zero George Hotel

We stayed at the most darling boutique hotel you could ever imagine.  Whenever we travel we like to stay at boutique hotels, bed and breakfasts, or Airbnb’s because they are usually more quaint.  I want to feel like I’m at a home away from home when I travel.

I will preface this review with how picky I am about hotels.  Joey calls me a hotel snob, and to be honest, I’m 100% okay with that.  I have certain standards for where I’m sleeping and you should too!

I found out about Zero George on Instagram and I immediately fell in love.  It was so charming and full of character.  The amount of natural light was a blogger’s dream.  I knew it would be the perfect fit for us.  The hotel is cozy and chic with never-ending verandahs to enjoy the beautiful Charleston weather.  Charm seemed to gush around every corner at Zero George.

 I was beyond gracious for the hospitality and warm welcome we received from the moment we pulled our car up to the valet.  Our room was ready well before our check-in time (which scores major points for me).  We were exhausted from the early morning flight and needed a nap.  It was so nice to jump right into a plush bed with tons of pillows to fall fast asleep.

Zero George didn’t seem to miss a beat from the decor to the wonderful customer service… every detail was well thought out (and very well branded).

One of the many amenities included a turndown service.  This was not like a turndown service I’ve ever had before.  They included a fresh, glass bottle of water, chocolates and dried fruit made in-house, along with slippers.  The BEST part was the noise machine.   They turned on their hidden noise machine to the beautiful sounds of the ocean for you to quickly fall into a slumber.  This one was huge for me because I need to have some background noise or I don’t sleep well.  Typically hotels don’t even have fans that I can turn on!  Needless to say, I slept like a baby.

Zero George also offered a complimentary happy hour which included a handful of house wines as well as a delicious cheese board with fruits, nuts, cheese, crostini, and homemade jam.

I also learned that the best way to get around Charleston is by bicycle.  Who could resist these darling cruiser bikes?  Another complimentary feature of the hotel.

In addition to the customer service, Zero George offers concierge service to help make sure you enjoy everything Charleston has to offer!  They can arrange beach days, reservations, and tours.

Oh! Did I mention the breakfast?  I would love waking up to this breakfast every day!  The quiche was phenomenal.  Zero George even has their own custom blend of coffee, which met my coffee snobbish standards.

We truly enjoyed our experience with Zero George and cannot wait to visit again.  I highly recommend staying here during your visit to Charleston.

Where to Eat

Charleston is quite the “foodie” town and I was so happy to embrace this!  We only touched on a few places, but this just means we have to go back and eat our little hearts out.  From raw selections to traditional low-country style dishes, Charleston’s food scene is one you don’t want to miss.  (FYI: You probably don’t want to be dieting there either!)

I started my search off of this food guide from the Charleston Eater and we were so pleased with we just stuck to it.   We started off our food tour with Hominy Grill.

Hominy Grill –  This comfortable restaurant is southern food at its finest.  From fried chicken and macaroni and cheese, to delicious collard greens, you will be able to enjoy comfort food the way your momma made it.

167 Raw – I just recently started liking oysters.  Trust me, it took some time and with the right preparation, I will eat a few.  I actually have a funny story about this bustling little restaurant.  We opted to sit outside even though it had rained earlier that morning and there was still fairly dark clouds in the sky.  We thought, “there are umbrellas. How bad could it be?”   Little did we know how much of a downpour it would end up being. By the time we received our guac and chips, we were soaked.  The host, whom we later found out was one of the joint owners, managed to find us a spot inside where we just laughed at getting soaking wet.  He was very apologetic, refilling our wine glasses almost full, which we appreciated, but it certainly wasn’t his fault!  We continued our delicious meal and drank our wine in drenched attire.  It was such a fun atmosphere that we didn’t even care.  We laughed at the experience and it was definitely a memorable one.  There was something so charming about this restaurant on top of the excellent service and food.  This is not a place to miss when you go to Charleston!

Fig – This is the place to go to.  With reservations usually booked full at least two weeks out, we arrived 30 minutes prior to opening, and there was already a line to get in!  We lucked out and managed to get a spot right at the bar, which we never mind eating there anyway.  We had spaghetti bolognese as an appetizer, and it didn’t last much more than a few minutes on our plate.  The menu is very modern, full of fresh seasonal options.

Photo Credit:  Eater Charleston

The Macintosh – This modern restaurant is known by the locals for their bacon happy hour.   I will say that bacon in the south is amazing, so I can see why a restaurant would have their own bacon happy hour (and it doesn’t hurt that the owner’s last name is Bacon)!  The duck breast and sweet corn salad are two dishes you don’t want to miss!

The Grocery – We bicycled to enjoy brunch one morning full of mimosas and chargrilled bloody marys!  The Grocery even will serve up some delicious green eggs benedict!  (The eggs are flash fried- trust me, so good!)

Chez Nous – This hidden little gem also cannot be missed.  Nestled between homes a few blocks off of King Street, its rustic French cuisine and not-so-touristy vibe is sure to lure in the best foodies.  The menu consists of 2 appetizers, two entrees, and two desserts that change daily.  Be sure to check the menu the day of to be sure you will like their limited, but oh so special dishes.  I’m still dreaming of the creamy lemon pasta we ate.

Photo Credit:  Eater Charleston

Trust me when I say stick with the 38 Essential Charleston Restaurant’s guide and there will be something you are sure to love!

 What to Do

To my surprise, there are a ton of things to do while visiting Charleston.  We actually didn’t have enough time to do as much as we wanted.

We started off our stay in Charleston by taking a city tour with Tour Charleston. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and kept us all intrigued in what he had to say.  Tour Charleston also does ghost tours at night.  I thought Joey would be too scared for that. 😉

One evening we hopped over to the harbor to board the Schooner Pride for a sunset sail, which couldn’t have been more perfect.  The sail included light snacks and wine.

Simply walking around the town, there is so much history and beautiful architecture everywhere you look!

It’s not a trip to Charleston unless you visit Rainbow Row.  This iconic, colorful street is sure to bring a smile to your face.

There is never a corner without a pink building to see.  I’m convinced a pink home is my new #housegoal.

Charleston, we will be seeing ya!  <3 <3

 

• *We received a media rate at Zero George. All opinions are 100% honest and my own.