Charleston in 72 Hours
Most people think of the candy-coated houses that line the street known as "Rainbow Row" when they think of Charleston, and they wouldn't be wrong to think of that, but I think of the best oysters I've ever eaten in my life. Keep reading for some of the best restaurants in Charleston and the best hotel in Charleston.
Best Restaurants in Charleston
Bar 167—This is it—the best oysters, but also the best arroz con negro, best green chili vodka & hibiscus cocktail and best caviar donut. This stop was hands down my favorite of my entire time in Charleston so if you take one thing from this post, let it be Bar 167.
Harken Cafe—Harken was probably my second favorite stop of the trip. We ordered a duo of fabulous salads, espresso tonic and orange sesame cake for lunch and loved every bite.
82 Queen—Was is the best dinner I've had? No. Was their award-winning She Crab Soup worth the trip? Absolutely. Moral of the story: make a reservations (even if it's early before your dinner) at 82 Queen to at least get the she crab soup.
Amen Street Fish & Raw Bar—The pro of my boyfriend disliking oysters is that I can order a half dozen just for myself. Amen Street was the place to go for oysters (especially on East Bay Street).
Food Tour—If you're wondering at this point if the only thing I did while in Charleston was eat, the answer is yes. A food tour with Bulldog Tours cannot be missed—I did the "Savor the Flavors of Charleston" food tour and it was such a wonderful combination of savory, sweet and everything in between!
Rainbow Row—It's cute, but you'll basically want to spend two minutes here and carry-on to the park nearby along the water.
Pineapple Fountain—I'm not even entirely sure if this is called "pineapple fountain" but that's what it looks like! This is also located in said park nearby Rainbow Row that's along the water. There's a few ice cream shops and cafes nearby so you can grab something and take a seat to enjoy the view!
The Ryder Hotel—I can't imagine a more perfect place to stay. Very conveniently located, The Ryder made for the perfect work remote day, happy hour evening, late brunch by the ppol, all the above kind of days. I actually booked this stay through the Chase travel protal, which got me a room upgrade, late checkout, free daily breakfast (which made it soooo worth it since this was no buffet breakfast), plus a $100 resort credit (which funded our evening happy hours). The hotel also had a "Gear Garage" where you could rent anything from a bicycle to a Polaroid camera (all included in the resort fees). Plus, they partnered with several local fitness establishments like F45 and PureBarre as well as access to the gym at the Emeline hotel (their sister property down the street). Long story short: there's a dozen reasons to stay here.
Have you been to Charleston before? Share your experiences below!
