october – december 2014
TRAVELER
®
of Charleston
Visitor Magazine Tours Attractions Restaurants Shopping Events Articles Coupons Maps
Charleston Full of Spooky Fun Holiday Gift Guide Top Picks for Dinner & Drinks Download our free mobile app: Exploring Charleston SC. Ranked #1 in the city!
THE SOURCE FOR ALL THINGS CHARLESTON COMPLIMENTARY TRAVELERof Charleston.com
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Parking
Photo: Faith McDavid
Departing from the “RED BARN” Charleston’s Oldest Carriage Company
Present this Ad for
FREE PARKING WITH YOUR TOUR
We also offer a combination Harbor and Carriage tour for one low price
Tickets: 8 Guignard Street (in the Barn)
Try Palmetto’s newest Combo Tour
The Charleston Trot and Walk A 1 hour carriage tour followed by a 1-1/2 hour walking tour. • the most comprehensive overview of the sites and history of the city • the same tour-guide for both ensures no repetitive information • includes entry into one of Charleston’s historic landmarks • $40.00 Adults, $26 Children
www.palmettocarriage.com | 843.723.8145 Complimentary golf cart pick-up + drop-off! Call for details
Contents 12 SPOOKY: Frightfully Fun Tours & Events
DEPARTMENTS 6 16 42 50 60 64 69
Welcome to Charleston See + Do Shop + Savor Eat + Drink Calendar of Events Maps Directory of Advertisers
54 EAT THIS: Best Places to
FEATURES 10 12 34 40 44 48 54 63
Charleston History Timeline Spooky Tours, Events Spotlight on Summerville Spotlight on North Charleston Shopping Guide Charleston Gift Guide Best Places to Dine this Fall Arts Seasons Begins in Charleston
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Dine & Drink in Charleston
From the Publisher WELCOME to Charleston! t’s truly tough to beat fall and early winter in Charleston. There’s a crisp coolness in the air, pumpkin spice lattes are brewing, football games are in full swing and our social calendar is overflowing with festivals, shows and holiday events. Charleston’s storied past and her hauntingly historic buildings make this city the perfect spot for ghost walks and frightful swamp tours (Page 12). Fall also ushers in a new arts season of plays, concerts, gallery events and more (Page 63). While you’re in town, knock out some holiday shopping. Your friends and family will love Charleston-themed gifts. Get inspired with our Gift Guide on Page 48. And venture beyond the streets of downtown to Summerville and North Charleston for small city charm. While you’re here, download our mobile app overflowing with visitor information, including maps, parking details and lists of attractions, restaurants and tours. Not only is it super helpful, but it’s free! Search “Charleston SC” on iTunes or Google Play. Connect with us on Facebook (travelermag) and Twitter (@traveler_mag) and Instagram (travelerofcharleston) if you have questions during your visit and to share your photos and experiences. We love seeing how you’re enjoying #Charleston!
I
TRAVELER
®
of Charleston
Member of: Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau; Charleston Restaurant Association; Summerville/Dorchester Chamber of Commerce.
Traveler of Charleston Team KEITH SIMMONS has an extensive publishing, marketing and advertising background and founded Traveler Magazine in 2005. His purpose was to develop an affordable and effective visitor medium where businesses could advertise their service. Traveler is now one of the leading visitor resources in the city. Keith lives in Mount Pleasant with his wife and sons. He enjoys fishing, kayaking and spending time with his family.
HOLLY FISHER is a long-time writer and editor with a love of telling stories. She has lived in Charleston more than a decade and enjoys sharing the tales of the Holy City with visitors and newcomers to the area. Holly lives in the Mount Pleasant area with her husband, daughter and three dogs. When she isn’t at her computer writing for work and for fun, you can find her reading or doing CrossFit.
SALLY HEINEMAN honed her knack for graphic design at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA where she received a BFA in Graphic Design. Drawn to the South and the love of everything Lowcountry, Sally opened the doors of her graphic design business, Heineman Design, in 1992.
Publisher/Founder.................... Keith Simmons Editor........................................... Holly Fisher Graphic Designer...................... Heineman Design Distribution................................ Denise Fletcher Distribution................................ Brian Bean Distribution................................ Debbi Farrell Cover Photo .............................. Helen Venesky
info@TRAVELERofCharleston.com | 843-580-9054 | TRAVELERofCharleston.com TRAVELER of Charleston is produced by the Traveler Communications Group, LLC, and is published four times yearly and distributed to various locations throughout the Charleston area, including all visitors centers, hotels, airports, beach rentals, grocery stores, high-traffic areas, advertiser locations and many other points throughout the surrounding area. Concept, design and contents of TRAVELER of Charleston are copyrighted and may not be reproduced. www.travelerofcharleston.com.
The copy and advertising deadline for the next issue is November 30, 2014. 6 TRAVELER ofCharleston.com october-december 2014
to CHARLESTON
T
HIS AMAZING PLACE ONLY GETS BETTER WITH TIME. Each year more people flock to this historic port city to soak up the history, culture and architecture and bask in Southern goodness. In recent years, Charleston has become a destination for shopping and its incredible culinary scene is attracting global attention.
From arts and theater to fine dining and watersports, this is one city that truly offers something for everyone. But this Holy City has a storied past. An early English settlement, Charleston has survived wars, fires, earthquakes and hurricanes to rise up as one of the country’s top travel destinations. As you’re visiting our beloved city, get acquainted with her history, celebrate her charms and delight in all the amazing beauty Charleston has to offer.
1718
1672 English colonists settle Charles Town on the Ashley River
Blackbeard the Pirate sails into Charles Town Harbor with four ships; takes hostages for ransom
1740 Charles Town becomes most critical port in North America for exporting rice, indigo and cotton
1719 City is renamed “Charlestown”
1783 City renamed “Charleston”
1718 1680
Pirate Stede Bonnet is hanged at White Point Gardens
Settlement is relocated to peninsula Charles Town – population 1,000
1736 Dock Street Theatre opens, first building in U.S. used exclusively for theatrical performances
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1775-1783
1790
Revolutionary War; Siege of Charleston in 1780
College of Charleston founded
1920
1824
Preservation Society founded to protect historic resources
Charleston Museum opens
1828-29 Young Army recruit named Edgar Allan Poe is stationed at Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island
1864 USS Hunley sinks USS Housatonic in Charleston harbor
1989 Hurricane Hugo hits the city and surrounding areas with 135 mph winds
2006 Charleston Wine + Food Festival founded
1886 Major earthquake hits Charleston, Confederate damaging 2,000 troops fire the buildings, killing first shots of the 110 people Civil War upon Fort Sumter
1861 1791 President George Washington visits, lodging at the Daniel Hayward House and attending a reception at the Old Exchange and a social at McCrady’s Longroom
2005 Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge over the Cooper River opens
1977 Spoleto Festival USA begins
october-december 2014 TRAVELER ofCharleston.com 11
Enter If You Dare Spooky Tours, Events Make for a Frightfully Fun Fall Compiled by Holly Fisher
A
city with this kind of deep history, colorful characters and abundance of dark alleys and church graveyards is bound to have a few ghosts – or at least some pretty great ghost stories. It’s fun to explore Charleston’s spooky side any time of the year, but fall is a particularly good time to hit the streets after dark to tour historic buildings and cemeteries and maybe even join in a spooky event or two.
photo: Bulldog Tours
We’ve compiled some favorite events sure to give you thrills and chills.
12 TRAVELER ofCharleston.com october-december 2014
photo: Bulldog Tours
Charleston Ghost & Graveyard Walking Tour Join Bulldog Tours for an exclusive opportunity to walk inside the gates of one of Charleston’s oldest graveyards after dark. Explore the dark corners, inspect the headstones and step across the graves – if you dare. Learn about the history of Charleston’s graveyards and hear the stories of the famous individuals who found their final resting place in the Holy City. Tours are 7:30 and 9:30 nightly; meet at 18 Anson St. Tickets: 843-722-8687 bulldogtours.com
USS Yorktown Ghost Tours After dark, come aboard the famous “Fighting Lady” on this guided, 90-minute tour that explores the unexplained mysteries of the USS Yorktown, the legendary WWII aircraft carrier docked in the Charleston harbor. Hear the stories of sacrifice and devastation that befell many who served as this tour ventures into areas normally restricted to the public. Tours are at 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; meet at Patriots Point ticketing area 15 minutes prior to your scheduled tour time. Tickets: 843-277-0587 yorktownghosttours.com The Haunted Jail Tour Bulldog Tours take visitors behind the scenes of what just might be the spookiest place in Charleston, the Old City Jail. This jail housed some of Charleston’s most infamous criminals, 19th-century pirates and Civil War prisoners. The Old City Jail was in operation from 1802 until 1939 and most of the building’s original structures remain intact including the cells and warden’s quarters. Tour the cells, hallways and creepy corners where Charleston’s worst criminals lived and died. Tours are at 7, 8, 9 and 10 nightly; meet at 18 Anson St. (this tour is popular so book in advance). This tour may not be suitable for small children. Tickets: 843-722-8687 | bulldogtours.com october-december 2014 TRAVELER ofCharleston.com 13
photo: Bulldog Tours
Boone Hall Fright Nights For visitors who love a heart-stopping fright, Boone Hall hosts its Boone Hall Fright Nights through Nov. 1. This event has grown to be the largest multi-attraction haunted event in the state. Boone Hall is pulling out all the stops with four terrifying attractions for a guaranteed fright-filled night. Find out where nightmares come from at the Frightmare Factory ($10), the ultimate production facility of fear. The Wicked Woods Hayride ($12) – the most popular Fright Night event – takes visitors on a hayride through the deep, dark woods of Boone Hall Plantation where horrors await in the dark mist. Infested by flesh-
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eating zombies, Zombie Town ($10) is now an area crawling with bloodthirsty creatures with a need to feed. If you’re afraid of clowns, you’ll be thoroughly spooked in the Twisted Terror ($8) attraction – all done in mind-blowing 3D. Boone Hall Fright Nights is open dark to midnight Fridays and Saturdays and dark to 10 p.m. Sundays and weekdays. Purchase individual attraction tickets or an All You Dare to Scare Pass for $27. Tours are not recommended for children under 12. Tickets: boonehallfrightnights.com (images on the website may be too intense for some viewers) Halloween in the Swamp Cypress Gardens in Moncks Corner (about 30 minutes from downtown Charleston) becomes a spooky swamp for Halloween. Events are 7:30-11 p.m. Oct. 24-25. General admission to Cypress Gardens includes family fun for all ages, including a lighted pumpkin trail, jump castles, storytelling and a campfire and marshmallow roast. A separate event is the Haunted Swamp Experience (not recommended for young children). Take a guided adventure through the swamp at night before disembarking the boat for a walk through a haunted trail, complete with scary sights and eerie sounds. If you survive the swamp and trail, pause to get your heart rate back to normal at the marshmallow roast and campfire with ghost stories and food.
The Haunted Harbor Join Sandlapper Tours for tales of Charleston’s haunted harbor. Board the Palmetto, a 45-foot catamaran, for a Haunted Harbor Ghost Tour around the harbor and into secluded creeks. Tours are 8 p.m. Mondays and 9:15 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; meet at the
photo: Boone Hall Fright Nights
General admission to Cypress Gardens is $10 for adults and $5 for children 6-12. Tickets: for the Haunted Swamp Experience must be purchased separately at mycommunitytickets.com; space is limited. Info: 843-553-0515 cypressgardens.info
Maritime Center near East Bay and Calhoun streets. Tickets: 843-849-8687 sandlappertours.com Book one of the Haunted Harbor Sails aboard the Schooner Pride for tales of pirates, ghosts and spirits that haunt the harbor. Sails are Oct. 17-19, 24-26, 30-31 and Nov. 1. Board at 8:15 p.m. at the Aquarium Wharf. Tickets: 888-245-9206 or schoonerpride.com
NEED MORE FRIGHT IN YOUR CHARLESTON VISIT? CHECK OUT SOME OF THESE EVENTS:
Toddler/Preschool ■ Nightwalks at Francis Beidler Forest – Take a nighttime tour through the swamp The Children’s Museum bathed in moonlight. Tours of arethe 6:30 p.m. Oct. 4 and 5:30 p.m. Nov. 1. Reservations are Lowcountry suitable for ages 3 required. Info: is 843-462-2150 | beidlerforest.audubon.org months to 12 years. Little visitors have ■ Pint of Hope Zombie Pub Crawl – Zombies will be on the streets of Park Circle plenty to keep them entertained – water for this annual fundraiser for Lowcountry AIDS Services. The event is 5-11 p.m. Oct. 18 stations, art center, medieval castle, at restaurants and bars in North Charleston’s Park Circle area. Info: pintofhope.org pirate ship and grocery store with ■ Ghostly shopping Tide Talescarts. – SitAdmission by a campfire on the beach to hear local haunting stories; pint-sized bring blankets, chairs and the makings for s’mores. 6:30 p.m. Oct. 24 at 28th Avenue beach access on Isle of Palms. Info: iop.net
■ rUNdead Charleston Zombie 5K – The race begins at 5 p.m. with runners making their way through the course as zombies try to grab the flags attached to each runner’s belt. Stay for the post-race party with music, food, beverages, a costume contest and more. Event is 2-10 p.m. Oct. 25 at North Charleston Wannamaker Park. Info: 843-795-4386 | rundead5k.com october-december 2014 TRAVELER ofCharleston.com 15
See + Do
How to use this magazine: You’ll find each type of tour and attraction categorized for easy reference. Many listings include a map grid locator. Find the grid location, then reference the maps on pages 64 through 68.
Charleston is known for its beauty, history and fantastic harbor. Many experienced touring companies are ready to show you a great time. WHETHER YOU’RE A HISTORY BUFF, WATER ENTHUSIAST OR SIMPLY ENJOY STROLLING THE COBBLESTONE STREETS OF CHARLESTON YOU’LL FIND PLENTY OF WAYS TO EXPLORE THE HOLY CITY. Tour historic plantation homes, learn about the city’s spooky side with a ghost tour or see Charleston from the water.
SEE + DO
ART & THEATER ACTIVITIES 34 West Theater Company 200 Meeting St. • Charleston • (Map H:7) 843-901-9343 • 34west.org • Original live theater in the heart of Charleston. Whether it’s our hilarious “Doo Wops and Beauty Shops” or the thrilling “Dangerous Corner,” we invite you to relax, unwind and laugh with friend. Fun drinks and savory bites are standing by.
Theatre Charleston 843-813-8578 • theatrecharleston.com Theatre Charleston, a nonprofit organization comprised of the area’s leading local theaters, is dedicated to helping you easily find out what’s playing when and where. Check the website for a calendar of this season’s live productions.
Head to the Charleston City Market – the cultural heart of Charleston since 1804 – on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights now through December for Evenings in the Market. From 6:30-10:30 p.m. the area becomes a festive street fair with artists, designers and food vendors. thecharlestoncitymarket.com
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SEE + DO
ART & THEATER ACTIVITIES The Black Fedora Comedy Mystery Theatre & Shoppe 164 Church St. • Charleston • (Map: H:7/8) 843-WE SMILE (937-6453) charlestonmysteries.com • Featuring Sherlock Holmes and the Charleston History Mystery, the family oriented Pirate Mystery Show, and the classic whodunit Inspector NoClue’s Murder Mystery. Live entertainment most evenings and some “beat-the-heat” matinees. Audience participation. Appetizers, desserts, beer/wine. Mystery books/gifts.
The Sound of Charleston 150 Meeting St. at Circular Congregational Church • (Map H:7) • 843-270-4903 soundofcharleston.com • Experience the unique sounds that define Charleston’s rich musical heritage – gospel, Gershwin, music of the Civil War, light classics & jazz – all presented by professional artists in a live 75-minute concert.
CARRIAGE TOURS Palmetto Carriage Works 8 Guignard St. • (Map: H:7) • 843-723-8145 palmettocarriage.com • Departs from The Big Red Barn every 15 to 20 minutes, rain or shine, beginning at 9 a.m. Tours are one hour long, covering about 25 blocks of residential and historic districts. Guides are city licensed. See our ad on the inside front cover.
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COMBO TOURS
Carriage & Harbor Combo Tour
Palmetto Tours
Harbor Tours • 10 Wharfside St. • (Map :J:5/6) Palmetto Carriage • 8 Guignard Street 888-224-5037 or 843-722-1112 charlestonharbortours • Harbor Tours departs from the Maritime Center three times daily with a 90-minute live narrated sightseeing cruise aboard the 1920s style Bay Steamer – Carolina Belle. Palmetto Carriage tour departs from the Big Red Barn every 20-30 minutes beginning at 9 a.m. The one-hour tour covers 25 to 30 blocks of the historic and residential districts. Adults $36.50, Children 4-11 $2.
8 Guignard Street at the “Big Red Barn” • (Map: H:7) • 843-723-8145 • palmettocarriage.com Charleston’s premier carriage tour company offers additional combination tours for one discounted price. Choose a Charleston Harbor, Culinary Walking, History Walking or Ghost Carriage Tours. Combine these tours and save up to $11 per person.
Ghost Walking & Harbor Combo Tour For tickets: 10 Wharfside St. • (Map: J:5/6) online at charlestonharbortours.com or bulldogtours.com • Zerve Ticketing at 888-224-5037 or 843-722-1112 • Take one of Charleston’s best Ghost Tours and a Harbor of History Tour aboard the Carolina Belle. You get to choose from the spooktacular “Ghost and Graveyard” walking tour or the Haunted Jail Tour and you get a harbor tour featuring Fort Sumter, Fort Moultrie, the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge and 70+ other points of interest. Tours may be taken on different days. Adults $33.50 – Kids $21.50.
Share your Charleston photos on Instagram and tag us: @travelerofcharleston.
Plantation & Harbor Combo Tour For tickets: 10 Wharfside St. • (Map: J:5/6) charlestonharbortours.com or Zerve ticketing: 888-224-5037 or 843-722-1112 Tour a spectacular Southern plantation, the new Slave Museum and beautiful grounds paired with a 90-minute “Harbor of History” tour. Fort Sumter, Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, the Battery and downtown landmarks. Tours may be taken on different days. Adults $35, children $22.
Land & Sea Combo Tour Visit our website graylineofcharleston.com for more info • 843-722-BOAT (2628) • Save $4 per person when you purchase this combo. Fort Sumter Tours partners with Gray Line of Charleston to offer visitors a comprehensive, historically accurate and entertaining tour of the entire Charleston historic district and her harbor.
october-december 2014 TRAVELER ofCharleston.com 21
SEE + DO
COMBO TOURS
SEE + DO
FISHING CHARTERS
MOTORIZED LAND TOURS
Angler Management Fishing
Adventure Sightseeing
843-259-1489 • anglermanagementsc.com Custom, year-round saltwater inshore fishing charters for families, groups, beginners and professionals. Fish in the Intracoastal Waterway, harbor and tidal creeks. Capt. Ethan will provide licenses, bait, tackle and ice. Eco and harbor tours available. See ad in this section.
“See it all” with Adventure Sightseeing. The most comprehensive motorized city tours daily via comfortable bus. Live narrated by the most experienced and professional guides! Board our buses from the Charleston Visitor Center or let us pick you up. We offer hotel pick up and drop off for a nominal fee. The only bus tour that takes you through The Citadel military college. Fantastic combo tours available with house tours, harbor tours and more. Call 843-762-0088 for reservations or book online at AdventureSightseeing.com
Sharkin Charleston 1 Shrimp Boat Lane • Mount Pleasant pick-up at RB’s Restaurant on Shem Creek • (Map: O:2) 843-557-6627 • sharkincharleston.com Feel the pull of the line and the scream of the reel dragging as you catch 3- to 6-foot sharks on light tackle. No experience necessary; great for families and kids. Shark charters are done in the protected waters of the harbor.
Head to the Traveler of Charleston Blog for the inside scoop on what to see and do in the nearby Town of Summerville from best-selling Charleston author Mary Alice Monroe. travelerofcharleston.com/blog
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Summerville Trolley Tour Depart from Summerville Dorchester Museum: 100 E. Doty Ave • Summerville • (Map: BB:2) summervilledream.org/events • 843-821-7260 Take a trip down the Sweet Tea Trail on a 1.5hour guided excursion through this small southern town where tea isn’t the only thing that’s sweet. Only on 1st, 2nd and 3rd Fridays of each month.
Earlier this summer, readers of Conde Nast Traveler voted our lovely Charleston as the friendliest city in the United States. Thanks, y’all!
SEE + DO
MUSEUMS AND PARKS Audubon Center at Beidler Forest 843-462-2150 • beidlerforest.com Francis Beidler Forest contains the largest stand of virgin bald cypress and tupelo gum swamp forest left in the world. See 1,000-yearold trees and native wildlife; walk the 1.75-mile boardwalk into the swamp. Tues.-Sun. 9 a.m-5 p.m. Harleyville, S.C.
Children's Museum of the Lowcountry 25 Ann St. • Charleston (Map: G:4) 843-853-8962 • explorecml.org • Nine interactive exhibits, including a two-story Medieval Castle, a pirate ship and a dedicated art room, allow your children to explore the arts, sciences and humanities through their own hands-on experiences. Tues.-Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. Noon-5 p.m.; closed Mon.
Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site 1500 Old Towne Road • Charleston • (area map) • 843-852-4200 • Hours: daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. • charlestownelanding.travel Established in the 1670, this is the birthplace of Charleston. Experiences include a museum, outdoor exhibits along the History Trail with an accompanying audio tour, cannon demonstrations and special events, an Animal Forest zoo and the “Adventure,” a reproduction 17th-century trading vessel.
Edmondston-Alston House 21 East Battery • Charleston • (Map: H:9) 843-722-7171 • middletonplace.org Built in 1825, the house is a repository of family treasures, including Alston family silver, furniture, books and paintings. Look seaward from the second floor piazza, where Gen. Beauregard watched the bombardment of Fort Sumter.
Fort Sumter Tours Departs from two locations: Liberty Square, Charleston • (Map: J:5) or Patriots Point Mount Pleasant (Map: P:1) • 843-722-2628 spiritlinecruises.com • Charleston is full of history and one of its most famous claims to fame is Fort Sumter National Monument, the site where the Civil War began. The only commercial boat transportation to Fort Sumter. Tours include a 30-minute narrated cruise through Charleston Harbor and back plus an hour to tour the fort and its on-site museum.
Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum 40 Patriots Point Road • Mount Pleasant (Map: O:2) • 843-884-2727 • patriotspoint.org Home to the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, WWII's Fighting Lady. Museum includes the destroyer USS Laffey, the submarine USS Clamagore, a re-creation of a Vietnam Naval Support Base, 28 historic military aircraft, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s Museum. Free map for self-guided tours.
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SEE + DO
MUSEUMS AND PARKS Sky Zone 411 Wando Park Blvd • Mount Pleasant • (Map L:2) • 843-588-5777 • skyzone.com/Charleston Sky Zone is the original indoor trampoline park, and Sky Zone Charleston is proud to bring the unmatched, out-of-this-world, and high-flyin' fun of the world’s first all-trampoline, walled playing court to the Charleston metro area. Great for people of all ages!
South Carolina Aquarium 100 Aquarium Wharf • Charleston 843-720-1990 • scaquarium.org The South Carolina Aquarium is home to more than 5,000 animals found across the state. Explore 385,000-gallon Great Ocean Tank or enjoy a movie in the interactive 4-D movie theater. Journey from the mountains to the sea and find family fun around every corner.
Wild Blue Ropes 1595 Highland Ave • James Island (area map) 843-5024066 • wildblueropes.com If you’re looking for a something-to-writehome-about-holy-cow-I-can’t-believe-I-just-didthat adventure, you’ve come to the right place. An aerial ropes course with 70+ challenge features reaching 35 feet above the ground. Designed at 3 levels of difficulty that’s fun for the whole family. Imagine a jungle gym suspended 35 feet in the air.
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SEE + DO
PLANTATIONS
PLANTATIONS
Adventure Sightseeing
Drayton Hall
Daytrips to Magnolia Plantation. Experience the beautiful, majestic gardens with one of our friendly and experienced tour guides. Offering a daily tour from the Charleston Visitors Center and offering hotel pick up and drop off. Combine it with our city bus tour for an overall Charleston experience! Call 843-762-0088 for reservations or book online at AdventureSightseeing.com
3380 Ashley River Road (Highway 61) Charleston • (area map) • 843-769-2600 draytonhall.org • Drayton Hall (circa 1738) is the oldest unrestored plantation house in America open to the public. Admission includes tours river and marsh walks, the African-American cemetery and artisan-inspired Museum Shop.
Middleton Place Boone Hall Plantation 1235 Long Point Road • Mount Pleasant (Map: L:4) • 843-884-4371 boonehallplantation.com • One of America’s oldest plantations with more than 320 years of history. Located 8 miles north of Charleston. The “Avenue of Oaks,” nine original slave cabins, house tours and shows included in admission. Mon.-Sat. 8:30 a.m.-6:30p.m.; Sun. 1-5 p.m.
National Historic Landmark • 4300 Ashley River Road (Highway 61) • Charleston • (area map) 843-556-6020 • middletonplace.org • An 18th-century rice plantation and National Historic Landmark comprising 65 acres of America’s oldest landscaped gardens. See the house museum, craftspeople in the stable yards or take an African-American focus tour. Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Charleston Tea Plantation
TRANSPORTION
6617 Maybank Highway • Wadmalaw Island (area map) • 843-559-0383 charlestonteaplantation.com • Located on beautiful Wadmalaw Island 25 miles from downtown Charleston. Visitors can experience how tea is planted, grown, nurtured and harvested from the raw leaf to finished black tea – made possible by the farm’s thousands of historic tea bushes.
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Charleston Water Taxi Downtown: Maritime Center • 10 Wharfside St. (Map: K:5/6) • Mount Pleasant: Charleston Harbor Marina at Patriots Point • (Map: O:2) 843-330-2989 • charlestonwatertaxi.com The water taxi runs on a continuous loop around Charleston Harbor between Patriots Point (USS Yorktown) and downtown Charleston.
SEE + DO
WALKING TOURS Bulldog Tours 18 Anson St. • Charleston • (Map: H:7) 843-722-TOUR • bulldogtours.com As seen on the Travel Channel’s “America’s Most Haunted Places,” this walking tour company will have you exhilarated and entertained. Choose from four tours: Ghost & Graveyard, The Dark Side of Charleston, Ghost Dungeon and Haunted Jail Tour.
Charleston Strolls Walk With History Departs from Mills House Hotel (corner of Meeting & Queen) • 843-766-2080 charlestonstrolls.com • Featured in The New York Times, this two-hour tour is the best way to see Charleston’s Historic District. Famous landmarks, historic highlights, antebellum mansions, quaint alleys and hidden gardens. Everyday at 10 a.m. Requires reservation.
Culinary Tours Of Charleston 18 Anson St. • Charleston • (Map: H:7) 843-727-1100 • culinarytoursofcharleston.com Walk, talk and taste your way through Charleston while experiencing history through Lowcountry cuisine. Daily tasting tours introduce guests to tasty bites at many great restaurants. Go behind the scenes and visit with chefs, bakers, artisan food producers, chocolatiers and specialty shops.
Yorktown Ghost Tours 40 Patriots Point Road • Mount Pleasant (Map: O:2) • 843-277-0577 yorktownghosttours.com • Guided tour explores the unexplained mysteries of this WWII aircraft carrier. Hear stories of sacrifice and devastation as this tour ventures into areas normally restricted to the public.
Looking to experience Charleston’s vibrant arts and culture scene while you’re in town? There are plenty of theater performances, gallery shows, musical concerts, dance revues and more throughout the fall. Check out the Charleston Regional Alliance for the Arts at artscharleston.org for schedules and upcoming shows. 28 TRAVELER ofCharleston.com october-december 2014
SEE + DO
WATER TOURS Angler Management Fishing 843-259-1489 • anglermanagementsc.com Custom, year-round saltwater inshore fishing charters for families, groups, beginners and professionals. Fish in the Intracoastal Waterway, harbor and tidal creeks. Capt. Ethan will provide licenses, bait, tackle and ice. Eco and harbor tours available. See ad in this section.
Barrier Island Eco-Tours 50 41st Ave. • Isle of Palms Marina • (Map: N:6) 843-886-5000 • nature-tours.com • Naturalist guided boat excursions to Capers Island Preserve. Travel the salt marsh creeks, see dolphins and wildlife up close, explore the “boneyard beach” and walk inland trails. Morning and sunset eco-tours, creek fishing, crabbing, kayaking or beach-side cookouts.
Carolina Queen Riverboat 17 Lockwood Blvd. at the City Marina • (Map: B:3) 800-344-4483 • charlestonharbortours.com Charleston’s only authentic paddle wheel vessel with three decks, two bars, an enclosed main salon and plenty of room for dining and dancing. Thurs. nights: Murder Mystery Cruise. Fri. nights: Music and Craft Beer. Sat.: luncheon cruises. Sun: Jazz Brunch Cruises.
Charleston Harbor Tours Charleston Maritime Center. • 10 Wharfside St., Charleston • (Map: J:5/6) • 888-224-5037 or 843-722-1112 • charlestonharbortours.com Board the Carolina Belle for Charleston’s only live narrated harbor history tour. Relax and enjoy a beverage from the snack bar as the captain details the forts and landmarks that shaped Charleston’s historic harbor. Private charters and group dinner cruises available.
Nature Adventure Tours 325 W. Coleman Blvd. • Mount Pleasant (Map: O:2 at Shem Creek, on the water) 843-568-3222 • kayakcharlestonsc.com Charleston’s outstanding naturalist-guided kayak, canoe and paddle-board tour service. Tour salt-water marshes, swamps, rice plantations. See dolphins, pelicans and a wide variety of wildlife. Families and beginners are welcome; rentals also available.
The Port of Charleston is one of the busiest container ports along the Southeast and Gulf coasts. The Charleston Customs district ranks as the nation’s eighth largest in terms of the dollar value of international shipments, with cargo valued at more than $63.6 billion in 2012. 30 TRAVELER ofCharleston.com october-december 2014
Spotlight On...
Summerville SMALL TOWN CHARM IS ON DISPLAY
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nown as Flowertown in the Pines, the town of Summerville is about a 20-minute drive from downtown Charleston. It’s the perfect spot to visit for a dose of small town charm, rich history and Southern hospitality. Situated on a pine-forested ridge, Summerville was first inhabited in the late 1700s as Charlestonians and Lowcountry residents flocked to the town to escape the summer heat, mosquitos and disease. During the late spring and summer months, plantation families along the nearby Ashley River and other coastal areas headed for Summerville’s higher elevation. Other pioneer residents descended from those 1696 puritans who settled the nearby former colonial settlement of Dorchester, endowing Summerville with a heritage spanning three centuries.
SIGHTS TO SEE AND THINGS TO DO IN SUMMERVILLE: ■ Summerville’s downtown square is as quaint as it gets. Shop the boutiques, grab a cup of coffee or visit one of the many antique stores. From 5-8 p.m. the third Thursday of the month, downtown is filled with family entertainment, music, artisan booths and more. The Summerville Farmers’ Market is open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Saturday through Dec. 20 behind Town Hall at 200 S. Main St.
■ From 1697 until the beginning of the Revolutionary War, the trading town of Dorchester flourished along the Ashley River. But at the start of the war, the town was abandoned and just a handful of original structures remain. Today, Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site’s remarkably preserved archaeological remains give visitors a peek into the early history of colonial South Carolina.
■ Located in the historic James F. Dean Theater, the Flowertown Players is Summerville’s only full-time theater organization. Featuring talent from all over the area, this community theater is a great way to experience quality performances with a community feel. This fall, enjoy Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” from Oct. 31 to Nov. 9 and “The Sound of Music” Dec. 5-21.
■ Board the trolley for the Good Eats Everyone’s southern favorite sweet tea also has its roots in Summerville. The tea plant (Camellia Sinensis) arrived in Summerville in the late 1700s imported by Andre Michaux, a French explorer and botanist. In 1888, Dr. Charles Shepard was the first to successfully propagate and produce tea for consumption when he acquired 600 acres in Summerville and established the Pinehurst Tea Plantation. 34 TRAVELER ofCharleston.com october-december 2014
on the Sweet Tea Trail, a tour that includes samples from local restaurants, tales of 400 years of local history and stories from knowledgeable guides. Departs from the Summerville Dorchester Museum, 100 E. Doty Ave., every second and third Friday of the month. more about all there is 3 Learn to see and do in Summerville at summerville.org
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SEE + DO
WATER TOURS Schooner Pride – Charleston’s Tall Ship 360 Concord St. • Charleston • (Map: J:5) 888-245-9206 or 843-722-1112 schoonerpride.com • Marvel at the Holy City skyline while sailing by the forts where history was made. See dolphins playing and experience a Charleston sunset. Take an afternoon dolphin sail or a sunset sail; available for private charters. Combo tour available.
Sharkin Charleston 1 Shrimp Boat Lane • Mount Pleasant pick-up at RB’s Restaurant on Shem Creek • (Map: O:2) 843-557-6627 • sharkincharleston.com Feel the pull of the line and the scream of the reel dragging as you catch 3- to 6-foot sharks on light tackle. No experience necessary; great for families and kids. Shark charters are done in the protected waters of the harbor.
SpiritLine Charleston Harbor Tour Departs from two locations: Aquarium Wharf, Charleston • (Map: J:5) or Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant • (Map: O:2) • 843-722-2628 spiritlinecruises.com • The 90-minute cruise passes by Charleston’s famous Battery, the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, Waterfront Park, Patriots Point, Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie.
The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist is located at 120 Broad St. in Charleston. 38 TRAVELER ofCharleston.com october-december 2014
Spotlight On...
North Charleston ART, HISTORY, SHOPPING AND MORE ATTRACT VISITORS TO CITY
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harleston’s nearby neighbor to the north, the City of North Charleston is one the state’s largest cities and is home to arts and cultural events, major concert venues, shopping malls, parks and some pretty big business. Just 42 years old, the city is just hitting its middle-aged stride and creating a name for itself as a place for business, living and visiting. The city has a vibrant arts and culture scene, multiple shopping areas and historic communities. Put these North Charleston spots on your must-visit list: CENTRE POINTE If you’re looking for a day of shopping, head to this vast retail area with shops, restaurants and Tanger Outlets with dozens of retail stores and boutiques. The North Charleston and American LaFrance Fire Museum and Educational Center is also located there. RIVERFRONT PARK Situated on the banks of the Cooper River, Riverfront Park is surrounded by grand oak trees and has a Performance Pavilion and meadow making it a choice location for concerts and festivals. While at Riverfront Park, see the Greater Charleston Naval Base Memorial, erected in honor of the countless military personnel and civilians that served the United States and the greater Charleston region. Riverfront Park also is adorned with 11 largescale contemporary sculptures, on display as part of the National Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition. PARK CIRCLE This trendy area has coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants, pubs and more. With a hip vibe and nightlife, this is the place to grab a cocktail before heading out to dinner. Also, check out the Park Circle Film Society, a volunteer-run nonprofit enriching the community through film (parkcirclefilms.org) and the South of Broadway Theatre Company (southofbroadway.com). 40 TRAVELER ofCharleston.com october-december 2014
VISITING THIS FALL? CHECK OUT THESE EVENTS: ■ Harvest Festival & Block Party: 4-8 p.m. Oct. 25 in the Olde Village area of North Charleston. Free activities, including ghost stories by the Backporch Storytellers, kid’s activities, artist market, costume contests, trick-or-treating and live music.
■ City of North Charleston’s Christmas Festival & Parade: A holiday market, children’s activities, carriage rides, festive food and decorations, visits with Santa and an evening parade in Park Circle. Activities are 3-9 p.m. (parade at 5 p.m.) on Dec. 6.
■ Children’s Theatre – The Elves and the Shoemaker: The classic Brothers Grimm story takes the stage as an original musical with new lyrics set to traditional holiday melodies. The show is 10 a.m. Dec. 12 at Sterett Hall Auditorium, 1530 7th St. more about all there is to 3 Learn see and do in North Charleston at northcharleston.org.
Shop + Savor
About Charleston The Charleston Farmers Market is a great place to pick up local produce, locally made arts and crafts, fresh flowers and specialty foods. It’s open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Saturday through Dec. 20 at Marion Square (King and Calhoun streets in downtown Charleston).
Charleston was founded in the late 1600s as a port city, and it has remained a thriving place to buy goods ever since! Buy local and enjoy the rewards. WHETHER YOU’RE SHOPPING FOR SOUVENIRS, A DRESS FOR DINNER OR A BOX OF BENNE WAFERS, YOU’LL FIND JUST WHAT YOU WANT IN THE CITY’S MANY RETAIL OUTLETS. The Charleston peninsula has boutiques, national retailers and a market full of Southern charm.
SHOP + SAVOR
SHOPPING Charleston Winery 63 S. Market St. • (Map: H:7) • 843-576-4772 charlestonwines.com • Daily wine tastings, unique gifts and accessories. Citrus and berry wines are made from 100% pure Florida citrus fruits and berries and natural ingredients. Wines have won 200+ medals at national and international wine competitions. See coupon in ad.
Dacuba’s Fine Jewelry 84 N. Market St. • Charleston • (Map: H:7/8) 843-853-0103 • dacubasjewelry.citymax.com Nestled in the heart of Charleston, Dacuba’s is a unique fine jewelry store with a wonderful selection of sterling silver and 14kt gold jewelry. Its classic Charleston “Southern Gate” collection is fashioned after the wrought-iron work seen throughout this historical city.
Nice Ice Fine Jewelry 145 Market St. • Charleston • (Map: G:7) 843-577-7029 • Since 1974 they have been providing Charleston and visitors with the most exquisite and unique jewelry. Designers such as Rudolf Friedman, Judith Ripka, Slane & Slane, Jude Frances, Charriol and Nanis.
Palmettoville 51 S. Market St. Shops at French Quarter (Map: H:7) • Assortment of sunglasses, postcards, handmade soaps and lotions, shot glasses, hand-painted tee towels, slap watches, local images, hats and wide selection of Charleston T-shirts for adults and children, produced locally by our family for more than 30 years.
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Rewined Candles are handmade in Charleston using recycled wine bottles from local restaurants. Their scents mimic favorite wines: Cabernet, Chardonnay, Champagne, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. These soy candles make a great holiday gift. Find more uniquely Charleston gift ideas on our Pinterest Holiday Gift Guide Board: pinterest.com/travelermag
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From shopping to nightlife, Charleston has it all DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON Spend the day walking King Street with its clothing boutiques, shoe stores, gift shops and more. Start near Charleston Place Hotel and head toward Calhoun Street for a wide selection of local boutiques, gift shops and national retailers. If you’re in the market for rare finds, make your way down Lower King Street (south of Market Street), the city’s antique district. On the second Sunday of each month, several blocks of King Street are closed off to vehicles, and people (and pets) flood the streets for open-air dining, music, shopping and entertainment. The City Market stretches from Meeting to East Bay Street and is home to more than 100 vendors. Dozens of businesses and restaurants line Market Street, making it a great place to pick up souvenirs, sweetgrass baskets, art and jewelry. After the sun sets, head to Upper King Street, which in recent years has transformed into a hip design district with a bustling nightlife. The area stretches from Calhoun up to about Mary Street and is filled with trendy clubs and bars and highend restaurants, giving the street a sort of New York City vibe. The Cocktail Club offers a refined atmosphere with its house-made drinks and rooftop terrace or stop off at The Belmont for a scotch and a cheese and charcuterie plate. Named a 2013 Best New Restaurant finalist by the James Beard Foundation, The Ordinary is a Southern seafood hall and oyster bar from Chef Mike Lata, best known for his other Charleston restaurant, FIG (Food Is Good).
SUMMERVILLE Summerville’s Town Square is filled with local boutiques and shops, including 12 antique stores, a children’s book store and one of the top 10 quilt shops in the country. MOUNT PLEASANT ■ Mount Pleasant Towne Centre on Highway 17 North is home to national retailers, local boutiques and restaurants. Shop at Belk and Belk Men’s Store, Copper Penny Shooz, Palmetto Moon, Hairy Winston Pet Boutique, TrySports and more. mtpleasanttownecentre.com ■ Belle Hall Shopping Center is located on Long Point Road ( just off Interstate 526). Stop by Wonder Works for a large selection of children’s toys and gifts or visit Princess of Tides for costumes and tutus. Carolina Girls carries gift items, jewelry and stationery. The Coastal Cupboard has a selection of specialty food items and cookware. shopbellehall.com After a full day of sightseeing and shopping, relax on Shem Creek – cold drink in hand and seafood platter on the table. Shem Creek’s laid-back atmosphere makes it the perfect spot to unwind while watching the shrimp boats dock in the creek and the dolphins play in the water. NORTH CHARLESTON ■ Tanger Outlets has dozens of nationally known retailers offering apparel for adults and children, shoes, accessories, housewares and jewelry. Tanger is easily accessible from both Interstates 526 and 26. tangeroutlet.com/charleston
Share your Charlestons shopping moments on our Facebook page at facebook.com/travelermag
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SHOP + SAVOR
SHOPPING Tom’s Toys LLC 125 Market St. • Charleston • (Map: G:7) Kapla is a unique wooden building toy composed of identical blocks. Children put one block on top of the other and let their imagination run free, creating all kinds of animals, buildings, vehicles and bridges. Suitable for children of all ages.
Terrace Oaks Antique Mall 2037 Maybank Highway • James Island (area map) • 843-795-9689 • Mon-Sat. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. terraceoaksantiques.com A leader in the Charleston area for multidealer antique shops since 1988. The 10,000-squarefoot, climate-controlled shop houses 90+ booths with all different tastes and styles. When it comes to antiques, they have just about anything your heart desires.
Town of Mount Pleasant comeonovermp.com • Mount Pleasant is not your average place to visit. Filled with an array of restaurants, taverns, activities and accommodations, the vacation you’re anticipating will be more than just a trip from home; it will be an experience of indescribable magic and warmth.
In between visits to Charleston, stay connected to the Holy City through our social media. Find us on Facebook (facebook.com/travelermag), on Twitter (twitter.com/traveler_mag) and on Pinterest (pinterest.com/travelermag).
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SHOP + SAVOR 46 TRAVELER ofCharleston.com october-december 2014
CHARLESTON Gift Guide
If you loved your visit to Charleston, why not give friends and family a taste of Holy City goodness this holiday season. We’ve compiled some gift ideas sure to surprise and delight. In fact, buy two – one for a gift and one for yourself.
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Give the gift of Charleston all year long with a subscription box of Charleston goodies. Charleston Epicurean will compile a box of four to six locally made culinary items each month to ship to subscribers. Every box is unique and a surprise to its customers with full-size items, such as olive oil, fried peanuts, artisan marshmallows, Lowcountry grits, Charleston gold rice and praline pecans. Price: $35/month, including shipping, with options for one-time delivery or 3-, 6- or 12-month subscriptions. charlestonepicurean.com
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Established in 1725, Legare Farms is a bustling 300-acre farm on the Stono River near Charleston. You’ll certainly want to partake of their delicious top sellers: pickles, black bean salsa, pickled okra and homestyle pumpkin butter (bring on the biscuits!). Price: $6.99 or select three items for a $25 gift box. Available at the farm during select times or at legarefarms.com.
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Every time you have a drink, you can relive one of your favorite Charleston landmarks, restaurants and attractions. Carolina Coaster Co. coasters are hand-made from original photographs of local points of interest around Charleston and the Lowcountry. Select a set of your favorite Charleston spots. Price: $12 | Available at the Charleston Farmers Market, select retailers around Charleston and at carolinacoaster.com.
This Charleston pillow is entirely hand embroidered on a light tea-color cotton cover that buttons off for cleaning and is accented with blue and white ticked piping. Price: $149. Or pick up the mini version of the pillow perfect to use as an ornament or door hanger. Price: $19 Available from Historic Charleston Foundation at historiccharleston.org.
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Who said tea was just for drinking? Charleston Tea Plantation has a variety of body products infused with tea grown right on the tea plantation. Products include American Classic Hand and Shower Cleansing Gel, Glycerine Hand Therapy and Body Silk – the perfect way to infuse your daily beauty routine with a little sweet tea. Price: $10.75-$12.50 | Available at the Charleston Tea Plantation Gift Shop or at charlestonteaplantation.com.
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This pendant is fashioned after Charleston’s majesticAngel Oak Tree located on Johns Island. Dacuba’s Fine Jewelry also carries pendants, rings, earrings, bracelets and charms inspired by the ornate gates found throughout downtown Charleston. Price: Pendant $19 - $59, Rice Bead Necklace $39 - $47 | 84 N. Market St. in Charleston dacubasjewelry.citymax.com
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Eat + Drink
Charleston Cuisine Try a piping hot bowl of Lowcountry Boil, also known as Frogmore Stew. This dish includes shrimp (or crab), corn on the cob, sausage and red potatoes.
Charleston’s diverse culinary scene is amazing. Innovative chefs and their dishes will dazzle the taste buds and warm the heart. Charleston has great taste! TRUST US, YOU WON’T LEAVE CHARLESTON HUNGRY. In fact you might spend half your vacation simply deciding which delectable restaurant to try next. Our city has world-class chefs cooking up plates filled with Southern goodness. Our desserts are claiming national recognition.
EAT + DRINK
FINE DINING Cru Cafe´ 18 Pinckney St. • Charleston • (Map: H:7) 843-534-2434 • crucafe.com • In an 18th-century home on Pinckney Street, Charlestonians sip mint julep tea on the porch and dine on upscale comfort food at John Zucker’s Cru Cafe. “Do it right and use the best possible ingredients” is his mantra. Lunch and dinner.
SpiritLine Dinner Cruise Departs from 40 Patriots Point Road Mount Pleasant • (Map: O:2) • 843-722-2628 spiritlinecruises.com • The SpiritLine Dinner Cruise aboard the Spirit of Carolina features fine cuisine prepared to order onboard, entertainment, dancing, fully stocked bar and a magnificent cruise on Charleston Harbor. Call for reservations.
Middleton Place Restaurant 4300 Ashley River Road • Charleston (area map) • 843-556-6020 • middletonplace.org Savor Lowcountry cuisine while taking in views of America’s oldest landscaped gardens. For lunch, visitors enjoy a three-course, prix fixe menu. Lunch served daily. Dinner guests pay no admission after 5:30 p.m. and can stroll through the gardens prior to dinner.
CASUAL DINING A.W. Shuck’s 35 South Market St. • Charleston • (Map: H:7) 843-723-1151 • a-w-shucks.com A.W. Shucks’ menu is inspired by classic Charleston Tradition with stuffed shrimp, the Lowcountry’s best she-crab soup, and seafood casserole that’s a legend among locals. Plus, an extensive selection of craft beers. Lunch and dinner served daily beginning at 11 a.m.
FREE Appetizer w/ Purchase of 2 Entrees! up to $10.99 value Not Valid w/other Offers - Traveler Magazine
Bocci’s 158 Church St. • (Map: H:7) • 843-720-2121 boccis.com • USA Today mentioned Bocci’s as one of the leading Italian restaurants in the United States. Featuring full Italian fare at affordable prices, this family restaurant brings everything that is right about Italian food to the table. Open for lunch and dinner.
Great Italian Food Family Friendly Atmosphere 428 King Street & John Downtown Charleston 843-965-5252
Charleston Crab House 41 S. Market St. • Charleston • (Map: H:7) 843-853-2900 • 145 Wappoo Creek Drive James Island • 843-762-4507 charlestoncrabhouse.com • Serving lunch and dinner daily. Celebrating 20 years, the Charleston Crab House serves fresh local seafood including S.C. shrimp year-round. A favorite for locals and visitors with roof-top dining downtown.
Clams, oysters and swordfish are in season in South Carolina during the fall and early winter. october-december 2014 TRAVELER ofCharleston.com 51
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EAT THIS: Best Places to Dine & Drink in Charleston by SCOTT WINK
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HARLESTON IS ONE OF the hottest culinary destinations in the world right now. Around every corner of the city you’ll find some of the country’s most talented chefs, hottest restaurants, and delicious locally made products. In order to get the most out of your time in Charleston you’ll need to do a little planning. Here are a few basic tips followed by some of my favorite food recommendations to help you truly enjoy your fall/ winter visit to Charleston.
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Don’t eat the hotel continental breakfast! A morning walk to get breakfast or coffee is one of best times of the day to see the city coming to life. Use rickshaws or taxis to get you to your restaurant of choice. Don’t waste time wandering the streets and risk getting lost. This only increases your chances of getting frustrated and just randomly walking into a place you’ve never heard of. Have a list of places you want to try and don’t let your current location prevent you from having an amazing meal. Ask your waiters for a recommendation. They will typically point you to some great house specialties. Order new things. Skip burgers and chicken breast. Put yourself in the hands Charleston’s awardwinning chefs and find your new favorite food.
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BREAKFAST: Glazed Gourmet Donuts at 481 King St. serves up some of the most delicious doughnuts you will ever eat. Pastry Chef Allison Smith only uses house-made dough, jams and glazes and all from natural and local ingredients. Glazed makes 12 flavors of doughnuts each day and that list changes daily depending on the season and availability of local ingredients. Some notable favorites of mine are chocolate mint, strawberry and champagne, pumpkin, chocolate orange ginger, and gingerbread cranberry. They are open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. TuesdayFriday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday (they may close early if they’re sold out). Stroll into Glazed for a delicious start to your day. Kudu Coffee and Craft Beer at 4 Vanderhorst St. or Black Tap Coffee at 70 1/2 Beaufain St. are hands down the best coffee shops in town … and probably in the state of South Carolina. They are both small stores that have fantastic baristas and specialize in hand-curated blends and
flare. So now the toughest decision of your morning will be coffee first or doughnut first? Do yourself a favor though and get one of each while you are here. You’ll thank me later. Grab a morning java or afternoon pickme-up at The Press at 19 Vendue Range. Serving Starbucks coffee along with pastries and sandwiches, this cafe is located on the site of South Carolina’s first newspaper, The South Carolina Gazette.
LUNCH AND DINNER:
Photo: Holy City Hospitality “Coast Bar & Grill”
People always ask me where to eat seafood while in Charleston. Always. Here are my two favorite picks: Fleet Landing at 186 Concord St. and Hank’s Seafood at 10 Hayne St. Call ahead and get reservations for these places at least a day in advance as they can up fill quickly especially if a big cruise ship is docked in town. Fleet Landing is the only waterfront dining in Charleston. So on a cold day you can sit at a warm table beside a large window and enjoy the beautiful views of the Charleston harbor. The building was formerly a U.S.
Xiao Bao Biscuit at 224 Rutledge Ave. and Basil Thai Restaurant at 460 King St. don’t serve shrimp and grits. They are part of a new wave of restaurants that pair Asian spices with our Charleston local ingredients. The best part about these places on a cold Charleston day is that you can spice them up as hot as you want or keep it mild. Some local favorites at Basil include the Basil Duck (a boneless half duck deepfried and topped with vegetables and red curry sauce) and the Volcano Shrimp (grilled jumbo shrimp, wilted napa cabbage, steamed broccoli and cauliflower, topped with three-flavor sauce). Xiao Bao Biscuit has been featured in the New York Times and is located in a renovated Charleston gas station. The menu features lots of local meat, fish and produce blended into great Asian recipes. They call it “Asian Soul Food inspired by amazing grandmothers.” Here is where you have to trust me. Don’t be scared of your lack of experience with Asian or Sichuan flavors. I have taken even the most skeptical people to eat there and most of them still talk
Naval facility in the 1940s and is built on stilts hovering over the moving tidal waters and marsh grasses. Fleet Landing is open for dinner and lunch. Definitely get some Lowcountry seafood gumbo or a plate of some raw oysters as your starter. Hank’s seafood is only open for dinner and is located just a block from the Charleston City Market. Hank’s serves almost nothing but seafood dishes. Think oyster stew, clams in wine sauce, roasted grouper, and check out my favorite dish there called Seafood a la Wando. Chef Frank McMahon of Hank’s has worked in New York City at the famed Le Bernradin under Chef Eric Ripert and is something special.
about how good the food was. One of my favorite dishes there is Samun Phrai (Thai herbal sausage with spring vegetable yam, coconut chili sauce, basil). Take a quick taxi ride to XBB, as the locals call it. The Man Pick: King Street Grille at 304 King St. is where you want to be on Saturday or Sunday if your favorite NCAA or NFL football team is playing. It has two levels of seating, a big beer list, almost every game playing, and pretty good bar snacks. Don’t let vacation interfere with his football obsession. Make a deal with your wife/ husband. She goes shopping on King Street for two hours while he has a october-december 2014 TRAVELER ofCharleston.com 55
beer and watches the game. You’ll both feel much better afterward.
DRINKS: My wife and I have a motto while traveling on vacation that each day should include a couple of amazing alcoholic beverages and the earlier the first one comes the better. Luckily for you Charleston is seeing an influx of amazing breweries, distilleries and cocktail bars to help you with this as well. I highly recommend you ask the bars and restaurants about our local spirits when ordering. One of those local spirit
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makers is High Wire Distilling at 652 King St. They currently make vodka, rum, gin and whiskey. They also offer tours from 1-6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, every hour on the hour. For $5 you get a tour and three complimentary tastes of their products. Reservations are recommended. Finally on those special nights to remember here are your go-to places for that one last drink to warm you up before calling it a night: Cypress at 167 East Bay St. for its upstairs wine bar, McCrady’s at 2 Unity Alley for unique cocktails in its first-come, first-serve bar area, and Coast Bar and Grill at 39-D John St. in a quaint alleyway for a quick late night beer. New on the bar scene is The Whiskey Bar at 54 N. Market St. with the best selection of brown spirits in town. Guest writer Scott Wink is founder and writer for Charleston Food Bloggers. He offers up his picks for fall dining around Charleston. Find more of his tasty recommendations at charlestonfoodbloggers.com.
EAT + DRINK
CASUAL DINING
CASUAL DINING
East Bay Deli
Joe Pasta
334 East Bay St. • Charleston • (Map: I:5) 843-216-5473 • 1120 Oakland Market Road Mount Pleasant • (Map: L:5) • 843-216-5473 9135 University Blvd. • North Charleston 843-553-7374 • 4405 Dorchester Road North Charleston • (Map: W:4) • 843-747-1235 New York-style deli using only quality products such as Thumann’s deli meats and Hebrew National deli dogs. The varied menu comes with many options: soups, chili, both hearty and heart-healthy sandwiches, wraps, giant spuds and desserts.
428 King St. (Corner of King & John streets) Charleston • (Map: F/G:4) • 843-965-5252 Menu features soups, salads, Parmesan sandwiches, pizza, pastas, desserts and a full liquor, wine and beer bar. The restaurant provides a laid-back and cozy atmosphere that is family friendly. See coupon in ad.
Henry’s on the Market 54 North Market St. • Charleston • (Map H:7) 843-723-4363 • henryscharleston.com Since 1930, Henry’s has been the place to be in Charleston. Now its authentic Lowcountry menu with modern flare features shrimp and grits, she crab soup and Carolina Cannonballs. Cocktails complement the meal along with rooftop views. Lunch and dinner.
Hyman’s Seafood 215 Meeting St. • Charleston • (Map: G:7) 843-723-6000 • hymanseafood.com Voted No. 1 seafood restaurant in the Southeast by Southern Living magazine nine years in a row. Lunch and dinner served daily. Parking and back entrance from Charleston Place. No reservations; come early to avoid the wait. See coupon in ad.
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The Whisky Bar 54 North Market St. • 2nd Floor • Charleston (Map H:7) • 843-723-4363 henryscharleston.com Quality house-made cocktails and sodas and the best selection of brown spirits in town. Open Wednesday through Saturday, with live jazz and experimental music every night. Hand-crafted cocktails, house-made sodas and juices.
Tommy Condon’s 160 Church St. • (Map: H:7) • 843-577-3818 tommycondons.com • Have you ever been in an authentic Irish pub and restaurant? Tucked away on Church Street, just a half block off Charleston’s historic Market, is Tommy Condon’s, a pub that will delight your soul. Serving lunch and dinner daily.
Looking for a great spot for weekend brunch? Head over to the Traveler of Charleston Blog for the delicious details. travelerofcharleston.com/blog
Photo: Preservation Society of Charleston
Calendar of Events october – december 2014 38th Fall Tour of Homes
OCTOBER 1-31
Boone Hall Pumpkin Patch – Corn maze, hay mountain, play areas, rock climbing wall, goat walk and more for the children plus visit the pumpkin patch to buy pumpkins by the pound. boonehallpumpkinpatch.com
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38th Fall Tour of Homes – The beauty and historic charm of Charleston come alive as friends of the Preservation Society of Charleston welcome visitors into the private interiors of some of the nation’s most exquisite historic homes. Guests experience firsthand the rich history of Southern culture, architecture and hospitality of Charleston. thefalltours.org
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Jazz Brunch Riverboat Cruise – Enjoy live jazz music, a gourmet buffet brunch and views of the Charleston harbor aboard The Carolina Queen. charlestonharbortours.com | 800-344-4483
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Scarecrows on the Square – Summerville’s Town Square is filled with scarecrows created by local schools, business and organizations. SummervilleJSL.com
NOVEMBER 1
Harvest Festival – Enjoy bluegrass music, hay rides, pumpkin decorating and plenty of Carolina barbecue and cold drinks at Mullet Hall Equestrian Center. ccprc.com | 843-768-5867
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Jazz Brunch Riverboat Cruise – Enjoy live jazz music, a gourmet buffet brunch and views of the Charleston harbor aboard The Carolina Queen. charlestonharbortours.com | 800-344-4483
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Charleston Cup Steeplechase – The nation’s top riders, trainers, and owners compete for purses totaling $50,000 at The Plantation at Stono Ferry in Hollywood. charlestoncup.net | 843-766-6202
14-Jan. 1
2015 Holiday Festival of Lights – This event marks 25 years of lighting up James Island County Park and delighting visitors with 2 million lights making up 750 displays on a 3-mile loop through the park. Plus, enjoy marshmallow roasting, train rides, enchanted walking trail, gift shop, carousel and photos with Santa on select evenings. charlestoncountyparks.com
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Trades and Harvest Festival – Interact with costumed interpreters and craftspeople, observe open-hearth cooking and learn about colonial cooking, witness the smoke and thunder of a militia drill at Charles Towne Landing. charlestownelanding.travel | 843-852-4200
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Plantation Days at Middleton Place – Craftworkers demonstrate the skills practiced by slaves as they prepared the antebellum plantation for winter. Different aspects of 18th and 19th century plantation life will be explored including domestic skills, African-American culture and Gullah storytelling. middletonplace.org | 843-556-6020
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North Charleston POPS! – “Heroes and Legends” celebrates heroes from sports and movies along with a tribute to North Charleston’s first responders at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center. northcharlestonpops.com
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Charleston Coffee Cup – Featuring the best of local and regional coffee shops and roasters as well as coffee tastings, latte art competitions and roasters challenges plus educational programs highlighting the art, culture and economics of coffee. Joe Riley Stadium in Charleston. charlestoncoffeecup.com | 843-633-1638
DECEMBER 2
Christmas Tree Lighting in Hutchinson Square – Enjoy musical entertainment as the town mayor lights the tree in historic downtown Summerville. summervilledream.org
photo: Middleton Place
6, 7, 11, The Charleston Christmas Special – Family friendly variety show with holiday 12, 13, 14, songs, dancing and skits at the Charleston Music Hall. bradandjennifermoranz.com 18, 19, 843-416-8453 20, 21 5, 12
Christmas 1860 – Celebrate a Victorian holiday season by candlelight at the Edmondston-Alston House on East Bay Street – decorated for the holidays as it would have been in 1860 – as costumed interpreters present dramatic scenes. middletonplace.org | 843-556-6020
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Made in the South Weekend – Celebrate the best of Garden & Gun magazine at Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site. Enjoy food, sporting, shopping, music and art as well as special dinners and entertainment. gardenandgunjubilee.com/2014/
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Wine Under the Oaks – Featuring fine wines, gourmet foods, a champagne and desserts tent, ice sculptures, wine and cooking demonstrations plus a concert by the band Spyro Gyra at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant. boonehallplantation.com
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Family Yuletide in the Stableyards – Visit Middleton Plantation where the stableyards artisan shops will be lit by candlelight as craftspeople ply their trades and interact with visitors. Seasonal refreshments provided. middletonplace.org 843-556-6020
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37th annual Kiawah Island Golf Resort Marathon – The Boston Qualifying race features live music throughout the course, spectacular views and an after party with food, beer and awards. KiawahMarathon.com
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Mount Pleasant Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting – More than 100 floats parade down Coleman Boulevard ending with a tree lighting and fireworks display. comeonovermp.com
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A Christmas Carol Walking Tour – Local storyteller Tim Lowry recounts this time-honored holiday tale on a guided walking tour of historic Summerville. 843-821-7260 | summervilledream.org
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Happy New Year Charleston – Head to Marion Square in downtown Charleston for this non-alcoholic and family friendly way to celebrate the New Year in Charleston. charlestonarts.org
Family Yuletide in the Stableyards
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
brewery/distillery article. For more Charleston area events, check our online calendar at travelerofcharleston.com/events.
ONGOING EVENTS 29th annual Progressive Dinner – Beginning Nov. 28 and running throughout December, Circa 1886 restaurant and Charming Inns host a festive evening where diners journey by carriage to three different locations. Guests start the evening with hors d’oeuvres at Historic Kings Courtyard Inn, travel to Circa 1886 restaurant on Wentworth Street for a three-course dinner, and wind down at Historic John Rutledge House Inn for coffee and dessert. circa1886.com From Gospel to Gershwin presented by The Sound of Charleston. Jazz, gospel, Gershwin, spirituals and Civil War songs at Circular Congregational Church. Special holiday edition on Fridays in December and on 12/30. soundofcharleston.com | 843-270-4903 Fall Wine Strolls – Each Wednesday in October at Middleton Place. Sip and stroll in a different garden location each week while sampling old and new world wines. The season ends with a Masquerade Wine Stroll Finale on Oct. 29. middletonplace.org | 843-556-6020 Blues & BBQ Harbor Cruise – Every Thursday night in October, enjoy a barbecue buffet, live music and a cruise around the Charleston harbor. 888-224-5037 | charlestonharbortours.com “Church Street Daughters of the Late Unpleasantness Garden, Gun & Gin Club Mystery,” a mystery that has the crème of Charleston’s ladies dirtying their white gloves with murder at Black Fedora Comedy Mystery Theatre. charlestonmysteries.com | 843-937-6453 “Inspector NoClue’s Murder Mystery,” a classic comic whodunit at the Black Fedora Comedy Mystery Theatre. charlestonmysteries.com | 843-937-6453 “A Sweet T. Christmas,” a holiday whodunit with spirit at the Black Fedora Comedy Mystery Theatre. charlestonmysteries.com | 843-937-6453 Sweet Tea Trail Trolley Tours Begin with a history film at Summerville Visitor’s Center and then a local historian gives a one-hour guided tour on the trolley with a stop at the historic Linwood Gardens. Tours are 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. first, second and third Fridays. lowcountrylooptrolley.com 843-654-5199 Evenings in the Market – Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening through December showcasing local artists, food vendors and designers in the historic Charleston City Market. thecharlestoncitymarket.com 2nd Sunday on King Street – On the second Sunday of each month. Street is closed to vehicular traffic from Queen Street North to Calhoun Street. 2ndsundayonkingstreet.com Charles Towne Landing special events – The first Saturday is musket demonstrations. Monthly programs are Archaeology Day on 10/11; Fall Frolic in the Zoo (11/1) and Life of a Colonist (12/13). The third Saturday is cannon demonstrations. 843-852-4200 charlestownelanding.travel Charleston Farmers Market – Each Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. through 12/20 in Marion Square, downtown Charleston. charlestonfarmersmarket.com * Event details are subject to change. Please call ahead or check the listed website for confirmation.
rewery/distillery article. Follow us on Twitter @Traveler_Mag and on Facebook for more Charleston events, festivals and activities.
For even more Charleston area events, check our online calendar at travelerofcharleston.com/events. 62 TRAVELER ofCharleston.com october-december 2014
photo: Boone Hall Plantation
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Wine Under the Oaks
Spotlight On...
Art Season CULTURE COMES ALIVE THROUGHOUT CHARLESTON
H
ere in Charleston fall ushers in a new season of the arts with everything from plays and concerts to gallery showings and dance performances. It’s the perfect time of year to soak up the area’s thriving arts and culture scene.
Art Walks: Stroll the galleries along Charleston’s picturesque Broad Street from 5-8 p.m. the first Friday of each month (charlestongalleryrow.com). Or head to the French Quarter to walk the cobblestone streets and discover more than 500 artists representing a variety of media. Walks are 5-8 p.m. on Oct. 3 and Dec. 5. The French Quarter is bordered by South Market, Tradd and Meeting streets (frenchquarterarts.com).
installation in his most comprehensive show yet. The exhibition will be open to the public through Dec. 21. For more information visit awakejduckworth.com League of Charleston Theatres: An alliance of Charleston area theater organizations, this is a great place to find out about upcoming plays and performances. Visit theatrecharleston.com for a full fall season calendar. Don’t miss the South of Broadway Theatre Company’s performance of “Fences,” the story of a responsible, yet otherwise flawed, black garbage collector in pre-Civil Rights America who rises to the level of an epic hero. The show runs Oct. 16 to Nov. 1. Tickets: southofbroadway.com or 843-745-0317
The Crabpot Players perform “The Glass Menagerie,” one of Tennessee William’s most famous works, Nov. 6-22 at their Mount Pleasant theater. Tickets: crabpotplayers.com or 888-303-0763 A Swinging Christmas: Join 34 West Theater Co., 200 Meeting St., for this holiday performance Nov. 25 to Jan. 4. Will Johnny be home for Christmas? Jazzy tunes and one crazed crooner heat up a cold wintery night at the snowbound Mountaintop Lodge. Tickets: 34west.org or 843-901-9343
AWAKE: A multi-sensory exhibition by artist John Duckworth is opening Nov. 7 at the City Gallery at Waterfront Park. The gallery will be transformed into an immersive space within a guided exhibition layout, displaying Duckworth’s photography, sketches, paintings, video and audio
The Sound of Charleston – Holiday Edition: Explore the sounds of Charleston’s gospel roots in this concert series at the Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting St. Performances are 7 p.m. Dec. 5, 12, 19, 26, 30. Tickets: soundofcharleston.com october-december 2014 TRAVELER ofCharleston.com 63
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Getting Around Some transportation options for getting around downtown Charleston and the surrounding areas. ■ WATER TAXI: Transports visitors from downtown Charleston (Aquarium Wharf or WaterfrontPark) to Mount Pleasant (Patriots Point or Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina). Taxi runs each hour; $10 for all-day pass. No reservations needed. Shem Creek route available; $20 round trip. Call 843-330-2989 for pickup. charlestonwatertaxi.com ■ BUS: The CARTA bus system has regular routes that travel to major destinations. The DASH trolley service is available free of charge if you’re traveling around downtown Charleston. ridecarta.com | 843-724-7420 ■ LOWCOUNTRY
LOOP TROLLEY: Go from downtown Charleston to attractions in Mount Pleasant and the beaches using this hop-on/hop-off trolley. Cost is $15 for an individual roundtrip day pass. lowcountrylooptrolley.com 843-654-5199
■ RICKSHAWS
AND PEDICABS: Available in downtown Charleston as are taxi cabs for transportation around the Lowcountry.
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SEE + DO Adventure Sightseeing Tours Angler Management Fishing Audubon Center at Beidler Forest Barrier Island Eco Tours Black Fedora Comedy Mystery Theater Boone Hall Plantation Bulldog Walking Tours Carolina Queen Riverboat Carriage + Harbor Tour Combo Charles Towne Landing Charleston Harbor Tours Charleston Strolls Charleston Tea Plantation Charleston Water Taxi Children’s Museum Culinary Tours of Charleston Drayton Hall Edmondston-Alston House Fort Sumter + Gray Line Combo Tour Fort Sumter Tours Harbor + Ghost Tour Combo Middleton Place Nature Adventures Outfitters North Charleston City of Palmetto Carriage Works Palmetto Tours Patriots Point Plantation + Harbor Tour Combo Schooner Pride Sailing Tour Sharkin' Charleston Charters Sky Zone Sound of Charleston South Carolina Aquarium SpiritLine Cruises Harbor Tour Summerville, Town of Summerville Trolley Tour THEATRE Charleston Thirty-Four West Theater Co. USS Yorktown Ghost Tours Wild Blue Ropes
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SHOP + SAVOR Charleston Winery Dacuba’s Fine Jewelry Nice Ice Fine Jewelry Palmettoville Boutique Terrace Oaks Antique Mall The Brass Pirate Tom’s Toys - KAPLA Town of Mount Pleasant
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EAT + DRINK A.W. Shuck’s Bocci’s Charleston Crab House Cru Café East Bay Deli Henry’s Hyman’s Seafood Joe Pasta Middleton Place Restaurant SpiritLine Dinner Cruise The Press - Coffee The Whiskey Bar Tommy Condon’s
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