Having family in South Carolina means that we get to go to Charleston a lot, which doesn’t hurt my feelings at all. Charleston has been my favorite U.S. city for a very long time, so it was a plus when Curtis and I met, he has family there and we both loved the climate and area. We are usually in South Carolina a couple of times a year, so that means we make it to Charleston at least once a year for a few days at a time. We have a several favorite local places we go, and we also try to go to Folly Beach or Isle of Palms at least once while we are down there. We also do a few things off of the beaten track as well.

I love bridges for some reason; I’ve loved them all of my life. Many years ago, on my first trip to Charleston, I got to drive over the original really narrow, scary bridges that connected Charleston to Mount Pleasant, called the Cooper River Bridges, to go to the beach at Isle of Palms. This old bridge, at 250 feet tall in the center, went straight up, then straight down. There were actually two; the first one, the Grace Memorial Bridge, was built in 1929 as a two-lane bridge with only ten-foot lanes and no curbs. Both of these bridges were replaced by the big, beautiful Arthur Ravenel Bridge in 2005, which has eight lanes and a wonderful walking/biking path along the northbound side, with free, ample parking down below at the park on the Mount Pleasant end. We have walked this bridge several times on our trips to Charleston, and I think it’s my favorite thing to do when we go, with its gorgeous views from the top, at the halfway point.

We’ve had some strange things happen to us on vacations, and a few of our Charleston trips are no exception. One of our most recent trips, early in the evening, we were at our favorite restaurant, Henry’s on the Market, which has a music hall and multi-leveled roof decks. A major downpour rolled in and caused flash flooding and trapped us in the bar area. This seemed to be no big deal to the locals. Apparently, the sewer drains, being super old, have a hard time keeping up, so it happens often. So I guess, when in Rome. . . I just drank lots of refreshing pineapple mojitos and we rode out the storm. I’m pretty sure that the Mini Cooper that was parked out front floated away, along with the trash cans we saw going by. Henry’s is actually just a step or two below street level, so they sandbag the doors, and water does still come in a bit when this happens, but it’s business as usual. Henry’s is great though; they have three rooftop areas, with all different types of seating, and even have live music some nights. The food is also really good- love their fish and chips!

Since we go to Charleston so much, we have done most of the tourist things that most people do there. I have been to all of the plantations, the markets, beaches, and even most of the home tours you can take. One of the most recent places we checked out is a little out of town on John’s Island, called the Charleston Tea Garden. It is the only tea garden in the U.S. and the tea is now sold by Bigelow. They have a really good tour that you can go on to see how tea grows, how they harvest, and you can even watch them process it. Being an avid tea drinker, I was fascinated by this place. The Peach Tea is my favorite, and I always get a few boxes of it while we’re down there. You can also purchase it directly from their website here.

Not far from Charleston Tea Garden, also on John’s Island is the Angel Oak Tree. I had heard of this tree years ago, but for some reason, we never made it there until our trip last year. It’s a Southern Live Oak tree that stands about 65 feet tall, with a canopy of 17,000 square feet. They estimate it to be between three and four hundred years old. It has to be seen to appreciate! It. Is. Huge! It’s definitely worth a stop. There’s a small fee to pay to get in to walk under its canopy, but the money they make goes to keep the park up and running.

Charleston is known for the sweetgrass baskets which are a Gullah tradition, and one of the oldest in the U.S. The craft originated in Africa and has been passed down through the generations and are still made today by ancestors of the original weavers. I have bought a basket every single time I have been to Charleston. I love to support any local artists when we travel and I love these baskets. I have some that are over 30 years old, and they look just as good as the newest ones I have recently bought. I love speaking with basket weavers and selecting my newest basket each visit. The outdoor market where there are about 50 basket makers work and sell their products is fun, and you can watch them as they weave. You can also find them in other places in the city and even out on the highway in stands and at different attractions throughout the area.

And finally, my most favorite thing to do while we are in Charleston is to just wander around the streets and look at the houses, gardens, churches, graveyards and architecture. There are several tours that you can take if walking isn’t your thing or you have mobility issues. Many of the streets are brick, and the sidewalks are uneven in many places. But no matter how you get around, there is nowhere in the U.S. with homes and gardens like Charleston. Night or day, looking at the homes is always a treat. I have added a little photo gallery of some of my favorites around the city.

Next week we will be taking you along on a camping trip to Lake Erie where we spent some time on South Bass Island at Put-n-Bay. If you enjoyed this week’s post, please share and subscribe.