When I think Charleston I think: buildings painted soft pastel colors, warm weather, palm trees, historical mansions, horse drawn carriages, charming cobbled stone and lush parks. Combine those things with the fact that people seem to just be more friendly in the south, Charleston should certainly be on your bucket list.
Warning: Charleston is super photogenic and I took advantage of it by taking all the pictures!
Each time I have been lucky enough to visit Charleston it has put me deeper under it's spell. Charleston is in South Carolina, the Palmetto State, which means there are palm trees happily lining the streets. Each time I come back to Charleston I seem to forget that there will be palm trees, which is always a delightful surprise. Every time I can't help but feel like I have been transported to a tropical island overflowing with charm.
Charleston was founded in 1670 so each time you walk along a cobbled stone street you can be sure that there is a long story behind that location. There are horse drawn carriage rides and other tours which can give you more information about specific locations, history and even ghost tours at night. Although these tours are sure to be educational and well done, Charleston is such a walk-able city that I prefer to take in the sites on foot.
When we visited Charleston we stayed at The Elliot House Inn. This inn was in a word perfect. The location was ideal and the place was so charming we almost couldn't believe it. First of all, it was bright pink! What could be better then that?
Secondly when we arrived we went into the courtyard and saw the hot tub, which was covered by a wooden trellis which was covered in thick vines swirling up around the wood (pictures can not do it justice). This was gorgeous and would have been enough for us to feel overwhelmed with happiness but they didn't stop there. It turned out that is was complimentary cheese and wine hour, so we happily joined in this perfect afternoon ritual. Feeling giddy after our wine and cheese we decided to check out our room, which was steps away from the courtyard.
Entering our room was another treat, as it was decorated perfectly. The bed was huge and comfortable. In the morning we were served breakfast in bed which was only the cherry on top of a perfect stay. I can not recommend this inn enough, I only wish we could have stayed longer.
We began to explore Charleston and one thing I always look for in a new city is colorful buildings and mansions. There is something so visually appealing about homes and buildings painted so carefully and creatively. I love historical mansion tours and just strolling along a street that looks like it comes from a fairy tale. Charleston does this very well.
See what I mean? I could wander around snapping pictures of these colorful homes and buildings all day, each is so unique and lovely.
The plants, trees, flowers and parks in Charleston are also something to see. Since it is quite warm here all year round everything is green and lush. When the heat of the day becomes overwhelming a great place to catch some shade near the water is one of Charleston's lovely, peaceful parks. Teaming with live oaks, gazebos and wildlife the parks in Charleston are not to be missed.
Details in Charleston are something that you may not see in the tour books, but once you are here you will be seeing little things that catch your eye every step of the way. Luckily my boyfriend, and travel companion, is extremely patient with me continuously stopping to get shots of every little thing that makes me feel inspired or think wow, I want to remember that.
Ok, so I took a lot of pictures. This is a theme with me, when I love a place I tend to go a little snap happy. Believe it or not this is not even all of the photos from our time in Charleston. The bottom line is that Charleston is a city that I feel everyone should visit at least once. I'm a sucker for colorful homes, cobbled stone and history and if you are too, then you will fall in love with Charleston as well. Although there is enough to do in Charleston for a week or more, if you are interested in adding some nearby day trips to your stay I have some great suggestions for those as well. Check my blog post here for some perfect day trips near Charleston.
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