Like many of you, I could not wait for opportunities to reunite with family and friends as Covid restrictions began to be lifted across the country and I received my vaccination. So when my bestie called and said let’s go to Charleston, SC, we booked an Airbnb and prepared for an amazing week of girl time.
Welcome to travel ➕explore ➕play with Sallee Jay, where I am your host. 👋🏾💓‼️ Want to get the scoop on all things Charleston, keep reading!
Upon arrival to the Charleston airport on the way to collect my baggage, I was drawn immediately to this beautiful portrait hanging in what I thought was a chapel. As I walked by, something told me to turn back around and I am glad that I did as it was display in honor of the nine Black lives lost at the greater Emanuel AME church. For those of you not familiar with this senseless tragedy, please read about the wonderful and purposeful lives of the Bible study participants murdered during this tragic event. This portrait, and the airports tribute is a beautiful reminder of the dark and bleak parts of America and American history and served as the undertone of this trip.
The house that we picked was amazing! It had six bedrooms and eight bathrooms. It was modern and newly renovated in 2018/2019 and in walking distance from everything that we wanted to do on the infamous King St. Did I mention, that it also boosted a porch swing and a basketball hoop and was great location for families or the kid at heart in anyone.
Day one was mostly a day of travel and getting aquatinted with the house and one another, as I hadn’t seen my bestie since 2019. However, once settled we ventured out to King Street and stumbled upon The Darling Oyster Bar. There we indulged in James River, Single Lady and Sweet Carolina oysters, paired with Blue Crab Tagliatelle pasta. So good, but be sure to make reservations in advance as this place stays pretty busy.
Day two was quite interesting, as it included breakfast at the historic Francis Marion Hotel, named for the Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion, the “Swamp Fox,” established in 1924, a three hour walking tour and the most fabulous steak dinner.
While our breakfast at the Swamp Fox Restaurant was delicious and the staff was amazing, our experience at the restaurant was a stark reminder that we were in fact in the south and that racism was alive and well. The restaurant located within the Francis Marion Hotel had clear signage that vaccinated patrons could enter without mask. As we stood in line behind two older white ladies, a gentleman sitting in the restaurant clearly was not pleased that my bestie and I were not masked. What I could not understand about his frustration, is that not one single white patron in the establishment was masked. Yet, he continued to speak loudly to his wife about how “certain people” needed to wear a mask. Amanda obliged, I did not as I understood that out racist friend was rude and uncomfortable within himself. As we were seated, another white couple seated directly across from us also was not pleased with our arrival began to throw a fit about service and left as there food was being brought out to the table. By the time we got our breakfast almost the entire restaurant had cleared. All that aside, I would highly recommend the restaurant and the shrimp and grits. We made sure to tip our all black waitstaff very well and thanked them for excellent service in spite of how they too were treated by some very rude patrons.
We left the restaurant and headed to the Old Exchange Building on East Bay Street in Downtown Charleston, to begin our 2 hour private walking tour. Our tour guide Brian Simms with CHARLESTON SOLE walking tours was phenomenal, he walked us all around Charleston for three hours, where we were able to see tons of Antebellum mansions, historic sites, Tiffany stained glass windows and “Ali’s” house from the classic romantic film, “The Notebook.” At the Nathaniel Russell House which offers a glimpse into the lives of the mercantile elite who flourished in the late Colonial and early Federal period, the artisans and craftspeople they hired to build and adorn their opulent homes, and the enslaved men and women whose forced labor made possible their lavish lifestyles, we witnessed research students from the local college performing an archeological dig of slave remains to determine more historical context about slave life. I feel like we walked every corner of Charleston that morning and would recommend booking the early morning tour as the southern heat and humidity are nothing to play with. We also, visited the oldest liquor store in America, nestled in Charleston’s historic Rainbow Row. The Tavern liquor store is a corner shop located at 120 East Bay Street and predates nearby landmarks like the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon. Next, returned to the house to cool down, relax and regroup for dinner.
We enjoyed dinner on King St at Halls Chophouse. All I can say is superb food and service. If you are looking for a GREAT steakhouse, your search ends here. From the meal, down to the complimentary champagne and bread pudding and the handwritten thank you card sent to my home, the personal touches of this establishment are bar none.
Day three was all about rest and relaxation, hookah and more great food. Anyone that knows me, knows that I am a water baby, so it was only natural that we had a beach day. We settled on Folly Beach, historically a “whites only” beach now open to all. When I tell you I enjoyed myself! Between froloking in the ocean and sunbathing my soul was made whole and the ancestors were pleased.
Centrally located in historic downtown Charleston, Husk transforms the essence of Southern food. Amanda made reservations for our dinner six weeks in advance, that is just how popular of an establishment Husk boosts to be! While the appetizers and drinks were to die for, our entree’s, not so much. The food was not bad by any stretch, however, it was overpriced and “southern cuisine” is not your grandmothers soul food. I would go back and explore other restaurants in the neighborhood, however, Husk is officially off the list of must places to dine for me.
From dinner we walked to a little hookah spot, as I had never smoked hookah before. It was a cool experience and a chill spot. It was overall a good day, full of new experiences and memorable moments.
Our last and final day in Charleston included a ferry ride and tour of the historic Fort Sumter. Confederate forces fired the first shots of the Civil War upon Federal troops at Fort Sumter at 4:30 a.m. on April 12, 1861.The roots of that conflict are buried deep within the stories of the development of the United States. Fort Sumter would continue to serve as the focal point in Charleston throughout the Civil War.
All in all, I give this trip five stars out of five. I would definitely go back to Charleston again and explore more of the private beaches and historical sites. It was also good to spend time with one of my best friends as this time last year, I lost another one of my best friends to Covid. It was a reminder from the universe that I really am loved and supported and I’m grateful for the time in Charleston to learn and experience new things and to be able to grieve the loss of my dear friend with a trusted and reliable friend. It was the perfect trip and I hope you enjoyed reading all about my excursions.
Until next time ❤️