When you think of a weekend getaway in the US, Charleston is one of those cities that will always top the bucket list. What’s not to love about the southern food scene, beautiful architecture, and extensive history! Everywhere you read, people suggest visiting Charleston in the spring or fall, but we are so glad we chose to see this city at Christmastime. Winter isn’t their busiest season, so expect smaller crowds, lower accommodation costs, and decorations on just about every door. We absolutely can’t wait to go back! Below are some reasons we believe the Christmas season is the best time to experience the charming city.
CHRISTMAS CHEER
The festive spirit of this city is unmatched. The locals really seem to go all out with decorations this time of year! We spent two days straight wandering the streets trying to take in all that Charleston had to offer. If a self-guided walking tour isn’t your thing, check out a holiday walking tour guided by a Holy City native. Although Covid cancelled a lot of the usual scheduled festivities while we visited, we have heard such great things about Holiday Magic at Marion Square and Holiday Festival of Lights at James Island County Park. No matter what you choose, we can guarantee Charleston will get you in the holiday spirit!
SOUTHERN FOOD
Where do we even start? Visiting Charleston means diving right into a culinary landscape like no other. Prior to our trip, we did a lot of research about which restaurants we wanted to try and we are so glad we did! Although a splurge, our favorite restaurant was Husk – it really is worth all the hype you may see online. If you can only make it out for one meal, we highly recommend this one. If you’re up for a short evening drive to Mount Pleasant, we loved Tavern & Table, a rustic-chic waterfront restaurant with a menu full of Lowcountry flavors. Request to sit on the deck to watch the sunset over Shem Creek. If you feel like getting dressed up, check out Magnolias for an upscale take on southern cooking. Be sure to make a reservation! On our way out of town our last morning, we stopped by Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit for a quick and easy breakfast. The mini biscuits were our favorites! There are so many restaurants in Charleston that will make your taste buds go crazy, but these were our favorite few. We can’t wait to go back to try even more one day. Oh and while you’re out on your walking tour, stop by Peace Pie for the best ice cream sandwich you’ll ever eat!
LOWER RATES
Winter is the perfect time to splurge a little in Charleston. Due to the slower season and lower prices, we chose to check out Francis Marion Hotel, which we were so fortunate to experience. This stunning hotel opened its doors in 1924 and rises 12 stories above the city, offering views that can’t be beat. When you enter the lobby, you can tell it is authentic and rich with history. Located on Marion Square, it is within walking distance of a lot of Charleston favorites, and felt very central for our daily walking tours. There are so many nice hotels in downtown Charleston, and you honestly can’t go wrong this time of year!
FEWER CROWDS
Wandering around Charleston without a plan was our favorite thing to do. Both days we walked about 10 miles hitting all the popular attractions, and some beautiful unexpected ones too. We were able to really take in the beauty of the city because the crowds would come and go in waves, leaving perfect opportunities to have each spot all to ourselves. On our second day of walking, when our feet were about to fall off, we spontaneously booked a one hour carriage ride through the city. Our tour guide did say that during busy season, these carriage rides are booked much more in advance. We highly recommend the tour company we chose, Carolina Polo & Carriage Co. We booked a group carriage tour toward the end of the afternoon, and were lucky enough to end up with a private tour, just the two of us. Our tour guide was phenomenal- so personable, funny, knowledgeable, and took us through beautiful neighborhoods that weren’t normally part of the tour routes. We had never been on one before, but riding in a horse drawn carriage in Charleston is a dreamy as it sounds. This was by far our favorite activity of the trip! There’s so much to do and see in this magical city, and we’re so glad we experienced it during the Christmas season.
