
The BEST day in Charleston
with Shelley Neese, author, friend
BUY HER BOOK HERE!!!!
The Copper Scroll Project (Amazon)
Here is the list and links of places Shelley and I talked about in the podcast.
Happy travels!! Hope its the BEST day!
If you need a quick lesson in the The Dead Sea Scrolls!!!
Get Moving:
Ravenel Bridge: The Ravenel connects Charleston to Mount Pleasant. It is the third longest cable suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere. When they built it, they added a 12 foot wide pedestrian and bicycle path on the side that overlooks the Charleston Harbor. As long as you aren’t scared of heights, it is an amazing way to see the Cooper River, the marinas, and the city shore. You can park at Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park. There is a pier underneath the Ravenel where people fish. It has a cute playground with a mini Ravenel.
Morris Island Lighthouse: Go to Folley Beach. Drive to the very end of Ashley Avenue and park. Its about a ¼ mile walk to view the lighthouse and you have to climb over a little sandy ridge. Driftwood lines the shore. Rocky outcrops reach out into the water. Starfish are often in little tide pools. Almost guaranteed to see dolphins. The lighthouse is from the Civil War Era. It sits on a sandbar so it is only accessible by boats. But that’s not the point. Just seeing it from the shore and taking in the beach is the point.
Get Coffee:
Orange Spot: Its on East Montague in North Charleston. The owners are Julie and Laura. Their syrups are house made. Shelley had their strawberry oat bar and a cafe au lait a couple times a week for two years.
Caviar and Bananas: It’s a speciality market and coffee shop. They have a really good charcuterie counter. Gourmet sandwiches. Espresso bar. Made to order salads. All local ingredients. Its on George Street.
Harken Cafe a heavenly vibe with incredible pastries.
Clerks Coffee Company serves breakfast and lunch and has an awesome vibe too!
I’m obsessed with Sightsee! Its got a fun travel theme, serves great coffee and has a cute shop inside!
Get Shopping:
The Charleston City Market: It’s four city blocks long. Most of it is open air. The land was given as a gift to Charleston by a revolutionary war general in 1788 but the stipulation was that it had to be a public market forever. There is plenty of kitch. But what you must get is a sweetgrass baskets, benne seed wafer cookies, tea from the Charleston Tea plantation.
Get Food:
Fleet’s Landing: There are loads and loads of places you can go in Charleston to get fantastic shrimp and grits and she crab soup. Shelley loves Fleet’s Landing because it is on the waterfront in historic downtown Charleston. And it has the best views of Charleston Harbor.
If you sit outside you can even see Fort Sumter in the distance. Dolphins will also be swimming past you. Its right next to Charleston’s Waterfront park so her HOT TIP: get it to go!
Your to go order should include:
1. the Fried Green Tomato Stack (its got Tarragon crab salad in between fried tomatoes)
2. the Seafood Stuffed Hush Puppies
3. the She Crab Soup
4. the Shrimp and Grits
And then go sit on the bench swings on the pier right next to the restaurant.
Get Inspired:
Read: Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
Get Touristy:
Take your picture in front of the famous pineapple fountain.
And then walk over to Palmetto Carriage Works and get your carriage ride through the city.
Get Food:
Go out towards Folley Beach. It is called Bowens Island. Thank goodness for GPS or you would never find it. Its tucked away almost in an old neighborhood. Dirtroad. Waterside. They have fresh locally harvested oysters. And the best low country boil. Perfect for sunset. We counted a dozen dolphins swimming by us. No A/C.
But if you need fancy (and we totally understand!) these places are goooood: SNOB, Fig, Hanks’, Husk, Magnolia, 82 Queen