Top 5 Must-See Attractions on Your Charleston Road Trip
Wander along the Battery, a scenic promenade that boasts a stunning array of antebellum residences.
Whenever I visit my family in South Carolina, I make sure to carve out time for a road trip to Charleston. This beautiful coastal city captivates me with its rich history and delightful cuisine.
Here are five compelling reasons to adore Charleston:
Historic Homes
Bridges and steeples define the Charleston skyline, while colonial streets showcase ghostly mansions adorned with inviting porches. If those walls could speak, they would reveal stories of pirates, earthquakes, and monumental battles.
Numerous historic residences invite public exploration, including the 1772 Heyward-Washington House, named for its owner Thomas Heyward, Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and George Washington, who briefly resided there in 1791. This house is renowned for its collection of locally crafted furniture, featuring the exquisite Holmes Bookcase, regarded as a premier example of American colonial craftsmanship. Additional notable homes worth visiting include the Nathaniel Russell House Museum and Joseph Manigault House.
My top pick is the 1856 Porcher-Simonds House, also known as the Compromise House. Unfortunately, it's not open for public tours.
Savory Soul Food
There's always a queue outside Jestine's Kitchen for good reason – their fried chicken is legendary. This meat-and-three spot offers Southern classics like mac and cheese, collard greens, and banana pudding. For a delightful Mediterranean meal, try the pumpkin ravioli at Sermet's Downtown, conveniently situated in the King Street shopping area. Don't miss out on making reservations at the elegant Peninsula Grill, located near the City Market, where you can savor a juicy steak or fresh oysters. Leave room for their famed coconut cake!
Don't miss the fried chicken plate at Jestine's Kitchen when you're in Charleston, SC.
Cooper River Bridge
Dominating the Charleston skyline is the Cooper River Bridge, the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America, which opened in July 2005 to replace an older structure. Walking across its 2.7-mile pedestrian and bike path offers breathtaking views of the harbor.
The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge (Cooper River Bridge) connects Charleston and Mount Pleasant.
Rainbow Row
Visit Charleston's most photographed spot—Rainbow Row, a collection of thirteen pastel-hued homes along East Bay Street. As you continue your stroll to the Battery, enjoy the picturesque antebellum mansions lining the seawall. This area provides a view of Fort Sumter, the location where the first shots of the Civil War were fired in 1861, and the USS Yorktown, a WWII battleship turned museum at Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum.
Historic homes like those on Rainbow Row must adhere to color regulations set by the Board of Architectural Review.
Morris Island Lighthouse
Charleston boasts several beautiful beaches, but my favorite is the relaxed Folly Beach. Walk to the beach's end for a picturesque view of the historic Morris Island Lighthouse, which dates back to 1876 and now stands several hundred yards offshore due to erosion. To get there, follow Center Street until it ends, then take a left onto E. Ashley Avenue until it concludes. Park on the roadside and walk the path to the beach.
Other beach options include the upscale Isle of Palms and Sullivan's Island, known for its colorful houses with whimsical names.
The Morris Island Lighthouse on Folly Beach is located 12 miles from downtown.
This guide is a portion of a feature story I produced for Birmingham Magazine.