Last weekend I had the opportunity to travel to Charleston to speak on behalf of the American Marketing Association. Since I was headed to the Holy City I thought that I’d bring along a few friends for a weekend getaway! So today I’m sharing our three day itinerary filled with my favorite restaurants, shops and neighborhoods!

Day One.

When I arrived, I headed straight to the hotel to check in and drop off my luggage. We stayed at the Belmond Charleston Place, arguably the best hotel (and location) in the city. The hotel also has a fabulous spa and rooftop bar!

As you may know, one of my favorite things to do when I travel is to explore the neighborhoods in the cities. So I started the morning with my Vanilla Chai Latte from Starbucks on King Street (across the street from the hotel) and rented a bike from the Bike Share program located on the corner of King and Liberty Streets. It was $10.00 to rent the bike for two hours (total deal). I went out early in the morning because there was hardly any traffic and I explored the following neighborhoods:

South of Broad. Head South on King Street and cross Broad Street. Water, Tradd, Meeting, Church, East Bay and Limehouse streets are all picturesque. You can view a map of the downtown at Explore Charleston’s website. I also love Queen and Chalmers which is just on the outskirts of the SOB area.

Harleston Village. My husband used to live in this neighborhood so it’s very special to us. Definitely check out Wentworth, Montagu, Bull and Colonial Lake off of Beaufain Street. If you’re a runner, definitely run around Colonial Lake — it offers breathtaking views.

Ansonborough. Plan this stop right before lunch at Raw 167. This area is a bit more low-key but has beautiful homes. Start at Pinckney Street and head North on Anson Street until you hit Calhoun Street.

After my leisurely bike ride, I headed to the Dry Bar located on Upper King Street. I love Dry Bar because they provide great + consistent service. We don’t have any Dry Bars in St. Simons so it’s always a treat to get a blow out when I travel.

For lunch, head to Butcher and Bee for fresh + made from scratch sandwich. Then spend the afternoon shopping on King Street.

For cocktails I’d recommend The Ordinary and definitely order their ceviche — you won’t be disappointed. For dinner we headed to The Darling Oyster Bar right down the street. I’d highly recommend anything from their raw bar.

Day Two.

Saturday morning we headed to the Farmer’s Market located in Calhoun Square for fresh juice! Then we spent some time shopping on King Street. I’d recommend the following shops:

• Skinny Dip Charleston
• Beckett
• Finicky Filly
• Hampden Clothing
• Bevello
• J.Crew
• Anthropologie
• Club Monaco
• Croghans
• Moon + Lola
• Candlefish
• Berlins
• Candy Shop Vintage
• Mac + Murphy

For lunch we opted for a rooftop view of the city and headed to the Market Pavilion’s Rooftop Bar. I’d recommend a glass of rosé with either the four cheese pizza (yum) or the poolside chicken salad. This is a perfect spot on a fall day to relax and see the city from a different perspective.

After lunch we strolled to Candlefish for our candle making workshop. Y’all this was so much fun and it’s BYOW. It’s a two hour workshop so we planned this right before dinner. You get to learn all about being a chandler and you leave with two candles of your favorite scent that you actually poured. I’d highly recommend this if you’re looking for something fun + creative to do!

For dinner we went to the Charleston Grill. Oh my gosh, our dinner was spectacular. One of my favorite restaurants in all of Charleston is the Charleston Grill. Order the Crab Cake (their signature appetizer), Buffalo Mozzarella and definitely the Maroma Aguachile (Ahi Tuna, Avocado, Tomatoes, etc.). These dishes were heavenly. For my entree, I indulged in the Thai Fish and I would definitely recommend it. Do yourself a favor and make a reservation at the Charleston Grill when you’re in Charleston next.

Day Three.

After coffee + a light breakfast, we walked around the Battery + Rainbow Row. It was such a beautiful fall day that we had to be outside. We took a lot of pictures and then headed to Fleet Landing for an early lunch. Ask to sit outside on the water because you always see dolphins and sea turtles. My only regret was that we left town right after lunch so I couldn’t indulge in an adult beverage since I had a three hour drive ahead of me.

We had such a great weekend and I hope that this thorough guide is helpful for you when you plan your next trip to Charleston. For more recommendations, check out my Charleston travel guide.