A Charleston Girls’ Weekend
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Updated January 28, 2023.
For a perfect girls’ trip destination, look no further than Charleston, South Carolina. My sister, mom, and I visited recently for an extended weekend, and we hit all the essentials for a girls’ trip, including delicious brunch, shopping, and picturesque neighborhoods. Keep reading for our Charleston girls’ weekend itinerary.
Day 1: Sullivan’s Island and Low Country Boil
On our first day in Charleston, we of course had to hit the beach (we love a good girls’ beach trip). We visited in November 2019, and we couldn’t have asked for better weather. Sullivan’s island is a very popular beach about 15 minutes from Charleston with a lighthouse and miles of beaches. We parked at a public beach access and spent the afternoon enjoying the sun and looking for shells and sand dollars (my sis found a bunch!).
After the beach, we headed back to our Airbnb to make the classic Charleston dish, Low-Country Boil. For those of you who don’t know what this is (which is crazy), low-country boil is a dish made with a variety of shellfish, vegetables, sausage and desired spices all added into a big pot to boil. We went with shrimp, crab legs, andouille sausage, peppers, onions and potatoes, along with seafood and creole seasoning. We had so much food that we were able to eat the leftovers for multiple meals, and it was so good every time!
Day 2: Downtown, Drinks, and Shopping
On our second day in Charleston, we decided to walk to the downtown area. Along the way, we enjoyed the multi-colored houses that Charleston is known for and made our way to Waterfront Park. The park consists of a pier with large swings to enjoy the water and the popular Pineapple Fountain for great pictures. For even more Instagram-worthy photos, Rainbow Row is close by. This is probably the street that Charleston is best known for, so it was of course on our list for today.
After taking all the pictures we could have wanted, we were starving and ready for some refreshments. We decided to head to Henry’s on the Market, which offers classic southern and seafood dishes and pub food, along with delicious cocktails. Next up on our Charleston girls’ weekend was a visit to Kings Street for some shopping. After hitting a few stores, we made a stop at Christophe Artisan Chocolatier on the recommendation of a friend. I gotta say, this was a great decision! Christophe has a variety of chocolates, macaroons and other baked goods and the strawberry macaroon in particular was amazing.
Day 3: Brunch and Fort Sumter
No girls’ trip is complete without at least one brunch. We decided on Fleet Landing after a local’s recommendation, and we were not disappointed. *Tip: Definitely make a reservation, as this place gets packed. If the weather is nice, request to sit on the patio. The views are stunning and we even saw a few dolphins swim by. I am going to brag on this place a bit, as it was one of the best meals I have ever eaten. Some of the dishes we got were shrimp and grits, fried okra, chilled Blue Crab dip, seafood stuffed hush puppies, and lobster and crab quiche. I cannot say enough about how wonderful Fleet Landing was, and I highly recommend it if you are in Charleston.
After brunch, we spent to day exploring Fort Sumter, which is the sight of the start of the Civil War. Although I love history, I actually wasn’t so sure about this initially. My mom convinced us though, and I’m so glad she did. Fort Sumter is on an island in Charleston Harbor, so we booked our ferry ride with Fort Sumter Tours. *Tip: definitely book this in advance in order to choose your time slot and location to catch the ferry. The ferry ride takes about 30 minutes one way, and we had an hour once we arrived to explore the grounds and museum.
Day 4: Donuts and The Charleston Museum
My last day in Charleston was actually spent solo, as my flight was that night, but my mom and sister had to drive back to Georgia that morning. Y’all know I love a good solo trip, so this was not a problem.
When researching things to do, I came across a donut place I had to check out, Glazed Gourmet Doughnuts. They have a rotating list of delicious flavors, including some Vegan and Gluten Free options. I got the Sweet Potato donut and the Apple Bacon Fritter, but it was hard to choose only two. The fritter was the best one I’ve ever eaten, hands down. This was also the perfect place to hang out for a bit until my next destination opened at noon.
The Charleston Museum is regarded as “America’s First Museum,” since it was founded in 1773. Some of the exhibits included Charleston in the Revolution, Low Country History, and the Natural History Gallery with a GIANT sloth (yes you read that right). Besides the main museum, there are two historic houses to visit, the Joseph Manigault House and the Heyward-Washington House. I chose the ticket package that included the museum and one of the houses, since it was within walking distance. It was a great way to spend the day and end my trip to Charleston before catching my flight back to D.C.
For my first visit to historic Charleston, South Carolina, our trip was a total success! I hope you enjoyed our Charleston girls’ weekend itinerary and I’d love to hear if you’ve visited before.
37 Comments
Julie Gazdecki
Loved Charleston!! A girls trip would be so fun!! Need to go see some of these places!
Trisha
I’ve always wanted to visit Charleston and a Girl’s Weekend Away sounds like the perfect way to do that!
Jordan
Hi Trisha,
It’s a great place. I hope you get to visit soon!
Courtney
I love Charleston!
Hera
What a wonderful ladies weekend. Brunch, shopping, donuts, and Belvoir Lemonade! All my faves
Leeanne
I love Charleston. The last time I was there was for a girl’s weekend too. For one of my friend’s birthdays in fact. We had a great time as it looks like you did too.
Jordan
Hi Leeanne,
Nice! It is such a perfect spot for a girls’ trip.
Jordin
I can’t wait to go back to SC! We took a huge extended family trip many years ago. I’m thinking a mother/daughter trip to Charleston.
Jordan
Hi Jordin,
That sounds like fun! Yes I definitely think a mother/daughter trip is in order.
Stacey Billingsley
I loved my visit to Charleston, but I only had about 24 hours there, so I can’t wait to go back. There is so much to do! We did Fort Sumter, and walked around downtown. I’d like to try more of the food. We did some BBQ and Poe’s Tavern on Sullivan’s Island. We didn’t get to eat downtown. That’s on my list!
Jordan
Hi Stacey,
24-hour trips are so tricky. It gives you just enough time to not want to leave. Hopefully, you’ll get to visit again soon.
Lisa Manderino
This looks like a perfect girls trip! I love eating at fun places and touring around. This is on my girls trip list!
Shirley
How fun! I lived in Georgia for nearly 30 years and visited nearby Charleston often. This article mentions some places I’ve not yet visited so I’m bookmarking for future reference.
Jordan
Hi Shirley,
I lived in Georgia until last year! Nice to e-meet a former Georgian. I hope you get to visit Charleston soon to try some new things.
Taci- Life Beyond Zebra
Looks like a fun and relaxing weekend! I would love to do this with my girls some time!