I was actually really surprised by Charleston. Or at least the parts of it that I spent my time. And I am going to admit, that most of my time was either in the downtown area, a part of town that I was told was called "West Ashley" and then out at the plantation Middleton Place. So I guess I didn't see the WHOLE town. But the areas that I did spend time in were a lot of fun.
Downtown offers a lot for visitors to do, no matter what time of day you want to do it. During the day, there is a shit-ton of shopping to do. Either on King street (which is where most of your high end retail stores are located) or on Market (which was sort of like a glorified flea market), you can find pretty much anything you could care to shop for.
There are also horse drawn carriage rides around the historic areas of downtown. And I would highly recommend these to anyone. They are a lot of fun and aren't too expensive and you would be surprised about some of the history of the city. Like every Floridian school child, I was subjected to St. Augustine (oldest city in America and every school child is made to go in the 4th grade) a few times and that is fun. Even going back as an adult I had a good time. But I guess I forgot that Charleston has been around almost as long. So there is a lot of history there. The main difference I noticed, was that Charleston has a lot of houses and buildings that date back a few hundred years, while St. Augustine only has a few really historic buildings and then most of the houses and such tend to have been rebuilt at some point.
But the city isn't just about history. There is a lot more to do than that. The city is also known for its plantations and most of those have exquisite gardens. You could literally spend a week just touring different gardens if you were so inclined. My sister also assured me that many of the plantations have incredible art galleries contained within but my schedule was too tight to fit any of that in although I might have to go back to find out for myself.
I guess I cannot get through this review without mentioning food, even though for the past two weeks, that is all I have been talking about. I heard somewhere that Charleston is one of the top five cities in America known for food. I don't know if it is true, but I wouldn't doubt it. In the words of my Aunt, "It is possible to have a bad meal in Charleston, but you have to be trying pretty damned hard." I will stand by that quote. There were a few places that I wasn't extremely stoked about, but by in large, the food in this city is amazing. If you go there, I dare you find a restaurant without a single redeeming dish on the menu. And if you find yourself trying new food in this city, be sure to sample some of the "low country" offerings. Similar to creole cuisine, this simple southern style of cooking is decently unique and definitely worth trying, especially if you like seafood.
As for the night life, there is more than enough of that. Charleston is home to a few colleges and universities which lends itself to having plenty of young people out and about however it isn't just the youngsters out making you feel old and crusty. There are plenty of adults out, but it all depends on where you go and spend time, especially after dark.
Now I will admit that the city is pretty image conscious. Dress nicely, and you will find yourself gaining the respect of most of the people you encounter. You can also gain respect and envy of the citizens of this great city by name dropping. Either that you know important people in the town or an expensive hotel that you are staying at, it doesn't matter, but this town respects money. The trick I will continue to use if I ever go back, and feel free to use it as well, just as long as I am not there doing it first, is that your sister/daughter/brother/son/other close relation is getting married at one of the exclusive plantations. Middleton Place works well but there half a dozen others that will work just as well. Pick a relation that works with your age and then tell anyone that asks why you are in town about the wedding and instantly, respect and envy. It worked for me for my entire stay... even though it was the truth.
The only real complaint I had about the city was that on a weekend night, it is impossible to get a cab out of downtown. It took me over an hour and a half to finally get one and then I had to share it with three extremely drunk girls, one of which wound up puking out of the window. I am sure, that I was exactly like this in my college days, but as I get older, I don't want to be subjected to this any more if I can at all help it. It makes me feel bad about my youth. So if you find yourself in downtown near last call, go ahead and get a cab early or you seriously won't be able to find one. But even that minor fault wasn't enough to keep me from having an amazing time in this city.
Overall:
The city has great food, plenty to do to keep you occupied for at least a week's time and has some good ol' southern hospitality. Before visiting, I had no idea what the attraction to the area was, and I can say now that I have reformed my point of view. I love Charleston. I definitely will go back some day. And if anyone wants to meet up there and have a good time for a while, just let me know, because I only need a small excuse in order to head back. I highly recommend visiting at least once.
4.5 Carats
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