Fun Fall Getaways for a Long Weekend

Charleston, South Carolina

Have a sweet southern escape to a city filled with great food and American history. By Jamie Coelho

Photography: most images courtesy of Charleston CVB/Lou Hammond group; (horse and downtown Charleston) Getty Images; (city market, shrimp and grits, dining out and angel oak tree ) Jamie Coelho.

Clockwise from top left: Coastal Provisions at the Wild Dunes Resort. Shop for handcrafted items at Charleston City Market. A carriage ride in downtown Charleston. Shrimp and grits at Miller’s All Day. The spiral staircase at Nathaniel Russell House. The pool at Wild Dunes Resort. 5Church Restaurant is located inside a former church. Downtown Charleston’s picturesque streets. The Angel Oak Tree on Johns Island.

There’s a second french quarter that’s worth a visit, and it’s not in New Orleans. Charleston is the home of horse-drawn carriages, cobblestone streets, Southern food and Rainbow Row, a lineup of candy-colored historic houses shaded by beautiful magnolia and palm trees.

Saturday morning: We choose an early morning flight so that we have a whole day ahead of us once we land. We check our bags at our hotel, then set off to explore. The French Quarter Inn’s concierge suggests a walk along the water and marks up a map to lead us to our dining destination. We stroll the streets to take in the Southern architecture of Rainbow Row, churches and flowering palm trees, and make our way down cobblestone streets to the beautiful pineapple fountain that is strangely similar to the one we know on Federal Hill. Then we stroll along the water to the Battery on a wide boardwalk that’s great for biking, running and viewing mansions along one of Charleston’s most picturesque scenes.

After working up a sweat on our short walk, it’s time for the iconic brunch at 82 Queen. The restaurant has one of the prettiest covered patios in the whole city with everyone dressed in their Saturday best. The dish to get here is the she-crab soup, which is a bisque made with crab meat, roe and cream, with sherry wine drizzled on top. If it’s hot outside, just get a cup to share. Heaping portions of crab cake Benedict and salads decked out with fried oysters and local tomatoes hit the spot for an active day ahead. 82queen.com

Saturday afternoon: After seeing Charleston’s beautiful architecture, we want to learn more about the city’s history. The Old Slave Mart Museum once housed a slave auction gallery. There, we learn what it was like for families to be split apart by slavery. As many as 35 to 40 percent of slaves entered our nation through Charleston, and connections to slave ship builders in Providence and Newport, Rhode Island, are mentioned in the exhibit. It’s a somber site, but it’s a must-see to understand the history of our country. oldslavemartmuseum.com

After that we make a stop back at the hotel, then set out again to explore the Charleston City Market across the street. Meet local artisans and shop their handcrafted items, such as sweet grass baskets and jewelry, and stop for a cold brew or sweet tea and homemade buttery biscuits at Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit. thecharlestoncitymarket.com; calliesbiscuits.com

Saturday evening: Grab an Uber or Lyft to King Street, a happening area of town where nightlife is king. Dinner at the Macintosh involves seasonal farm produce and local products prepared by five-time James Beard Award semifinalist Jeremiah Bacon. Highlights include asparagus with deviled egg mousse, bone marrow bread pudding, Street corn salad with popcorn as a crunchy topping, seared sea scallops with English peas and crispy duck confit with fresh blackberries, heirloom tomatoes and summer squash on top of a bed of sweet corn puree. themacintoshcharleston.com

Finish off the night with cocktails next door at speakeasy-themed the Cocktail Club, which has a trendy roof deck and live jazz from local performers inside. Feel like dancing? Prohibition gets swinging with live jazz starting at 7 p.m. followed by a deejay dance party vibe at 10 p.m. thecocktailclubcharleston.com; prohibitioncharleston.com

Sunday morning: Fuel up at the French Quarter Inn’s elaborate breakfast buffet, then head over for a carriage tour with Old South Carriage Co. (be sure to book your reservation in advance). Embark on one of several ninety-minute tour possibilities and get a historical overview of the city. We experience a ride down some of Charleston’s most well-heeled streets, featuring the most impressive multi-million-dollar mansions, including the Wedding Cake House (funny, Providence has one, too!), the Calhoun Mansion and more. oldsouthcarriage.com

Sunday afternoon: Brunch is big down South, and it always involves a mimosa or two. Miller’s All Day is one of the best spots for quintessential southern shrimp and grits, plus a veggie-packed frittata to balance out all the bacon. The restaurant serves breakfast all day, and it has an antique mill operating in the front window for grinding small batch grains. millersallday.com

After brunch, grab your beach bag and bathing suit, and jet off to Folly Beach for some sandy slacking off. This little beach town is lined with tiki bars and a long boardwalk that leads straight out to sea. follybeach.com

After the beach, explore some more with a ride to Johns Island, where the legendary Angel Oak Tree spreads its limbs into the sky. The sixty-five foot tree is considered to be the largest Live Oak tree east of the Mississippi at 300 to 400 years old. angeloaktree.com

Sunday evening: Head back to Charleston — don’t forget the evening wine and cheese reception at the inn — then get ready for dinner at 5Church, which is walking distance from the hotel. The restaurant is in a converted church full of beautiful art, with Bravo’s “Top Chef” Jamie Lynch at the helm as executive chef and partner. The full text from The Art of War is hand-painted on the ceiling and walls by Lynch’s tattoo artist. Favorite menu items include sushi tots (yes, tots made with ahi tuna and siracha aioli), scallops with shrimp pirlou and tomato lime emulsion and a New York strip steak served with truffled polenta, asparagus and corn with a port demi sauce. 5churchcharleston.com

Now it’s cocktail time! If you’re looking for a chill atmosphere, head back to King Street and visit Proof for carefully curated classic drinks in an intimate atmosphere. charlestonproof.com

Monday morning: Fuel up at the French Quarter Inn breakfast buffet, then be on your way for a tour of the historic Nathaniel Russell House, known for its miraculous floating spiral staircase. The original owner, Nathaniel Russell Middleton, married Anna Elizabeth DeWolf from Bristol, Rhode Island, and they had one son and four daughters. See the ornate plasterwork, gilded moldings and elaborate gardens while learning about one of Charleston’s most elite merchant families and the eighteen enslaved Africans that lived on the property. historiccharlestonorg/house-museums/nathaniel-russell-house

Monday afternoon: Time to begin the relaxing portion of your trip with an overnight visit to the Wild Dunes Resort on Isle of Palms, just twenty minutes outside Charleston. This resort is equipped with four pools, a golf course, restaurants, beach access and more. Grab a book and a pina colada and lounge by the beach or the pool. There’s an adults-only pool for quiet time, and family-friendly pools for the kids to swim (and shout, because they must!). destinationhotels.com/wilddunes

Monday evening: The resort’s on-site restaurant Coastal Provisions serves southern fare including crab-stuffed hush puppies and fried green tomatoes, plus plenty of seafood options like sea bass and tuna. Coincidentally, this restaurant even sources some of its ever-changing oysters from Walrus and Carpenter out of Jamestown. It makes us realize how special Rhode Island seafood is even when we’re far away from home. destinationhotels.com/coastal-provisions

Cap the night off with live music down by the beach end of the resort or settle in for a movie and firepit marshmallows at the outdoor theater. Tuck in for an early beach day, and do it all over again tomorrow.

Nuts & Bolts
Travel Time: 4 hours from Providence; 2 hours and twenty minutes from Boston.
Miles: About 943
How to Get There: Fly American Airlines from T.F. Green with one stopover before landing at Charleston International Airport. Or you can choose a nonstop Jet Blue flight from Logan International Airport. aa.com; jetblue.com
Best Season to Go: Fall or spring to avoid high heat. Just watch out for hurricane season until November.
When You Stay Over: Stay right in the heart of downtown Charleston, at the French Quarter Inn, walking distance from everything. Amenities include free bikes, an all-inclusive gourmet breakfast, daily wine and cheese receptions in the afternoon and cookies and port set out for guests at night. It’s southern hospitality at its finest. 166 Church St., Charleston, S.C., 843-722-1900, fqicharleston.com
Finish your trip with a beachside getaway at the Isle of Palms. Wild Dunes Resort is a family-friendly destination by the beach with four different pools, a golf course, restaurants, live music and fun events for families. 200 Grand Pavilion Blvd., Isle of Palms, S.C., 866-359-5593, destinationhotels.com/wilddunes
Bucket List for Next Time: Take a ferry ride to Fort Sumter from Liberty Square in downtown Charleston. A thirty-minute narrated cruise explains events that led up to the Civil War, and then passengers are greeted by National Park Service rangers, who share details about America’s most bloody war. fortsumtertours.com
Worth a Detour: Head to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens to see beautiful gardens on a former working plantation that was founded in 1676 by the Drayton family. magnoliaplantation.com
For a list of more things to do while in Charleston, visit explorecharleston.com.