Hobnobbin' in Charleston

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times- I am an Ohioan with the soul of a Carolinian.

What the heck does that mean, you might ask?

I was lucky enough to grow up spending one week every summer on Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina surrounded by my cousins and occasional friends we made over the years. We had the best of both worlds, grew up loving lake life on the shores of Lake Erie (and snow during the winter) and then road tripping down to North Carolina to take in the salty air and sandy beaches. The memories that surrounded these trips made North Carolina feel just as much home to me as Ohio is.

A while back my mom had suggested we take our family trip in Charleston, South Carolina for a change of scenery (and because the house that we had been staying in wasn’t available when we wanted to return to our stomping grounds) and to say I was against that would be an understatement. SOUTH Carolina instead of North?! Who did we think we were, we are completely betraying our loyalty here- and there was no way I would enjoy it as much as I do North Carolina. Little did I know I was severely wrong; and would be taking my own trip to South Carolina just a few years later for one of my best friends’ weddings.

[A quick backstory on that (feel free to skip this part if you couldn’t care less and just want to hear about where we went in SC and my brief rec’s- zero offense taken): My friend Miles and I are what I like to refer to as insta-friends, we bonded over my broken foot and the fact that I had to wear a walking boot during the summer, and over the years had grown closer to the point of him being one of my closest guy friends- almost like another brother that I definitely don’t need but wouldn’t trade for anything. Flash forward to Miles meeting Ali- I knew she had to be different because Miles is not one to settle down easily. Before I met her, I was worried that this girl was going to try to come between the friendship we had, and things would change- little did I know she was going to become another wing on our little friendship pod pretty much instantaneously. She and I bonded over our love of Lake Erie, the Carolinas (and the food), Bravo shows, our cats, and venting about life. Although I hadn’t known Ali very long, it felt like I had forever. Flash forward once again to Ali and Miles’s engagement, me being asked to be in the wedding, and planning a trip to South Carolina for said wedding- and now we are pretty much up to speed.]

Where we stayed: Wild Dunes Resort, Isle of Palms

Thoughts: I had never been to any kind of resort, ever. If our Lyft driver said it once, he said it 50 times- Wild Dunes is bougee. But at the same time to me- it wasn’t, it was just nice as heck and beyond comfortable. We stayed in the Boardwalk Inn Hotel, but if we ever go back I would definitely opt staying in the condos- just for extra space, convenience & that ocean view(even though our balcony view was also beautiful and it was just a canopy of trees) . Everything was extremely clean at the resort, and the staff was so friendly & helpful.

Should I?: If you’re willing to spend the money to stay at a resort, absolutely.

My favorite part: The adult-only pool, especially since we went in Spring. It was still a tiny bit chilly (albeit way nicer than weather in the good ol’ CLE) so the heated pool was fantastic, and as easy going as I can be about kids- I can’t stand being splashed in a pool so not having to worry about that was great.

Where we went: Boone Hall Plantation, Mount Pleasant

Thoughts: HELLO BEAUTIFUL. Ali & Miles had their wedding and reception at the Cotton Dock and to say it was picturesque would be an understatement. I mean, come on, The Notebook was filmed here and Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds got married here- obviously it’s gorgeous. As a history nerd, I would love to come back to walk around and take in the history of the plantation.

Should I? YES. Without a doubt. Like, go now.

My favorite part: Obviously, my favorite part was the wedding but you won’t get that (sorry, Charlie.) so I’m going to go with the Avenue of Oaks which consists of 88 live oak trees and one magnolia that are evenly spaced and absolutely breathtaking. You can’t miss it as it runs from the entrance of the plantation to a pair of brick gateposts. It’s truly something out of a dream, or ya know- a movie.

Where we went: Tavern & Table, Shem Creek

Thoughts: We went for Ali & Miles’ rehearsal dinner, and to keep it concise- the food definitely matches the atmosphere. Located on Shem Creek, you’re sitting dockside which is perfect for anything from catching a gorgeous SC sunset to dolphin watching. The food there was absolutely delicious- even the roasted vegetables left me dreaming of more (seriously, I bought portabella mushrooms when I got home to try to make more of them, and they didn’t compare).

Should I? Definitely.

My favorite part: The bartenders there were absolutely fantastic. I rarely get mocktails- mostly because it's the same old thing more times than not, HOWEVER… the bartenders at Tavern & Table excelled at making different and creative mocktails that closely resembled the cocktails on their menu (which were DELICIOUS) and were happy to do it. My favorite was the “This is Our Jam” mocktail- I am positive the cocktail is just as great.

Where we went: Home Team Barbecue, Sullivan’s Island

Thoughts: I am a BBQ fan to the max. Give me a plate of pulled pork, baked beans, ribs, brisket- whatever you want and I am the happiest girl. I was JACKED to have some authentic SC barbecue while we were there, and Home Team Barbecue did NOT let us down- even their tater tots were exceptional!! The atmosphere was super laid back and relaxed, which was a nice change for our last day there.

Should I?: If you’re into BBQ- this is your place.

My favorite part: The BBQ Nachos were absolutely amazing and in my opinion, a must-get. I also highly recommend trying as many sauces as you can, but definitely don’t skip the Alabama White Sauce. Also- their pork rinds are absolutely divine. I’d never had one before (shame on me) and now I am a newly converted fan.

In conclusion, I’m positive you could say we ate our way through South Carolina, and we definitely did. But what’s the point of a good trip if you can’t enjoy yourself, right? Our stay in South Carolina was most definitely a whirlwind, but it won’t be our last- there was a lot we wanted to see and do and didn’t get a chance to before we left, but as my mom says- “always make sure you leave something for next time.”

-ec from cle

(follow me on Instagram: @ec.from.cle )