escargot

Girls trip to Charleston - here’s what we have planned so far -
a few questions and places for suggestions and any ideas you may have please share ! We realize things may get switched around depending on weather and that
we may in fact pass some things on the way to something else, which might flip a few things around, but our experience is we are better off with a “basic plan” - and if it changes as we go we don’t care -

Wednesday:
We are flying from NYC and should be checked in to our hotel - the HarbourView Inn - chosen from GoTravels excellent Charleston report-and ready to hit the streets by 2pm.

We are thinking first off a carriage ride with Old South Carriage for one hour then strolling through the market and enjoy waterfront park -
shower/change and
Sunset drinks (weather permitting) a the Roof Top at the Vendue Inn- if not, we’ll keep trying until we get a good night for sunset.
Dinner at SNOB
We may end up back at the room having nightcap, but maybe having one at ...where?
The Brick? Charlies Little Bar?

Thursday:
(depending on weather we may switch this day and Friday)
Breakfast at hotel and we are thinking of being at the Edmonston Alston House when it opens at 10am, then going to the Nathaniel Russell House, the Heyward Washington House, and the Episcopal Church.

Any ideas of the time frame for this? We are thinking 3 hours ?
Lunch at either Charleston Grill or Poogans Porch ? Do not have reservations for this one, should we?

Then shopping; all the great shoe and clothes stores - antique and galleries -
just staring at one end of King and doing the surrounding streets and weaving in and
out untili we are too tired.....

Dinner at Fig

Friday:
we were not going to rent a car - so we would take the bus and visit one plantation -
we are leaning towards being at Middleton Place by 9:30, having a few hours to tour , having lunch there and returning back to the city by 2 or 3 and shopping again for a few hours....
How long do you think we would realistically spend at the plantation and/or is there a convincing argument to choosing one of the other plantations? Should we reserve this and the luncheon there asap or wait until we get there so we can choose the better weather day for this one?
I see there are bus tours on the Middleton web page - should we do that or is there just a regular bus we can take to get out there, visit and leave when we want or do you have to do an organized 4.5 hour tour?

Dinner at Peninsula Grill;
getting there early to have a drink first in the bar

Saturday:
See the Unitarian Church and St. Mary’s Church - Joseph Manigault House and shop
The Gullah Tour for 2 hrs after breakfast, then the Unitarian Church, St. Mary's and/or whatever we can fit in just wandering until our lunch at Magnolia’s at 2pm.

Head to airport at 4:30pm

*We have breakfast every day at our hotel, unless should we get up early to not miss a breakfast at Hominy Grill?

There are so many great restaurants to choose from - hard to choose - our dinner reservations are set from articles people have read, etc - but is there somewhere other than the lunch places mentioned and/or a breakfast (can’t do three big meals) - are we better off to do a big breakfast somewhere and light lunch one of the days?

We have lists of antique stores, galleries, shoe and clothing stores...
is there a particular gem we might have missed, please pass it along -

Or any other favorite spots for a drink,, etc.

Thanks

elsiemoo

escargot, I hate to see you visit Charleston and not eat at Magnolia's restaurant, my very favorite. SNOB is great, but Magnolia's is still tops in my book, for lunch or dinner! Have a really wonderful time!

escargot

elsiemoo:
we have that rezzie for lunch at Magnolia's on Saturday -I was in Charleston once before - too briefly on a business trip and had loved SNOB so much I wanted to return - that was actually my pick, and Magnolia's - the other restaurants were someone elses - do you think Magnolia would be better for dinner than lunch ? I think all the restaurants are so good, I coud give up SNOB ....

sessa

escargot - I look forward to hearing a trip report when you return. My husband and I are going to Charleston in December, and we are booked at the Harbourview Inn and have several of those same restaurants in mind. Have a great time!

elsiemoo

I'm sorry, Escargot! It was late, my eyes were blurry and I missed your Magnolia rezzie on Saturday, for lunch. Either meal would be great there; I also like SNOB a lot ... so you're fine. The truth is ... there's too much great food in Charleston, so little time, as they say!

We will spend Christmas this year at Harbourview Inn (first time) so am very anxious to hear your review from there. We will have dinner at Magnolia's Christmas Day.

(By the way, I love Magnolia Plantation, as well as Middleton. Seems there's more to see there so I've been back three times, although they're both great!)

Have a great time!

escargot

elsiemoo:
what would you say are the different things at Magnolia vs. Middleton - we just can not decide - and is it worth us renting a car to drive to one or two of them on our own vs. taking a tour bus or is there just a regular bus you can take to them?
I can't seem to find that out online - it appears there might be a public bus - I'd rather not do a 'tour' - but maybe that is the only way -

woudl you spend 3-4 hrs at one plantation - and if you had to choose one?? or, can you tell me what set them apart for you or what specific things were more interesting at one or anothe r- OR

should we just flip a coin

cmcfong

May I join you, Escargot? It looks like such a fun weekend for you.
I think the restaurant choices look great. I recommend that you check out the rooftop bar at MarketPlace Pavilion. The Vendue is nice and I have enjoyed it, but the crowd is a young one and the mood is very casual. I am tickled to see Magnolia's (my favorite) and the Gullah tour on your itinerary. Have a wonderful time!

kgk52

The Preservation Society has a fall tour of gardens and homes through the end of October. We did this last year and it was great. Got to see inside some of the private homes in the historic district. It is self-guided from 7-10 pm so you can go before or after dinner. www.preservationsociety.org

elsiemoo

escargot, the plantations both have interesting old homes, beautiful gardens, etc., but after seeing both of them, for some reason Magnolia is the one that I was most interested in going back to. You really can't go wrong with either. If you're doing just one, google info on both, look at the pictures, etc., and see which looks most appealing to you. I would do a tour, with pick-up at my hotel, and let someone else worry about details, if I were doing it with a group of girlfriends. If you do Middleton, the food in their restaurant at lunchtime was fabulous the time I was there!

escargot

cmcfong - we are going on that Gullah Tour because you suggested it ! And have the names of the books you suggested for us to buy when we arrive - we will definitely add Marketpalce pavillion to our list to "to do's " - thanks

kgk52 thanks for that link ! another goodie to add to our list - it looks fabulous -

sorry I didnt' answer sooner, we were without our wireless for a few day s-

so now all we have to do is decide between Magnolia and MIddleton.....

anyone want to convince us to lean towards either one or have any other suggestions, favorite spots, stores, etc...please chime in !!

GoTravel

escargot, FIG has been extremely hit or miss lately. I would take a long hard look at Franks. It is owned by the same people who own Penninsula Grill.

I would switch pre dinner drinks from the Vendue in to the Market Pavillion. The Vendue would be good for an after dinner drink.

We also like to hit Magnolias for an after dinner drink.

Beware that if you have lunch at Poogans or Charleston Grill, you will not have room for dinner that night unless you eat around 10PM. Personally, I think Poogans is much better for brunch.

woodrob12

re: where to get a nightcap, I'd avoid the Brick. It's more or less a college bar and lacks charm. Consider the bar at Cypress or the wine bar at McCrady's, both of which are on East Bay Street and a short walk from your hotel.

Your Thursday itinerary with the houses sounds fun, but I'd drop the Heyward Washington house and add the Calhoun Mansion. It's literally jaw dropping.

GoTravel

Aack! I meant look at Hanks not Franks!

ruthiesmythe

Forget Poogans Porch. Go to Cru Cafe on Pinckney Street. Or Fleet Landing on Concord Street it overlooks the harbor, sit outside. Better bar for views is the Market Pavillon Hotel rooftop bar. Taking a bus to Middleton is going to take forever. Either go with a planned tour or take Black taxi cab 843-216-2627 and plan a pick up time with them. Old style English cab. Great drivers! Take a pedi cab ride around Charleston 843-577-7088 or yellow bikes 843-532-8663. These are both bicycle cabs that hold two people each. Allow at least 4 hours for Middleton Gardens, definitely worth seeing they also have a restaurant for lunch. If you need any other suggestions I am a downtown Realtor.
Have a fun weekend!

escargot

Thanks for all the suggestins !
I emailed the gal who chose FIG for dinner with the comments/ I know she partially chose it because of a feature story not long ago in the New York Times, so she may want to stick with it but I sent it as an FYI.
Got, Ruthiesmythe and Woodrob12 - thanks for all the ideas, we will definitely switch those things around -
and probably do Middleton as suggested/ with a tour or by one of the cabs - thanks !

we got notified tonight that the elevators will not be wowrking at the harborview Inn during our entire stay - one of the gals is begging for a 1st or 2nd floor room now....ugh....climbing 4 flights would be a drag..... !! esp after those big evening meals - or maybe actually that would be a good thing

GoTravel

Fleet Landing has horrible food. Do not eat there. We tried it twice and it sucked.

It is close to your hotel and would be a nice spot for a nightcap.

I read that article on Charleston restaurants and the writer was off on just about all of his suggestions. Please rethink FIG.

ruthiesmythe

Harborview Inn has parking on the first floor, no rooms. Views will be much better up. Fig is good! Get the califlower appetizer.

GoTravel

Yes, the view from the lobby level is also very good.

escargot

GoT when we all hash it out tonight, I''ll put in my two cents about Fig...one can only try ! -
thanks everyone for all the other recs -
Ruthismythe - with ladies working on it together, we'll see where we end up - it will all be in the trip report !

Hotel called, we got a second floor, which is fine - I just really didn't want to have to walk up all the time - I'm one of those who is forever forgetting something in my room.....four flights would have been awful, ....and late at night too many stairs !
So, we are all set and off we go -
will let you know how we made out, how many calories, how many pounds, how many shoes.......

thanks all.

cmcfong

Ah, escargot, that critical question...how many shoes...shows as nothing else before YOU ARE MY KIND OF GIRL. Have a ball!