Charleston– You are so Charming

Well, we are almost through February, which means, we’re almost through the doldrums of winter. High five. This year, anticipating that February would be, well, f*ing February, I decided to plan a trip to somewhere slightly warmer with Bryson. This was our first trip as a family of two, without any grandparent help, which may not seem like a big deal, but it was. It meant that I was in charge of all the planning, preparing, carseat handling, stroller maneuvering, and everything that goes along with traveling with a child. I’ve discussed secondary losses in previous blog posts, and this fits right in. Having a travel partner meant I had security. I had back up. On top of the logistical fears I had, Matt and I loved to travel; whether it was to Deep Creek for a weekend away with friends, Naples to visit his dad, or somewhere totally new, like Portugal or Estonia, we were down. We planned on making that a norm for our family as well; of course, plans changed. Coupled with a pandemic, travel felt a little more intimidating and just plain sad sometimes. Matt was supposed to be on these trips with us; it’s not supposed to feel this heavy. 

After a couple years of self work, coaching, and, honestly, proving  to myself, on the regular, that I can do hard things, I decided that it was time. I want to travel with Bryson and show him new places. I want him to have different experiences and I don’t want our unique situation to prevent that from happening. So, I planned our first trip to Charleston, South Carolina. Full disclosure, I’ve had a wave of friends move down south over the past five or so years, and planned on meeting up with them while in Chucktown. As an unexpected, but welcome twist, one of my best friends, my cousin, and my friend’s son joined us as well. So, what started out as an air trip for two, morphed into a road trip for five! Three adults, two children, and a partridge in a pear tree.  

Charleston Road Trip Preparation

Knowing this would be an 8.5 hour road trip, we stacked the deck. An ipad, a Kids Fire Tablet, and all the snacks you could possibly think of. One adult sat in back with the kids, making it easier to change movies, distribute snacks, read books, and handle any “dropped item” situations that typically result in a toddler meltdown. This was clutch. We decided to leave Baltimore around 11 AM on Wednesday, getting us through DC and Richmond traffic before any rush hour came into play. We drove as far as we could, hoping to get to dinner and bed time in a spot relatively close to our final destination. 

The fun thing about traveling with friends is the conversation factor. I’ve driven MANY times to New England by myself with Bryson. Five hours can seem like five days. But, when you’re in the car with friends, even friends who you see weekly, that chatter makes the time go by so much faster. We had one “pee stop” at a Target near Rocky Point NC (it was the only Starbs we located off the highway), and made it all the way to Florence, South Carolina. We landed in Florence around 6 PM, and decided to call it quits for the day. I’m sure Florence is super cute, but in a quest to stay as close to 95 as possible, we saddled up with other passers through and stayed at a Radisson right off the highway. Not my typical hotel selection, but it served its purpose. We really leaned into the whole family road trip vibe and ate dinner at a Cracker Barrel. I’m pretty sure the last time I ate at a Cracker Barrel was in high school, I’m not sure they had alcohol, and it was probably a date. Which is hilarious to me now. Note to future dates: I don’t consider myself super high maintenance, but please do not suggest a Cracker Barrel.

We were up bright and early on Thursday morning and finished our car ride to Charleston. 

Charleston– where we stayed

We stayed at a cute AirBnB in the Cannonborough-Elliotborough neighborhood of Charleston. It was about a 15 minute walk to King St, and a couple miles from the City Market, the Battery, and Waterfront Park. There are a bunch of cute little restaurants and coffee shops in our neighborhood and, from what I’ve gathered, it’s definitely a growing area nestled between the hospital and the College of Charleston. Despite the not-too far out of college dudes that invited us over for beers, it was quieter than some of the other neighborhoods we walked through, giving it a bit more of a residential feel.  We opted out of said beers. 

Per usual, we were prepared to walk as much as we could. I originally booked at a hotel closer to the bustle of downtown, but with two little ones and a larger crew in general, it made more sense for us to stay at an AirBnB. The kids had the space to wind down and be kids, especially helpful for the babysitter we hired on Friday night.  We were able to coordinate better than if we were in different rooms at a hotel, and we had the option to eat at the AirBnB instead of eating out for every meal. Would I do it again? I would stay there again, especially with kids. However, if I go back for an adults only weekend, I’d stay at one of the hotels closer to the “action.”  Honestly, I really want to get over to Sullivans Island next time we’re here, too. 

A few of the hotels recommended to me included: 

Francis Marion Hotel (I was originally staying here when it was just B and I, and would probably book for a return trip). 

Andrew Pickney Inn

The Restoration (recommended by multiple people)

Charleston Dining Options– There are too many to pick from!

One thing Charleston does not lack outside of churches, charm, and character, is food options. There are so, so many restaurants, it was a bit overwhelming to pick out which ones we’d go to. Shout out to all those who gave me a bunch of recommendations. Extra shout out to my friends who live in “the holy city,” and gave me some insider recommendations. I’m a big seafood lover, so this city totally had my number.

I’m not a food blogger, so I’ll stick to some highlights. Something to note here: Bryson is an excellent dine-outer. I don’t struggle bringing him anywhere because, for the most part, he behaves well in restaurant situations. I did want to eat outside as much as possible, just because we had strollers and an even littler one with us. I wouldn’t say all these places are typical kid spots, but I found that every place we went to was accomodating and generally friendly. Must be that southern hospitality.

167 Raw

This was the first restaurant we went to in Charleston, and it may have been my favorite. Fun Fact: we thought we’d arrive at a bunch of restaurants once when we got to King St. But it seems like they group almost all the shopping/stores near each other without dining options in between. And friends, literally every store you can possibly think of has a storefront on King st. It is insane.

Back to 167. We walked for a while before coming across this gem. It was worth it. With temps in the mid 60s, we took our chances and sat in their enclosed courtyard area. They opened up the roof during our lunch experience and it felt glorious. First of all, the server was on-freaking-point. We had a 20 month old and a 3 year old with us, and he never made us feel like we were a burden or a problem. In fact, he got our *necessary* glasses of Rose faster than I’ve gotten a drink in the past three years, and was sure to let us know about the “off menu” kids selection right away. He must wait on a lot of moms. This was possibly the best Rose I’ve ever had and I wish I snapped a picture of the name before leaving.  My friend and I split “the Big Boy,” a selection of oysters, shrimp, and clams, and my cousin got the Tuna Tataki. The food was delicious. I believe my cousin said it was some of the best tuna she’s ever had. 

It’s a little pricey, but in my mind, totally worth it. Plus, #vacation. I loved the ambiance too; very chic without being pretentious. I can definitely see this being a go to happy hour spot for many. There were a lot of business lunches happening while we were there, and I sat in awe of the number of people sipping on on wine. On a Thursday. During lunch. Definite Euro vibes. A +. 

Cru Cafe

What a little gem! A former college mate of mine recommended this spot and unknowingly, I had also eaten here before when I came down for my best friend’s wedding. We ate out on the patio with our little ones and, let’s just say Bryson asked me to “stay here all day.” Nothing like pulling a Sgambato out of a bar or restarant when he’s having fun. We had lunch on Friday, in between our historic homes tour and our personally guided walking tour. It was the perfect little dose of energy we needed. Again, not a food blogger over here, but the ambiance in and of itself was worth it. I felt like I was dining out on someone’s little southern patio, with excellent service. To add to my “we’re on vacation” vibe, the Eagles were playing in the background as I sipped on my “light on the OJ” mimosa. I ate a delicious Chinese Chicken salad and Bry had pasta. I will put photographic evidence below as a testament to his enjoyment. 

Church and Union

Turns out, making a brunch reservation for nine people on a Saturday in Charleston is not easy. Who would have thought? So glad we found Church and Union though. Constructed in the space of an old church, the building in and of itself was worth the experience. The team at Church and Union was super responsive and helpful when I contacted them about this brunch. I went very bougie with a mimosa and avocado toast; Bryson had bacon. Just bacon. I’m not sure what else to say about that. But, the service was wonderful and the rest of my party also loved their food. I didn’t feel awkward having kids there; you can tell that they have large parties in there all the time and seemed very flexible with the kids. 

Chucktown Brewery

It wouldn’t be a trip without visiting one brewery; ya’ll, I don’t know about you, but I love breweries when I’m out with kids. I have yet to go to a brewery that isn’t prepared for wild children. Saturday evening, we met two of our Baltimore friends at this little, new-ish brewery on King St. They put us in the backroom (smart move) and the kids were able to be their normal, wild kid selves while we enjoyed some good brews and caught up with friends. It was a last minute decision, and with our large group, it turned out to be perfect. If you’re in the area, definitely check it out. 

Ladies Night! 

And then, we had Ladies Night! I never thought hiring a sitter on vacation was a thing, but I am so glad we decided to do it. Traveling with little ones is great, but having some adult time made the trip that much better. I know not everyone agrees with this; I’m proud to be pro-sitter. Taking a break from the travel and into my own feels as a solo mom, I’m finding these occasional nights out incredibly therapeutic. I’ve had two thus far and am ready for more. It’s a chance for me to just be Christina; Not a mom. Not a young widow. Not a coach or a boss or anything with particularly high responsibility or heaviness. It’s like I get a moment in time to take back a piece of who I once was, albeit a little less wild (still have to mom the next day). Mom guilt is real, friends. But, I also know that these occasions are vital for me as I continue to move forward; for me to be the best mom to Bryson, I need a break from it all every now and then.

Ok, back to the travel. At the recommendation of one of my girlfriends, we started out at Uncork, a local wine bar with so many different wines on tap, in addition to a full bar, and a pretty stellar happy hour.  I made a reservation for us, which landed us a seat in this suave couch area with total VIP vibes. I felt very swanky in my black jumpsuit, sipping on some delicious wine and chatting with my friends. It helped that our Uber driver, a young gentleman, was SHOCKED that he was in the car with two moms. I believe we were termed, “fire.” If we hadn’t made the decision at the beginning of the evening to make the most of these few hours of childless freedom and see a few different spots. I probably would have stayed longer at Uncork. It was super cute, and the crowd was just my speed.  I do want to give a little, full of regret, shout out to Halls Chophouse. When I go back to Charleston, I am most definitely going to Halls. We ended up not eating here because it was almost impossible to get a seat at the bar (and we were on a time crunch), but so many people recommend it and as a mid-30s lady, I loved the vibe. Highly recommend going and making reservations at least six weeks in advance. 

We ended up going to two other drink spots, The Cocktail Club and Prohibition. Both of these spots were unique in their own way. Let’s start with The Cocktail Club. Love, loved this scene. While it was pretty tame during our tenure there, as we were leaving, it definitely started to get busier as I imagine many people spend the night hanging out in this little gem, sipping on some palate-provoking cocktails. I ordered the “Purple Rain” cocktail, and so did my friend because #doublerain (IYKYK). If you don’t like lavender, you probably would not like this cocktail, but I loved it. Herbal cocktails are my jam. Again, when I go back to Charleston sans child, I will definitely hit up this spot again and stay longer. 

Prohibition reminded me of a place I would come across in Baltimore. I am not sad about it; there’s a reason I live in this city. The crowd was definitely more casual than what we saw at Cocktail Club, and we got there right when the DJ was setting up. We had to leave by 10:30, but got in about 30 minutes of pure, nostalgic dancing. It was glorious. 

We solidified that even in our 30s with children, we are still freaking catches.

Charleston Sightseeing with Children

Much to my surprise, these two little ones did a wonderful job as we played tourist in a new city. I thought about not bringing a stroller, but it totally came in handy. I had no problem with the UppaBaby Cruz on the cobblestone streets of Charleston and my friend had a City Mini, which also proved easy to use on the streets. Big thank you to my family friend, Diana for giving us an awesome walking tour of the city. When I find her tour guide info, I will share it with all of you. Born and raised in Charleston, she was incredibly knowledgeable with stellar delivery skills.  Diana showed us the the ins and outs of the city, with so many super cool backstories. Pro tip: we weren’t sure when we would arrive on Thursday, otherwise, I would have totally scheduled this tour on Thursday. After we did the tour with Diana, there were so many places I wanted to go. I felt like it gave us a lay of the land.  

Other, kid-friendly things we did: 

• Toured the Aiken-Rhett house museum! This was a short walk from our AirBnB and a very cool house to tour if you want some southern history, complete with the quintessential wrap around porch for all your instagram pleasure. When Bry is older, I really want to take him to museums like this, and plantations, as some education on the oppression that took place during the slavery period. I think they did an excellent job addressing this and would be interested to see how some of the larger institutions take this on as well. 
• The South Carolina Aquarium: Is it even a family vacation if you don’t go to the Aquarium? This Aquarium is definitely worth the admission. Is it the National Aquarium? No. We made it through all the exhibits in about 2 hrs. But it was just the right speed for my three year old. My long time best friend and her family met up with us, making for the perfect kid afternoon. It was probably the cleanest aquarium I’ve ever been to and the views looking over the water were to die for. Nothing you haven’t seen in any other aquarium, but still a fun kids activity, especially if the weather is a little iffy. 
• Waterfront Park: I’m pretty sure this was Bryson’s favorite part of the trip, outside of our visit to my friends house on Sunday. This *very-instagrammed* park is right on the water, with a big Pineapple fountain in the middle. The Pineapple is common throughout Charleston, as it’s a symbol of hospitality. The walk along the water is breathtaking; I can see why so many people run that route. It’s also an easy walk from the Charleston City Market ( another must do).

We never ended up making it to any of the plantations, but it is on my list for my next trip. Both Magnolia and Boone are short drives. I would recommend purchasing tickets in advance; my cousin tried to go on a Sunday and they were already booked up! Instead, she made her way around the Sunday brunch scene,  and we hopped in the car, traveling about fifteen minutes outside the city to Mount Pleasant to visit two of our best friends and their little ones. Of course, we had to make a pitstop at a playground. The houses are BEAUTIFUL. It was the perfect ending to our Charleston adventure, as the kids had a blast playing with their friends and we had a long overdue catch up session.

The coastal, southern vibe is strong here.

It’s like the swankier areas of the Cape and Nantucket decided the north was too cold and moved down south. That is how I would describe Charleston. I absolutely loved our time here and will definitely be back, probably without a child. Traveling with a child definitely requires a different pace and expectation level than my former, childless travel experiences.  I actually wrote a post on my Coach Instagram account about this recently, and I wanted to share here, especially for those parents who feel stressed about traveling with kids, but really want them to have that opportunity:

“Fresh off the heels of a mini vacation to Charleston with my three year old and, naturally, had to share a 🤯 moment.

On one of our many walks with my friend, we were talking about everything that goes along with traveling with kids, inlcuding the anxiety that seems to lurk in the background. Everything takes longer. Children aren’t particularly familiar with travel norms. There’s the whining, exhaustion, and random tantrums that always seem to happen at the most ideal points of the trip. 

Then, my friend mentioned how calm I seem with Bryson and how he well he responded. I almost choked on my spit 😂

I’ve never considered myself a particularly “calm” individual; but, as I reviewed this in my head, I actually agreed with her. It’s not because I have a particularly neutral nature (diagnosed anxiety disorder over here). And, it’s certainly not because I just “know how to handle it” (still a rookie mom who questions her momming on the regular).  It’s because I’ve learned that no matter how challenging, hard, or demoralizing any situation is, we will get through it. I tell myself that constantly.

Sure, long car rides and crowded airports with a three year old can be stressful. We’ll get through it. Listening to Bryson have a tantrum on our nightly walk through the city is frustrating, but it will pass. Trying to figure out how to parent while doing seven thousand other things can certainly feel overwhelming, but I’ll figure it out. And Bryson feeds off of that. He looks for the calm in the storm. 

I’ve had this thought pattern on repeat in my head for awhile out of pure solo parenting survival, and now my brain finds evidence for it. In the moment, my brain looks for ways we’ve navigated through some hard, seemingly impossible situations, and made it. It doesn’t mean I’m immune to frustration, insecurity, and overwhelm. It just means that I’ve learned how to manage my mind around these situations, albeit imperfectly. Life is hard; we can do hard things.“

I love that I can provide B with the opportunity to travel. And it is 100% not smooth sailing. That’s ok.”

All in all, I give Charleston a 10/10 and will definitely be back. Don’t worry, I’m not moving there, but can definitely see why it has become such a hot spot for my Baltimore area friends. I did not meet any potential chapter twos, but I did get some validation that I’ve still got game. Is that even a phrase any more? Doesn’t matter. Following that off-the-chain superbowl halftime show, we’re bringing back the early 2000’s lingo around here. 

I’ve got some fun new content heading your way soon. Stay tuned.

The question is, where should we go next?