Belle of the Deep South: 4 reasons to visit Charleston in 2023 – South Carolina’s biggest city appears on ‘best holiday destinations in the US’ lists for its great food, shopping, culture and history

Apr 12 , 2023

The Vendue, an art hotel sited in two historic buildings in Charleston, South Carolina, US. Photo: Handout

Honeymooners and girls’ weekend trippers visit regularly and shop at Gucci and Louis Vuitton at The Shops at Charleston Place mall, or home-grown clothiers like M. Dumas & Sons

Top stays are Hotel Bennett, The Pinch and the art hotel The Vendue, while F&B must-visits include Captain Harry’s Blue Marlin Bar, Halls Chophouse, Lewis Barbecue and Bourbon N’ Bubbles

Step into just about any brunch spot or rooftop bar in Charleston and it’s apparent that this is a destination, above all, for girls’ get-togethers. Most tables at any eatery of consequence in this city – the oldest and largest in South Carolina – tend to be filled with young women from all over the US, there on a hen night weekend, a university reunion, or just a girlie getaway. It’s no surprise at all to hear that Charleston was last year voted by Travel + Leisure as among the top “25 Best Girls’ Weekend Getaways Around the World”.

But Charleston’s appeal doesn’t just end there. It’s a popular wedding destination, a foodie’s dream, has been anointed by Cosmopolitan as one of the best cities in the US to honeymoon in, and is an all-round top holiday spot, offering all the things tourists are drawn to: fascinating heritage, varied shopping, a huge range of dining options, pleasant weather and luxury hotels. It’s a city where you can take a ghost tour, ride in a horse-drawn carriage, and browse among home-made foods and hand-crocheted beanies in a street market.

Fruity fun in the shape of a pineapple-inspired fountain. Photo: Shutterstock

Charleston is languid, upscale, charming and warm-hearted, and it’s not surprising more airlines are adding non-stop flights from major American cities (new routes include Fort Lauderdale, Newark, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Los Angeles).

The city is a sightseer’s paradise with its tree-lined boulevards and cobbled streets. It is a fairly walkable place too, allowing for plenty of spontaneity. It’s a pleasant stroll, for instance, from shopping on hip downtown King Street to the breezy promenade of the marina where people sail and fish.

1. Bringing history to life

Sailing is a pastime popular with many well-off locals. Photo: Charleston Area CVB

In a place that values its heritage, and so does not easily modernise, sprout huge developments or rip down buildings of historical note, even the much-maligned guided tour can be compelling. Take one and learn how Charleston was founded in 1670 and took its present name from its original one – Charles Town, in honour of King Charles II. European settlers – French and Spanish – then ventured in, and Charles Town became a bustling, multilingual seaport for traders.

Becoming subsequently known for religious freedom and prosperity, there is an easy-going, almost apolitical sensibility about the city that pervades to this day. It is also said to be one of the most haunted places in the US thanks to a history that was not always pleasant, what with pirate attacks, earthquakes, plagues, the slave trade and the inevitable bloodiness of the Civil War. Local historians believe that such trauma has left restless spirits wandering through the city and there are certainly enough tours inspired to that effect.

2. Southern stays

Adopting the local pace of life. Photo: Charleston Carriage Works