Last week I heard on the radio that Charleston earned top honors in the 2011 Conde Nast Reader’s Choice Awards. It was voted the #1 city to visit in the U.S., beating out San Francisco, which has held the top spot for several years running. Now I may be biased since I now call San Francisco home, but I feel that this city is truly a wonderful city that has a diversity that can appeal to everyone. I read that ultimately it came down to friendliness with Charleston snagging 90% versus San Francisco’s 67%. I guess I can see that travelers would prefer good old fashion Southern charm to our panhandling hippies! Nonetheless, let’s see what else this city has to offer.
Featured Travel Idea: Charleston, SC
top: bacon cornbread, fried green tomatoes, pork trotters
middle: folly beach, audubon swamp garden, ravenel bridge
bottom: shrimp and grits, fried chicken, oatmeal cream pie
Charleston is one of the top culinary cities in the South. With a plethora of award winning chefs, fresh ingredients, and a multitude of cultural influences, it’s likely you’d be eating your way out of this city. Situated in the heart of Low Country, the city is known for fresh seafood like shrimp and oysters, and down home southern cuisine. Have a craving for seafood? Eat at Pearlz Oyster Bar for what else, oysters or head to Bowen’s Island for their Frogmore Stew which has shrimp, corn on the cob, sausage, and potatoes. Want to try Low Country cuisine? You can’t go wrong with Jestine’s Kitchen or Virginia’s on King. If you could try only one southern dish (the horror!), then it must be shrimp and grits, and Hominy Grill’s the place for it. Serious foodies will love the fresh, local ingredients featured at Husk and FIG. Whew, with all that food, you’ll want to stay active for the rest of the trip. Take a leisurely jog, yes I said jog, through historic downtown Charleston towards the water and end at White Point Gardens for a breather. Oh, you want something less tiring? Take any number of self-guided walking tours, in particular try the Charleston Museum Mile tour for a little bit of culture, good scenery, and historic sites. Or wander through the cobblestone streets South of Broad and admire the well preserved stately antebellum homes. Visit the Magnolia Plantation for a glimpse into 19th century plantation life and nearby Audubon Swamp Gardens, the oldest public garden in America. Go see the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge by bike and enjoy the terrific views at the top. Finally, spend an afternoon at Folly Beach and kayak, paddle board, surf, or tan to your heart’s content. Yeah…I’m still not sure whether Charleston deserves the top vote though, I guess I’ll have to visit 😉 !
A Sprinkle of Adventure 
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