Charleston – Sun, Sea, and Tanned Flesh
Overview
Your parents probably went to Charleston and took a carriage ride, toured a plantation, then came home with an overpriced sweetgrass basket they bought in the uber-touristy Market. Dubbed "the Holy City" because of its skyline of church spires, Charleston's Southern charm is everywhere: in its cobble-stoned streets, its fancy houses along the super posh Battery, and its waitresses who end every sentence with "y'all." But it's also a college town, and you know what that means-good bars, cheap beer, and tons of tanned flesh on display.
What is the city known for?
Men who wear seersucker without irony, sweltering humidity, palmetto bugs-aka cockroaches with a pretty name-impressive architecture, rampant Republicanism, a great restaurant scene, hot co-eds-oh, and for firing the first shots of the Civil War.
Parts of Town
Downtown is pretty much where it's at-the main streets, King and Meeting, run parallel with each other and house a multitude of restaurants and bars. Marion Square Park is overrun with bikini-clad sunbathers and Frisbee-throwers in the summer, and plays host to a super-popular Farmers Market every Saturday morning from April to December. The campuses of the College of Charleston, Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), and the Citadel are all downtown, so the vibe is a young one-unless you venture south of Broad street, where you can expect to be asked snootily if you're "the help" if your shirt isn't tucked in.
Over the newly-built Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge-not quite the Golden Gate, but great for biking or jogging across if you're the outdoorsy type-lies suburban (and, for the most part, nondescript) Mount Pleasant; keep driving and you'll reach Sullivan's Island, where the beach is sunny and wide, and the bar scene is just starting to take off.
In the other direction, West Ashley is home to the burgeoning neighborhood of Avondale; former college kids settling into houses with paychecks from first jobs means a main strip that's gradually getting hip, with kitschy boutiques and lively bars starting to pop up. Drive a little further and you'll get to the bohemian Folly Beach; it's by far the most laidback of Charleston's beaches, and probably the only place in the city where tie-dye outnumbers striped polo shirts.
Most commonly used phrases - "Y'all go to school here?"
Events
The Piccolo Spoleto Festival takes over the city for two weeks in late May. Avant-garde theater, cheap comedy shows-Chicago's hilarious Second City have made a stop for the last couple of years-poetry slams, dance, art openings, and party after party after party makes it a great couple of weeks to be around. In March, The Charleston Food + Wine Festival brings a bunch of famed chefs to town to partner with the local ones; this translates to three straight days of eating and drinking for you. And if you're into shootin', huntin', and fishin'-or, like me, prefer just laughing at people who wear camouflage tuxedos-the Southeastern Wildlife Exhibition hits town for a weekend in mid-February.
Clubs / Bars
The slightly sleazy CityBar is strictly for the college crowd-if Hot Tub Thursdays sounds like a good idea to you, it's probably your kind of place; if you don't feel like catching something, steer clear. Henry's is on the Market-and, appropriately, is exactly the place to put yourself on the market, if you get my drift-and Trio Club is good for dancing, especially if you're trying to be just a little ironic about it. Big John's is the ultimate dirty dive bar, the Blind Tiger gets packed on weekends, Cumberland's showcases great local music and has a hugely popular $1 Mystery Beer, and Moe's Crosstown Tavern is a great place to watch the game with far-better-than-average bar food. Way down Upper King, Torch has hookah pipes and beds to lounge on, and in Avondale, Voodoo has a good bar scene and killer tacos. If you've been on the beach all day, hit Poe's on Sullivan's Island; if you can find a seat, the front porch is the best place to nurse a beer-and the burgers are pretty much the best in town.
Gay Play
There are rumors that the hugely popular restaurant/bar Vickery's downtown attracts a certain clientele-it couldn't hurt to try your luck in one of the dark back booths. More overtly, Club Pantheon is no-apologies gay.
Best Concert Venues
Charleston isn't exactly top of the list when it comes to hosting big bands, but the Music Farm downtown does a pretty decent business; G. Love and Special Sauce, Son Volt, and Iron & Wine have all hit the stage. Up in North Charleston, venues like The Plex and the cavernous Center for the Performing Arts attract the bigger names, but can make for a show that sucks if the room isn't full. Out on the Isle of Palms, the beachfront Windjammer is a great place to see local bands.
Hooking Up
If you're a guy, you're in luck; the ratio of men to women in Charleston is something like five to one. Even better? For some reason, pretty much everyone is hot. Singer-songwriter Ryan Adams said it best when he played here last summer-"Is there something in the water in Charleston or what? All your women are so good-looking." Try hanging out at Marion Square Park, any of the beaches, or just in the middle of King Street on a Saturday night. Girls aren't quite so lucky-not only are the guys few and far between, but most of them probably wear bow-ties. Still, any guy you meet will most likely have a pick-up truck, which could come in useful if you needed a ride to the airport.
Food
Come hungry because Charleston is a foodie town-the recently closed Johnson & Wales turned out a crop of hot young chefs who stuck and the new Culinary Institute of Charleston in North Chuck is bringing out a second wave. The up-and-coming strip of Upper King is good for the dimly-lit tapas bar Raval, the popular Chai's Bar & Lounge, and great, cheap Thai at Basil, while Rue de Jean and Coast are side-by-side and always packed with the young and beautiful. Jim N' Nicks is the place for real Southern barbecue, Yo Burrito is quick and easy Mexican-though if you don't mind a drive, El Mercadito way out in John's Island is the most authentic-and the only place to get pizza is at Andolini's. If someone else is paying, go to FIG, Al Di La, or Cypress. For breakfast, the Bookstore Café, Hominy Grill, and Boulevard Diner are great for the Big Hangover Carb Binge of 2006.
Outdoor Activities
You can bike everywhere downtown, and Frisbee, soccer, and the occasional impromptu game of softball are popular in Marion Square Park in the summer. Surfing is huge at Folly Beach and the Isle of Palms-unfortunately, the waves are not.
Getting Medicated
Venture into Charleston's Eastside--otherwise known as the hood---and chances are you'll find what you're looking for; anywhere south of John Street will probably yield the goods, but America Street is a safe bet, providing you've got your wits about you---this isn't exactly Pleasantville. The downtown neighborhood of Wagener Terrace is also worth a trip if you're looking to score; low rents mean an up-and-coming residential scene, but also some pretty sketchy streets. The center of it all--Hampton Park--is where most deals are known to go down. If all else fails, head back to Andolini's-the staff all has dreadlocks, so perhaps they can hook you up.
Getting There and Away
The airport is roughly 20 minutes from downtown-a cab will take you there for around $25, but if you don't mind waiting around a little, share a minivan shuttle with a half dozen other passengers and it'll only be about $15. If you happen to be arriving at the Charleston Amtrak station, there are only five words to remember: Get the hell out quickly.
Lodging
Charleston's NotSo Hostel is the closest you'll get to proper Southern living downtown without emptying out your wallet-housed in a porch-swaddled 163-year old house, beds are cheap here; a bunk goes for $19 a night, while $45 will get you a private room. With breakfast, high-speed Internet, and bike rental, staying in the hostel is hardly slumming it; if budget isn't a concern, however, the luxurious Charleston Place Hotel is where you want to be.
A bit about the writer
Native Brit Holly has lived in Charleston since 2003 and updates when she remembers at nothing but bonfires.
Links
Charleston City Paper
Charleston Magazine