A new year often brings new resolutions, new beginnings, new opportunities...how about a discovering a new love of a centuries old place?
You don't have to look far to find love in Charleston. We're not talking the serendipity of meeting your soul mate over mint juleps at a rooftop bar (although that has been known to happen). We mean the love that's innate to this southern city, from the lovely Lowcountry backdrop to the beloved culture and cuisine. Honestly, it's almost too much for any one person... which is why we recommend sharing it. But whether you explore this romantic city on your own or with another, here are just a few over which we most swoon:
1) Trace Waterfront Park past the Pineapple Fountain to the impressive pier, and work your magic to score a bench swing. Sway as you look out over the harbor, watching for dolphins and envisioning the past AND the future.
2) Savor a meal on Sullivan’s Island, then head down to the beach. As you walk the water’s edge, collect butterfly or “kissing” shells. Marvel at the massive ships entering and exiting the harbor at the island’s south end, and imagine the adventures of each vessel.
3) Simple, but tireless: grab a hand, or your camera, and follow on foot the length of the High Battery sea wall. Admire the grand antebellum homes lining White Point Gardens to one side, and the iconic harbor and Fort Sumter to the other. Compare historical acumen as you weave your own special history.
4) From undeniably bewitching to downright spooky, walking tours on the peninsula combine fascinating tales of centuries-old Charleston with plenty of opportunity to snuggle close. Find a tour guided by candlelight, and be sure you experience a famed cemetery with rich haunted lore.
5) Hold your loved one tightly 1,000 feet into the Atlantic Ocean – just be sure it’s as you stand at the end of the Folly Beach Pier. Climb to the pavilion’s second level, and stare at the horizon as the salty sea breeze blows. Too soon, the distant lights of the island town illuminate your way back to land.
6) Make the scenic, live oak-canopied drive out to Middleton Place on the Ashley River. Meander unhurriedly through the fragrant gardens, then linger over a world-class southern supper overlooking the Mill Pond and Azalea Hillside.
7) Sneak down a (somewhat) secret alley. From the Battery, follow the brickwork of Church Street and turn right at Stoll’s Alley. Hand-in-hand, under the cover of night or in the shadows of day, step quietly toward East Bay Street… then back again.
Though only a sample of ways to share in the affection of our Holy City, exploring this storied place is a resolution worth keeping– not just as we head from January to February, but for all your days in Charleston. Think of it as finding new love.