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Romantic Getaways |
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CHARLESTON CHARM I can't believe it took my wife and me 15 years to finally make it to what many consider to be the most romantic city on earth (sorry, but Paris is way over-rated). There are
various elements involved in a wonderful romantic getaway. The
accommodations are one
What is so lovely about Charleston is that for a very large part of the historic city, the look and feel is consistent (charming historic buildings that have been maintained to look like they were built 100-300 years ago.) Sure Charleston does have some run-down sections but they are way on the outskirts. For
our getaway we stayed at a very unique property. The William Aiken house
has been restored to be a place for receptions, weddings and corporate Although it is on the north side of historic Charleston, it was a very lovely 10 minute walk to get to the core of the city and there were some great restaurants nearby as well. One of the city's best restaurants, Fish, is located adjacent to the William Aiken house and if there weren't so many fantastic restaurants to try, we could have eaten there every meal. We timed our trip so we could be there for the annual Festival of House and Gardens so we could see inside some of these lovely historic structures and take a peek at the Charleston gardens, the subject of which many books have been written. On the
outskirts of Charleston are two existing If you are wanting to celebrate your romance over a lovely
dinner, the Charleston Grill is one of the most If you stay at the William Aiken house I would highly recommend the Bookstore Cafe two blocks away for breakfast and another great breakfast place is Hominy Grill. And some of the best Thai food we have had is across the street at Basil. Charleston has enough charm, culture and great restaurants that you could stay for a week and not feel bored. But even a weekend stay would be enchanting. Just watch out for the hot and humid months of June, July and August.
456 King St 843-853-1810
442 King St 722-FISH
Basil 460 King St 724-3490
Bookstore Cafe 412 King St 720-8843
224 King St 577-4522
Hominy Grill 207 Rutledge Ave 937-0930
4300 Ashley River Rd 556-6020
3550 Ashley River Rd 571-1266
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aspect. The ambience of the locale is another.
But you also have to factor in quality restaurants, friendliness of the
people, and cultural attractions.
events. They have converted the old Gothic-style carriage house into 2
very spacious suites, complete with a kitchenette.
plantation homes and gardens
which I would recommend to anyone. You could easily spend a half day or
more at both Magnolia Plantation and Middleton Place. If you can time
your visit for the blooming of the azaleas (typically late March) then
you will be in for an amazing spectacle.
romantic (and expensive)
places in town. Here's a secret though. If you only order an entree,
they will still bring you a little appetizer (or two) and a small
dessert sampler, compliments of the chef.