The old-world romance and laid-back seaside setting makes Charleston the ideal destination for every type of couple. Whether you’re all about candlelit dinners and sunset strolls or beachside bike rides and botanical gardens, the romance in Charleston is practically dripping from its mossy oak trees. We’ve planned your perfect escape.
Day 1
Evening:
Check into The Pinch and enjoy your complimentary February welcome cocktail for two. Once you’re refreshed, start the weekend right at the nearby Sullivan’s Island for a sunset beach stroll and dinner at the beloved seaside haunt Obstinate Daughter. Split a wood-fired pizza and one of their fresh pasta dishes— the Fregula, a Vadouvan-based dish featuring market fish, shrimp, mussels, and lime is a great way to sample the hyper-local offerings— and toast to the beginning of a perfect weekend together.
Night:
After dinner, catch a movie at The Terrace, an Art Deco-retro theater showing a mix of the latest films and old classics like Casablanca, perhaps the most romantic movie of all time. (If you’re the couple that would rather see a horror like 28 Years Later, they’re playing that, too.) In the lobby, beneath large chandeliers, order from a rounded bar stocked with beer and wine, or BYOB if you prefer a particular vintage with your popcorn.
Sullivans Island
Day 2
Morning:
Start your morning with a coffee at the brand-new American Gardens, a charming oasis right in downtown Charleston that feels like a little portal to Paris. The public greenspace hosts community events like group yoga, qigong, and book readings for children, but it’s also just a quiet place to relax, read the newspaper, and reconnect over cappuccinos from the Gardens coffee cart, which is open Wednesday through Sundays. A picturesque tiered fountain and old-fashioned merry-go-round add vintage charm.
Perched right along the American Gardens is the Gibbes Museum of Art, whose collection of American Southern art spans the colonial period to contemporary work. But the real draw here is the museum’s impressive gallery of over 600 miniature portraits— unique, highly personal heirlooms, most of them small enough to fit in the palm of the hand.
Lunch:
Wandering through the cobblestone alleys of Charleston’s quaintest neighborhood, the South of Broad district, you’ll eventually find yourself at goat.sheep.cow, a European-style fromagerie. Pick up some sandwiches or assemble a DIY charcuterie board from their provisions and head to Waterfront Park for a picnic en plein air.
The Gibbes Museum of Art: Miniature Collection
Rent a car and head to Brookgreen Gardens, a spectacular botanical garden and wildlife reserve about an hour-and-a-half north of Charleston, just south of Myrtle Beach. With a live oak alée lined with ancient oak trees dripping with Spanish moss, along with seasonal blooms, a butterfly garden, and sculptures tucked among seasonal blooms, there’s plenty of hidden spots to get lost.
Evening:
In the lobby of The Nickel Hotel, Bar Daniel feels more like a candlelit den than a cocktail bar. It’s a great spot to wind down with a craft cocktail, but if you’re in time for sunset, you’ll want to head up to the Rosemary Rose rooftop bar and lounge and take in the views. For dinner, head back to The Pinch’s Lowland to continue the dimly-lit old-world romance. Oysters, champagne, and one of the best burgers in town, plus some of the most innovative Southern cuisine around.
Rosemary Rose at The Nickel Hotel
Day 3
Morning:
Start the day with a romantic outing that’s singularly Lowcountry; Cypress Gardens in Monck’s Corner is a scenic swamp that featured in The Notebook. Make like Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling and paddle through the mythical trees on a canoe for two.
Afternoon:
It’s the thought that counts and there’s no shortage of beautiful, small shops to pick up great gifts. For flowers, The Bearded Florist; for chocolates, Chocolat by Adam Turoni; Graft Wine Shop for natural wines; and for the stylish cards and stationary, The Paper Canopy. Croghan’s Jewel Box is the oldest jewelry store in Charleston, chock-full of antique heirlooms and estate jewelry, including engagement rings both bold and subtle. If you’re in search of goods to feather the nest, strill down King Street and its bounty of antique shops; Tucker Payne Antiques and Super Saturdays are two of our favorites.
Finish off the day with a sauna session at Solt Spa, a refreshing cold plunge, or try halotherapy with a session-for-two in their salt cave, said to provide a host of mental and physical benefits.
Evening:
One of the most romantic walks in Charleston is a stroll along Tradd Street, the oldest in the city, down to White Point Gardens. Go just after dark, with all the gas lanterns flickering. Then head over to Chez Nou for the ideal romantic setting, a petite bistro in an 1800s-era historic home (think wide-plank flooring and tons of natural light). The handwritten menu, which changes daily, consists of simple but immaculate locally-sourced dishes like rigatoni with oxtail ragú, grilled octopus, and poisson du jour in buttery caper sauce. A wall of Old World wines from France, Spain, and Italy keeps things flowing.
Night:
Nothing sets the mood like jazz. Forte Jazz Lounge has it live every weekend with some of the finest musicians in the area, plus bistro setting, cocktails and wine, and moody blue lighting.
Graft Wine
Day 4
Morning:
After a night on the town, have a lazy breakfast in your suite with leftover chocolates, pastries from the adorable Welton’s Tiny Bake Shop, or locally-sourced groceries from The Veggie Bin. Continue the slow morning with an in-room couples massage courtesy of The Pinch Spa.
Afternoon:
In the afternoon, take out a pair of two wheelers from The Pinch’s bikeshare program and ride to the nearby historic town of Mount Pleasant. The streets of the Old Village are lined with charming shops, eateries, and pastel-colored homes by the waterfront. Walk the pier among the tranquil marshes or pull to the swivel stools at the Pitt Street Pharmacy old-school soda fountain counter.
Evening:
Cap the romantic weekend with a breezy sunset sail on the harbor with Charleston Harbor Sailing. You may even spot a dolphin or two.