Located on the South Carolina coast, Charleston is a bustling city with southern vibes. The harbor that the city sits on has made it a key transportation hub since the colonial days. Today, it still holds a shipping industry but has evolved into a tourism region and a destination for many in the south.
Recently, I took a weekend trip to Charleston. I’ve stayed at the Isle of Palms many times as a kid with my family. Growing up in Charlotte, I found it to be a summertime destination for the family. But, I have not been in the past couple of years. So, it was time to come back!
Enjoying the Day: Summertime Activities
My buddy and I decided to come in on Friday afternoon. I took the afternoon off and we drove down from Charlotte. A four-hour drive later, we arrived comfortably at Mt. Pleasant. We were staying at the Comfort Inn at Patriots Point. From there, we took a drive over to Folly Beach to enjoy the evening and some drinks.
Saturday was our full day in the area. With limited time and unlimited activities, we had to plan what to do. We decided on the following:
- Touring the USS Yorktown at Patriots Point
- Getting Brunch at Bedford Falls in Charleston
- Heading to the Beach at Sullivan’s Island
- Climbing the Authur Ravenel Jr. Bridge over the Charleston Harbor
I’ll give you the rundown of these activities and give you some guidance for your trip.
USS Yorktown at Patriots Point
If you come over the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, you will most likely see the USS Yorktown moored on the Mt. Pleasant side at an area called Patriots Point. This massive Essex-Class aircraft carrier served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam before being decommissioned and left to rest in the Charleston Harbor. Today, you can tour the aircraft carrier and experience what it would have been like to be on board.
Given our hotel was right at Patriots Point, this was a no-brainer activity. We bought our tickets online, which was $2 cheaper ($28 per person versus $30) before coming to the USS Yorktown. Parking was an additional $5 by the ship. We got there around 10 AM and proceeded to enter the gate as we viewed the towering ship in the background.
Once through the gate, we walked along the walkways leading to the main dock. The USS Yorktown towers in the water next to a much smaller battleship and modestly sized boats at the marina. It’s crazy to think how this ship can float given its size.
Boarding the ship, you are brought into the main hangar just below the flight deck. Beautifully preserved WWII airplanes are positioned in the hangar for you to see. Additionally, the Medal of Honor Museum and other exhibits for the ship are contained in the hangar.
Beyond that, you can take one of the four tours around the ship. I believe these can either be self-guided or with a guide. We took the self-guided route and explored the ship’s bridge, flight deck, boiler rooms, and quarters. It’s really interesting to see how the ship is laid out with tight doorways, hatches, and vintage hardware. One thing to note is that A/C is not a thing on the USS Yorktown. On a hot and muggy August day, we were certainly sweaty after the visit.
Brunch in Downtown Charleston
After about two hours on the USS Yorktown, we had enough of sweating and ducking the hatches. So, we headed across the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge to downtown Charleston. My buddy’s friend, being a local to the area, recommended we stop at Bedford Falls. A quaint restaurant was built in an old southern home.
Bedford Falls was the perfect place for a simple yet elegant Saturday lunch. I had their Pulled pork Nachos with a couple of Bloody Marys to wash it down. After the USS Yorktown, I was down for some A/C and drinks. It made for the perfect lunch.
If you are interested in checking out Bedford Falls. They are located on Meeting St. right near the heart of downtown Charleston. They have roughly four parking spots at the restaurant, so be prepared to park nearby and walk. Regardless, Bedford Falls is perfect for any lunch or dinner!
An Afternoon of Sun at Sullivan’s Island
Once we had finished our lunch, we headed back over the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge to our hotel at Patriots Point. We quickly got ready and then set out for Sullivans Island. Located across from Mt. Pleasant, Sullivan’s Island is a small but wealthy beach community near Charleston. For us, it was about a 15-minute drive from our hotel.
As far as beaches go, this is one of my favorites. You only have three beach options in the Charleston area. Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island, and Folly Beach. Isle of Palms is located adjacent to Sullivan’s Island. It is a more touristy area with paid beach parking, shops, and restaurants. It is also home to the Wild Dunes Resort on the north of the Island.
Sullivan’s Island is a more quiet town compared to the Isle of Palms. It has a few quaint shops and restaurants at its heart. Beach parking is free, but there is parallel parking along the streets. Notably, the southern end of Sullivan’s Island holds Fort Moultrie. This fort along with Fort Sumter and Castle Pinckney make up part of the extensive history in the area. Fort Moultrie is certainly worth the visit. It has served a purpose from the Revolutionary War up to WWII. It is also located right on the harbor for spectacular views.
Finally, Folly’s Beach is located around 30 minutes from the city. It is the farthest away but still great to visit. Both ends of the island have beautiful parks to visit. The northern end even has a lighthouse out in the water to check out.
Back to Sullivan’s Island. Once we arrived there, we spent about 15 minutes circling the streets for parking. Eventually, we got lucky and located a spot. A two-block walk later and we were on the coast. The spot we came to was roughly 10 blocks north of the heart of Sullivan. What made this spot perfect was the uniqueness of the beach. The beach featured some cool pools that formed from the tides, making it the perfect place to swim. Furthermore, the area was full of kite surfers which made for a cool site.
We spend the afternoon here sitting on the sand, floating in the water, exploring, and generally just chillin’ outdoors! I made sure to bring my river floaty from my Catawba River ride. The tidal pools were the right spot to just chill and float on the water. Overall, it made my whole day.
Climbing the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge
As the evening began to approach, we decided to pack up and head back to the hotel. There I freshened up and relaxed. The decision was made for a chill evening, staying in and ordering food to the hotel. While I wanted to go get some great seafood for dinner, staying in was more comfortable. However, the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge was located right next to our hotel at Patriots Point. So, I reckoned I had enough energy to hike up the bridge for some cozy dusk views.
If you’ve never seen it, The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge is the main bridge across the Cooper River, replacing the old Cooper River Bridge in 2005. This massive cable bridge runs roughly 2.5 miles across the mouth of the river into the bay. Interestingly enough, this is also where water from the Catawba River, which I write about, flows out to sea. So it was perfect for me to visit.
A big walkway runs on the southern part of the bridge. Here, I and others can walk across. This walkway conveniently started by my hotel, so I began my journey up the bridge. As I began walking the cool evening air was there to cheer me on. It was a hill climb, but nothing crazy. With every step, the views got better. I had to stop multiple times just to enjoy the view.
I made it to the top and hung out to look across the bay. I could see out to the ocean and Sullivan’s Island. I could see Fort Sumter, Castle Pinckney, and the city of Charleston itself. The gray overcast gave a relaxing vibe as I gazed out. This walk is certainly worth making.
Once I had enough, I slowly began my walk down the bridge, finally making it to the bottom. I will note that the bridge feels very safe to me. I know that is a concern for some. Multiple emergency buttons exist and the bridge is frequently walked by locals. However, I was glad to make it back before it got dark.
In Conclusion
There is no shortage of activities in Charleston. You can spend an entire week vacationing in the area. This was just a snapshot of what my day looked like. There are so many other activities I wanted to do like fishing, dinner, kayaking, and more. I will note that you should prioritize time to visit the historical sites and natural areas. The rich history of the area and its ecological beauty bring me to enjoy this area. I hope you get the chance if you’ve never been. If you do explore, let me know what you think. I love to hear from readers like you. Thank you!
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