Looks for Charleston tips..
 

Hi All -

Driving the wife to Charleston to visit our newly relocated daughter. Looking for any tips you might have on restaurants, must-see sights, and postcard-type views. Thanks in advance :)

Mazda has a reman contractor in Summerville, just west of Charlston.
Wifey and I went to Charleston, once, and are planning going back in the box.
In the old downtown area they have the old slave market that is now a big flea market/farmers market kind of atmosphere. All around that area are quite good resturants. From there go farther south to Battery Park. It's across the bay from Ft. Sumter and the park itself is quite nice. This is the old, very wealthy, restored section of old Charleston. It's worth a couple of hours driving around with the rag stored. The streets are narrow and the houses multi-story. We went in the Mazda CX7 and both had cricks in our necks from trying to look up. A sunroof is NOT a ragtop! We decided to get ripped off on a horse and buggy tour and it was the first one I was not mad about afterward. Wifey loves them, I normaly hate them, but this one was nice and worth it. Tons of southern history.
Go up US17 north, across the river and get off on the first exit for Mount PLeasant and go out to Sullivans Island and Ft. Moultry. I thought this was also worth the effort.
All in all, you should enjoy several trips back to visit your daughter.
My oldest daughter is an Army doc stationed in Olympia, WA with our only grandchild. Wifey is out there now visiting for a month. (teacher)
Younger daughter is working 13 months in Germany for a resort called Edelweiss.
Atlanta to Charleston is too easy!! :dance:

Hank's and Carolina's are two of our favorite Charleston restaurants. Both are downtown, dressy casual, average $30 entree kinds of places. You really need to have reservations for either one.

Our favorite dish at Hank's is the Seafood Wando. It's kind of an open, noisy atmosphere.

At Carolina's you have to try the Shrimp and Crab Wonton appetizer. It's a "bistro" with a slight Asian influence.

If you're into history you could go see the Hunley. It's the recently recovered submarine that sank a Union warship in the mouth of the Charleston harbor during the civil war. There's also the Aquarium, Patriot's Point, Charles Towne Landing, the Battery, Fort Sumter, and a ton of other stuff. Have fun!

Charleston is a 2nd home for me - my favorite city on the Planet !! (and I've lived in Paris, Rome, London, NYC and Tokyo and visited many, many more). I established a business there in the late 80's and we own a historic home (built in 1785) in the historic district - just off Battery Row on Lamboll St. (South of Broad - the Foo-Foo district). We currently rent it to a husband/wife pair of surgeons on faculty at the Medical University of South Carolina (for the past 19 yrs. - 92% paid off). We'll eventually retire there.

There are too many good restaurants to mention, except if you want traditional Low-Country food, you need to go to one (or both) of two places - Jestine's Kitchen (on the corner of Wentworth and Meeting Sts.) and Hominy Grill (Cannon St. and Rutledge Ave.).

If you want one of the best meals you'll ever have in your lifetime (NO BULL), go to the Penninsula Grill in the Planters Inn (Meeting and North Market Sts.), a Relais & Château property.

Nothing wrong with Hanks or Carolina's, but they're mainly tourist traps.

Excellent food and service are to be had at 82 Queen Street, Gaulart et Maliclet Café - 98 Broad Street (very traditional French Bistro), 39 Rue de Jean - 39 John Street (Excellent French Brasserie), Muse - 82 Society Street (Italian Fine Dining - superb!!), McCradys - 2 Unity Alley (outstanding cuisine nouveau), Mercato - 102 N. Market Street (owned by the owners and chef of the Penninsula Grill), Joseph's Restaurant - 129 Meeting Street (best breakfast on the Penninsula), The Boathouse on East Bay – 549 East Bay Street (great raw bar and seafood), TBonz Gill & Grill - 80 N. Market Street (great Burgers, Beers - late night), THE ROOFTOP
at the Vendue Inn - 19 Vendue Range (for drinks and a romantic view of the City).

I could go on and on, but these are a few of the Must Do's if visiting Charleston - I'd stand by any of these recommendations. PM me if I can be of any more assistance - HAVE A BLAST !!!

Same can be said for half the places you mentioned, lb. The rest I'm taking note of, so we can give them a try.

+1 for the Vendue Inn, I forgot about that place.