As summer approaches, I look back to my summer trip last year in Charleston, South Carolina. I had been wanting to visit Charleston for quite some time to visit Kings Street to experience all the shopping and understand the history behind the city. Last July, my friend Ali and I decided it would be the perfect getaway from her apartment in Charlotte, North Carolina. Ali had been to Charleston once but was looking to go back to see more. Charleston was roughly a three-hour drive from Charlotte, and we were excited to visit this beautiful city.

We checked in to our Airbnb that was just outside of Kings Street, where we changed into our favorite outfits to take on the day. Of course we began with shopping, as we were both ready to check out the local boutiques down Kings Street. The most beautiful historic downtown with so many bright colors and palm trees lined the way. Every store we visited was beautifully curated and visually stunning. From coastal themes to vibrant color palettes, everything was incredibly aesthetically pleasing.

Our surroundings were filled with people everywhere doing the same thing we were: exploring Charleston! All ages were out and about. Everyone was dressed neat and coastal, almost as if people were going to the golf course or just coming from church. We definitely fit in with the crowd. As we were walking the strip, we noticed the old movie theatre that immediately caught our eye with what they had placed on the board: “If you’re a bird, I’m a bird. Happy 20th Anniversary of The Notebook.” After seeing this, we soon quickly recognized that building from the iconic movie The Notebook (one of my favorites!) We soon learned that the movie had done a lot of their filming around the Charleston area.

As our step count continued to grow and we became shopped-out for the day, we decided it was time for some dinner. We decided on a waterfront restaurant called Saltwater Cowboys at Schem Creek. As soon as we pulled in the parking lot, we had a hard time finding a spot to park. Finally we found one, and we soon realized this was the ideal party spot for locals and tourists. We put our reservation in for two and saw how packed the entire area was around the bar and the DJ. It was a beautiful evening with country music blaring, boats passing by and those enjoying themselves. We got our table, where I decided to order some appetizers and frozen cocktails. After a light dinner, we decided to check out the other bars nearby where they were equally packed just like Saltwater Cowboys.

After exploring, we finished our final drink in two rocking chairs overlooking the water. It was the perfect way to recap our day exploring Charleston and its surrounding areas. Overall, I am hoping to go back sometime soon to see more sights and enjoy a similar experience again.

— Megan Gragg, account executive