Megan’s 5 Star Vacation in Charleston

Looking for your next weekend getaway? A girls’ weekend? Big birthday celebration? Anniversary trip? Our recent five star destinations would be great additions to your travel bucket list! This week, I’m sharing our vacation in Charleston. We stayed at the Hotel Bennett and it did not disappoint! Read on for my review (and stay tuned next week for Christa’s stay at the Acqualina Resort in Miami).

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Megan’s Vacation in Charleston

Charleston, South Carolina, aka Chucktown or The Holy City – and holy cow it did not disappoint! The charm, the food, the shopping and golfing – there is something for everyone. We zipped down 95 South for a few nights in the holy city, specifically the Hotel Bennett (IYKYK) and it is probably the fanciest place I’ve ever stayed. Condé Nast named it one of the best new hotels in the world (2020) and I can see why.

Camellias, the stylish and feminine Champagne bar located off the lobby, is filled with pink marble repurposed from the old Charleston library. It’s rumored to be one of the most “instagrammed” rooms on the ‘net. It’s certainly worthy! The staff at the Bennett were charming and attentive, each interaction felt personal (Mr. Bennett comes into the hotel everyday.). Housekeeping earned their $$ with my crew, each time we left the room they quietly organized our chaos and tidied the space. I wanted to bring them home with me! We had drinks on the rooftop bar overlooking the pool and the city. Stunning views. In the morning we popped into the French style patisserie shop and got lattes and yummy croissants. It was like being transported to a European city, with southern charm of course!

Charleston is a walking city

For a vacation in Charleston bring comfortable shoes because it is a walking city! (More on that later.)

• Millers All Day is not to be missed. And by all day they mean 8-3 M-F and 8-4 Saturday and Sunday. Order anything (or everything!), the food is amazing, best grits I’ve ever had and don’t skip the Cinnamon Roll (it’s made with biscuit dough).
• Basic Kitchen was a personal fav, lots of vegetarian options and most everything sourced locally. The healthiest choice I could find!
• My husbands fav was Halls Chop House, now I know you’re thinking “Ya been to one steak house ya been to ’em all.”, but this was on a whole other level. We all agreed it was by far the best service we have ever had at any restaurant. And that’s not just because the sommelier was whispering in my husband’s ear.

Lots to do in and around Charleston. We toured Patriots Point, just over the bridge in Charleston Harbor. It was a living history lesson. (And they had a helicopter from my grandfathers squadron! HS-4) There are oodles of golf courses to make any enthusiast giddy. While the boys play golf, the shopping on King Street will keep you busy. My friend Lynne says the Charleston aquarium is her favorite, I’m adding it to the list for next time.

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What Megan Packed

When packing for a trip I start by picking a color story. (Actually first I check the weather.) Once I have my color scheme set it’s pretty easy. I make a list of the days and evenings events, and once I have the number of outfits needed, just fill in the blanks. Making each item work two or three ways is a bonus if you are trying to fit it all in a carry-on. For my vacation in Charleston my color scheme was navy blue and white with pink accents. Here is what I brought:

• Day 1 (driving) : blue joggers, white tee, pink cashmere sweater (wrapped around my shoulders), jean jacket and white sneakers. (evening) Blue shirt dress with gold gladiator sandals (similar).
• Day 2 (touring) : white jeans, blue button down, pink sweater, white sneakers. (evening) Cleobella dress (similar), gold gladiator sandals and jean jacket.
• Day 3 (shopping) : cotton shirt dress, white sneakers. (dinner) white jeans, white tee, sweater jacket, gold gladiator sandals.
• Day 4 (driving) : blue joggers, white tank, white button down, white sneakers.

Pro tip: For more outfit inspiration check out this post with some great ideas for your next getaway.

MEGAN’S PACKING TIPS FOR HER VACATION IN CHARLESTON

• Lay out each outfit: shoes, purse, accessories and clothes. If you are traveling for just a long weekend try to take just one layering piece. On this trip it was my jean jacket and a scarf.
• I love trying the hotel shampoos. It gives my hair a “break” from what I’ve been using and it’s one less thing to remember.
• An LL Bean tote works well for road trips. The open top means easy access to magazines, headphones or snacks! I always throw a pair of flip flops in too, jic!
• If you’re going on a road trip, you have a little more flexibility and for me that means higher likelihood that I’ll overpack. Sticking to the plan per day helps prevent that.

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A vacation in Charleston is an on-the-go trip, with lots of walking (which is good bcuz you are doing a lot of eating!). From golf to history, shopping to historical tours, there is something for everyone.

Stay tuned next week for Christa’s review of Acqualina Resort in Miami – those sandy beaches and umbrella drinks are calling!

Where ever you choose to go, we hope our packing tips and tricks and our outfit lists provide you with some inspiration. Bon Voyage!

Looking for more vacation ideas? Travel With Megan for Five Sunny Days in La Jolla, California!

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Thanks for following along on your blog. If you’re interested in booking and have any questions, we’re happy to answer them – just leave us a comment and we’ll get back to you! We’d also love to hear about your favorite destinations so we can start planning our next trips!

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