Hello! It’s been ages since I’ve given you a travel guide post, so I am so excited to present you today with this two-in-one! After extremely minimal travel in the last couple years, my mom and I finally took an actual week-long air travel vacation to two cities we’ve never been to before. And because I know these two are quite the destination spots for many people, I thought you might appreciate my personal reviews and recommendations. Obviously, take what you like and leave the rest, but you all know my priorities (lots of walking and on-foot exploring, really good coffee, delish local eats, and awe-inspiring sights…not necessarily in that order :p).

I didn’t really have any expectations for either place going in, so it was nice to be thoroughly surprised by each. While they’re both historical Southern cities, they have very different vibes and things to offer. Both are extremely charming, walkable, and have lots of character. But Savannah is more laid-back + lots of partying/nightlife, while Charleston is more refined/chic + daytime-oriented. But no matter your vibe and preference, each city will have something for everyone.

If you have any specific questions or need any specific recommendations after reading this post, feel free to drop a comment and I’ll get back to you shortly!

Without further ado, let’s get traveling!

Charleston

While my mom and I stayed in an Airbnb outside the city proper (we were on James Island, a 15 min car ride away), I do highly recommend staying centrally in historic downtown if you’re able to. Prices hike up the closer you are to the date of travel, so try to plan ahead. The convenience of staying downtown honestly just can’t be beat, and you’ll really experience the city’s energy to the fullest. Also, because of the walkability, you can get away with not using a car if you’re just staying downtown. Mom and I spent 3 nights here and felt it was the perfect amount (we did do a day trip outside the city, though, so if you’re planning on just being downtown, I’d recommend around 2 days).

Food & Coffee

Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit

This place is an institution in Charleston. They’re famous for their little biscuits that come in tons of flavors and varieties, as well as their biscuit sandwiches. My mom and I got a biscuit egg sandwich each, and also got 2 each of the blackberry, cinnamon, and cheese & chive to eat throughout the day. Everything was DELICIOUS. There’s no seating inside, so I recommend taking them to a nearby coffee shop (we went to The Rise, mentioned below) or to the waterfront to enjoy.

The Rise Coffee Bar

This coffeeshop is part of a really pretty hotel, so there’s ample seating in that lobby, or they have a lovely outdoor seating area. We LOVED their iced Vanilla Almond lattes (not too sweet and perfect with almond milk). Great accompaniment to the aforementioned biscuits. 🙂

Harken Cafe

This coffeeshop is super cute and nestled on a quiet street right off the bustling King St. They do pastries and a few limited lunch options, plus coffee. I got a cold brew (which to be honest, I didn’t love), but their pastries were DELICIOUS. A stand-out was the matcha avocado shortbread cookie with vanilla buttercream. So unique and delightful!

Clerks Coffee Company

This was honestly probably my favorite coffeeshop in Charleston. It’s located inside the gorgeous Emeline Hotel, which I just adored as soon as I walked in. We spent lots of time just relaxing and cooling down in the hotel lobby after long days of walking around the city (the hotel is close to the waterfront), and we came to the coffeeshop twice. Once, we got lunch here (they had really delicious small personal pizzas), and we loved their lattes. I had a delicious iced oat latte, and my mom really enjoyed their specialty caramel latte with almond milk.

Husk

This place is quite famous in Charleston, and for good reason. This is some of the best food we had in Charleston, and it’s considered a must! I will say, reservations here book up weeks in advance, but they do take walk-ins, and from what I have seen, it’s relatively easy to get in on a weekday evening (especially if you’re okay with waiting a bit). This restaurant is unique because it’s located inside a historic house, and the food is all Southern cuisine with a modern twist. We split the skillet cornbread (DIVINE), the confit duck leg, and a strawberry arugula salad. Ricotta cheesecake + decaf coffee for dessert (YUM). Plus some really delicious wine (I had the Angel Oak). Everything was top-notch, and the whole experience was lovely.

Butcher & Bee

This spot is a bit out of the way (you need to drive around 10 minutes outside of central downtown to get there), and it’s a cute modern Mediterranean spot that would be great for a date night! I will be honest – I didn’t love the whipped feta appetizer that I’ve seen RAVED ABOUT in reviews, but the baba ghanoush + pita and the spicy sweet potatoes were great.

High Cotton

We actually came to this place totally by accident because we needed a dinner spot on our first night, and it was raining super hard, and we didn’t really know where to go. With a quick google search, I found this spot which had promising reviews, and we were thankfully seated right away and were able to escape the rain. Honestly it ended up being the perfect introduction to Southern cuisine, since we were able to get the Shrimp & Grits (a must). Highly recommend for a reliably delicious and satisfying Southern meal with live music!

Sights & Activities

Solo Walking Tour

I’m actually going to direct you to this blog right here because I followed her walking tour and absolutely loved it. This is how we explored pretty much all of downtown on our first day and figured out what our favorite spots were and where we wanted to return to. I love how she laid out this walking tour – it truly covers all the main attractions + some secret spots you may never have come across on your own. Plus you can totally take it on your own pace, or skip things that are less interesting to you.

Waterfront Park + Pineapple Fountain

One of our favorite Charleston spots, and probably where we spent the most time. We loved walking and sitting in this area, and the pineapple fountain is iconic.

Rainbow Row

This is considered the most Instagrammable spot in Charleston, and it reminded me of the Painted Ladies in San Francisco. These pretty pastel houses are quite lovely to look at and do make an awesome photo backdrop. 🙂

City Market

Definitely worth a visit! This is a historic market spanning around 4 blocks with tons of souvenir options, local art, and some food. We picked up a gorgeous little canvas painting of a Charleston street here, as well as some magnets and local candy for souvenirs. Even if you don’t want to buy anything, it’s a super fun place to just look around.

Shopping on King St.

King St. is the most bustling and happening part of historic downtown, and here’s where you’ll find all the most posh and refined shops. This area is the one that reminded me most of Georgetown actually, and it’s definitely fun to walk through and window-shop. Also loved popping into some of the random galleries here – so much beautiful art from local artists!

Magnolia Plantation

We decided to take a day trip to this plantation 30 minutes away from downtown. While there is no shortage of plantations to visit in Charleston, each one is a little different. We appreciated that this one did not brush over its complicated history (the tickets include their not-to-be-missed slave quarters exhibit), while also being full of outdoor activities to fill up an entire day. Their petting zoo is not to be missed (they had a selection of rescue animals that I’d never seen in a petting zoo before), and the grounds are absolutely gorgeous. Tons of trails with wispy Southern oak trees will leave you quite occupied for several peaceful hours.

Next Time

Some things that had been on my list and were highly reviewed, but we didn’t get to:

• Second State Coffee

• Kudo Coffee

• Sightsee Coffee

• Mercantile and Mash

• Circa 1886 in Wentworth Mansion (dinner)

• Poogan’s Porch (brunch)

• Aiken Rhett House Museum

• Charleston Tea Garden

• Angel Oak Tree

• Sullivans Island

• Folly Beach

Savannah

Similar to Charleston, I would recommend staying in central downtown if you’re able to. You do not need a car unless you are planning on doing day trips (and Uber is readily available here). We stayed here for 4 nights, but I think just like Charleston, you only need 2 days (3 if you do a day trip). However, we really liked having the extra time to just take it slow and return to our favorite spots at a leisurely pace.

Food & Coffee

The Collins Quarter

Leave it to me to find an Australian cafe in every spot I travel to 😉 This spot is actually on every list of best brunches in Savannah, though, so it wasn’t exactly hard. We loved it, and while it gets BUSY on weekends, it doesn’t take too long to get a seat (plus there’s lots of nice squares to chill at or pretty streets to explore while you wait). Allow me to be the millionth person to say this, but if you come here, you HAVE TO get the spiced lavender mocha. Please just trust me. I do not like lavender/floral flavors in my food or drinks, and I don’t usually like sweet coffee. But every review that mentioned The Collins Quarter mentioned this drink, so I was just too curious. And my gosh, it was so worth the hype. If, like me, you’re not a fan of lavender drinks, don’t let that stop you from getting it. Trust.

Fox & Fig

One of the best meals we had in Savannah. This is a plant-based cafe that’s part of a collection of four sister restaurants (all of which have fox in the name) around Savannah. This one was our fave, and it’s most brunch-oriented. My mom and I both got the banana bread french toast (which is vegan banana bread turned into french toast), and yes it was as divine as it sounds. I got a cold brew, which was DREAMY, and my mom got an iced almond milk matcha latte that she was gushing over (I tried it, and it was indeed one of the best I’ve ever had out). Highly recommend this spot. Just know that it’s really busy on weekend mornings/afternoons and way more calm on weekdays.

Gallery Espresso

I read that this place is reminiscent of the Friends Central Perk cafe, and I can definitely see it. It’s got a super quirky and cozy interior with lots of mismatched couches and sofas and fireplaces. We really liked sitting outside too! They have a great selection of baked goods and some breakfast sandwiches, plus a rotating selection of flavored beans for their coffee, and about a hundred tea options. Definitely something for everyone. My mom and I loved their unique blueberry scones, and I really liked their iced coffee made with their signature blend (it had a super unique but really delicious flavor). Also this place is right by Chippewa Square (one of the more famous and prettier squares), so you can definitely take your food/coffee to enjoy there!

River Street Sweets

This place is a sweet tooth’s DREAM. Even if you’re not super into sweets, I think this is a must. River Street Sweets is located right on the riverfront, and it’s been making mouth-watering praline and various nutty delights, along with saltwater taffy, for around a century. They also give you samples of their praline as soon as you walk in, and just trust me, it’ll make you stop in your tracks when you taste it. We ate an embarrassing amount of praline over the course of our trip and also took a ton home. Seriously, don’t miss this. Their original praline is iconic, but I actually liked the chocolate one even more. Ahh, salivating.

Byrd’s Cookies

Another Savannah sweet institution. There are locations of Byrd’s in Charleston, too, but they hail from Savannah and are slightly more iconic there. Essentially they’re tiny crispy cookies of various flavors, many of which are super unique and unexpected (key lime! Georgia peach!). Plus they give unlimited samples of each cookie in every store (love!), and it’s an awesome spot to get souvenirs for back home.

Leopold’s Ice Cream

Agkakltkaehtkhktawit. Sorry I literally couldn’t speak because I was remembering this heavenly ice cream. You guys. This ice cream…..was THE best thing I had on this entire trip. Yes. I am serious. Now previously my all-time favorite ice cream was Salt & Straw after I tried it in Portland years back, but this was a similarly transcendent experience. Perhaps it’s a tie? Now I will say right now, there will be a line. And you will wonder if the line is worth it. Particularly when you’ve been standing in it for over 30/40 minutes. You will question your sanity. Until you taste said ice cream. And all questions and doubts will disappear from your mind, as you dissolve into ice cream bliss. I highly recommend the Savannah Socialite flavor in a waffle cone, but you can’t go wrong with anything (particularly anything with Georgia pecans in it).

The Olde Pink House

If the ice cream was the top favorite thing, The Olde Pink House is a close second. This is a legendary Savannah restaurant that is, similarly to Husk, really hard to get a reservation in. However, a little-known secret. The Olde Pink House (a literal giant pink house) has two sister restaurants that are also located in the house, one in the basement and one in the back.

The basement is a dim-lit tavern, called Planters Tavern, decorated to look like the inside of a ship, with live music playing 7:30pm onwards. If you come early, you can put your name on the waitlist and be seated by 8pm. Trust me when I say – the tavern is THE place to be. The vibes there are unbeatable, with the piano music and the speakeasy atmosphere, and it just feels way more relaxed than the upstairs main restaurant. Plus, they let you take a tour of the upstairs after your meal if you’re interested (definitely worth doing, if only to see that you made the right choice with the tavern haha. It’s also a really beautiful house).

One of the top moments of the whole trip was when I requested Piano Man, and the pianist started to play it, and the entire tavern started to sing along. Yep, it was epic. Oh, also the food was BOMB. Highly recommend sticking to the appetizers – I read in multiple reviews that the appetizers beat out the entrees, and I would agree. We split the BLT salad, the she-crab soup, and the Southern sushi. We had our doubts about each of these, but I trusted the reviews, and man oh man, everything was INCREDIBLE. Our expectations were totally blown out of the water. Also, the praline basket dessert is not to be missed.

Sights & Activities

Explore Jones Street

This street has been named one of the most beautiful streets in the U.S., and for good reason! The architecture of the historic homes, combined with the wispy oaks and Spanish moss are a sight to behold. This is a great street to slowly wander, with cups of coffee and a ready camera.

Forsyth Park

One of the most well-known spots in Savannah, and truly a lovely spot to walk, sit, or wander in. Lots of photo ops, and the second location of The Collins Quarter is also located here!

The Squares

Savannah has 22 squares to explore, all of which are unique and lovely in their own way, and they are intermittently scattered throughout the city. Each square has benches and plenty of greenery, and many have a fountain or statue in the center. My mom and I really loved exploring as many squares as we could find and marveling at the differences in each. Chippewa Square is perhaps the most famous, as it’s the site of Forrest Gump’s bench! (Though the bench itself is now held in a museum).

City Market

Like Charleston, Savannah has a City Market, though this one is worlds different. Savannah’s is fully outdoors, and it’s essentially just a street of various fun shops and cafes (we both preferred it to Charleston’s, as it’s definitely less of a tourist trap and less kitschy). You can find some really unique gifts here, and there’s a few incredible galleries that I highly recommend checking out!

Riverfront Walk

Love me a good riverfront! We spent a lot of time walking back and forth along the river, especially since we were staying pretty close by. It was a lovely way to start and end the day, and also, there are tons of shops and fun stopping points along the river walk. Lovely place to sit and rest too. 🙂

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

Beautiful on the outside, absolutely breathtaking on the inside. Highly recommend stopping in for just a few minutes to look around and snap a few pictures. It’s definitely worth a visit.

Evening Walking Ghost Tour

I felt like this was a must because Savannah is known to be an extremely haunted city. Now, whether that’s your thing or not (it’s not really mine haha), I feel like a family-friendly ghost tour is a great way to just explore some parts of the city you might not otherwise see and also hear some interesting history. There are many different varieties of these tours, with truly something for everyone, but we opted for this tour (it came recommended, and we knew it wouldn’t be too scary because it was for all ages hah). The tour guide was delightful, and we honestly had a great time traipsing around Savannah in the dark while listening to some gnarly ghost stories. 😀

Wormsloe Historic Site

Another city, another plantation. This one couldn’t be more different, though. Wormsloe is known to be one of the most beautiful estates in all of Savannah, though all that remains of the original house are a few ruins. However, there are tons of trails and paths, and you can easily walk/hike here for much of the day. This was also one of the most gorgeous oak-lined avenues I’ve seen on this entire trip.

Next Time

• Huey’s (iconic brunch spot + Southern classics for dinner on the waterfront)

• Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room (super popular family-style Southern brunch)

• Franklin’s (a cute coffeeshop that turns into a wine bar)

• Bonaventure Cemetery

• Tybee Island

And there you guys have it! A handy guide to two charming Southern cities that will hopefully inspire you to book a trip sometime soon. Spring is a gorgeous time to visit either/both place, and I love that each can be done in a quick weekend, or they can be combined for a longer getaway. In either case, I hope you enjoyed this snapshot of my travels, and let me know if you’ve ever been in either. Did I miss anything?

Happy adventuring! xx