Chaahhh-ston, South Carolina

Last weekend, I went with seven of my girlfriends to Charleston, South Carolina for my bachelorette celebration.  We stayed in a lovely house on Folly Beach, an area of Charleston known for its "laid-back" atmosphere and accessible beaches.  It is not unlikely that you will see the majority of people riding bikes or driving golf carts rather than cars along the few streets that pass through the narrow island.  After a relaxing day on the beach, we had a tasty dinner at Taco Boy in downtown Folly.  I highly recommend the guacamole and cadillac margaritas - yum!  On Saturday, we lounged by the pool at our rental house and then headed downtown for a nice dinner and late night dancing.  

My List of Must Do's in Charleston

1. Shop on King Street: You can find both steals and high credit card bills on King Street.  For a variety of stylish, trendy (but not too trendy) clothing, visit Luna.  While their clothes can be pricy, their jewelry is fairly reasonable.  
2. Eat seafood, low country style: We ate at Chai's, a little Asian inspired tapas place.  I highly recommend sitting on the patio, ordering the shrimp and grits and tasting the sangria.  There are definitely more well-known places that are must-eats, like Magnolia's and the Old Village Post House both serving low country favorites like crab cakes and fried oysters. 
3. Relax on the beaches: Charleston has a handful of beaches in its outlying areas.  I prefer the no-fuss Folly Beach.
4. Snack on boiled peanuts: boiled peanuts are "green" peanuts boiled in water and salt.  The best ones are sold on roadside stands.  If you are feeling adventurous, try the spicy ones.
5. Experience the night life: Charleston has as an excellent variety of bars featuring nightly entertainment, ranging from relaxing piano music to lively horn-filled bands and loud dance clubs.  For hard to please crowds, try Trio Lounge. It features both a live Motown/shag band downstairs and club music upstairs.  Plus, it has a nice patio out back for a much needed cool down after dancing.