Fun days in Charleston

Let's just say, I want to go back.  It was such a great trip.  Thursday after work I headed down to Charleston with two of my friends, Nicole and Karen, to meet our friend, Leigh, who moved to Charleston a few months ago.  She lives 10 min from the beach and her roommates were out of town so it was perfect timing.

My favorite view

Friday was spent on Folly Beach.  We packed our cooler with drinks and snacks and loaded up on sunscreen for the day.  I think people change when they are at the beach, at least I feel like I do.  I'm so much calmer when I'm laying on the sand looking out over the ocean and when I'm in the water I'm like a little kid playing in the waves.  The beach is such a happy place for me, I was born to live near water.

Friday night we got all dressed up and headed downtown Charleston for dinner and drinks.  We at at Fleet Landing Restaurant right on the water.  BEAUTIFUL.  The food was absolutely fantastic and the atmosphere was very cool.  The restaurant is in a retired Naval building right on the water giving diners views of the water from basically any seat in the house.  We at outside on the deck to enjoy the sea air as the sun set.  We saw fireworks from somewhere in the distance and the night was perfect.  The best part of our meal had to have been the Lump Crab Bruschetta - OMG was it good.  Think regular bruschetta but with giant chunks of crab meat on top as well.

Fleet Landing

After dinner we headed to Rooftop Bar to take in the views of downtown Charleston.  The place was hopping (bad music, but you can't have everything) and we were lucky to find a table to enjoy our rounds of beer.  I wasn't feeling well so I didn't drink, but the other ladies had a good time.  

Saturday we took advantage of Leigh's boyfriend's boat and headed off shore to the open ocean and a few secluded islands for our second day in the sun.  First stop was Morris Island.  

 Morris Island lighthouse

We hung out for a few hours on Morris Island and watched people catch SHARKS and stingrays right from the beach.  I was NOT getting into the water.  They weren't big sharks, but damn, it was a shark right off the beach!  After hanging out for a while we headed to the "party beach".

 Our ride for the day, on the left

The other boats on the beach

I'm not sure what the name of this beach or island was, but it was a lot of fun.  No families, just young people there to hang out and drink.  So we joined in.  We spent most of the day at this beach playing in the water and lounging on the boat.  

After we left the beach we headed to Red's Ice House for a bathroom break and some dinner.  

What a fun place!  It was packed and we were parked 3 boats deep at the dock.  There were buckets of beer consumed, lots of food and some shots of tequila.  Then it was back out on the water to head home and to watch the sunset from the open ocean.

Sunsets don't get much better than that one.  That's the view from a mile or two out in the water with the sun setting over the South Carolina coast.  Breathtaking.  The ride home was crazy bumpy and I have bruises to show for it!  

Saturday night we need a low key night after our second day in the sun so we headed back to Folly Beach to Surf Bar where we played a few rounds of CatchPhrase and some flip cup games and then it was back to the house to sleep.

Sunday morning our last stop before headed out of town was Lost Dog Cafe for brunch.  It was the place to be!  It was packed with people, some who drove, so who biked and others who drove their golf carts.  The walls are full of pictures of dogs and dogs are more than welcome to join their families on the patio for meals.  

After brunch, the three of us hit the road.  It was such a fantastic trip I wish I could do it over and over again.  Leigh kept asking us to move to Charleston, there is a very strong pull for me there.  The history of the city fascinates me and I love the look of the town.  And how can you go wrong living so close to the beach!?