Mount Pleasant
The suburb of Mount Pleasant is connected to downtown Charleston by the massive steel Ravenel Bridge over the Cooper River, and on Sundays swarms of locals cross the two-mile span on foot and by bicycle. Near the base of the bridge, you'll find the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum and Civil War-era cannons kids can crawl all over. Head inland into Old Mount Pleasant, a quiet neighborhood village time forgot, with retro shops and diners straight out of the 1950s. Along Highway 17, you'll see several sweetgrass-basket stands where vendors weave and sell their wares. And if you want a fun side trip, a five-mile drive south will take you to Sullivan's Island, a great place for an ocean-view picnic or an afternoon playing in the sand.
RESTAURANTS
Gullah Cuisine
Get your fill of okra, collard greens, and Gullah rice (a low-country cousin to paella). 1717 Highway 17, (843) 881-9076.
Jack's Cosmic Dogs
Heaven for hot-dog lovers, Jack's has 20 different kinds on the menu, sweet-potato mustard, and decor reminiscent of Fonzie's garage. 2805 Highway 17 North, (843) 884-7677.
Water's Edge
For brunch, try the biscuits and gravy or a smoked-salmon BLT while watching the shrimp boats make their way from Shem Creek out to Charleston Harbor. 1407 Shrimp Boat Lane, (843) 884-4074.
The Wreck
This greasy spoon has no sign and is therefore filled with locals. It's the perfect place for a no-frills meal of hush puppies and fried or grilled seafood. 106 Haddrell Street, (843) 884-0052.
STORES
Out of Hand
Find things new and old in this shop loaded with stationery, jewelry, hats, shoes, and other handmade treasures. 113c Pitt Street, (843) 856-3585.
Pitt Street Pharmacy
This charming 60-year-old drugstore still has the original soda fountain and thick malted milkshakes. 111 Pitt Street, (843) 884-4051.
ACTIVITIES
Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum
Take a tour of the Yorktown, a WWII aircraft carrier that's practically unchanged since its days at sea. 40 Patriots Point Road, (843) 884-2727.
Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens
It's one of the oldest operating plantations in the country. (Parts of The Notebook were filmed here.) You can pick strawberries in the fields and tour the old slave cabins. 1235 Long Point Road, (843) 884-4371.
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