Weekend Getaway Exploring the Revolutionary War in Charleston’s Historic District

In the months and years leading up to the American Revolution, Charleston was to the Southern colonies what Boston was to the Northern ones. The seat of political might and wealth, the city was an important trading port and vital to whoever controlled it. But after a single failed attempt to capture the city in 1776, Charleston endured years of peace while the war raged in the north.

Then the British returned.

From the oldest museum in the country to a one-room museum, Charleston tells the story of America’s fight for independence. Learn where you can visit with a weekend getaway to experience the American Revolution, visit historic sites and enjoy fantastic local shopping and food.

Friday

3 p.m. – Visit The Charleston Museum

Founded in 1773, The Charleston Museum is the oldest in the country. And it’s the perfect place to begin an exploration of the Revolutionary War in Charleston’s Historic District.

The museum’s eclectic collection focuses on the South Carolina Lowcountry, including artifacts, photographs and interpretive materials. Becoming Americans: Charleston in the Revolution is a permanent exhibit about the city’s role in the Revolutionary War. The exhibit includes a diorama of Fort Sullivan, details on the British occupation after the fall of Charleston in 1780, and dozens of artifacts.

360 Meeting St, Charleston, SC | 843-722-2996

5 p.m. – Visit the Horn Work in Marion Square

In March 1780, General Sir Henry Clinton approached the Charleston Neck with an invasion force to lay siege to the city. Commanding the Continental and militia units in the city, General Benjamin Lincoln ordered fortifications erected across the peninsula between the Ashley and Cooper Rivers. The only portion of that wall that remains today is the Horn Work.

Surrounded by a two-foot-tall black metal fence, the small tabby wall struts unexpectedly from the ground in the public park. From a distance, it could almost be mistaken for an unimpressive boulder. But in fact, it was the entry into the city through which the British triumphantly marched in May after Lincoln surrendered to Clinton, beginning a period of British occupation of Charleston.

Marion Square, Calhoun Street between Meeting and King Streets

6 p.m. – Dinner and Drinks on Upper King Street

Upper King Street—north of Calhoun Street—is a thriving food and drink destination for Charleston visitors. Parallel parking is scarce, so it’s best to use the Visitor Center Parking Garage. Then, restaurants are within a 5–15 minute walk.

Virginia’s on King is a casual restaurant with modern takes on traditional southern foods. John King Grill & Dueling Piano Bar is a fantastic burger joint with an upstairs live music venue featuring their famous dueling pianos. With an Art Deco floor and leather couches for seating, The Darling Oyster Bar will be as comfortable as the food is savory. Prohibition Bar & Restaurant is a casual upscale eatery where bartenders and cooks make everything from scratch. Hall’s Chophouse is the best place on Upper King for marinated steaks and savory sides.

Uncork Charleston is part of a new trend of self-serve wine bars featuring selected wines from around the world. Charleston Beer Works is a sports bar with a long list of local craft beers on tap—the perfect way to discover a new favorite brewery in the Lowcountry. Vintage Lounge is one of the most gorgeous bars in the state, with finely crafted cocktails. Enjoy one of the best views from a bar at Stars Rooftop & Grill Room—the rooftop bar offers spectacular views of Upper King Street and downtown Charleston.

Saturday

9 a.m. – Breakfast to Go at Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit

When Carrie Morey started an Instagram page in 2005 for selling her mother’s buttery biscuits, she had no idea the Lowcountry was about to make her a star. Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit on Upper King Street is a tiny venue with no seating—all food must be taken to go in sturdy containers. The melt-in-your-mouth biscuit sandwiches can only be eaten with a fork, so grab one on the way out the door.

476 1/2 King St, Charleston, SC | 843-737-5159

10 a.m. – Go Shopping at the Charleston Historic City Market

When the city market opened in 1807, it was a vital part of the community where residents bought daily supplies. Today, the Charleston Historic City Market is a very different place. Vendors sell fine art photography, paintings, clothing, home decor and jewelry. There’s a specialty shop for hats and a kitchen store for gorgeous, handcrafted dinnerware. Take a walk through the open-air buildings, into the enclosed and air-conditioned building, and dare yourself not to take something home.

188 Meeting St, Charleston, SC | 843-937-0920

11 p.m. – Visit the Powder Magazine

Built in 1712, the Powder Magazine is the oldest extant public building in the state. It was built with 36” thick walls topped with several tons of sand meant to store large quantities of gunpowder. The magazine had been replaced by one further from the population center by the start of the Revolutionary War, but it was returned to service to provide an additional place to store gunpowder. Take a guided tour of the one-room museum, where you’ll learn about colonial Charleston and the one thing never to wear when storing gunpowder.

79 Cumberland St, Charleston, SC | 843-722-9350

1 p.m. – Lunch at Poogan’s Porch

Poogan’s Porch opened in 1976 inside a one-hundred-year-old renovated house on Queen Street. During construction, the neighborhood dog visited the front porch for afternoon naps. His name was Poogan.

Chef Daniel Doyle enjoys putting a twist on southern dishes like she-crab soup, shrimp and grits, and chicken and waffles. Bedrooms and living rooms converted into dining rooms feature comfortable seating, the perfect place to enjoy a savory meal and rest a bit before continuing the adventure.

72 Queen St, Charleston, SC | 843-577-2337

3 p.m. – Take a Guided Tour of the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon

Finished in 1771, the Exchange and Custom House was a hub for activity for the American Revolution. The South Carolina Constitution was read to the public for the first time on the steps of the building. Meetings were held in the second-floor room, the same room where the United States Constitution was ratified, and George Washington was entertained in 1791. Take a guided tour of the Provost Dungeon to hear stories of the St. Augustine Exiles and stockpiles of gunpowder hidden so well the British never found them.

122 E Bay St, Charleston, SC | 843-727-2165

5 p.m. – Get a Peek at Rainbow Row

The colorful row of townhomes along East Bay Street is one of the most iconic destinations in Charleston, but do you know the story behind it? The neighborhood began as a pet project for Susan Pringle Smith when she bought six homes on the street in the 1930s. Along with Dorothy Porcher Legge, they renovated the homes and splashed Colonial Caribbean colors on the houses.

83-107 E Bay St, Charleston, SC | 803-528-8317

6 p.m. – Take a Stroll Through Waterfront Park

From Exchange Street to Vendue Range, Waterfront Park stretches along the Cooper River, offering visitors spectacular views and attractions. The Pineapple Fountain is one of the most-photographed spots in Charleston, a towering bronze water fountain splashing water into a concrete basin surrounded by shrubbery and park benches.

A pier extends from one end of the park, jutting into the water with a view of the USS Yorktown, a WWII-era battleship and the main attraction of Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. In the distance, Fort Sumter anchors the entrance into the harbor, the place where the Civil War began in 1861.

Park benches scattered beneath the shade of oak trees offer a respite from a day of walking, but it’s also perfectly acceptable to sprawl across the grass and enjoy basking in the southern sun.

7 p.m. – Dinner at Fleet Landing Restaurant

In 2004, a 1940s naval supply building was converted into Charleston’s only waterfront restaurant. Tradd and Weesie Newton opened Fleet Landing Restaurant, a place where diners could enjoy fresh catch seafood with a view of the Cooper River. Outdoor seating offers the best view, but the oversized picture windows allow inside diners to enjoy the sights without the typical humidity. The best way to experience their signature style is with a fried seafood platter, but the menu offers many other selections.

186 Concord St, Charleston, SC | 843-722-8100

8 p.m. – Drinks at The Rooftop at the Vendue

The Rooftop features one of the most spectacular views of any bar in Charleston. Located on the roof of the Vendue, a swanky boutique hotel, the rooftop bar’s views include the Ravenel Bridge, the towering steeples of St. Michaels and St. Phillips, and the watery routes surrounding the peninsula. It’s one of the best places in the city to enjoy the sunset and a drink of your choice.

19 Vendue Range, Charleston, SC

Sunday

9 a.m. – Breakfast at Queen Street Grocery

When Queen Street Grocery opened in 1922, it offered grocery items and pharmacy prescriptions to the residents. Today, it’s one of the best-hidden eateries in Charleston.

Tables and chairs are spread across the hardwood floor of the one-room shop. The breakfast menu includes sweet and savory crepes cooked to order and fresh ground coffee. If you want to return later in the day, hot sandwiches on sourdough bread with chips on the side are a perfect small lunch.

133 Queen St, Charleston, SC | 843-723-4121

11 a.m. – Visit the “Four Corners of Law”

The corner lots were reserved for public use when Broad and Meeting Streets were laid out. The city’s first market stood on one of the lots until it was destroyed by fireand eventually replaced with the Charleston City Market after the Revolutionary War. In 1804, the Adamesque-style Charleston City Hall was completed on the lot. The other lots are occupied by St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, completed in 1761; the Charleston County Courthouse, finished in 1792; and the United States Post Office and Federal Courthouse, completed in 1896.

When Robert Ripley visited Charleston in the early 1900s, he coined the phrase “Four Corners of Law” to describe the intersection of federal, state, local and ecclesiastical law.

12 p.m. – Guided Tour of the Heyward-Washington House

In 1771, Daniel Heyward purchased a lot on Church Street and removed a two-story brick house along with his son Thomas Heyward Jr. They built the current house, keeping the original dependencies behind it. In 1776, Thomas Heyward Jr. became one of four South Carolinians to sign the Declaration of Independence.

When President George Washington visited Charleston in 1791 as part of his Southern Tour, the city rented the home from Heyward for Washington’s lodging. In 1929, The Charleston Museum purchased the house, restored it, and opened it as the city’s first historic house museum.

Visitors can take a guided tour at the top of every hour. The tour includes the fascinating history of the Heywards and Washington’s visit, the architectural details of the house, and the stories behind the period furniture.

87 Church St, Charleston, SC | 843-722-0354