The quaint suburb of Mount Pleasant lies between buzzy Charleston and South Carolina’s tranquil island beach towns. Don’t overlook this charming Lowcountry town, though. Between its historic Old Village, which is home to buildings that date as far back as 1755, and its harborside scenery, there’s plenty of reason to spend a day (and a night) here before you head out to the sand and surf.
Do
Charleston and the Lowcountry are shaped and defined by their waterways, so what better way to explore than by boat?
Nature Adventures leads kayaking tours along the coast and into various inlets, the most popular option being Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant. Depending on the conditions, a paddle here affords the opportunity to catch sights both natural (live oaks, dolphins, manatees, great blue herons) and man-made (the Old Village, Fort Sumter, and Red’s Ice House, a restaurant that once furnished shrimping boats with ice). kayakcharlestonsc.com
Shop
A piece of locally made art is a far better souvenir than a palmetto T-shirt. Perspective Gallery is a nonprofit space that shows works from the roughly 40 artists in the Mount Pleasant Artists Guild. Whether it’s a scratchboard piece from Esther Piazza-Doyle, a still-life from Margaret De Carli Barry, or a watercolor from Jim Rowe, you’re bound to find something that speaks to you. mpagperspectivegallery.com
Stay
Set in an 1896 building in a residential neighborhood just a short stroll from the marshes along Charleston Harbor, the Post House Restaurant and Inn reopened in August after careful restoration.
Each of the hotel’s seven guest rooms is uniquely designed. Room 1, for instance, features William Morris’s Willow Boughs–patterned wallpaper, while Room 2 takes advantage of its corner location with two walls of oversize windows. From $185, theposthouseinn.com
Dine + Drink
When you’re ready for dinner, just head downstairs to a table at Post House’s tavern, where chef Nathan Hood (formerly of San Francisco’s three Michelin-starred Quince) expertly prepares Southern food with a modern twist. Standouts include scallion hush puppies and a butterbean burger topped with a spicy carrot salad that’s so good you’ll forget it’s meatless.
Afterward, enjoy a glass of wine at one of the bistro tables at Leeah’s Old Village Wine Shop … or grab a bottle to go, since you’re only one block from your home for the evening. leeahsoldvillage.com
Next Up: Kansas City Locals Tell Us Why Strawberry Hill Is One of the U.S. Coolest Neighbourhoods
