Round up the girls for a Charleston getaway: Shopping, eats and activities for a fabulous itinerary
It’s no secret that Charleston, South Carolina, is a top destination for girls’ trips. It’s easy to be wooed by the waterfront city’s charming streets, over-the-top mansions, delicious food scene and the nearby beaches.
But it’s not all dining, shopping and baking in the sun – take your next Charleston girls’ getaway to another level. Charleston flaunts some talented makers and artisans, and on your next girls’ weekend you can create something together, or even learn a new skill. The below ideas are guaranteed to help you connect and make lasting memories together — and don’t worry, we sprinkled in some spa time and dining options.
Tip Your Hat to Hat-Making
From breezy straw hats suitable of coastal outings, to stylish felt hats worn to oyster roasts, hats are part of Charleston residents’ regular daily uniform. Gal pals can build a hat that matches the Lowcountry lifestyle at Marsh & Magnolia, a custom hat bar located within the swanky Hotel Bennett on King Street. The concept is owned by three best friends, and every inch of the store is dripping in ways to personalize a standout hat. It’s a fun activity for a girls’ getaway, and you’ll leave with a tangible souvenir of Charleston.
Reserve a time (or pop in) to choose from a range of straw and luxe felt hats in different colors and shapes, and a hat stylist will fit and form the hat to your measurements. Once you’ve settled on a hat style, that’s when the creative fun begins — you’ll pick out accessories including fabrics like feminine ribbons, leather, whimsical feathers, charms like palm trees and even dainty oysters and more that will make the hat uniquely yours. The stylists are expertly skilled and can stitch a detailed pattern on the hat, and they’ll even brand it with your initials at the end. Don’t leave without snapping a picture of your new creation at one of their many Instagram-worthy backdrops.
Charmed, We’re Sure
Another prevalent trend in Charleston: charm jewelry. The fun baubles adorn women’s necks and wrists all over the city. Make a girls’ date at HART on Upper King Street (you can take a quick pedicab there from Marsh & Magnolia), a design-your-own jewelry boutique co-owned by Hart Hagerty and her sister, Curry Hagerty Uflacker. You can simply drop in — or reserve the private room tucked away behind curtains — and there’s a large staff ready to accommodate the gaggles of women that often tumble in at the same time.
Upon arrival, ask for an intention card, which is meant to help inspire a soulful charm selection. Recently become a new wife, mother or dog mom? Want to let go of something that no longer serves you, manifest love or a fresh career? There are meaningful charms that symbolize every season of your life; and you can write down your thoughts and chat with your gal pals about which charms represent your life. The staff will first help you pick out the size and length of a gold-filled chain or bracelet, and then begin pulling charms to build and style your custom design (of course, you can buy charms to add to a current piece). “A lot of thought and effort goes into designing the charms,” says Hart Hagerty. “This is a way to tell your story.” And these charms aren’t simply fashion plates – they’re high-quality, gold-plated chains and charms. “It’s important to me that people leave with something they can have a long time, and even pass it down as heirlooms to their children or loved ones,” she adds.
While hearts of all sizes are a signature of the brand, some of the top sellers are a bedazzled heart (Halley’s Heart) that was inspired by the wondrous celestial event of Halley’s Comet; an etched Vesta Case, which similarly to a locket can hold something special (Hart actually had a tiny drawing from her child in hers); and a green Momento Mori medallion featuring a skull, a sentiment to remember death and to live life to fullest every day. HART also hosts travel pop-ups throughout the year in Florida, North Carolina, Georgia and many more.
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LUNCH BREAK: When you’re done crafting your charm jewelry, lunch at neighboring The Daily where you’ll want to order the avocado toast, stacked with bacon and tomato on fresh sourdough bread, or one of their seasonal salads.
Create A Signature Scent at Charleston Candle Co.
Candle making is a popular pastime for crafty gals, and you can make memories while learning the ins and outs of the smell-good process at Charleston Candle Co. Owned by husband-and-wife duo Chaz and Kristen Schwiers, the brand’s coveted candles are notably made with natural soy wax, and their fragrance oils are free of bad toxins so you can feel good about burning them.
You can join a ticketed public class or book a private class to create two custom candles at their flagship store downtown. Chaz may fire up the record player to set the vibe in the candle studio, and groups can bring their own food and drinks. Slip on an apron, and then begin the process of seeing which scents speak to you. (You’ll choose around two to three fragrance oils to concoct your desired scent.) They’re known for their scents that are inspired by the Lowcountry lifestyle, but you can make anything from a coffee-inspired candle to a seasonal favorite. Like a candle chemist, they’ll teach you how to measure the perfect ratio of fragrance oils and pour the melted concoction into your new glass vessels. They’ll sit overnight to dry, and the next day you’ll pick up your custom candles.
SHOPPING TIP: Book your class on the second Thursday of every month, when the shops of the Cannonborough/Elliotborough neighborhoods stay open late. You’ll want to peruse adorable boutiques like The Tiny Tassel, Goldbug Collection and The Paper Canopy.
Foodies Will Devour These Charleston Experiences
If your happy place is in the kitchen, book a cooking class at Zero George Kitchen, an intimate space located in a boutique hotel in downtown Charleston. Classes are limited to eight people, and guests are treated to a front-row seat to the culinary action. Chef Vinson Petrillo (or one of the restaurant’s other chefs) will showcase his savvy techniques and tricks, and you’ll savor three courses that resemble pieces of culinary art and are paired with wine.
For those more interested in eating than cooking, reserve a food or cocktail tour with Bulldog Tours. This is your chance to literally dig into Charleston’s lauded food scene, from the hot restaurants of Upper King Street to specialty bakeries and markets. Think: she-crab soup to fried green tomatoes. There’s also a cocktail tour on which you’ll toast at the area’s buzziest upscale lounges.
Afternoon tea is a cherished pastime in Charleston. Make reservations at the English-style lounge of the Thoroughbred Club at The Charleston Place, where everything is made to order.
Choose from a variety of teas – a favorite is the white coconut crème, which smells like a suntan in a cup — and then you’ll be served a grand tower of gourmet sandwiches, ranging from a curried duck confit salad on naan bread to a blackened shrimp po’ boy, along with scones, cheddar biscuits, macarons, a to-die-for chocolate cherry mousse and more sweets. Sit back and relax as you sip, nosh and listen to live music that floats in from the hotel lobby.
Charleston’s restaurant scene is ever-evolving, and one of the top newcomers is Legami. Tucked away in a historic building on King Street, the Italian stunner should top your “girl dinner” bucket-list. There are many high-design spots to dine, but we’d go for the dreamy terrace.
Start with the kicked-up Legami Martini that’s spiked with Calabrian chili olive oil washed-vodka and adorned with burrata-stuffed olives. Then move on to the shrimp and caviar appetizer — the shrimp is treated like a lasagna and made into flat noodles and sits atop a lemon vanilla sauce — and the lobster tartin, lightly fried lobster claws on focaccia bread. Homemade pastas are king at Legami, and we suggest the cappelletti stuffed with goat cheese in a butter pecan sauce, the ricotta ravioli or the creamy risotto.
Treat Yourself To A Girls’ Spa Day
After all that crafting and eating, you deserve a relaxing spa day. The latest spa craze is a “head spa” where the often-neglected scalp and hair are given top priority. At Lose Your Mind Head Spa, located at The Jasper, owner Jennifer Cuba will treat you to an hour (or more) of pure bliss. Step inside her dimly lit treatment room that’s lined with an apothecary-like shelf of potions and lotions that target hair and scalp issues, to settle into a chair that massages your entire body. Depending on which treatment you’ve chosen, she’ll masterfully do everything from exfoliating the scalp to harnessing the powers of a microneedle roller to stimulate hair growth — and give you the most decadent head massage that you’ve ever had. While your head is under a gentle shower, you’ll be bathed in the warmth of an infrared light as she pampers your feet. We promise you’ll leave relaxed, and your head/scalp will feel so clean and light.
Tip: If you’re with a group (she only takes on person at a time), the gals can hang at neighboring Alcove Market or enjoy dinner after a service at Costa restaurant.
Another option is The Spa at The Charleston Place, where we suggest opting for the Radiance Facial. This 100-minute treatment (yes, we said 100 minutes) is a serious glow-getter: your aesthetician will bestow a bevy of treatments, including a HydraFacial, which cleanses, exfoliates and offers heavy hydration thanks to vitamins and serums, and then your face will be doused in a cooling Intraceuticals Oxygen Treatment. There’s a good possibility you’ll fall asleep during the decadent facial massage, and the best part is, you’ll wake up with a fresh, radiant face. The Spa’s pool, which will reopen in April 2025, is a beautiful spot to hang with the girls. Other exciting spa news: The new lobby-level spa will open in 2026.
This story was originally published December 11, 2024 at 4:41 PM with the headline "Round up the girls for a Charleston getaway: Shopping, eats and activities for a fabulous itinerary."
