How We Face Travel After 50: Long Weekend In Charleston
Vacations look different when you’re over 50 and (mostly) empty nesters. Sometimes I miss the exhausting chaos of Disney, but I’m starting to come around to the appeal of quieter dinners, lazier afternoons and time to just relax.
Plus, this is our time to reconnect as a couple. After all, before we were Mom and Dad, we were just Hallye and Joe! (sorry kids…)
For my birthday this year, I suggested a long weekend in Charleston, South Carolina. in lieu of presents. Joe agreed and told me to start planning! I took the assignment seriously, and dove into researching restaurants, hotels, boat rides, carriage rides, and all the Charleston things. For me, research is half the fun. Neither of us had ever been there, so I was excited to plan a weekend perfectly tailored to us.
From Dallas, there’s one nonstop flight a day on Southwest, so we booked our departure and return around those flights – arriving Friday afternoon and leaving Monday morning. With a short timeframe, we knew we couldn’t do and see everything. So I made a few solid plans (dinner reservations, a boat ride, and a great hotel) and booked in some downtime.
Because we need, and enjoy, downtime.
Here’s a recap of our extended weekend, including what we did, where we ate, and where we stayed Hopefully, if you’re thinking about a quick getaway to Charleston, this inspires you to go for it!
Day One: Friday
We landed in Charleston at 6 p.m., grabbed an Uber, and headed to our hotel – about a 20 minute ride away.
The Loutrel was even more lovely than the website pictures portrayed. Thanks to some great Reddit threads and online research, I chose it over some of the more popular recommendations. Upon arrival, we received a welcome cocktail and a rundown of the amenities. Then, we were off to our room to drop our bags for a quick change, before our 8 p.m. dinner reservation.
Our standard king room was beyond charming. And much to my surprise, a bottle of champagne, a small chocolate cake, and a handwritten note welcomed us to Charleston and wished me a happy birthday. Small touches make such a big impact!
Dinner was at S.N.O.B. (Slightly North of Broad), just a short walk from The Loutrel. It was convenient and perfect for a first night. Beautiful artwork, an upscale lowcountry menu, and fantastic service. It happened to be Restaurant Week, so we enjoyed an appetizer, entree and dessert – all wonderful recommendations from our server.
After dinner, we strolled around downtown toward the water before returning to our hotel. We were welcomed back by the staff and settled in with more dessert. That chocolate cake was fantastic.
Day Two: Saturday
We decided to check out the fitness center before breakfast. It was small, but very nice. I did a yoga practice and about a mile on the treadmill, while Joe did weights and some treadmill time.
Breakfast at The Loutrel is included and was way beyond our expectations for a complimentary breakfast. Scrambled eggs, pancakes, jams, fruit, pastries, two types of sausage, coffee, and a variety of juices – all enjoyed in the beautiful lobby.
Another reason I chose The Loutrel was its walkable location. We love to walk! So, after a quick shower, we hit the streets and spent much of the day exploring King Street, the City Market, Rainbow Row, and the Pineapple Fountain. All the touristy sights were even prettier in person.
The best part was wandering the brick streets and seeing the historic homes, peeking into gardens and behind the iron gates.
We returned to the hotel for a drink and break from the heat, not realizing that The Loutrel would have specialty peach tea, infused water and locally sourced snacks waiting for us. We also checked out the rooftop, which has a great view of church steeples.
The mini-bar in the room is complimentary, another nice touch. And it remained stocked during our stay.
We headed back out for more walking, and at this point I was wondering why I’d bothered with the treadmill that morning!
We returned to the hotel again in time for their “Finest Hour,” which included a specialty cocktail or mocktail of the day, and choice of beer or wine. They also provided appetizers, which were delicious.
Next, it was time to shower and change for our “fancy dinner” that night.
We had reservations at Circa 1886, the carriage house behind the Wentworth Mansion. This place oozed with charm and felt like stepping into history. Dinner was lovely. We skipped the five-course tasting menu (even though the chef strongly recommends) and ordered a la carte: fantastic beef tenderloin with chimichurri and baby potatoes, followed by (more) chocolate dessert.
Riley, one of The Loutrel’s bartenders, had suggested we call a pedicab to take us back to the hotel in lieu of an Uber. He gave us a card so we could call when finished with dinner.
Our sweet driver, Katie, peddled us back to the hotel as we took in the sites.
A short stop at the rooftop for more pictures and we called it a night. I really couldn’t have asked for a more special birthday than this one!
Day Three: Sunday
We were excited to have another full day to explore Charleston, so we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at the hotel. This time, almond French toast, eggs, bacon, fruit…oh my!
We mapped a route from our hotel down to the Battery and back, about a two-mile loop. We started our Apple watches and called it a workout, which it definitely was!
The Battery is the tip of the peninsula, and seeing the boats, the views, the beautiful park, the cannons, and learning about some of the history was fascinating.
Our walk back from the Battery took us through neighborhoods, where I proceeded to take a million photos of old doors, homes, history plaques, and flowers.
We weren’t really hungry yet for lunch so we went to the hotel to relax.
It’s funny, because we usually don’t spend time in hotels, especially in the afternoon. I’m always too worried that we’ll miss something! But this place was so beautiful and relaxing that we decided to take the down time for once and just enjoy talking.
We headed to the club-level room (open to all guests), made specialty coffees, had a locally made praline, and played tic-tac-toe. I flipped through a book on a Charleston Renaissance artist Alice Ravenel Huger Smith while Joe caught up on some football.
We then moved downstairs to the lobby bar area where we met two other couples from Texas and shared restaurant recommendations and travel stories. We all agreed that our hotel was the real highlight of the trip!
At 5 p.m., we walked to the aquarium at the harbor where we met the crew of the Schooner Pride, Charleston’s only three-mast, tall ship.
The sunset sail left at 5:30 p.m. and we enjoyed a quiet sail around the harbor. Joe helped raise one of the sails, and it was so peaceful when the captain cut the motor and allowed the breeze to be our guide.
The schooner was one reason I chose this sail. The other was that they tell you in advance that the trip isn’t narrated. So, if you want to simply enjoy the water and chat with other guests, you can do so without feeling like it’s also a “guided” tour.
We both really liked that! It felt authentic and relaxing. They had a few choices of beer, wine and other beverages for purchase, and the captain chatted with guests and answered any questions.
Seeing the city from the water is such a different perspective and one we really enjoyed!
After the sail, we headed to our final dinner of the trip at Sorelle, a beautiful Italian restaurant (close to our hotel) that spans three floors of historic, renovated townhomes.
We’d heard that this was probably going to be our favorite meal of the trip and we were unsure, since we’d already had two amazing dinners.
It. was. incredible. We probably could have eaten five courses, but stayed responsible, and enjoyed a burrata topped pizza, their “Pillows of Gold” house-made tortellini and spaghetti bolognese.
It was a beautiful evening, so we really enjoyed our walk “home.”
Day Four: Monday
Our flight was at 11:30 a.m., so we knew we could enjoy one more breakfast before heading to the airport. It was relaxed, lovely morning.
Charleston, we will be back.
And to The Loutrel staff, you have officially spoiled us. We won’t even consider another hotel on future trips.
We accomplished my goal for the weekend: visit someplace new, enjoying a shorter trip, and reconnecting as a couple.
Traveling with kids is fun, and we’ll miss the days of pools, theme parks and chaos. But taking a quiet weekend full of great food, a sunset sail and beautiful hotel?
I think I can get used to this.
My Notes for Next Time:
What we loved and would (absolutely) do again:
The Loutrel – We would 100% stay here again. We spent a little more on this hotel than we typically do, but knew the it would be a major part of the Charleston experience. The charm, the location, the staff, and all the amenities made it worth it!
Sunset Sail – We would definitely do this again, depending on the weather and time of year. This would be a great thing to do if traveling with another couple, too! It was really reasonable – around $150 for the two of us, beverage purchases optional.
No Rent Car – We love a walkable city and wandering the streets was a highlight for us. We didn’t miss having a car. Uber to/from the airport was easy, and the pedicab was fun after dinner!
What we could have skipped or don’t need to see again:
Circa 1886 – This was a lovely restaurant and really nice for my birthday dinner. But, it was the most expensive and probably the least special of the three restaurants. Also, the pressure to choose the 5-course chef tasting menu was a little off-putting and something guests should be aware of.
What’s on the list for next time, because there will be a next time:
Food Tour – We love walking food tours and will definitely do one next time!
Bike Riding – The Loutrel offered complimentary bikes, which we never used. Now that we have our bearings, biking would be fun!
Other tips:
- Book dinner reservations early. Reservations at popular restaurants can be hard to get, but there are so many good ones!
- Check the weather. Charleston is coastal and humid, so definitely consider the season when planning. We were lucky and even though it was sticky, walking was still enjoyable.
- Research your hotel. There are so many options from larger hotels with pools to boutique hotels to Airbnbs. I am thankful that we picked a quieter place that suited us rather than one catering to larger groups, conventions or bachelorette parties.