The stress of the holidays really got to me this year. I don’t know what it was… 3 kids, Tom’s new job, or just it being a funky season of life. But I’m not sure I’ve ever been as stressed out as I was during the holidays as I was this year. But as soon as Christmas was over I was ready for a vacation… so that’s just what we did! And you know what? It was perfect. And we immediately decided that every year from now on we will be going on a trip the day after Christmas. It’s the perfect way to unwind and destress and forget about the world for a while.
Since we could only take a few days with Tom’s work we wanted to go somewhere in driving distance of Atlanta and Charleston seemed like the perfect spot. It’s only about a 5 hour drive and has the perfect mix of history with coastal town vibes that makes for a really great getaway spot.
The key to quick getaways with kids is to make sure you stay at a place that is enjoyable since with kids you inevitably end up spending more time at the place you’re staying so that kids can nap, rest, eat, etc. The perfect place for families visiting Charleston to stay is where we ended up – The Cottages on Charleston Harbor. Our cottage had 2 big bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a giant living room an kitchen, and an amazing screened in porch overlooking the harbor. The views were just amazing and we ended up having great weather so we spent a lot of time sitting outside enjoying the views.
The Cottages on Charleston Harbor also has a great pool that would be so fun over the summer, and a clubhouse with snacks and breakfast every day for guests. We really loved that it felt like we were renting a whole house but with the convenience of housekeepers and breakfast every day. We also really appreciated having 2 bedrooms as Millie needs her own room to sleep in and a kitchen to save money on always eating out. All in all it was a great stay and I couldn’t recommend it more!
So the perfect 3 day itinerary with kids in Charleston with little ones in tow? Here it goes…
Day 1: Travel to Charleston. Check in to cottages and take a moment for a snack and glass of wine and take a deep breath. Stop by Patriot’s Point (which is right next to the cottages) on your way downtown for dinner. Take it easy and call it an early night since your little ones will probably be tired from the trip down!
Day 2: Start with breakfast, a nice walk and some play time outside for the kids. Once everyone is ready pack up the car and head right over the bridge to the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry. Our kids absolutely loved exploring all the different hands on activities in different rooms.
Grab a late lunch at one of the many barbecue or sandwich shops downtown after the Children’s Museum. Then head over the the South Carolina Aquarium if you don’t have little ones who need a nap or go back to your cottage for nap time (and wine for mama and daddy).
After naps or the aquarium get your crew back together and head downtown for dinner. I suggest trying a place that has local seafood (there are many). Afterwards do a ghost tour to learn more about the history of Charleston and have spooky fun!
Day 3: Wake up and enjoy some outside time. Before you head back there are several things you could do. We loved doing Charles Towne Landing and learning more about the founding of Charleston as well as checking out all the animals! Another fun activity would be to a boat tour or check out the beaches!
And of course our video:
Now as fun as Charleston is for a quick trip you couldn’t possible do all the fun family activities there in just 3 days. But these are our favorites and the perfect ones to do if you are on a time restriction. If you plan a trip make sure you check out The Cottages on Charleston Harbor – I seriously could not imagine a more perfect family friendly place to stay!
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