I have a love-hate relationship with Charleston, South Carolina. As a southern girl who knows the darker histories beneath a charming city like this, it’s sometimes hard for me to fully relax or feel at peace. When I gaze at the stately mansions and walk the cobblestone alleyways with beautiful hidden gardens, I am ever aware of the underlying wealth and white privilege and social divisions that a city like Charleston has in spades. And it’s not just the city — South Carolina’s lowcountry region rouses this conflict in me every time we visit. And yet, I LOVED our visit here and let me tell you why…
When our international trips were delayed a 2nd year due to COVID, we decided to re-visit some old favorites on the Southeast coast. We divvied up the trip between three historic cities: St Augustine Florida, Savannah Georgia, and Charleston South Carolina. I call them the “Queens” because each is majestic in their own way and (in my humble opinion) they outshine every other city in their respective states.
It’s not what you think. Eric and I didn’t join a nudist colony and I didn’t streak through the forest in my birthday suit (too many bugs). But we DID spend a relaxing week in Birmingham, where we stripped away our busy lives and communed with nature.
