Overshadowed by Charleston, its famous next-door neighbor, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina is a great weekend destination in its own right. With tons of southern charm and beautiful outdoor parks, it makes a relaxing place to get away.
We recently spent a weekend enjoying what the city has on offer.
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Day One in Mount Pleasant, SC
Patriots Point Maritime Museum
Start your trip to Mount Pleasant with the Patriots Point Maritime Museum. If you are not a museum person you might want to make an exception for this one.
There’s nothing quite like stepping aboard a US WWII aircraft carrier, a destroyer, and a submarine at the Patriots Point Museum.
Complete with a helicopter and several fighter jets on deck, with more down below, the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier makes you feel tiny. Explore the labyrinth of corridors from the engine room to the bridge. Be sure to check out some of the signage on the walls, especially if you are looking for a recipe to make a batch of 10,000 cookies!
Do take time to speak with some of the volunteers at Patriots Point. Most served on similar vessels and love to enlighten visitors on what life was like.
Reserve at least 3-4 hours to visit the three ships. However, there is enough here to spend the whole day if you wanted.
Stop for Lunch
A friend of ours use to live near Mt. Pleasant and had told us about Not Just Franks Café. A little roadside, outdoor café just next to Ace hardware. We decided this would be the perfect time to give it a try.
Don’t let the “hole in the wall” feel put you off. The owner was super friendly and the food was made fresh. We tried the Chicken Bacon Ranch and the Reuben and were very happy with both. We took the food to go and ate at our next stop.
Laurel Hill County Park
Not far from the café is Laurel Hill County Park. As you pull up, it looks like just a baseball field. Walk between the soccer and the baseball fields on the far north side. At the edge of a wooded area there is a little gate. $1 entry.
Here you will find miles of beautiful wooded trails. There’s a map right at the entrance. We followed the large circle loop. With a lined oak tree path and small waterway, the mid-point was our favorite area of the park.
Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park
As the day wound to a close, we headed back to the harborside for views of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge.
A fantastic location for sunset, unfortunately our beautiful day had turned overcast by the afternoon. Nonetheless, views from Mount Pleasant Pier did not disappoint.
Where we stayed in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Only staying one night, we opted for Homewood Suites Mount Pleasant as it was a good balance between location and price. In line with typical Hilton standards, the suite was large and comfortable.
The hotel was within walking distance of several restaurants, so we gave the Opal Restaurant and Bar a try. The duck and salmon were both delicious.
Day Two in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Sullivan’s Island Beach and Lighthouse
On our second day we went to Sullivan’s Island. The island’s long expansive beach was quite windy when we were there, but it made the perfect place to play around with the stunt kite.
Following the coastline, you’ll run into what we can only call the most “unique” lighthouse we have ever seen. The boxy structure stands out amongst the low-lying coast.
Fort Moultrie and Battery Jasper
Next, we headed to Fort Moultrie.
Over the past two centuries the fort has undergone several historic transformations. Managed by the National Park Service, they have done a fantastic job of recreating various time periods of the fort’s history. Follow the signage so you experience the effect of the fort moving backwards in time.
It’s also worth watching the visitor center’s 20-minute video before heading across the street to the fort.
Stop for Lunch
We intended to try Page’s Okra Grill, but there was an hour wait and we were starving. Across the street we found The Pickled Palate. This quirky little sandwich shop has a lovely outdoor garden space and good sandwiches.
Pickett Park
After lunch we made a quick stop at Pickett Park. This small but pretty park extends out into the waterway via a wooden boardwalk. It’s a great place for birding, finishing or walking off lunch.
Charles Pinckney National Historic Site
To finish our relaxing weekend in Mount Pleasant, SC, we stopped by the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site.
Do you know who Charles Pickney is? Yeah, we didn’t either, but he was integral to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution. Contributing to approximately 28 clauses, including having a President. It is believed he was written out of history because James Madison, the chief recorder of information, disliked him.
Read all about him on what remains of his 28 acre Snee Farm. It’s free to visit and makes a wonderful place to walk around the gardens.
Did we miss out your favorite spot in Mount Pleasant? If so, help other readers by leaving your suggestions in the comments below.
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