[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/four-reasons-lgbtq-couples-should-consider-a-charleston-honeymoon\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/four-reasons-lgbtq-couples-should-consider-a-charleston-honeymoon\/","headline":"Four reasons LGBTQ+ couples should consider a Charleston honeymoon","name":"Four reasons LGBTQ+ couples should consider a Charleston honeymoon","description":"While parts of the South surely aren\u2019t the most accepting of LGBTQ+ people, cities like Charleston serve as beacons of hope to our community.","datePublished":"2021-11-04","dateModified":"2021-11-04","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/paulheney\/#Person","name":"Paul JHeney","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/paulheney\/","identifier":6550,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/518a53e9e5303c9c9c78790bb2fff3a11933873b7b393cbf5cbaa2c87d5f4529?s=96&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/518a53e9e5303c9c9c78790bb2fff3a11933873b7b393cbf5cbaa2c87d5f4529?s=96&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Equally Wed","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","url":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","width":218,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/four-reasons-lgbtq-couples-should-consider-a-charleston-honeymoon-paul-heney-equally-wed5.jpg","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/four-reasons-lgbtq-couples-should-consider-a-charleston-honeymoon-paul-heney-equally-wed5.jpg","height":1503,"width":2000},"url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/four-reasons-lgbtq-couples-should-consider-a-charleston-honeymoon\/","about":["Honeymoons"],"wordCount":806,"articleBody":"For a romantic honeymoon option, Charleston, S.C. can be an excellent choice for LGBTQ+ couples. They say the city, steeped in Southern charm, is like the love child of New Orleans and Savannah \u2014 two other American cities with an innate sense of place. And while parts of the South surely aren\u2019t the most accepting of LGBTQ+ people, cities like Charleston serve as beacons of hope to our community, attracting LGBTQ+ folx from the surrounding areas.On our brief \u201cminimoon\u201d to the city, we saw LGBTQ+ couples walking openly on the streets and even met some LGBTQ+ workers at attractions and restaurants. We felt entirely safe in Charleston, and also found a lot to love.Here are four reasons to consider this Southern charmer for your special trip.Food, Glorious Food!We joke with friends that there isn\u2019t a bad restaurant in Charleston, but in all seriousness, we didn\u2019t find anything less than amazing. In the heart of the city, Husk, located in a gorgeous home, is true farm-to-table fare, with an emphasis on in-house pickling and flavorful Southern cuisine. Frannie & the Fox mixes wood fired pizza (the Taleggio with burnt honey is a must try!) with sharable dishes and fun d\u00e9cor inside and a picture-perfect courtyard patio outside.Head a bit outside downtown for the fantastic flavors of Rodney Scott\u2019s BBQ. Scott is a 2018 James Beard Foundation award winner for Best Chef Southeast, and we were sold on his cooking, from the pulled pork all the way to the banana pudding dessert.You\u2019ll find Florence\u2019s Lowcountry Kitchen in an unassuming plaza that’s just a 10-minute Uber ride from downtown, but don\u2019t even think of passing this by. Chef Matt\u2019s family recipes here are all standouts, including the Fried Green Tomatoes, the savory Collard Greens (the best my Southern-cuisine-raised husband has ever had!), and Southern Tomato Pie \u2014 almost like a pizza made with a wonderful pie crust.Patio at Frannie & the Fox, photo by Paul HeneyMuseums and CultureOne of the great things about this city is that you can be as serious or relaxed about the culture as you\u2019re feeling on any given day. The Gibbes Museum of Art is a fantastic place to take in artists\u2019 work from the Carolinas and beyond. It’s also housed in a stunning building, where the architecture holds its own. The South Carolina Aquarium is another nice stop, with a long history of rehabilitating land and aquatic life back to health. Its new Sea Turtle Rescue Center is impressive to walk through.Take an evening stroll around the city with Bulldog Tours of Charleston. We heard about prostitutes, vengeful flapper girls, witches, and more on our haunted Charleston walk. Or relax and sit back on the aptly named Schooner Pride for one of Charleston Harbor Tours sailboat cruises. We chose the lovely two-hour sunset cruise and celebrated with some champagne next to a couple there for their 7th wedding anniversary.Gibbes Museum of Art, Photo by Paul HeneyShoppingWe were blown away by both of Charleston\u2019s famed shopping areas. First, there\u2019s King Street, a major thoroughfare through the city, which is lined with shops and restaurants. We perused the men\u2019s clothing stores, antique shops, pet supply boutiques, and more. There\u2019s something for everyone, from jewelry to shoes to books to luxury goods. You\u2019ll find some familiar chain stores, but many local and unique experiences, too.The city is also renowned for its incredible Charleston City Market, which runs for blocks and blocks across the downtown district. We wandered through it every day we were there and discovered something new each time. The Market contains hundreds of vendors, selling paintings, candles, soaps and lotions, biscuits, art, textiles, and so much more. On Friday and Saturday evenings from March-December, the market hosts Night Market, with more than 100 local vendors, music, and food.Charleston City Market, photo by Paul HeneyRomantic Lodging OptionsWith hotels, bed & breakfasts, historic inns, cottages, and beach rentals, Charleston has so many lodging options that it\u2019s hard to choose. We chose Emeline, a boutique hotel right on Church Street in the heart of the city, a mere block from the Charleston City Market. Our room was spacious and well appointed, and we loved the properties\u2019 amenities, including bikes and even Mini Coopers, which can be reserved in four-hour increments. Plus, the property\u2019s adorable Clerks Coffee Company was a breakfast favorite.Explore Charleston has a wonderful section on lodging options to help you narrow down your choices. Some other nice LGBTQ+-friendly choices include The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island, HarbourView Inn, The Grand Bohemian, French Quarter Inn, and The Spectator.Clerks Coffee Companyfiled under: LGBTQ+ honeymoon, Charleston, LGBTQ+ love, minimoon, LGBTQ+-friendly travel\u00a0"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Four reasons LGBTQ+ couples should consider a Charleston honeymoon","item":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/four-reasons-lgbtq-couples-should-consider-a-charleston-honeymoon\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]