Brown Pepper Talks

This summer I made a trip to North and South Carolina. I was mostly in the cities of Charlotte and Charleston. I had a great time reconnecting with some really close friends. The weather, people and the nature I saw were wonderful. Here are some places I recommend if you are travelling to either of these locations. Feel free to comment, email or tag me on Instagram if you go to any of these locations! Would love to see or hear from you. So lets cut to the chase, shall we?!

North Carolina Spots:

Optimist Hall, Charlotte – There is an interesting history to this place. It used to be a textile mill now converted into a vibrant place with different restaurants, cute cafes and stores. There is comfortable indoor and outdoor seating along with a courtyard that has small games for families and pets to enjoy. I really enjoyed Botiwalla (this place was beautifully decorated with a Maharashtrian theme) and Honeysuckle Gelato.

Chestnut restaurant, Ashville – Great drinks, food and the staff were extremely kind and informative. The chef was fantastic and we really enjoyed the food and ambience. I did not get much time to explore Ashville but maybe next time. I took the card for the chef as I was quite impressed. It was probably one of the best restaurants I have been to in the United States so far (big statement I know). I recommend this place if you go.

UNC Botanical Garden, Charlotte – such a calming and beautiful area. There is plenty of sitting areas, beautiful water, walking paths and gardens (flower and vegetable). Lots to read and learn about the different types of agriculture on the property. 1-2 hours is a good amount of time to enjoy this spot with friends or a loved one.

Bloom & Bottle, Charlotte – If you’re looking for a good wine and beer place this is the place to be! This place is a fusion of flower selling + drinks (non-alcoholic as well on site). Very creative in my opinion and the owner is a pleasure to talk to. They seem very dedicated to their costumers and you can tell as soon as you walk in via the ambience and the clientele. There are different food trucks outside and indoor music during the week. The staff and local customers I met were all really friendly. Met a few Canadians here! It is dog friendly so it was nice to see dogs and pet them! It is family friendly and they have indoor and outdoor seating. A nice place to go during a pleasant evening or afternoon. Check it out!

Mac Tabby Cat Cafe, Charlotte – a playful cafe with cats that can be adopted on site. You can check out their website to see the cats featured! This is a quiet cafe that serves drinks & snacks, has a seating area for quiet reading and games in one section. The other section is where people can pay a fee for a time slot to play and pet the cats. These cats are well taken care of and the cafe decor was quite chic. The story of the owner and how the cafe came to be was quite motivational.

McGill Rose Garden, Charlotte – a really nice place if you enjoy coffee and wine. Little cute trails and sitting areas surrounded by lush greenery. There are quite a bit of mosquitoes though if you go in the evenings, so carry bug spray. Overall a fun place to relax and take photos. There are different types of coffee and wine to choose from. The staff are also very friendly. The ambience inside and outside was nice and comforting. Parking can be quite tricky, so try to go early or find a parking area before heading here. It felt like a private paradise here and felt special.

Mount Mitchell & Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina – I found both of these sites quite breath taking and I had a wonderful time in both of these locations. The sites upon driving were one of a kind and as you enter the Appalachian Highlands from the Blue Ridge Mountains. My hike in Blue Ridge mountains was good and the views were splendid. I did not realize that this also enters into part of Tennessee and other regions (shows how much I researched haha but I can never say no to hiking). Climbing down, I encountered rain but it was still enjoyable and relaxing. Driving up to Mount Mitchell State Park you can see a variety of different landscapes upon driving and it is the highest point east of the Mississippi river in mainland North America, which I thought was pretty cool. I did not get to hike much in this state park but intend to in the future if visiting again. Highly recommend if you want to see breath taking picturesque views. If you read my trip to El Salvador, I somehow end up on spontaneous hiking adventures, mmm. I need to research more about these areas when I return to hike I hope.

I am sure there are a lot more places in North Carolina. I hope next time I can find live music, find bicycle and running trails and explore some of the art museums. I love listening to live music and dining. However, I found the live music scene (I am not into country music) hard to find in North Carolina. If anyone has any recommendations let me know!

South Carolina spots:

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston – I was so happy to visit this location. A lot of marsh land and animals to see via a tour, many walking trails and a lot to learn about the different phases that went on in the pre-revolutionary war times. So many beautiful exotic plants and flowers. This area is quite hot in the summer time so be sure to carry sunscreen, bug spray, plenty of water, hats and umbrellas for protection. I took the tram train for a nature tour which was really nice. It was my first time seeing alligators live in the wild. Many exotic birds that are not found in different parts of North America. I wanted to do the house tour, but due to lack of time I did not. I also felt the fee was a bit high to do so. I would like to see the money go towards Black American initiatives as I believe the owners still own it (which kind of blew my mind – I hope there is good happening. If anyone knows would like to learn more). HOWEVER, a must see still. It is dog friendly, restrooms are kept very clean and lots of space to eat. Carry good shoes! You will need 3-4 hours to explore with the tours. A very eye-opening and emotional experience.

Rainbow Row, Charleston – My friend really wanted to see this iconic street. I can see why! It was very chic and lively. The stroll felt relaxing as we saw the colours of these Georgian-style townhouses dating back from the 1700-1800s. It is close by to a lot of different restaurants and shops. I even found a dungeon tour near by (really want to do that in another trip!). Parking is a little tricky but well worth if you also want that Instagram click hahaha! My friend was so excited to click her photo here hahaha.

Folly Island, Folly Beach – best for last! This was by far my favourite location. Plenty of space to enjoy the water, swim and the water was at the perfect temperature. The tides are a bit strong at times, but I still enjoyed it. No bugs at all while I was here in the evening and I found that quite surprising. My friends and I went to a place called Bowens Island Restaurant for dinner. The line was quite long. I felt for the price point, it was not the most amazing experience food wise. They did have great shrimp and oysters though. Nonetheless, the staff are quite dedicated and the views are great if you find a seat outside. I am so glad my friends took me here overall though to enjoy the water! We had so much fun and went to a night theatrical show after. The surrounding homes in this area were beautiful. They were also very motivational. I hope to be living in the water myself in the future. I had such a great evening and night with my friends.

There are quite a few trails and beaches. I would have liked to see them in both locations. I needed more time. Food wise, I would have liked to see a better diversity of ethnic foods in grocery stores and restaurants. But hey, that is what travel teaches. It helps you see what different areas are like. There are a lot of great wine, breakfast places, coffee and trails within the cities and close surrounding areas. That is the vibe I got from both places. The people are quite friendly in both locations. A lot of complex and interesting history to explore. I wish I had more time to explore more buildings and museums. Next time! I had a great time with friends here and that was important to me during this visit. Would definitely go back. Hope you get to see any of these places I mentioned if you travel to either location.

HAPPY SEPTEMBER and thanks for reading! If you have any places you like to travel to or have seen, let me know!