Charleston: Day 3, A Bad Beach Day

Then, there was Sunday. Just the two of us--Boyfriend and me--at the beach amidst a lot of wind. But prior to, a 12-mile run over the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge and around the Shem Creek for old time sake. I fell in love with the Shem Creek and I wasn't ready to part with Charleston without spending some (more) time (running) along side it. I hope I made it very clear how neat the wedding venue was last night.

USS Yorktown

After a hotel breakfast, we headed back to Folly Beach. And on this not so glorious Sunday, Folly Beach was exactly the Folly Beach I remember it being--brutal wind carrying loads of sand across the beach, a ruthless undertow, and seagulls galore. So in less words, a 'hard work' beach day. I managed to finish my book, though completely doused in sand. I rinsed in the ocean, where I quickly learned I also wouldn't be lounging. Boyfriend and I opted for a long walk on the beach, since swimming and tanning were out. At this point, we were hot and sandy--coated by sand regardless of our position. We opted to make the most of the waves, walking to the pier and floating our way back to where we'd staked out for the day. This was fun for two runs until Boyfriend lost his expensive sunglasses and my appetite started talking. We certainly made the most of our final beach day before trying to find transportation back to the hotel, which turned out to also require a large effort.

My stomach was screaming for food by the time we were showered and ready to do some evening exploring. We stopped at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams for pure decadence; dessert before dinner, yes, please. I have been hearing about this place for sometime and, turns out, a shop opened in Charleston two months prior to our visit. To which I say, perfect timing. We went there not once but twice during our short stay. I cannot recommend this place enough. There locations are limited, but if you're in their territory, do yourself a flavor and stop on in. I'll be visiting Jeni's on my upcoming trip to Chicago, for sure. And I've sent my Atlanta-based brother to his local Jeni's for goodness already.

From there, we headed to the Bay Street Biergarten for drinks and socializing with the friends we’d “neglected” all day. The windy beach brought wonderful temperatures to the downtown area, so--my stomach still screaming for food--my friends closed their tab and we rode in a golf cart to Henry's Bar and Restaurant for a rooftop dinner. I don't recommend Bay Street Biergarten or Henry's, however, what these places lacked, the company made up for it.

The night continued at Henry’s, until I--sooner than most--finally called it quits. With another successful day of travel under my belt, I refused to set the alarm on our final day of vacation.