For years now, my friends have been encouraging me to go visit the South, specifically Charleston, South Carolina (with New Orleans as a close follow -- more to come on that later!). And ever since moving to the East Coast, it's been high on my travel list. Scratch that actually -- make that extremely high on my travel list.

Yet, funny enough -- it's evaded me. Either work was just too busy or there was something in New York calling my name, there really hasn't been a perfect time to go visit. Until a few weeks ago that is.

Let's just say a certain Tinder date turned into something more serious and suddenly, we happened to be planning a Charleston getaway for two, train ride from New York and all. While I'll save the Tinder date story for another day (gotta keep you guessing!), here's a rundown of where we stayed, what we ate/drank and what we did while in the Holy City.

Where to Eat/Drink:

You don't need me to tell you, Charleston is a BIG foodie town. Admittedly, I might have cheated and scoped out Grace's list here (the girl knows her Charleston hot spots!).  Here were our favorites:

Husk: So let's just get this guy out of the way. Husk is a tad bit overrated, but for good reason. The large farmhouse setup is so quintessentially Charleston that it made for the perfect late Southern lunch -- complete with a wrap around porch situation. It had me at hello, before we even TRIED the food. The wait was a bit crazy, but the hush puppies and boiled peanuts (pronounced "bowwwled" peanuts) are completely worth it.

Cru Cafe: This lunch spot was off the beaten path for us (and actually didn't come from any of my recommended lists, but my fella's!). I cannot recommend the fried green tomatoes enough. They will forever haunt my dreams.

Five Church: We stumbled upon this spot right off the main market drag before heading to a Ghost Tour (more to come on that!) and I'm so glad we did! Situated in an old renovated church, the main dining area alone is breathtaking. The high vaulted ceilings and stained glass harken of centuries gone by, while the modern art on the wall and passages from "The Art of War" written over head bring you back to 2016. The tuna tartare and the wasabi crusted salmon are absolutely delicious.

Henry's House: Laid back and perhaps a bit touristy -- great spot for jazz, a sazerac and rooftop conversation. What more do you need?

Rooftop bar at the Vendue: Given that most of the spots we frequented had a very historic southern vibe to them (in both service and architecture) I'm glad we mixed things up a bit at the Vendue. It's a modern, boutique hotel -- chock full of local artists' work and the sunset from their rooftop? Breathtaking. And it's here I actually understood the nickname "The Holy City." Their entire skyline is peppered with church after church (and man, the sound of those bells ringing on the hour? Magical!).

Where to Stay:

We split our time between two beautifully restored mansions under the same ownership, The John Rutledge House Inn and the Wentworth Mansion. Since I'm a sucker for all things historic and with a good ghost story or two, I was beyond giddy about both.

The John Rutledge House Inn: For my fellow history buffs, our first hotel was a major treat, as it was actually witness to the writing of drafts of the Constitution of the United States. For my bed and breakfast lovers, it has all the quaint, yet modern luxuries of a world-class renown hotel. And for my architecture lovers, we actually stayed in a completely renovated carriage house toward the back of the property, separated from the main house by a beautiful courtyard. Each time we came back for the evening, I felt like I was stepping back in time. Plus, their staff was my first REAL introduction to Southern hospitality. They even went the extra mile to help my guy pull off a surprise flower delivery for me (hydrangeas -- boy did well!).

The Wentworth Mansion: Truth be told, I could have explored The Wentworth Mansion all day long. Multiple staircases. Long hallways. A wrap around enclosed tea terrace. Port, sherry and brandy out as refreshments. Tiffany glass in each window. It's a 126-year old marvel and I, for one, hope to return soon! Be sure not to miss their rooftop cupola -- a spiral staircase leads you up to an observation deck with 360 degree views of the city. It's absolutely breathtaking.

What to Do:

I think one of the biggest reasons my friends tell me I need to visit the south more often, revolves around my fascination with ghost stories and historical mysteries. Long story short, I love a good ghost tour and there's something about certain pockets of the south, particularly Charleston, that just exudes that supernatural allure. Perhaps it's the influence of voodoo and creole culture with just the plain weird twists in our nation's oftentimes far less than savory history -- but whatever the reason, I can't get enough of it. So naturally, I might have steered our activities as such.

The Old Charleston Jail: Yep. This was my favorite of the trip. We actually walked by the jailhouse earlier in the day, not realizing they offered organized tours until later in the evening, when they only had night time slots left. Of course, I opted for the very last one of the night, 11:30pm. Named to be among the top ten most haunted buildings in America, it's interesting to observe even the neighbors around it. Local tour guides mentioned that the neighboring communities WILL NOT walk through the property, during the day and definitely not at night, and most have their entry way ceilings painted "haint blue" to ward off the spirits (a common Southern superstition).

The jail itself is rife with history, 99% of which is not for the faint of heart. Tales of betrayal, murder, torture and lingering souls.

It's not uncommon for folks on the tour to feel harassed by the spirits in the jail -- think hair pulling, leg grabbing etc. None of that happened to me, but it did to several of the other women with us.

City Market: On a lighter note, if you want a great day activity that doesn't involve ghosts, check out the City Market. Lots of local vendors, artists and food stands to please everyone in your group.

Carriage Tour: I'm not usually one for VERY organized day trips like a bus tour or a carriage tour, but I have to say, the local companies that run through Charleston feel very niche and offer a great, local and southern paced way to see and experience the city. Our tour ran through the Broad Street and Slightly North of Broad area (S.N.O.B area as they like to call it) through some absolutely beautiful residential streets, each house more historic than the last. It's on this tour I also learned that Bill Murray calls Charleston home and Stephen Colbert is a local!

Concert at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center: We lucked out and managed to snag two tickets for Ray Lamontagne when he was performing in town -- so when you're planning your trip, be sure to scope our their upcoming concert schedule!

Have you guys been to Charleston before? Any favorites I should know about for my return trip?