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Charleston Bachelorette Party Itinerary For the Laid-Back Bride

Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina is definitely one of the top bachelorette party destinations in the United States! With its amazing bars and restaurants, beautiful city streets, and location near the beach, it’s easy to see why.

Charleston is the perfect bachelorette party destination for every type of bride, but I think it’s especially good for laid-back brides like myself. I like a good party, but I wasn’t looking to go wild at my bachelorette party. Plus, we took this trip during the COVID-19 pandemic, so we had to keep our plans socially distanced.

Why Choose Charleston for Your Bachelorette Party

Folly Beach, South Carolina

We Southern brides have so many great options for bachelorette party destinations. Between Nashville, Savannah, Atlanta, New Orleans, Charleston and so many more, it can be hard to decide! I can’t give you the pro’s and con’s of every city, but I can tell you why Charleston is great:

  • You get the beach and the city. Folly Beach is only a quick 20 minute drive from Charleston. You can have your beach days and your nights on the town all in the same trip!
  • Charleston has a buzzing restaurant and bar scene. There are so many delicious places to choose from!
  • The city is lined with the cutest historical buildings, so there’s plenty to see and do.

Where to Stay for a Charleston Bachelorette Party

Folly Beach Condo

For your Charleston bachelorette party, you have the option to stay in the city or stay on the beach. Downtown Charleston has plenty of hotels to choose from and historical homes you can rent. For a beach stay, you can choose from relaxing beach houses and condos on Folly Beach, on Isle of Palms, or on Sullivan’s Island.

We rented this cute beach condo in Folly Beach. It’s located just across the river from Folly Island with great views of the marsh. You can easily walk to the restaurants and the main beach.

Charleston Bachelorette Party Decorations, Games, and Gifts

Charleston Bachelorette Party Decorations

My bridesmaids did a fantastic job picking out some fun decor and games for our weekend. Since I know penis decor isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, I’ve separated out the raunchy and the un-raunchy for your browsing pleasure:

Non-Raunchy Decor and Gifts

  • Bridesmaid Robes — I bought my bridesmaids simple, silky robes with their names engraved. These even doubled as bathing suit cover-ups for those of us who forgot to pack ours!
  • Customized Tote Bags — Everyone got a cute tote bag to commemorate the weekend. I’m not sure where my bridesmaids ordered our design from, but there are plenty of cute designs to choose from on Etsy.
  • Bride To Be Sash — I absolutely LOVE the purple bride-to-be sash my maid-of-honor bought me!
  • Bride and Team Bride Cups — Because you’ve gotta have something to put your mixed drinks in!
  • Bachelorette Party Photo Booth Props — These cute props make for the perfect photo-opp!
  • Inflatable Pool Drink Holders — Since we were having a pool and beach weekend, I bought these inflatable koosies for my bridesmaids. I chose this pack specifically because it has a bear koosie (and I love bears) and this pack because it has a ring koosie (perfect for the bride); there are other variety packs on Amazon to choose from that also have the ring.
Charleston Bachelorette Party Decorations

Slightly Raunchy Games

  • South Island Bachelorette Party Games Kit — This kit comes with 3 games: Drink If cards that aren’t raunchy; Dare Cards that can get you into some fun trouble on a night out; and a cheeky Banana Ring Toss game.

Raunchy Decor and Games

  • Stripper Straws — The penis straws we had seem to have been taken off Amazon. Instead, you can get these funny stripper straws.
  • Penis Whistles — Just what the party needs! The whistle sound is very weak, which makes it all the more hilarious, and also keeps you from disturbing the neighbors. This pack also comes with penis-shaped confetti.
  • Stick The Junk on The Hunk Game — It’s like “Pin The Tail on The Donkey” but with a naked cartoon man.
  • Telestrations After Dark Game — This game is like playing “Telephone” but with drawing. Miscommunications, and bad drawing skills, abound, and most of the prompts are NSFW.
Charleston Bachelorette Party Decorations

The Perfect Laid-Back Charleston Bachelorette Party Itinerary

Friday on Folly Beach

Friday we mostly spent getting everyone to Charleston. It was a 5 hour drive for me and my two bridesmaids from Atlanta to Charleston, which made for a fun road trip. My maid-of-honor flew from Washington D.C. to Charleston and met us at the condo.

After breaking out the decorations, we hit up the grocery store and liquor store for the necessary provisions.

Before dinner, we took a walk on the Folly Beach Fishing Pier. It was a windy walk with Hurricane Isaias scheduled to come our way in a few days. Make sure you keep an eye on the weather, especially during hurricane season!

Dinner & Drinks at Folly Beach Crab Shack

For dinner, we ate at Folly Beach Crab Shack. This restaurant has been a Folly Beach staple for 20 years. It’s consistently named one of the best seafood restaurants in Charleston and in South Carolina as a whole.

We sat on the outdoor deck and had various fried seafood dishes and tropical drinks. I can recommend the fried shrimp and Tropical Storm drink (very fitting for hurricane season).

Afterwards, we went back to the condo for some drinks of our own and to break out a few of our bachelorette party games.

Saturday at the Beach

Bachelorette Party at Folly Beach, South Carolina

We slept in a little on Saturday morning and took our time enjoying the condo’s screened in porch facing the marsh.

Mid-day we headed to the beach. In order to avoid the more crowded parts of the main beach, we went to the west side of the island toward Folly Beach County Park. The parking lot at the park filled up quickly, so we found parking at one of the lots on West Ashley Avenue.

On the beach, we set up camp by a crop of rocks that created a little lagoon at low tide. The water on the Atlantic Coast is nice and warm and full of waves. It’s great for body surfing, but for this trip we were mostly just getting knocked around, which is fun in it’s own way.

I got to try out my new fake engagement ring — a silicone ring shaped like a diamond that I can wear without worry of losing or damaging my real engagement ring. I call it my adventure ring!

We frolicked in the water and laid out in the sun for about 2.5 hours. We then went back to the condo for a light lunch and a nap before going into Charleston for more bachelorette party fun.

Related: The Ultimate Beach Vacation Packing List

Carriage Tour of Charleston

Our main event for Saturday was a carriage tour of Charleston. We booked with Palmetto Carriage Works for a daytime carriage tour of the residential district. This hour-long tour took us through Charleston’s historic downtown district to learn about the many historic houses, mansions, and churches that make up the city.

Related Tour: Charleston’s Old South Carriage Historic Horse & Carriage Tour

Shopping on King Street

King Street is Charleston’s premier shopping street. You’ll find everything from big luxury brands to small local boutiques on this street. We only spent about an hour looking into shops on King Street, but you could easily spend all day shopping if you wanted!

Dinner at Sorghum & Salt

Sorghum & Salt is a small restaurant that focuses on locally-crafted cuisine. They use ingredients that are grown, raised, and produced from local farms in the area. We shared a plate of their Bread and House Made Ricotta. For my entrée, I had the Chicken Sugo with fresh gargenelli pasta.

Once we were stuffed with delicious food, we went back to the condo to finish up our bachelorette party games.

Sunday Brunch at Café Framboise

What’s a bachelorette party in Charleston without brunch? Café Framboise is a cute little French café for breakfast, brunch, and lunch. They have savory crepes, sweet crepes, paninis, and croissants. I had their Ham and Cheese Croissant while we sat on the outdoor patio.

Rainbow Row

Rainbow Row in Charleston, South Carolina

The top Instagram spot in Charleston has to be Rainbow Row. These famous 14 houses on East Bay street are painted in eye-catching bright pastel colors. This row of historic homes dates back to 1704, but after the Civil War the area became very rundown. Then, in the 1930s, Dorothy Porcher Legge purchased the homes and painted them their iconic hues in an effort to make the area look nicer. I’d say it worked!

Bachelorette Party at Rainbow Row in Charleston, South Carolina

Of course, we had to stop and take some pictures in this top photo spot. When in Charleston!

Nathaniel Russell House Tour

Built in 1808, the Nathaniel Russell House was regarded as one of Charleston’s finest homes in its era. Nathaniel Russell and wife Sarah Hopton Russell spared no expense constructing the house’s geometrically shaped rooms, elaborate plasterwork ornamentation, formal gardens, and three-story cantilevered flying staircase.

Nathaniel Russell House

A 45-minute tour of the house lets you look into the lives of the Russells and the 18 enslaved people who worked in the home. You’ll learn about the architecture as well as the preservation and conservation initiatives that the historic site is constantly undergoing.

Ready for a Bachelorette Weekend in Charleston?

I hope this helps you plan your perfect laid-back bachelorette party itinerary for Charleston, South Carolina! Charleston is a charming city with so much to see and do that you’re guaranteed to have a great time!

More Girls’ Trip Inspiration

Check out these other itineraries to help you plan the perfect girls’ getaway!


Ready to visit Charleston, South Carolina? Plan your trip with these tips.


Cheers!

Paige

Charleston Bachelorette Party Itinerary For the Laid-Back Bride

Have any tips for a perfect bachelorette party weekend in Charleston, South Carolina? Share them below!

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6 Comments

  1. This is a great itinerary. Charleston is a great city for a bachelorette weekend. Folly Beach is fantastic for a relaxing day.

    Loved how you mentioned a carriage ride. This is by far one of my favorite ways to see the city and learn about the local history. You can do this in Savannah also and it is great.

    Rainbow Row is a must see for any visitor. It is stunningly beautiful.

    Looks like you had a great trip!

  2. Love Charleston but chose Savannah for my sister’s bachelorette. We just love that city.

    1. Savannah was one of my other options! Instead, my husband and I ended up doing Savannah for our domestic honeymoon (since COVID cancelled our international honeymoon).

  3. Love Charleston!!! I’m from NC originally and have so many beautiful memories of Charleston. Would love to go back soon, and a bach sounds like so much fun!

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