Our Whirlwind Weekend in Charleston/Mt Pleasant!

May 26, 2022 • Travel

We recently participated in the 45th Annual Copper River Bridge Run in Mt Pleasant and Charleston, SC.

Gary and I loaded up the car on Friday around 9am and arrived around noon.

We had to stop by the Charleston Convention Center and pick up race packet info and then we went to our gorgeous hotel in Mt Pleasant.

Read here about all my love for the Mt Pleasant area.

Let me just tell you, if you are planning on coming to the area during the weekend of the bridge run, make your hotel reservations as far in advance as possible, they sell out fast.

I am planning on making ours for next year as soon as race registration opens again.

Where We Stayed

We booked our stay Embassy Suites by Hilton in Mt Pleasant. It was very close to the bridge and sits on the water and we loved the location. Inside the hotel it was gorgeous and well decorated and they had a nice Happy Hour with drink specials and snacks. The courtyard was a nice place to just relax as live music entertained us.

Our room also featured a balcony that overlooked the water and we got to see lots of water traffic, even the Carnival Cruise Ship that Gary and I met on, almost 3 years ago. A chance meeting that I am thankful for every day.

We will definitely stay here again because we do love the Mt Pleasant area. The walking path on the property takes you along the water, under the bridge and up to the Battleship.

Our room was a 2 queen bedroom with a living room and a couch that folded out, we needed the extra space because Ella brought her friends.

Coffee bar with mini fridge and cabinets

The bathroom has a very large shower with a glass door and plenty of storage

This is such a beautiful courtyard with a relaxing fountain and at night they have a musician to entertain you.

Outside of Embassy Suites

The lobby of the hotel was amazing and so beautiful.

Our room with a desk, fold out couch and a balcony

The lobby has lots several little areas like this where you can just sit and relax in style.

This is the view from our balcony and across the water is Charleston

The only thing I didn't get a picture of was the breakfast.

It was amazing in gorgeous breakfast room where you can have a custom omelet prepared for you or enjoy the sausage, grits, bacon, oatmeal, cereal, fresh fruit and coffee, juice and soft drinks.

Trust me when I say, it was so yummy!

What We Did

On Friday, after we finished picking up our race packets at the Expo Center we came to check in at our hotel and get freshened up for dinner. Ella and I love crab legs and have found this place to be our current favorite. After stuffing ourselves on way too many crab legs we decided to walk around Charleston and get Ice Cream. We called it a night around 9 because we had a very early morning coming up.

On Saturday morning the alarm went off around 5 was we were set to leave our hotel at 5:30 to catch the shuttle to the starting line for the race. We stopped and grabbed breakfast and coffee and headed off to our coral to wait on turn to go. I really enjoy the Cooper River Bridge Run and this year my goal was only to beat last years time. I totally did that as last year was 2:22 and this was 1:56 minutes.

Just think what I could do if I trained and ate right, lol!

After the race, we headed back to the hotel for a much needed shower and took the girls and went to Isle of Palms for dinner. It was chilly on the beach so we didn't stay long and after dinner that pretty much for Gary & I, We were past done.

Ella and the girls headed out to a park and to get ice cream while Gary and I stayed in bed, he watched basketball and I slept,It was perfect.

Sunday morning we got up and headed downstairs to enjoy the delicious breakfast the hotel provides. After breakfast, Gary & I took a walk along the water and under the bridge and I felt a kind of achievement come over me, that I "Got Over It" Way to go Dana! We headed back to the room and packed up and checked out. We headed into Charleston and dropped the girls off on King St, The mecca for shopping and we headed to tour this beautiful historic home.

After the girls shopped on King Street and we toured a historic home, it was time to grab some lunch and get ready to head home. We all love the area and can't wait to be back soon.

Dana

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Eating at Mattie's

• Cooking, Lifestyle

Mattie's, is a diner car in Charlotte, formally, located at the Music Factory, the diner closed in 2015 and was put into storage, It sat that way for more than 6 years. Matt King, owner of Mattie's spent all of his time looking for a new home for the diner.

He wanted to be a fixture in a community in Charlotte, and not just a place for outsiders to come. Matt bought the diner car from a used car lot in NJ in 2005, it was named, The Bound Brook Diner back then. Matt loaded the diner up and had it brought south to Charlotte, where it now has a home forever.

Matt was driving around one day and he saw a Tire Depot building with a lease sign out front and you can say the rest is history, mixed with a bunch of headaches, sweat and tears. The final product is nothing short of amazing. The diner car gives this old homey vibe, it just feels good. The large patio area offers a place to eat and catch a breeze thru the large bay doors.

My favorite spot is in the diner car at the bar, so I can see all the action and mouth watering meals as they are prepared.