Enjoy a taste of true Southern hospitality with complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cordials at John Rutledge House Inn. In the mornings, travelers can greet the day with made-to-order dishes and daily specials from the comfort of their guestroom, amid the history of the Signer's Ballroom, in the courtyard, or on the piazza. In the afternoons, meanwhile, perfectly brewed teas, thirst-quenching lemonades, and a selection of light bites offer a welcome reprieve from the Charleston sunshine. Then, after a long day exploring Charleston, unwind with an indulgent nightcap of port, sherry, or brandy.

Sample the bounty of the Atlantic Coast by diving into one of South Carolina’s many delectable seafood dishes. One seafood staple is she-crab soup, a decadently creamy dish with roots in Scotch-Irish culinary traditions that was first served at the historic Rutledge House. The dish was born during a dinner for President William Howard Taft at the home of Charleston Mayor R. Goodwyn Rhett, now the John Rutledge House Inn. Rhett's chef and butler, William Deas, put the “she” in she-crab soup by adding a cluster of crab roe, elevating the dish from ordinary to extraordinary. Not a dish but an entire dining experience, oyster roasts are a popular culinary pastime in the Lowcountry, particularly in the wintertime. During the season, these shellfish feasts take over backyards, beaches, and church parking lots. (Contrary to the name, the oysters are steamed beneath wet burlap on a plate-topped wood fire, not roasted.) Accouterments like lemon wedges, cocktail sauce, hot sauce, crackers, and plenty of napkins are provided. Those hoping for a complete ocean-to-table adventure can even arrange a crabbing expedition through Charleston local Tia Clark, an Airbnb Experience named one of the best in the world. Throughout this culinary journey, guests get their hands dirty by throwing out the net and even baiting fish. Afterward, guests can take their catch to the Charleston Crab House, a local restaurant that will happily cook the crabs to perfection.

Savor the culinary heritage of the Gullah Geechee people and the South by dining on some traditional South Carolina dishes. Southern cuisine is deeply intertwined with African culture, from the time when enslaved people stirred the pots and cooked the meals in plantations across the American South, fusing Central and West African cooking styles with local ingredients. Gullah Geechee food, in particular, focuses on seafood and seasonality. Must-have dishes include okra soup, a gumbo-like Gullah staple with a tomato base in place of a roux, and Charleston red rice, a Lowcountry classic with tomato paste and bacon similar to West African jollof rice. Shrimp and grits, South Carolina’s official state food, is another Southern favorite with African roots. Although the Gullah people descended from what is a rice culture, they were introduced to corn and grits during mealtime on the plantations, combining it with the shrimp they caught on the Sea Islands. Enjoy a bowl of shrimp and grits and other Gullah soul food at Charleston eateries like Hannibal’s Kitchen, James Beard Foundation-recognized Bertha’s Kitchen, and My Three Sons of Charleston.

Drink in South Carolina’s spirited heritage with a stop at one of Charleston’s local distilleries, breweries, or taprooms. In the state’s early days, settlers would imbibe in glasses of Madeira wine brought over by sailing ships, picked up in casks at the Portuguese port before setting off across the Atlantic, or swigs of rum from Barbados, a popular last stop for European settlers before dropping anchor in Charleston. Although those libations are still popular around the city, today's locally made drinks tend to be heavy on grains, like malty, hoppy craft brews, boozy bourbons and rye whiskeys, and potent moonshine in flavors like peach, coconut cake, and banana pudding. Meanwhile, vodkas get a Southern makeover, too, infused with the taste of sweet tea, lemonade, and the Carolina Reaper pepper.