A Weekend in Charleston - The Cooper River Bridge Run

We drove down on Thursday to start the weekend and began with dinner at Home Team BBQ in Charleston’s North End. It is the perfect place to sit outside and grab a drink or two and watch a game on their many TVs or listen to live music on their open-air patio.

Friday morning, we went and picked up our race packets from the convention center and walked around the race expo. We then ventured down to King Street and grabbed brunch at Miller’s All Day, highly recommend the banana bread! We walked through the market and down to Rainbow Row before ending the night at Shem Creek for dinner at Red’s Ice House.

Saturday was race day. We chose to stay near the convention center and got on a shuttle to the start line. Next year, I would like to stay downtown and take a downtown shuttle to the start line and do more of the after-race festivities! The only elevation is the bridge itself, and there is plenty of entertainment on the bridge! Otherwise, it is a relatively flat course and is an iconic Charleston landmark. After the race, we grabbed lunch at Virginia’s on King for some classic southern cuisine before a relaxing afternoon and a historic Ghost Tour with Old South Carriage Co.

Sunday morning, we got up and had a delicious brunch at Church and Union, a restaurant on Market Street housed in a repurposed old church with stunning stained glass.

Charleston is a city that I have been to many times living within driving distance. The Cooper River Bridge Run was a way to see the city in a whole new way and in a new perspective that made me want to come back and do it year after year!

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Charleston. In need of further inspiration? Check out Ebony Carr’s guide, Discover Charleston: A Southern Gem Awaits.