After a five-hour drive, we made it into Charleston in the mid-afternoon on Friday. Temperatures were in the 90s, and it was humid and sunny. But that didn’t dissuade us from making the short drive from our hotel to the Battery and taking an hour-and-a-half stroll along the beautiful shoreline. Locals and tourists alike strolled up and down streets lined with colorful historic homes, some with cobblestone entranceways and back alleys. Clouds and the occasional breeze helped us stave off the heat and humidity, and we made it all the way to the Waterfront Park, which boasts a fountain in the likeness of a giant pineapple.

After afternoon excursion, we met up with a friend who lives in Charleston and hit up Chai’s on King Street for some amazing tapas. Though we had originally had our hearts set on Meritage, which, unbeknownst to us, had been shuttered, we were not disappointed with our plan B. We filled up on paella, mussels, duck confit lettuce wraps, and angel wings, and toasted with mojitos.

After dinner, we hopped over to the Market Pavillion Hotel rooftop bar. When we arrived, the security guy/bouncer at the door had just turned away the group in front of us on account of them having open-toed shoes, which apparently are not allowed on the rooftop (a strange policy). Right after that, however, the bouncer went inside the hotel and was detained at the front desk. We took advantage of the opportunity and quietly shuffled into the hotel and into an elevator, sandals and all. I’ve been to the rooftop bar a couple times before, and it is always one of my favorite places in Charleston. As a bonus, it wasn’t overly crowded tonight. Though we couldn’t find an open table, we were quite content to lie back on a few lounge chairs and sip our beverages for an hour while soaking up the cool night breeze as the city below us pulsed with its usual energy. When we left, the bouncer was back at his post. As we walked past him on our way out the door, I couldn’t help but wonder if he took a peek at our feet to see if we had the proper foot attire.