With its beguiling alleyways, award-winning cuisine, hidden courtyards and beautiful natural landscape, Charleston is an ideal destination for romance. From candle making workshops to cooking classes to plantation strolls, we’ve rounded up 9 date ideas that will take you from day to night. Scroll on and begin planning your perfect Charleston date!
Before you go, explore our Romantic Retreat itinerary.
1. CANDLE MAKING WORKSHOP
Home to more than 30 brands of unique candles and gifts, Candlefish is a destination for inspiration. Join the chandlers for a hands-on BYOB candle-making workshop and bring home your own creation sure to please the senses. 
CANDLEFISH
2. ULTIMATE COCONUT CAKE
Make a reservation at Peninsula Grill and cross “Taste the iconic Ultimate Coconut Cake” off your culinary bucket list. Called “A little slice of heaven” by The New York Times, this twelve-layer cake is baked daily, and also available via mail order in case you just can’t get enough (no judgment here; we get it)!
3. COOKING CLASS
Stir up something special at a Zero George Cooking Class! Hosted in Zero George‘s 1804 kitchen carriage house, the intimate cooking classes are led by Chef Vinson Petrillo and visiting chefs. Click here to book your class. Trust us; your tastebuds (& significant other) will thank you later!
4. DINNER + A SHOW
Enjoy dinner and a show at the country’s first playhouse, Dock Street Theatre! Charleston Stage, South Carolina’s largest professional theatre company in residence at Dock Street, produces a full season of plays and musicals that light up the stage. There’s nothing quite like an evening at the theatre!
5. DAY AT THE SPA
Spend the day relaxing stress-free at one of Charleston’s luxurious spas, including The Spa at The Sanctuary. We see a couple’s massage in your near future. Click here to explore the Top 11 Spa Experiences in Charleston.
6. CAMELLIA WALK
A visit to the Lowcountry’s four distinct plantations – Middleton Place, Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Drayton Hall and Boone Hall – is a highlight of any visit to Charleston. While winter is a bleak season in most parts of the country, Charleston is painted in pink during the months of November – March, when the camellias bloom! Talk a stroll through Magnolia Plantation‘s beautiful grounds or join Middleton Place for a Camellia Walk lead by expert guides.
7. BOWLING
Enjoy an evening of bowling and brew! The Alley is a 16, 780-square foot reclaimed warehouse that features eight lanes of retro bowling, a 40-foot bar made from recycled bowling lane wood and a 150-seat restaurant serving tasty bites including Holy City Nachos, Bruschetta Avocado Toast and Buffalo Chicken Dip.
8. WINE + CHEESE TASTING
It’s always a good night out on the town when wine and cheese is involved! Explore our Guide to Charleston’s Best Wine Bars, including Joséphine, and sip and savor the Holy City’s finest wines and savory charcuterie boards. Now only to decide: red, white or rosé?
9. PROGRESSIVE DINNER CRAWL
Dine your way through Charleston on a progressive dinner crawl! First up: cocktails. Need help choosing a locale? Check out our Rooftop Roundup and enjoy a craft cocktail along with a Holy City skyline view. Following cocktails, head to your next location to dive into a tasty Lowcountry appetizer (oysters, perhaps?). Then on to the main course! Discover 9 entrees inspired by Charleston History (& Where to Enjoy Them). And finally: dessert. Explore our list of Charleston’s Iconic Desserts and satisfy your sweet tooth!
Still unsure where to dine? Take our quiz and discover which Charleston restaurant you should travel for.
DARLING OYSTER BAR
