Recently I went to Charleston, SC for a family reunion. My little sister and I had a rental car and we had packed a cooler so I was confident I could get whatever I needed to stay gluten free and paleo. We stayed in a hotel a little outside the city but we scoped the gluten free restaurant scene and the natural grocery stores on our phones on the way into town. When traveling with a special diet it is all about the planning. Later I updated this post with more photos from other trips and we stayed in an Airbnb where we could cook our own gluten free, paleo and keto foods.
Gluten Free, Paleo Travel: Charleston, SC
Make sure to walk around downtown and see the historic homes called rainbow row.
Walk by the battery and check out the fountains.
I almost forgot, on the road into town we stopped at Thornhill Farmstand for some pastured eggs. It was very good to see high quality local food at a roadside shop.
We ate brunch at Blossom and it was a great atmosphere and menu. I also got a crab omelet that was to die for.
The first night my sister made a reservation at SNOB in downtown Charleston which had a local ingredient focus and a gluten free menu. Me and my sister shared this pate appetizer plate that we were assured was gluten free.My sister got this pastured pork chop over potatoes from the gluten free menu.
When you walk around you will see gorgeous flowers and window boxes. We were here in the spring and everything was blooming.
We also went to Folly beach and ate at The Crab Shack. The Mahi Mahi was so fresh and I still dream out it.
The next morning we checked out the Charleston Farmers Market in historic Marion Square, Saturdays from 1oam-2pm. It was really lively and I can tell people here care about what they eat and where it comes from.Of course I was happy as a clam at the farmers market, where we saw lots of low country seasonal produce.
We have great farmers markets back in San Francisco of course, but I was impressed with the high quality and variety of this one. I also was happy to see that it was very busy with lots of families buying produce and grass fed meats.
Another thing I try to do when traveling is cook in the Airbnb to save money and get to try the local seafood. This was a great meal my husband cooked while we are visiting Charleston.
They had some pastured chicken on display who were enjoying the sun and bugs in the grass. Read more here
Then we stopped at the Honey Baked Ham store to gear up for the family reunion which we were sure would have nothing that was gluten or grain free. This is not the best quality food but it was probably better than the fried chicken and potato salad that was sure to be a staple at the potluck style reunion.
I also got roasted turkey from the honey baked ham store for myself to eat along with some olives and cherry tomatoes I scored at the farmers market. I was assured by the website and the manager that Honey Baked Ham and roasted turkey are gluten free. It was nice to know that is an option even if it not something I would eat if I was not traveling.
Later we stopped at Five Guys Burgers and Fries where they had plenty of space for 13 of us after the reunion. They also have a gluten free menu that is affordable for all.
We stopped for a walk on Folly beach for some fresh air and sand on our feet.
On another trip a few years later, we stayed in an Airbnb in Kiawah Island and that was amazing! They have so much vegetation, bike trails and community pools. It was a wonderful escape. Highly recommended! Save $40 on your first airbnb here.
If you have some more time go by Sullivans Island, a place that is less developed and super classy. Make sure and take a walk and get a meal there.
More tips for eating gluten free/ grain free when traveling:
Paleo Restaurants in SF part 1
Paleo Restaurants in SF part 2
Paleo Friendly Eats in SF part 3
Gluten Free Guide to Chain Restaurants:
Hidden gluten ingredient used in many restaurant dishes:
Gluten Free Travel in Kauai, Hawaii
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We were just in Charleston! The farmer’s market is so much fun and the low-country food is to die for. 🙂
Thanks for the tips! I live in a totally unresourceful area so I’m used to taking a cooler of food everywhere I go. It would probably be easier for me to find paleo foods anywhere but here. ha 🙂
I’ve noticed that in your Paleo Travel posts you often feature people eating various meats. Are all of them grain-free as well? How are these people finding their suppliers? I’m a producer of grass-fed beef in Idaho and am always looking for ideas on how to improve my outreach to the community.