We stumbled upon what turned out to be our favorite bar. We ducked in to Cane Rhum Bar & Caribbean Kitchen because I had fallen in the street and needed a place to bandage up. What I found there was the best Painkiller cocktail I’ve ever had—and I’ve had many of the rum, orange, pineapple, coconut and nutmeg concoctions. My new husband tried two of the bar’s original cocktails, which were equally powerful revelations. The bar manager even found Band–Aids for me.

We also enjoyed the drinks at the Belmond, where the bartender gave us great restaurant recommendations. My one regret? That I didn’t try one of their homemade pop tarts with the drinks. He pointed us to Leon’s Fine Poultry and Oysters, another delight, for lunch the next day.

The Gin Joint, on our list from the beginning, added to the great cocktail scene we found in Charleston. I had the Charlie Brown cocktail, bourbon-forward with hints of smoked sea salt, lemon, amaro and a peanut-cola cream liqueur. It came in a coke bottle and surpassed my wildest thoughts of what a peanut and coke combo could be.

And then we ate. While Martha Lou’s Kitchen was the culinary highlight of the trip, Hominy Grill was so nice we visited it twice. Lunchtime pimento cheese and a vegetable plate for dinner with macaroni and cheese, tomato pudding and lima beans were superb.