Good morning, Charleston. ☀️ It’s been about 320 days since the pandemic hit SC + quarantine life started. With all of the additional time spent at home, we have been through some pretty weird quarantine hobbies as a society. From baking bread, to binge watching Tiger King, to learning TikTok dances as a family, back to Netflix to watch Bridgerton, we have gone through a lot of phases.

If your quarantine hobbies were fleeting moments in time or your new year's resolution was to find a new hobby to stick with, stick around. Today we are sharing some hobby ideas you can try in Charleston, all while supporting local businesses.

🎨 For the person looking to get more creative: take a class at Beads and Brushstrokes (formerly Country Bumpkin).They've got a massive bead selection, lots of art supplies, and a variety of classes.

🦜 For the early bird: try birdwatching. Charleston County Parks hosts early morning bird walks, trips, and other birding programs. You can find the schedule + sign up here.

📚 For the person who wants to spend more time reading: head to one of our local bookstores for your next read. Try Buxton Books, Itinerant Literate Books, Turning Page Book Shop, or Blue Bicycle Books.

🧶 For the sentimental person looking to make a quilt of memories: People, Places, & Quilts is a quilting and fabric emporium, with a calendar full of classes you can try out.

🥘 For the person who wants to cook more: try taking a cooking class at Zero George or In the Kitchen with Chef Bob Wagner. Learn to cook a delightful meal + get inspired by professional demonstrations.

📸 For the person who wants to up their photography game: In order to be the next James Van Der Zee – you’ll want to learn the basics of photography first. Start with a beginners class – like this one, taught by Kate Silvia– and then head outside to start taking photos of our beautiful city.

🎼 For the person who wants to learn to play an instrument: check out the Charleston Academy of Music, East Cooper Music, + Hungry Monk Music. Classes are available for kids + adults to achieve their dreams of becoming the next Eddie Van Halen or B. B. King.

🏄 For the person looking to hang ten: Charleston has some of the most beautiful surf spots around. You can sign up for surf lessons at Carolina Salt Surf Lessons, Isla Surf School, and Shaka Surf School.

🧵 For the person looking to get into cross stitching: Check out Fire Poppies, a needlework shop in Summerville.

Have you taken any of these hobbies out for a spin? Let us know which hobbies you’ve tried + which ones you plan to keep in your repertoire. Don’t forget to tag us in your photos (@chstoday + #chstoday) trying new things in + around Charleston.