Charleston, South Carolina

Welcome aboard! The Last Mango takes us to extraordinary places and we want to share these places with all of you! The Last Mango blog will take a deep dive into sharing our Last Mango life with our Last Mango family! We are excited for you to board with us on this journey while we share our favorite places to rest, dine and free spool during our cruise up and down the east coast and even, throughout the world. So, let’s cruise darlin’; we are about to board the Last Mango blog!

If you do not know much about our trips, they consist of up to a week of stops from the Bahamas to as far as Nantucket and many places in between. Each day the boat travels for up to fourteen hours & then stops at night for a bubble bath, rest, food and sometimes we top it off with a stroll through the beautiful areas the Last Mango takes us!

One of our first stops and one of our favorites on the east coast is Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston is known for its beautiful downtown and its coastal southern charm.

While in Charleston, we switch up our lodging from time to time. A few of our favorite places are The Lindy Renasissance Charleston Hotel and Planters Inn.

The Lindy is known for its uniqueness with its eclectic designs while still maintaining the traditional South Carolina charisma of holding onto the history of this beautiful city. The hotel displays art from many local artists throughout different areas including the rooms. There is a library in the lobby that is a must see with local feather bowties on display. If the cookies are out for sharing, do not sleep on them – you must try one…or two!

Planters Inn is a one of a kind luxury boutique hotel that combines elegance with its southern style in the heart of the historic district of Charleston. Originally built in 1844 as a dry goods store, this architectural treasure of a hotel is the only hotel throughout the United Stated furnished with décor from Bakers’ Historic Charleston Collection. The first thing you should ask walking over the threshold is how to get a slice of the decadent coconut cake…you will forever be hooked!

We often get asked how is the food during your travel through the east coast. Before the question is finishing being asked, our answer is “HANK’S!” There are a few other stops that we answer while saying Hank’s but more to come on that at a later time.

“Hank’s” otherwise known as the World Famous Hank’s Seafood Restaurant is an absolute must while in Charleston. Not only is the food some of the best in the world but Hank Holliday is a dear friend of Jimmy’s. Their friendship was a fun one especially when they were talking about fishing & food. If one thing is for certain, Hank knows how to incorporate fishing into food! From the moment you walk in, you feel as if you are walking into home; from the staff to the décor. Hank’s has a great bar for your happy hour excursions and the bartenders are mixing up the best drinks in the business. Pro tip: When you arrive, take a look on the right-hand side wall for a special greeting!

While choosing your dining preferences, you cannot go wrong with anything on the menu. Some of our top favorites include the Hank’s seasonal salad, Charleston she crab soup, roast grouper, sautéed lump crab cakes, fried shrimp platter & the fried green tomatoes are a must. We always change up our desserts, as that is a part of the toughest choices of our dining experiences but this time we had the chocolate peanut butter parfait & it was worth every bite!

Also owned by Hank, you cannot go wrong dining at the Peninsula Grill. This restaurant pulls out all the stops from the setting and the atmosphere to the drinks, food and dessert; it is a restaurant that is the crown jewel of the dining scene. Some of our favorites include the burrata salad, pan seared diver scallops, the goat cheese smashed potatoes and the roasted mushrooms. When asked if you will be enjoying a dessert following your meal, repeat these two words immediately…” coconut cake!”. You can thank us later.

If you are looking for a more casual dining scene, look no further than Lewis Barbecue. When you try the barbecue at Lewis’s, you feel as if you are at an amazing backyard barbecue including the covered patio above the picnic benches, the lunch trays and the family type atmosphere. During this stop, our favorites included the sliced USDA prime beef brisket, pulled pork, green chile cheddar sausage creamy potato salad and the mac and cheese. They offer a happy hour from 4pm – 6 pm, Monday through Friday. If you cannot make it to Charleston to visit in person, they offer the option to ship nationwide so you do not have to miss out. There are no corners cut here!

During our trips and after our dinners, we like to venture out for some night sights in the scenic places the Last Mango takes us. Downtown Charleston is known for its picturesque historic buildings, its exclusive shopping & its delectable food all surrounded by beautiful waterways. 

Our first stop was at Savannah’s Candy Kitchen because who says you have to stop at just one dessert?! Considering the happiness that this place brings you when you walk in the door, we cannot be surprised that it, coincidently, is named Savannah’s! This candy kitchen is known for its distinctive striped candy boxes, the barrels of candy throughout the store & its pralines. We recommend getting two of each of your choices because before you make it back to your room you will have already tried one of each of your pickings!

Next up, our favorite shopping happened at the Charleston City Market. Built in 1841, this United States National Register Hall is a must stop shopping experience. You can easily identify the building with its green ironwork and brownstone stucco. It has the most unique music, food, art, jewelry and so much more made 100% of local South Carolina artisans. This makes the treasures you will purchase very special due to their uniqueness.

Lastly, we topped our night off with the, kid-friendly, Charleston ghost and graveyard tour. This one hour and thirty minute tour takes you through the boo-tiful historic district and exclusively through Charleston’s oldest burial ground. Included with a private tour guide, this tour provides a professional guide and moderate activity so make sure to wear your most comfortable walking shoes.

-Written by Sarah LaSorsa