Charleston, SC - 40th girls birthday bash
 

Hello,
Myself and 8 girlfriends are traveling to Charleston for 4 days to celebrate our 40th birthdays!! We are interested in recommendations for dinner in downtown Charleston. Somewhere with great food and upscale surroundings... can be a bit swanky as well. We are staying at The Sanctuary on Kiwah Island so we will plan one dinner there as well. Any other suggestions in terms of shopping, must see tours (no more than 2 hrs) would be appreciated. Many Thanks!!

There are tons of previous postings regarding restaurants and shopping suggestions in Charleston, just do a search and they will come up. The Peninsula Grill seems to be the overall favorite, but there are many options. I haven't eaten at the Ocean Room at the Sanctuary, but the Jasmine Porch is wonderful. Since you're there, you might want to book something at the spa. My mom, sister and I had a great afternoon there. My favorties of the plantations are Middleton Place (where we had a nice lunch) and Drayton Hall. Shoe shopping central is found on King Street downtown.

Peninsula Grill at Planters Inn is one of my favorites along with Charleston Grill across the street in Charleston Place hotel. I would let the concierge at the Sanctuary make your tour reservations. The walking tour would be my suggestion just get one of two hours. Your hotel will have good advice.

Thank you all. I have read the restaurant suggestions and yes, I saw that the Penn Grille seems to be the favorite w/ visitors. I was hoping for some recommendations on newer restaurants as well. There was mention of Mistral? Also, I have read that shopping on King St is wonderful. Looking at a map though, King St seems very long. Can anyone narrow the area down for me by listing cross roads?? Thanks Again! We are so excited for our trip and will definately book SPA treatments!

Charleston Place Hotel is on the N/W corner of Meeting St. and Market. Walk out the front door go to the right to King St. and head south on King St. You can have a nice walking tour on your own without a guide. It's probably 10 blocks to the Battery at the southern tip of Charleston. There are some beautiful old homes on the Battery as well as a beautiful park. Get a walking tour map from the Concierge at your hotel and follow it. You will stumble across some nice antique shops, old churches, etc. At the Battery go to your left one block and walk back up Meeting St. to Charleston Place. That should take you an hour or so at least. When you get back to Market St. and Charleston Place headed North from the Battery go to the right on Market St. to two/three blocks to E. Bay St. There are lots of small shops on Market as well as the Market itself. Lots of local crafts for sale. Baskets, etc. At E. Bay St. head south along the Charleston Harbor to Broad St. Turn right and go one block to Church St. and make your way back North to Market and Charleston Place. Lots to see and do in that area. Also there are antique stores all along this walk outlined above as well as good restaurants.


My favorite restaurant would be Charleston Place then Peninsula Grill. Both are about equal. Other nice restaurants I would recommend are McCrady's, Magnolia's, Fig, 82 Queen and Circa 1886.

http://www.mccradysrestaurant.com/

Hank's Seafood is a newer place opened by the owners of Peninsula Grill. I have not been so I can't tell you much. It looks nice and I would think the Peninsula folks are running a good place.

http://hanksseafoodrestaurant.com/

http://www.magnolias-blossom-cypress.com/splash.asp


http://www.circa1886.com/


http://www.peninsulagrill.com/

Hank's is good and, LOL Ike, in Charleston terms it would be appropriate to call it "newer".

You will like Kiawah. There are some cute shops on the island too. It will take you about 40 minutes to drive into town. I would also recommend Rosebank's Farms Cafe for lunch or dinner at the marina between Kiawah and Seabrook. Also, make sure to stop and see Angel Oak. It is truly beautiful and amazing.

As far as the shopping on King St., most of it falls in the blocks between Calhoun and Broad.

Thank you all so much for your help it is much appreciated!