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The Communities of Charleston, South Carolina

There are approximately 8 square miles of bustling downtown where you will find the business district of Charleston. Broad Street is our "Main Street" and you will find Broad Street lined with government buildings, banking institutions, and professional offices, interspersed with art galleries and cafes. You can tour the Peninsula via horse drawn carriage, handsome cab, or with a guided walking tour. You will see stately Antebellum, Colonial and Victorian homes, churches, and 18th century storefronts, all amazingly preserved. We'll explain what comprises the Charleston Metropolitan Area, so that when you get here, you'll be a giant step ahead of the game! When speaking with those from other cities and states, we say we live in Charleston, when in fact we might actually live in one of the outlying areas.

You will hear the locals refer to areas such as "Historic Charleston or Peninsula Charleston", "East Cooper", and "West Ashley". Historic Charleston is a peninsula bordered on the East by the Cooper River and on the West by the Ashley River. East Cooper includes those areas East of the Cooper River including Mt. Pleasant, Isle of Palms, Sullivan's Island and Dewees Island. West Ashley includes those areas West of the Ashley River including James Island (part of Charleston), Johns Island and Folly Beach. You also hear about the West Islands, Kiawah and Seabrook, along with historic Summerville, North Charleston and our youngest suburban community, Daniel Island.

CITY OF CHARLESTON
www.ci.charleston.sc.us
Historic Charleston is noted for its absence of tall buildings. There are strict architectural ordinances on building height and appearance unique in the era of urban ‘high rises’. Charleston is a picturesque city with a unique character full of charm and grace. Charleston’s Historic Downtown District has stood throughout history as the cultural capital of the South and is considered by many to be a living museum, with a wonderful variety of things to do and see. In this beautifully preserved city you can experience tours through historic landmarks, including 18th century homes and plantations, the Battery, museums, churches and the city market. Charleston boasts numerous art galleries that display the city’s impressive appreciation for the visual arts. To search available properties in Downtown Charleston click on the ‘Property Search’ button and follow the search options.


MT. PLEASANT
www.townofmountpleasant.com
English settlers founded Mt. Pleasant in 1680. Today, the Town of Mt. Pleasant is considered to be the fastest growing municipality in South Carolina. With a current population of approximately 60,000 residents, Mt. Pleasant expects a population close to 80,000 by the year 2015. Neighborhoods range from new developments and planned communities to the Old Village, a National Register district and the original town center. It is an outstanding location, surrounded by beaches, Charleston Harbor and salt marshes. Live anywhere in Mt. Pleasant and you will have no more than a 10 to 15 minute drive to the beaches on the Isle of Palms and Sullivan's Island. The Mark Clark Expressway (I-526) provides easy access to I-26, which intersects with Interstates 95, 20, 77, 85, and 40. If airport accessibility is important to you, the Charleston International Airport is about a 20 minute drive. The East Cooper Airport is a private airport in Mt. Pleasant and accommodates private and corporate aircraft. To search available properties in Mt. Pleasant click on the ‘Property Search’ button and follow the search options.

EAST ISLANDS
The East Islands include Sullivans Island, the Isle of Palms and Dewees Island, all are barrier islands facing the Atlantic Ocean.

SULLIVANS ISLAND, www.sullivansisland-sc.com, a neighbor to the Isle of Palms, was originally settled by Charlestonians who were looking for peace, tranquility and cool ocean breezes. There is limited commercial activity on Sullivan's Island and development is controlled. There are approximately 2,500 year round residents plus summer residents. You are likely to find the Island's part time mayor greeting customers at the restaurant he owns on the Island. Streets on Sullivan's Island are called Stations. This has carried over from the days when access to the Island was via rail over the Intracoastal Waterway from Mt. Pleasant. Sullivan's Island is rich in history. There is a working lighthouse and Ft. Moultrie, site of the largest sea battle of the Revolutionary War. Some of the most beautiful homes on the Island were former officer's quarters. The beautiful wide beaches and the Island's quaint historic feel are just two of the many reasons why folks call Sullivan's Island home.

ISLE OF PALMS, www.IOP.net, is a barrier island located only 20 minutes from historic Charleston. There are approximately 6,000 permanent residents on the Isle of Palms today. There is a delightful combination of permanent homes housing residents of all ages, and vacation homes. Most of the homes on the Isle of Palms are newer than those on Sullivan's Island. You will see modest 1940's beach houses, ranch style homes built in the 1950's, and new two and three story homes. There are beautiful beaches and numerous recreational activities. The Isle of Palms is easily accessed from Sullivans Island via the Breach Inlet Bridge, or by the Clyde Dangerfield Parkway, commonly known as the Isle of Palms Connector. Via the Connector, you are mere minutes to Highway 17 North and I-526. Wild Dunes is a well known tennis and golf resort on the northern end of the Isle of palms. It is a resort, but also a private residential community. You will find individual homes and condominiums within Wild Dunes. The resort has two Tom Fazio designed golf courses, The Links and The Harbor Course. The Harbor Course is a real shot maker’s layout with holes paralleling the Intracoastal Waterway. The Links is nationally ranked with holes 17 and 18 bordering the ocean.

DEWEES ISLAND, www.deweesisland.com, is a unique residential barrier island on the north side of the Isle of Palms accessible only by boat. The island is totally natural with ecologically and environmentally sound development criteria. Please visit their web site for additional information.

DANIEL ISLAND
www.danielisland.com
Daniel Island was one of the largest undeveloped urban tracts in the U.S. Located in the middle of Charleston Harbor it was, until recent years, accessible only by water. Now with the Mark Clark Expressway (I-526) you can reach the airport in less than 10 minutes, the beaches in 10 minutes and downtown Charleston in approximately 20 minutes. It is a growing 4,000-acre planned development with a beautiful natural setting. Although, a part of the City of Charleston, Daniel Island is well on its way to being a self-sufficient city within a city. There are a variety of family oriented neighborhoods with many parks and green space. The commercial area includes a large grocery store, retail outlets and several good restaurants. Daniel Island is also home to the Daniel Island Country Club, and schools are available through grade 12.

WEST OF THE ASHLEY RIVER
West of downtown Charleston between the Ashley and the Stono Rivers is the suburb commonly called West Ashley (part of the City of Charleston). One of the advantages of living in West Ashley is the convenience of being close to downtown Charleston. There is significant retail activity running along Highway 17 South from strip malls to fast food restaurants and car dealerships. Along the first few miles of Highway 61 you will see a stretch of professional offices; housing, doctors, dentists and attorneys. Behind Sam Rittenberg Boulevard (Highway 7) are desirable established neighborhoods. Many of the homes are built of brick and the neighborhoods are full of lush vegetation. Many call West Ashley home because of the affordable, attractive neighborhoods, the convenience to shopping and the variety of retail outlets. West Ashley is a patchwork of old and new neighborhoods and businesses that have preserved their “village-like” atmosphere. West Ashley also claims the beautiful Historic Plantations of Drayton Hall, Magnolia Gardens and Middleton Place. The Citadel Mall, Charleston’s largest shopping center with over 100 tenants, is also located in West Ashley.

James Island is the most developed of the three islands and the opening of the James Island Connector to downtown Charleston has made it a more convenient and desirable place to live than ever before. Most of the James Island neighborhoods have a combination of moderate to upscale homes. As with many of the Charleston communities, waterfront property is in high demand.

Johns Island has been considered largely rural and undeveloped, but as Charleston continues to grow more people are expressing an interest in this pristine rural property. Johns Island is famous for its vegetable farms. Fresh produce is sold at many roadside stands.

Folly Beach, www.cityoffollybeach.com or www.follybeach.com , has gained in popularity with the opening of the James Island Connector. Now you can live at Folly Beach and be in downtown Charleston in about 15 minutes. Residences range from modest beach homes, ocean front condominiums and grand-scale single family dwellings. Folly Beach has some of the best surfing in the area.


WEST ISLANDS
Charleston’s resort barrier islands of Seabrook, www.townofseabrookisland.org, and Kiawah, www.kiawahisland.org, have developed with similar styles. Located approximately 20 miles south of Charleston, these islands are private and gated. Seabrook Island is on the quiet side with beautiful golf courses, tennis facilities, an equestrian center and white sandy beaches. Kiawah, on the other hand, is an active, world class resort with five championship golf courses including the renown Ocean Course, site of the 1991 Ryder Cup Matches.

NORTH CHARLESTON
www.northcharleston.org
North Charleston is known as the transportation and business center for the lower half of the State of South Carolina. One of the main attractions of this city is the 14,000 seat coliseum, home of the local ice hockey team, the Stingrays and 2,250-seat Performing Arts Center, which are housed in the Charleston Area Convention Center Complex. The Performing Arts Center hosts a wide variety of events including Broadway shows, music, concerts, and ice shows. The International Airport and Amtrack Stations are both located in North Charleston.

SUMMERVILLE
www.summerville.sc.us
Step back in time – The historic village of Summerville, known as the “Flowertown in the Pines,” was once an escape for plantation owners from the mosquito-laden marshes. Qualities developed in this village as one of America’s first resorts dating back to the early 1800s are still very much alive today, and visitors will be able to experience the kind of charm and hospitality one expects from a small Southern town.
 

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