Charleston

Your Guide to 

Charleston 

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Telephone: (843) 884-1593 

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Real Estate | Wills and Trusts | Probate | Business Formation 

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Business and Tax Representation 

Tax Problem Resolution

www.charlestonhome.com • 800.884.0818

» WELCOME 

The Charleston region is full of life, history and 

opportunity. You have probably already discovered this 

as you are considering, or have already chosen, the 

region as your new home. 

On the surface, the region’s beauty is 

impossible to ignore. In fact, it’s probably 

one of the many things that attracted 

you to the area. Rivers serenely wind 

through scenic marshlands. Historic 

buildings are shaded by grand live oaks 

draped in Spanish moss. There are a lot 

of advantages to living in an area that’s 

easy on the eyes, whether you’ve set down 

roots in Summerville, Charleston, Mount 

Pleasant or somewhere in between. 

But much deeper than the region’s beauty is its history, which 

dates back to 1670 when the first English settlers arrived and 

established Charles Towne on the banks of the Ashley River. As a 

favorite destination for travelers, the Charleston region proudly 

celebrates its history and the people who have helped shape the 

area into what it is today. 

In addition, quality of life is something each community 

takes seriously. Schools are a high 

priority. New pedestrian and family 

friendly neighborhoods are being built 

that mix seamlessly with established 

neighborhoods. There are abundant 

opportunities to experience arts, culture, 

outdoor recreation, shopping, dining and 

nightlife. 

We invite you to explore the region, 

get to know your neighbors and discover 

the charms of the Lowcountry. It won’t 

take long before you become immersed in the area’s progressive 

Southern culture and call Charleston your new hometown. 

We’re certainly glad you’re here. Welcome home.• 

WELCOME | 1

Photo/Greater Charleston Restaurant Association 

» WE’VE GOT IT ALL 

Charleston was named the World's Best City and the Best City in the U.S. in 2016 by 

Travel & Leisure magazine. Here are a few reasons why: 

Atmosphere and Ambiance 

Day or night, Charleston’s atmosphere and ambiance beckon. Take a carriage ride to learn 

about the historic area, watch a beautiful sunset at a rooftop bar or venture to the beach to 

relax. Charleston gets into your soul and we think you’ll agree there’s nothing quite like it. 

Arts and History 

The Charleston area is the home of many 

firsts. The city was founded in 1670, and 

you can barely take a step in any direction 

without seeing a historic building, 

plantation or other landmark. From 

Rainbow Row and the Market downtown 

to Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island, there 

is much to see and learn about. And the 

Charleston arts scene is vibrant as well. 

Performing and visual arts come together in 

the annual Spoleto Festival. 

Friendliness 

Our rankings as Friendliest City and Most Mannerly City are two things we’re proud of. 

We take life a little slower here in Charleston and extend to visitors and newcomers the 

same hospitality that the city’s founders did. It won’t be long before you, too, will be saying, 

“Welcome, y’all!” 

Lodging 

Want to stay in a historic inn? No problem. Like the beach with a golf course nearby? You can 

stay there, too. Luxury hotel, bed and breakfast, marsh or ocean view, harbor or skyline vista? 

If you can dream it, we probably have it. 

The Lowcountry Oyster Festival, the world’s 

largest, takes place in January at Boone Hall 

Plantation in Mount Pleasant. 

Opening ceremonies for Spoleto Festival USA. 

Restaurants 

Charleston has become a hot spot on the gourmet 

food scene. Chefs focus on using farm-fresh produce 

and seafood straight from local waters. Lots of 

festivals and events feature our local cuisine, from 

spontaneous Food Truck Rodeos to the annual Wine 

and Food Festival. 

Shopping 

Pick up a handmade sweetgrass basket in the 

Market or shop the latest fashions on King Street 

downtown. Head out to the Tanger Outlets in North 

Charleston if you’re looking for a great deal or swing 

by Towne Centre in Mount Pleasant for trendy 

shops and locally owned boutiques. Whatever you’re 

looking for, you can find it here. 

Photo/Charleston Regional Business Journal 

WHY, THANK 

YOU 

The Charleston area keeps racking 

up the recognition in many areas. 

Here are a few examples. We’re 

flattered... 

Charleston is the No. 1 

World's Best City 

- Travel & Leisure, 2016 

No. 1 Best City in the U.S. 

- Travel & Leisure, 2016 

No. 1 Small U.S. City 

- Conde Nast Traveler, Readers’ Choice 

Awards, 2016 

No. 4 Most Fun Place to Live in the 

U.S. 

- U.S. News and World Report, 2016 

No. 4 Best Midsize City for Jobs in 

2017 -Forbes, 2016 

Named to Top 25 list of America’s 

Best Cities - Outside, 2017 

No. 19 Best Places to Live in the U.S. 

- U.S. News & World Report, 2015 

No. 4 Best American Cities for 

Foodies 

- Conde Nast Traveler, 2014 

Top 12 Technology Hubs in America 

- SlateTech, 2013 

Sources: Charleston County Economic Development, 

Charleston Regional Development Alliance 

2 | WELCOME

» WHY I LIVE HERE 

Welcome messages from our sponsors 

“I was born and raised here. It’s no surprise to 

me Charleston has been voted as a top travel 

destination year after year. Visitors come to 

this city for the same reasons locals live here - 

the diversity of its natural and cultural history, 

such as McLeod Plantation Historic Site and 

Caw Caw Interpretive Center, and beautiful 

lifeguarded beaches. The mild climate in 

Charleston allows for year-round outdoor recreational opportunities. 

For example, even in the autumn and winter, we can still spend time 

with our families walking on miles of wooded and scenic trails, or 

attending fall and holiday festivals. I wouldn’t live anywhere else.” 

“I like living in the Charleston region 

because of the area’s dynamic contrasts: 

A growing economy and a deep sense of 

history; vibrant urban cores and a serene 

natural environment; countless cultural 

events and nothing to do on a lazy summer 

afternoon. But most of all, I like it because 

it’s home.” 

Grady Johnson 

President and Group Publisher, SC Biz News, publishers of the Charleston 

Regional Business Journal 

David Bennett 

Executive Director, Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission 

“One visit to the 

Lowcountry and 

you will fall in love 

with the people, 

places and endless 

list of entertainment 

options! Charleston 

has rich history, 

great restaurants, sandy beaches and 

breathtaking sunsets. It’s a great place to 

live, work and play.” 

Dr. Jairy C. Hunter 

President, Charleston Southern University 

“Charleston is a 

beautiful city with 

a rich history, great 

food, vibrant arts 

scene, and warm 

people engaged in their 

community, and it’s 

evolving into a center 

for advanced technologies and businesses. 

With the current investments underway 

at the MUSC Hollings Cancer Center, I 

believe Charleston’s health care system and 

research mission will shine as brightly as 

any of that, if not brighter. Over the next 

few years, South Carolinians will experience 

scientific breakthroughs and positive health 

outcomes for generations to come.” 

Gustavo W. Leone, Ph.D. 

Director, Hollings Cancer Center, MUSC 

“Charleston, and 

surrounding areas, are 

the perfect backdrop 

for families. Having 

raised an 18-, 21-, 

and 23-year-old 

here myself, I can 

vouch that it offers 

something for everyone. Where else can 

you spend a day at the beach, enjoy some 

of the country’s best food and take in 

a baseball game just by hopping over a 

bridge?” 

Cregg Glover 

South Carolina Federal Credit Union 

WELCOME | 3

contents 

2017 

Volume 9 

»Welcome 

2 Introduction to Charleston 

3 Sponsors’ Welcome 

6 Market Facts 

14 Education in the Lowcountry 

21 Higher Education 

26 Health and Wellness 

»Living In 

40 Historic Charleston 

44 Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island 

46 North Charleston 

48 Mount Pleasant 

51 West Ashley 

53 James Island and Folly Beach 

55 Johns and Wadmalaw Islands 

56 Daniel Island 

58 Kiawah and Seabrook Islands 

60 Summerville 

65 Jedburg and Ridgeville 

66 Moncks Corner 

68 Goose Creek 

»Resource 

Guide 

70 Sports and Recreation 

74 Dog Parks 

77 Golf Courses 

78 Dining Out 

80 Places to Stay 

83 Alternative and Outdoor Venues 

85 Arts Abound 

88 Attractions and Tours 

93 Calendar of Events 

96 Newcomer Information and Map 

Photo/MUSC Photo/Ryan Wilcox/Charleston Regional Business Journal Photo/Explore Charleston 

4 | WELCOME

Photo/Charleston County Parks 

Special Projects Editor - Licia Jackson 

ljackson@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7546 

Associate Editor, Special Projects - Steve McDaniel 

smcdaniel@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3123 

Creative Director - Ryan Wilcox 

rwilcox@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3117 

Senior Graphic Designer - Jane James 

jjames@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3118 

Graphic Designer - Andrew Sprague 

asprague@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3128 

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES 

Director of Business Development - Mark Wright 

mwright@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3143 

Senior Account Executive - Sue Gordon 

sgordon@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3111 

Senior Account Executive - Robert Reilly 

rreilly@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3107 

Senior Account Executive - Bennett Parks 

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Account Executive - Sara Cox 

scox@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3109 

South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth 

What are Market Facts and Lists? 

Each year, the Charleston Regional Business Journal collects 

all kinds of data and facts about our region. These are presented in 

a visual way in Market Facts, which is published annually. In the 

following pages, you will be introduced to a sampling of this data, 

presented in chart, graph and table format. 

You will also be treated to samples from our annual Book 

of Lists. The lists are just what they sound like: listings of 

businesses and other organizations by category. The information 

is ranked by number of employees or some other criteria, and 

details about each company are painstakingly gathered by our 

researchers. 

The facts and lists published here are ones that will be of 

interest to newcomers. We hope you enjoy both of these added 

features to Intro Charleston. 

President and Group Publisher - Grady Johnson 

gjohnson@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3103 

Vice President of Sales - Steve Fields 

sfields@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3110 

Event Director - Kathy Allen 

kallen@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1225 

Audience Development & IT Manager - Kim McManus 

kmcmanus@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3116 

Accounting Manager - Vickie Deadmon 

vdeadmon@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7541 

SC BUSINESS PUBLICATIONS LLC 

A portfolio company of Virginia Capital Partners LLC 

Frederick L. Russell Jr., Chairman 

The entire contents of this newspaper are copyright by SC Business Publications LLC with all rights reserved. 

Any reproduction or use of the content within this publication without permission is prohibited. SCBIZ and 

South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. 

WELCOME | 5

Market Facts 

Charleston’s economy has been growing and diversifying at a steady pace, with technology, 

engineering, architecture, service industries and health care ranking as the 

area’s fastest-growing job sectors. 

The emergence of technology startups heralds a growing knowledge economy and has 

earned Charleston the nickname “Silicon Harbor.” 

An economic driver for the entire state, the Port of Charleston has rebounded strongly 

after a dip in exports and imports during the recession. 

Ports, logistics, manufacturing and distribution companies account for a significant 

amount of economic activity in the Charleston region. 

As the housing market has recovered, the demand for commercial real estate and rental 

properties has surged. Construction has bounced back with an increase in building permits 

and the dollar value of the construction market. 

Financial institutions operating in the Charleston area represent more than 25% of the 

financial assets in banks across the state. 

In the pages that follow we give you a visual representation of some data on the 

Charleston market through Market Facts. Each year, the Charleston Regional Business 

Journal publishes Market Facts: data and facts about our region presented in chart, graph 

and table format. The information here is from the most recent Market Facts publication. 

In this section 

Economic Drivers.................................................8 

Area Information.................................................10 

Real Estate.............................................................12 

Sponsored by 

6 | EDUCATION

» ECONOMIC DRIVERS 

Manufacturing 

The economic landscape of the Lowcountry 

changed recently when two automobile 

manufacturers made the decision to invest 

a total of $1 billion in new manufacturing 

facilities. Mercedes-Benz Vans and Volvo 

Cars announced plans for manufacturing 

operations in the Charleston region to build 

and assemble commercial vans and automobiles. 

The companies join a slate of manufacturers 

in the Charleston region responsible 

for more than 10,000 jobs, including Boeing, 

Robert Bosch, KapStone, Nucor Steel, 

Cummins Turbo Technologies, Century 

Aluminum, JW Aluminum and more. Volvo 

Cars picked Berkeley County for the company’s 

first North American manufacturing 

operations after going through a multistate 

selection process. The company expects to 

employ 4,000 workers at the plant near Ridgeville 

over the next 10 years. 

Source: Charleston Regional Business Journal 

Port of Charleston 

The S.C. State Ports Authority handled 

more than 1 million containers through 

April of fiscal year 2017, a 9% increase over 

the same period in 2016. Charleston’s port is 

the eighth largest in the U.S., behind Savannah, 

Ga., its nearest competitor geographically, 

which ranks sixth in terms of the value 

of goods handled each year. 

The average day at S.C. ports 

Five vessels sail into South Carolina’s harbors. 

$75.8 

billion 

$75.8 billion was the total value 

of goods handled in 2015. 

8 | MARKET FACTS

Hospitality & Tourism 

Hospitality and tourism pump billions 

of dollars each year into the economies of 

Charleston and South Carolina as a whole. 

The robust sector serves as a major economic 

driver for businesses and communities 

across the state. 

In 2015, an estimated 5.15 million people 

visited the Lowcountry and spent an 

average of $211 per visitor per day. Overall, 

tourism generated a total ecomonic impact 

of $3.7 billion. 

The year-round tourist season in the Lowcountry 

pulls visitors to the Charleston area in 

support of a vibrant food-and-beverage sector 

with world-class cuisine and events, including 

the Charleston Wine and Food Festival, 

Charleston Restaurant Week and the annual 

Chef’s Feast, among other festivals and events 

that center around culinary arts. 

Retail shopping, performing arts and 

history, combined with renowned cuisine 

and the lure of the area’s beaches and waterways, 

make the Charleston region a natural 

choice for vacationers and sightseers. 

2015 tourism 

by the numbers 

5.15 million visitors 

$3.7 billion economic impact 

$211 per person 

for expenditures per day 

Photo/Ashley Heffernan/ 

Charleston Regional Business Journal 

Source: College of Charleston Tourism Analysis 

Photo/ Senior Airman Dennis Sloan 

Defense Sector 

Joint Base Charleston, which was created 

when the Naval Weapons Station and 

the Charleston Air Force Base joined into 

one military team, serves as the largest 

employer in the area with more than 20,000 

employees. The defense sector continues to 

be a major job creator with manufacturing, 

technology, cybersecurity and contracting 

through SPAWAR Systems Center Atlantic, 

Lockheed, General Dynamics, SRC and 

many other defense contractors throughout 

the region. 

MARKET FACTS | 9

» AREA INFORMATION 

2016 Charleston-area population 

By county and major city 

153,773 

Dorchester 

County 

210,898 

Berkeley 

County 

Average Daily Population 

Growth, 2014-2015 

48 

TOTAL POPULATION GROWTH PER DAY 

13 

+ 

BIRTHS MINUS DEATHS 

35 

NET DAILY IN-MIGRATION 

Seattle 166 

49,323 

Summerville 

42,039 

Goose Creek 

Austin 157 

Nashville 100 

Raleigh 84 

109,298 

North Charleston 

396,484 


County 

84,170 

Mount Pleasant 

134,385 


Jacksonville 78 

Charleston 48 

Salt Lake City 43 

Greenville 34 

Richmond 32 

= 10 People 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau 

Sources: 2016 Regional Economic Scorecard; 

U.S. Census Bureau 

Fastest Growing Job Sectors, Charleston MSA 

Occupation Category % chg ‘15-’16 Chas MSA 

Legal Occupations 24.2% 

Community and Social Services Occupations 20.9% 

Construction and Extraction Occupations 12.8% 

Healthcare Support Occupations 11.9% 

Computer and Mathematical Occupations 8.0% 

Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations 7.3% 

Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations 7.1% Source: South Carolina Department of Education 

Mean travel time to work in minutes, 2015 

30.7 

Atlanta, GA 

26.0 

Charlotte, NC 

25.9 

US Average 

25.1 

Raleigh, NC 

24.8 

Charleston, SC 

24.7 

Richmond, VA 

23.5 

Columbia, SC 

23.4 

Knoxville, TN 

23.4 

Savannah, GA 

22.5 

Greenville, SC 

Source: 2015 5 Year American Community Survey 

10 | MARKET FACTS

MARKET FACTS | 11

» REAL ESTATE 

A look ahead at residential home sales 

– 2012 – 2013 – 2014 – 2015 – 2016 – 2017 forecast 

– 2018 forecast 

Number of homes sold 

THE TREND: 

RAPIDLY INCREASING HOME SALES 

That’s the forecast growth 

in the number of homes sold 

from 2016 to 2018. 

23% 6% 

Average Sales Price 

THE TREND: 

PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE 

That’s the forecast growth in 

the average sales price from 

2016 to 2018. 

25,000 

20,000 

15,000 

104% 

increase from 

2012 to 2018 

13,103 

14,257 

16,218 

17,720 

19,616 

21,774 

$350K 

$300K 

$250K 

$200K 

$264K 

$281K 

$291K 

$307K 

$321K 

$329K 

$341K 

10,000 

10,638 

$150K 

$100K 

5,000 

$50K 

0 

0 

Sources: Charleston Trident Association of Realtors, 2016 Annual Report; Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, Economic Outlook Forecast, 2017-2018 

12 | MARKET FACTS

Days on market until sale – Single-family – Condos 

150 

140 

130 

120 

110 

100 

90 

THE TREND: 

HOMES SELLING FAST 

The time it takes to sell a 

home continues to drop. 

This is due to high levels of 

interest in the area as well as 

a lower inventory of homes 

for sale. 

INVENTORY OF 

HOMES FOR SALE 

6,498 

6,201 6,241 

5,879 

4,733 

80 

70 

2012 

2013 

2014 

2015 

2016 

60 

50 

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 

Source: Charleston Trident Association of Realtors, 2016 Annual 

MARKET FACTS | 13

Education 

The greater Charleston region has four school districts covering areas from 

downtown to suburban neighborhoods to rural and beach communities. Each 

district offers a variety of school programs, including magnet and charter 

schools with specialized programs of study. 

Charleston County School District is the largest, serving more than 50,000 students 

countywide. Students living in the city of Charleston, North Charleston and Mount 

Pleasant all attend Charleston County schools as well as those on James Island, Johns 

Island and Sullivan’s Island. 

Berkeley County School District serves about 33,000 students in more than 40 

schools that span the vast county. Students in such areas as Goose Creek, Hanahan, 

Daniel Island and Moncks Corner attend these schools. 

Dorchester County is divided into two districts. Dorchester School District 2 serves 

Summerville and areas around it. Dorchester School District 4 educates children in the 

more rural parts of the county, including St. George, Ridgeville and Harleyville. 

Details on each district are given on the pages that follow. 


School Districts...................................................16 

Private Schools....................................................18 

Higher Education................................................21 

Colleges and Universities.............................. 23 

Sponsored by 

14 | EDUCATION

Photo/Ryan Johnson/City of North Charleston 


High School students from throughout Charleston County participate in the Charleston Regional Business Journal's 

STEM Career Fair at the Charleston Area Convention Center. 

Berkeley County School District 

229 E. Main St. 

Moncks Corner, SC 29461 

843-899-8600 

www.bcsdschools.net 

For a complete list of schools in Berkeley 

County School District, visit www.bcsdschools.net, 

Schools tab. 

To determine your neighborhood school 

based on home address, contact the school 

district office. Register your child online under 

the Students and Parents tab. 

Berkeley County School District, the 

fourth-largest school system in the state, is 

growing by about 1,000 students per year. It 

serves about 33,000 students and operates 

more than 45 schools, including nine high 

schools, 12 middle schools, 24 elementary 

schools and three alternative and adult option 

schools. 

Berkeley County provides arts magnet 

schools at each level of elementary, middle 

and high school. Howe Hall Arts Infused 

Magnet School serves students in kindergarten 

through fifth grade who are selected 

through a lottery process. Howe Hall is a 

model site for arts infusion in South Carolina 

and was selected in 2007 as a Kennedy 

Center Creative Ticket School of Excellence 

and in 2010 as a National Blue Ribbon 

School. The Berkeley Center for the Arts at 

Goose Creek High School offers programs in 

creative writing, dance, orchestral strings, 

theater, visual arts, vocal music, and wind 

and percussion studies. 

Other innovative programs and schools 

include Berkeley County Middle College 

High School, a magnet school on Trident 

Technical College’s Berkeley Campus, and 

Scholars Academy, the district’s International 

Baccalaureate program. Marrington 

Middle School of the Arts is a National Blue 

Ribbon School that incorporates the arts as 

an essential component of the curriculum. 

The Gifted and Talented program serves 

academically advanced students. They are 

enrolled in classes to enrich and accelerate 

learning beyond the regular school curriculum, 

including in English and mathematics. 

Charleston County School District 

75 Calhoun St. 

Charleston, SC 29401 

843-937-6300 

www.ccsdschools.com 

For information on all the individual 

schools in the district, along with information 

on registering your child in the district, 

visit www.ccsdschools.com/Schools. 

To look up your neighborhood school 

based on home address, visit croppermap. 

com/charleston. 

Charleston County School District is 

the second-largest school system in South 

Carolina, representing a blend of urban, suburban 

and rural schools over nearly 1,000 

square miles. The district serves more than 

50,000 students in 86 schools and several 

specialized programs. 

In Charleston County, each school-aged 

child is assigned to a neighborhood school 

based on grade level and home address. 

In addition, the district offers specialized 

programs, magnet schools and charter 

16 | EDUCATION

» School District Overview 

School District Map 

Student enrollment, 2015-2016 

In Dorchester County, the districts divide 

along Eagle Drive, Indigo Road and Cummings 

Chapel Road. 

Dorchester 

County School 

District 4 

Berkeley 

County School 

District 

50,000 

40,000 

30,000 

20,000 

10,000 

Dorchester 

County School 

District 2 


County School 

District 

Berkeley Charleston Dorchester 2 Dorchester 4 

Average SAT scores, 2016 

1,500 

1,450 

schools, including such specialized programming 

as Montessori, International Baccalaureate, 

military-infused, math and science, 

arts and technology programs. 

A number of options for adult education 

are also offered in the Charleston district, 

which strives to close the achievement gap 

and increase the graduation rate. 

The district is in the midst of completing 

a new strategic plan, with the focus on ensuring 

college, career and citizenship readiness 

for all students. 

Dorchester School District 2 

102 Green Wave Blvd. 

Summerville, SC 29483 

843-873-2901 

www.edlinesites.net/pages/Dorchester_County_SD 

For a complete list of schools, look under 

the District Information tab on the website. 

This link has a list of schools for each subdivision 

in the area. 

For questions about attendance zones 

and which neighborhood school your child 

would attend, call the district office. 

Dorchester School District 2 is the largest 

employer in Dorchester County. The district 

serves about 26,000 students in suburban 

Summerville through three high schools, six 

1,400 

1,350 

1,300 

Berkeley Charleston Dorchester 2 Dorchester 4 

middle schools and 15 elementary schools, 

plus an alternative program for grades six to 12 

and an adult community education program. 

A school improvement program is underway 

that provided three new elementary 

schools. A new Rollings Middle School of 

the Arts is scheduled to open in 201. The 

improvement program will also fund major 

expansions and renovations at five elementary 

and three middle schools. All three high 

schools will have classroom additions to accommodate 

increased career-readiness and 

technology programs to prepare students for 

college and the workforce. The new schools 

are helping alleviate overcrowding at all 

schools in the district. 

Recognized as a school system of excellence, 

Dorchester 2 has been awarded 

districtwide National Accreditation from the 

AdvancED Accreditation Commission. 

Source: South Carolina Department of Education 

Dorchester School District 4 

500 Ridge St. 

St. George, SC 29477 

843-563-4535 

www.dorchester4.k12.sc.us 

For a complete list of schools in the district, 

visit the website and check the Schools 

tab. 

To determine your neighborhood school 

zone, call the district office. 

Dorchester School District 4 is home to 

six schools — three elementary schools, two 

middle schools and one high school — and 

the Odyssey Educational Center, serving 

a student population of about 2,500. The 

district offers honors/advanced placement, 

college prep, tech prep and occupational 

courses. • 

EDUCATION | 17

Private Schools 

Ranked by 2016 Enrollment 

School 

Porter-Gaud School 

300 Albemarle Road 


Bishop England High School 

363 Seven Farms Drive 


Pinewood Preparatory School 

1114 Orangeburg Road 


Ashley Hall 

172 Rutledge Ave. 


Northwood Academy 

104 Charger Drive 


Christ Our King-Stella Maris 

School 

1183 Russell Drive 

Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 

Palmetto Christian Academy 

361 Egypt Road 


St. John's Christian Academy 

204 W Main St. 


Phone / Website 

Email 

843-556-3620 

www.portergaud.edu 

thirni@portergaud.edu 

843-849-9599 

www.behs.com 

kbrownell@behs.com 

843-873-1643 

www.pinewoodprep.com 

bcrom@pinewoodprep.com 

843-722-4088 

www.ashleyhall.org 

info@ashleyhall.org 

843-764-2284 

www.northwoodacademy.com 

admissions@northwoodacademy.com 

843-884-4721 

www.coksm.org 

- 

843-881-9967 

www.palmettochristianacademy.org 

lisas@palmettochristianacademy.org 

843-761-8539 

www.sjcacavaliers.com 

info@sjcacavaliers.com 

Administrator 

/ 

Year Founded 

David DuBose 

Egleston Jr. 

1867 

Patrick Finneran, 

Nancy Heath, Kit 

Brownell 

1915 

Stephen M. 

Mandell, Nicole 

Bailey, Brooks 

Crom 

1952 

Jill Muti 

1909 

Larry L. Evanoff, 

Darlene W. 

Anderson, 

Melanie Van 

Deusen 

1978 

John Byrnes, 

Susan Splendido 

1950 

JD Zubia 

1992 

Eric M. Denton 

1966 

Fall 

Enrollment/ 

Teachers 

Because of space constraints, only the top-ranked companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit 

http://www.scbiznews.com/buy-business-lists. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes 

occur. Email additions or corrections to lists@scbiznews.com. 

950 

98 

700 

57 

700 

75 

680 

88 

670 

49 

600 

50 

600 

78 

325 

35 

Student:Teacher 

Ratio 

10:1 

13:1 

9:1 

9:1 

14:1 

16:1 

14:1 

10:1 

Affiliations / 

Accreditations 

NAIS, PAIS, SCISA, NAES / 

SAIS, SACS 

NCEA, SCHSL, NASSP, SACAC, 

NACAC/SACS-CASI Catholic 

Diocese of Charleston / 

Catholic Education Honor Roll 

School of Excellence 

NAIS, PAIS, SAIS, SCISA, The 

College Board / 

SAIS, SACS 

NAIS, NCGS, PAIS, SCISA / 

SACS, SAIS 

ACSI, TAC, SCOIS, CEEB, 

IFCSA, IACEE, / 

SCISA, AdvancEd 

Roman Catholic Diocese of 

Charleston / 

Diocese of Charleston 

SCISA / 

ACSI, SACS 

SCISA / 

SCISA 5 year advanced; 

AdvancEd 

For more lists subscribe to: 

www.CharlestonBusiness.com 

Grades 

1st through 12th 

9-12 

Pre-K3 through 12th 

Ages 2 through 5 (co-ed); K through 

12th (girls only) 

Pre-school through 12th 

Pre-K through 8th 

Preschool through 12th 

K3 through 12th 

Researched by Business Journal staff 

18 | EDUCATION

EDUCATION | 19

Private Schools 

Ranked by 2016 Enrollment 

School 

Mason Preparatory School 

56 Halsey Blvd. 


Cathedral Academy 

3790 Ashley Phosphate Road 

North Charleston, SC 29418 

Charleston Collegiate School 

2024 Academy Drive 

Johns Island, SC 29455 

Northside Christian School 

7800 Northside Drive 


Charleston Day School 

15 Archdale St. 


Faith Christian School 

337 Farmington Road 


Ridge Christian Academy 

2168 Ridge Church Road 


The Oaks Christian School 

505 Gahagan Road 



Email 

843-723-0664 

www.masonprep.org 

mainoffice@masonprep.org 

843-760-1192 

www.cathedralacademy.com 

contact@cathedralemail.com 

843-559-5506 

www.charlestoncollegiate.org 

amulkey@charlestoncollegiate.org 

843-797-2690 

www.northsidecharleston.com 

jwtwitch@gmail.com 

843-377-0315 

www.charlestondayschool.org 

admissions@charlestonday.org 

843-873-8464 

www.faithchristiansc.com 

admin@faithchristiansc.com 

843-873-9856 

www.ridgechristian.info 

mrsbray@ridgechristian.info 

843-875-7667 

www.oakschristianschool.org 

theoakschristianschool@gmail.com 

Administrator 

/ 

Year Founded 

Erik Kreutner 

1964 

Chris Bateman 

1999 

Hacker H. Burr 

1970 

Cecil Beach, 

Brian H. 

Washburn, 

Jonathan D. 

Washburn 

1975 

Brendan J. 

O'Shea 

1937 

David Freberg 

1987 

Gentry Ard, Maria 

P Bray, Brian 

Benedict 

1997 

Robin B. Boehler 

1998 

Fall 

Enrollment/ 

Teachers 




302 

31 

300 

26 

300 

45 

300 

26 

250 

35 

250 

28 

225 

28 

205 

17 

Student:Teacher 

Ratio 

13:1 

15:1 

8:1 

13:1 

6:1 

15:1 

10:1 

K3-K5 18:2; 1st-8th 

18:1 

Affiliations / 

Accreditations 

NAIS, ERB, SAIS, PAIS, SCISA / 

SAIS/AdvancEd 

Cathedral of Praise / 

SCISA, ACSI, AdvancEd 

CES, ERB, NACAC, NAIS, PAIS, 

SCISA, SACAC, SACS, SAIS, 

TCAC / 

SAIS, SACS 

Northside Baptist Church / 

SCACS 

NAIS, SAIS, ERB, PAIS, NBOA / 

SAIS, SACS, NAIS 

AdvancED, ACSI, SCISA / 

AdvancED, SCISA 

Ridge Baptist Church / 

SCISA 

Crossroads Community Church, 

SCISA, AdvancEd / 

SCISA, AdvancEd 



Grades 

K through 8 


Pre-K through 12th 


kindergarten through 8th 


Birth through 12th 



20 | EDUCATION

The College of Charleston 

readying for commencement. 

Photo/College of Charleston 

» HIGHER EDUCATION 

Whether you are a college-bound 

student, a college football fanatic, 

an employee or a resident 

interested in lectures and continuing education 

opportunities, there’s a good chance 

you will find what you are looking for in 

South Carolina’s higher education system. 

Enrollment number have remained 

steady in recent years. More than 244,000 

students were enrolled in South Carolina’s 

public and independent two- and four-year 

institutions as of April 2015. 

Founded in 1770, the College of Charleston 

is the city’s oldest institution. It is a 

nationally recognized public liberal arts and 

Photo/Charleston Southern University 

sciences university located in the heart of 

historic Charleston. Students attend class 

in centuries-old buildings, and many spend 

their evenings working as waiters and bartenders 

— or pedaling tourists around in 

rickshaws. Because of their work ethic and 

spending power, the students are a vital 

part of Charleston’s thriving hospitality 

industry. 

The Citadel is another college with deep 

roots in Charleston. It’s not uncommon to 

spot a “knob” walking the Lowcountry’s 

streets. The freshman class is easily 

identified by the men’s shaved heads that 

resemble doorknobs — hence the nickname. 

South Carolina is home to 

84 institutions of higher 

learning, including: 

• Three research institutions 

• 10 comprehensive teaching 

institutions 

• Four regional campuses of USC 

• 16 technical colleges 

• 23 independent senior institutions 

• Two two-year independent 

institutions 

• Two private professional schools 

• 24 out-of-state degree granting 

institutions 

EDUCATION | 21

Photo/Ashley Heffernan/ 

Charleston Regional Business Journal 

Photo/ Shutterstock.com 

Left: The Cistern 

Yard at the College 

of Charleston. 

Right: Young 

cadets marching 

at The Citadel in 

Charleston. 

A few dozen women also attend the military 

college, although females were not allowed 

until 1996. The school is unique because 

it offers a classic military education 

described as “intense, meaningful and 

academically strong.” It differs from 

the nation’s traditional military schools 

because students are not required to join 

the service upon graduation. 

The Medical University of South Carolina 

is one of the area’s premier hospitals and 

includes a strong teaching component. Its 

specialty degree programs include dental, 

graduate studies, medicine, nursing and 

pharmacy. It is also one of the region’s largest 

employers, and the research conducted 

there is a vital part of the region’s high-tech 

biomedical industry. 

The Charleston School of Law is a 

private institution located in downtown 

Charleston. While the school was founded 

in 2003, like most things in this city, it is 

steeped in history. 

In November 1825, a group of Charleston 

attorneys petitioned the S.C. General Assembly 

for a charter institution. The following 

Graphic design students at the Art Institute learn the 

skills they’ll need to enter the thriving design scene in 


Photo/Art Institute of Charleston 

22 | EDUCATION

Colleges and Universities 

Ranked by Total 2016 Enrollment 



Institution 


Email 

Enrollment / 

Faculty 

Public/ 

Private 

Top Three Undergraduate 

Majors, by Enrollment 

Administrator 

Trident Technical College 

7000 Rivers Ave. 


843-574-6111 

www.tridenttech.edu 

infocenter@tridenttech.edu 

13,562 

318 

Public 

Associate in Arts 

Associate in Science 

Nursing 

Mary Thornley 

1964 

College of Charleston 

66 George St. 


843-953-5507 

gradschool.cofc.edu 

admissions@cofc.edu 

11,294 

574 

Public 

Business Administration Biology 

Psychology 

Glenn F. McConnell 

1770 

Charleston Southern University 

9200 University Blvd. 


843-863-7057 

www.charlestonsouthern.edu 

graduateschool@csuniv.edu 

4,103 

185 

Private 

Nursing 

Computer science 

Business 

Jairy C. Hunter Jr. 

1964 

The Citadel 

171 Moultrie St. 


843-225-3294 

www.citadel.edu 

ocm@citadel.edu 

3,602 

192 

Public 

Business Administration 

Criminal Justice 

Engineering 

John W. Rosa 

1842 

Medical University of South Carolina 

171 Ashley Ave. 


843-792-2300 

www.musc.edu 

eslweb@musc.edu 

2,979 

1,294 

Public 

Nursing 

Cardiovascular Perfusion 

David J. Cole 

1824 

Lowcountry Graduate Center 

3800 Paramount Drive 


843-953-4723 

www.lowcountrygradcenter.org 

info@lowcountrygradcenter.org 

423 

INP 

INP 

None 

Nancy Muller 

2001 

The Art Institute of Charleston 

24 N. Market St. 


843-727-3500 

www.artinstitutes.edu/charleston 

aicscadm@aii.edu 

393 

11 

Private 

Culinary Arts 

Graphic and Web Design 

Fashion 

Todd Harrison 

2006 

ECPI University & Medical Careers Institute 

7410 Northside Drive, Suite 100 


843-414-0350 

www.ecpi.edu 

jweaver@ecpi.edu 

320 

16 

Private 

Health Science 

Computer and Information Science 

Electronics Engineering Technology 

James Weaver 

1966 

Limestone College Charleston Extended Campus 

4500 Leeds Ave., Suite 208 


843-745-1100 

www.limestone.edu 

ecsuccess@limestone.edu 

297 

3 

Private 

Business, Social Work, Liberal Studies 

Walt Griffin 

1845 

Webster University 

4105 Faber Place Drive, Suite 100 


843-760-1324 

www.webster.edu/charleston 

charleston@webster.edu 

262 

3 

Private 

Management Psychology 

Vivian Gallman- 

DeRienzo 

1915 

Saint Leo University - North Charleston Center 

7499 Dorchester Road 


843-554-2111 

www.saintleo.edu/northcharleston 

northcharleston@saintleo.edu 

87 

3 

Private 

Business Administration 

Health Care Administration 

Criminal Justice 

Elizabeth Heron 

2012 

USC Darla Moore School of Business 

151 Market St. 


803-777-2730 

www.moore.sc.edu 

gradadmit@moore.sc.edu 

70 

108 

Public 

International Business 

Finance and Marketing 

Peter Brews 

INP 

American College of the Building Arts 

649 Meeting St. 


843-577-5245 

www.buildingartscollege.us 

handall@buildingartscollege.us 

61 

9 

Private 

Timber Framing 

Architectural Iron 

Trowel Trades 

Colby M. Broadwater 

III, James M. Waddell 

V 

2004 




Researched by Business Journal Staff 

EDUCATION | 23

Photos/Gibson Pitts 

Students in the aerospace training program at Trident Technical College. 

Culinary Institute students at Trident Technical College work in a commercial-grade kitchen. 

year, the Forensic Club started offering law 

lectures, beginning the Southeast’s earliest 

law school. In 2002, prominent Charleston 

judges and attorneys set out to establish 

a law school that would continue the 

19th-century club’s tradition. The school 

earned accreditation in 2006 and graduated 

its first class the following year. 

The Charleston region is also home to 

several technical colleges that offer a host 

of two-year degrees and trade certifications. 

These include Trident Technical College, the 

region’s largest two-year school. Upon the 

Boeing Co.’s 2009 announcement that it 

would locate an assembly plant for its 787 

Dreamliner in North Charleston, Trident 

Tech announced it would expand its aviation 

electronics programs and dedicate nearly 

10,000 square feet of space for Boeing-related 

training programs at its main campus. 

Students also have the option of attending 

satellite campuses for specialty training, 

such as Embry Riddle Aeronautical University's 

two Lowcountry locations at Joint Base 

Charleston and in North Charleston. 

The Art Institute of Charleston opened 

in 2007 and is a branch of the Art Intitute 

of Atlanta. Its programs include commercial 

photography, culinary arts, fashion 

and retail management, graphic design 

and more. 

Charleston is also home to the American 

College of the Building Arts, which 

trains students in historical building trades 

such as ironwork or plaster. 

The Lowcountry Graduate Center in 


The College of Charleston Observatory. 

24 | EDUCATION

North Charleston is an organization that 

formed to help working professionals gain 

advanced degrees through collaboration between 

the state’s colleges and universities. 

Despite myriad choices, South Carolina, 

like many states, is at a crossroads when it 

comes to higher education. 

Many exciting programs are underway 

here, including the South Carolina Centers 

for Economic Excellence program. 

The state created the Centers for Economic 

Excellence program in 2002 to 

provide incentives for the state’s research 

universities to raise capital from private 

sources to fund endowments for specialized 

research professorships. The professorships 

serve a unique role in helping 

cultivate critical public-private industrial 

partnerships and expanding the state’s 

knowledge base. 

At the same time, South Carolina is 

grappling with decreasing state funds and 

increased tuition costs. Without money for 

new facilities, demand in the coming years 

may outstrip capacity. And schools are constantly 

challenged with training students 

for the evolving high-tech industry. 

The good news is that university officials 

and lawmakers spend countless hours 

studying, debating and creating innovative 

ways to advance higher learning in South 

Carolina — without putting the financial 

burden on students and their families. 

The state’s colleges and universities — 

including many in the Lowcountry — offer 

a competitive education to traditional and 

returning students. 

They also help fuel the local economy 

by serving as some of the area’s largest employers, 

by luring students and families to 

town, and by fostering relationships with 

the community and businesses. The Lowcountry’s 

institutions of higher learning are 

— and will continue to be — a major part 

of the cultural fabric of this region. 

For more information on higher education 

institutions in South Carolina, visit the 

S.C. Commission on Higher Education at 

www.che.sc.gov. • 

Students in the computer lab at Charleston Southern University. 

Photo/Charleston Southern University 

EDUCATION | 25

Health and Wellness 

We like to take things easy here in the Lowcountry, but that doesn’t mean we 

don’t give attention to a diet and activity level that contributes to our health 

and wellbeing. 

In this section you will read about all the reasons living here can help inspire you 

to healthy living. And when medical care is what you need, we offer the finest in physicians, 

clinics and hospitals. Charleston has long been home to some of the top hospitals 

in South Carolina. 

When you are moving to a new place, finding out about health care can be a challenge. 

In these pages, we give you a list of urgent care centers, hospitals and retirement 

communities with full information about each. 

We hope you’ll find our guide useful in helping you settle into a healthy lifestyle. It’s 

one of Charleston’s charms. 


Urgent Care Centers........................................ 32 

Hospitals................................................................34 

Retirement Communities...............................35 

Sponsored by 

26 | HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Photo/provided by City of Isle of Palms 

2016 Wellness Fair at Isle of Palms. 

All the pieces are in place for a 

healthy lifestyle when you move to 

Charleston. The weather is mild all 

year, fresh food and outdoor activities are 

readily available, and when you need it, topnotch 

medical care is close by. 

So what are you waiting for? 

If you need a nudge to get started, there 

are organized efforts to help you. 

Just one of the many possibilities is 

Adventure Out, an outdoor fitness program 

presented by a partnership of Medical 

University of South Carolina and City of 

Charleston Recreation Department. Every 

week, a free fitness class is offered in a city 

park. It might be yoga at Brittle Bank Park 

or kickboxing at Cannon Park. It’s a great 

way to try out something new. For a schedule, 

see www.musc.edu/adventureout or the 

Adventure Out page on Facebook. 

If you prefer to exercise independently, 

try walking, swimming or hiking, suggests 

Suzie Walters, fitness specialist program coordinator 

in Health Sciences at Trident Technical 

College. “You have to enjoy what you 

do,” Walters said, so that you’ll stick with it. 

Just think about walking across the Arthur 

J. Ravenel Jr. bridge over the Cooper 

River or jogging along Folly Beach for inspiration. 

If you tire of the scenery in your 

own neighborhood, go walk downtown or 

along the water. 

You’re never more than 10 minutes 

away from a public park, and Charleston 

area parks have dozens of activities on the 

weekend. MUSC also partners with other 

groups on programs that promote the active 

lifestyle. 

One of those programs is the Charleston 

Healthy Business Challenge. It is free for 

any business and includes a website with 

scorecard and tips to help improve the culture 

of wellness with stress management, 

healthy eating and exercise. Go to www.chbchallenge.com 

for more information. 

Like to run or walk with a lot of new 

friends? Find organized events and get 

registered at www.eventbrite.com/d/sc-- 

Charleston/races/ 

Honoring a former MUSC president, the 

Greenberg Greenway is a series of greenscapes 

that connect people with places that 

support the environment and ecology of the 

MUSC campus, provide opportunities for 

hands-on learning, and create an inviting 

space for exercise and other health-promoting 

activities. 

Components of the Greenway include 

the MUSC Arboretum, Urban Farm, Porcher 

Medicinal Garden, Walking Trails, and the 

MUSC Fitness Park. The greenway will continue 

to evolve with the campus. For infor- 

mation, visit musc.edu, Office of Health 

Promotion. 

For learning about healthy food – and 

observing how it grows – the Urban Farm 

at MUSC is a marvelous resource. “It’s five 

acres on the MUSC campus. We grow crops 

year-round, with 40 varieties of fruits, 

herbs and vegetables,” said Susan Johnson, 

director of Health Promotion at MUSC. 

The farm, at the corner of Bee and President 

streets, offers free gardening and health 

programs, field trips for school children, a 

wellness and dietitian program, guest speakers 

and community events. Visitors are invited 

to take a self-guided tour, or volunteer 

to help with gardening tasks. You won’t go 

home empty-handed, as the harvested crops 

are shared with the community. 

“It’s a free resource for our community,” 

Johnson said. Every other Saturday, there’s 

a work and learn program with a kid focus. 

You just might be inspired to plant your 

own garden – and the Lowcountry climate is 

congenial for that. 

During the growing season, fresh foods 

are always available at the many farmers 

markets in the Lowcountry. Two of the larger 

ones are at Marion Square downtown and 

in Mount Pleasant. Another way to get your 

fresh food is by CSA – Community Supported 

Agriculture. About 10 farms in the area 


HEALTH AND WELLNESS | 29

deliver fresh produce weekly to those who 

purchase a CSA membership. Information 

about CSAs, farmers markets and roadside 

markets can be found at agriculture.sc.gov. 

“When you buy local, you’re not promoting 

use of fossil fuels,” said Walters of 

Trident Tech. “It’s also fresher and better 

for us.” 

She pointed out that fresh seafoods are 

also easily found in the Lowcountry. The local 

seafood won’t contain the antibiotics of 

farmed seafoods and will be much fresher. 

When your quest for wellness means 

you need medical care, you’re in a good 

place. The Lowcountry is home to several 

major hospitals and many specialty clinics, 

rehabilitation services, nursing homes and 

assisted living facilities. 

MUSC is building a new hospital dedicated 

to the care of women and children. 

The MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital 

and the Women’s Pavilion are scheduled 

to open in 2019. The hospital will have a 

10-story patient tower, with the top floor 

dedicated to children’s cancer care, and a 

Race at Mullet Hall Equestrian Center. 

five-story inpatient procedure area, with a 

dedicated floor for labor and delivery. 

Ground was broken for the hospital, at 

Calhoun and Courtenay streets, in August 

2016. Patient rooms will be larger and furnished 

to accommodate short or long stays 

by patients and their families. 

In addition to the cancer care floor, the 

hospital will have the largest neonatal intensive 

care unit in South Carolina and a 

comprehensive pediatric heart center. The 

Advanced Fetal Care Center will be the state’s 

first comprehensive prenatal center for families 

expecting babies with complex congenital 

birth defects and medical problems. 

In addition, Roper St. Francis is constructing 

a hospital and medical office building at 

Carnes Crossroads, where U.S. Highways 17-A 

and 176 intersect near Goose Creek, which 

will serve growing Berkeley County.• 

Photo/Brian Fancher Photography 


Urgent Care Centers 

Listed alphabetically 



Blalock Urgent Care & Family Care 

blalockfamilycare.com 

info@blalockfamilycare.com 

843-884-8121 

1405 Ben Sawyer Blvd. 


Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-7 p.m 

Emergency services, family care, gynecology, 

pediatrics, and preventive medicine 

Centre Point Emergency 

www.tridenthealthsystem.com 

843-849-2400 

5249 Emmett I. Davis Jr. Ave. 


Hours: 24/7 

Full service ER 

Doctors Care Charleston West 

www.DoctorsCare.com 

Info@doctorscare.com 

843-402-6834 

3424 Shelby Ray Court 


Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. 

Online check-in. Urgent care, family care. Onsite 

lab and X-rays; foreign travel medicine; sports and 

camp physicals; cold, flu and allergy testing and 

care; sprains, cuts, burns and other minor injuries. 

Non-surgical osteoarthritis knee treatment. DOT 

physicals and employer health services. Open late 

and on weekend, walk-ins welcome. 

Doctors Care Dorchester Road 



843-871-7900 











Doctors Care Ivy Hall 



843-884-6424 

3074 U.S. Highway 17 North 







DOT physicals and employer health services. Open 

late and on weekend, walk-ins welcome. 

Doctors Care James Island 

www.doctorscare.com 


843-762-2360 

743 Folly Road 










Doctors Care Moncks Corner 

www.doctorscare.com 


843-899-3870 

459 U.S. Highway 52 N. 









Doctors Care Mount Pleasant 



843-881-0815 

631 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. 










Doctors Care Northwoods 



843-572-7000 










Doctors Care Summerville 



843-871-3277 

410 N. Main St. 










Doctors Care West Ashley 



843-556-5585 

1851 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. 



Urgent care, family care. Onsite lab and X-rays; 

foreign travel medicine; sports and camp 

physicals; cold, flu and allergy testing and care; 

sprains, cuts, burns and other minor injuries. 

Non-surgical knee pain treatment. DOT physicals 

and employer health services. Open late and on 

weekend, walk-ins welcome. 

Health First - Mount Pleasant 

www.healthfirstcares.com 

843-572-5990 



Hours: Mon.-Sat. 8 a.m.-8 p.m. 

Urgent care, including treatment of cough, flu, 

cold, fever, sore throat, sinus and ear infections, 

allergic reactions and allergies, sprains 

Health First - North Charleston 


843-572-5990 



Hours: Mon.-Sat. 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. 




Health First - Summerville 


843-572-5990 




Urgent care, including treatment of hacking 

cough, flu, cold, fever, sore throat, sinus and ear 

infections, allergic reactions and allergies, sprains 

Health First - West Ashley 


843-572-5990 

1115 Savannah Highway 






MedCare Urgent Care Center - North 


www.medcareurgentcare.com 

info@medcareurgentcare.com 

843-552-3629 



Hours: Mon.-Sun. 8 a.m.-8 p.m. 

Walk-in treatment for injury and illness; coughs, 

colds, fevers, rashes, allergic reactions, abdominal 

pain, lacerations, sprains, fractures workers’ 

compensation injuries; on-site lab, digital X-ray, 

CT scans, EKGs, IV fluids, immunizations and 

vaccinations; annual physicals, sports physicals 

MedCare Urgent Care Center - West Ashley 

www.medcareurgentcare.com 

info@medcareurgentcare.com 

843-793-6093 



Hours: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Sun. 

Walk-in treatment for injury and illness; coughs, 

colds, fevers, rashes, allergic reactions, abdominal 

pain, lacerations, sprains, fractures workers’ 

compensation injuries; on-site lab, digital X-ray, 

CT scans, EKGs, IV fluids, immunizations and 

vaccinations; annual physicals, sports physicals 

Palmetto Urgent Care 

www.palmettoprimarycare.com/urgent-care-clinic 

843-302-8840 

2550 Elms Centre Road 


Hours: Mon.-Sun. 8 a.m.-8 p.m. 

General medical care 

Roper St. Francis After Hours Care 

www.rsfh.com/late 

843-402-5283 

Cross Creek Village, 325 Folly Road, Suite 101 


Hours: Mon.-Fri. 5-9 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. 

After-hours primary and urgent care 

Roper St. Francis After Hours Care 


843- 402-5283 

180 Wingo Way, Suite 110 


Hours: Monday-Friday, 5 - 9 p.m. Saturday, 

8 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

After hours primary and urgent care. 

Roper St. Francis Express Care 


843-763-7906 

5070 International Blvd., Suite 131 


Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; 

Sun. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. 

Treatment of many minor injuries or illnesses 

such as: cold or flu symptoms, sore throats, sinus 

infections, earaches, upset stomachs, diarrhea or 

vomiting, sprained ankles, minor cuts or scrapes 


www.rsfh.com/express-care 

843-203-2245 

8901 University Blvd., Suite 131 


Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; 

Sun. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. 







843-212-8070 



Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m.-4 p.m, 

Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 







843-402-5283 

4278 Ladson Road 


Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m.-4 p.m, 

Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 






Hospitals 

Hospitals 

Ranked by No. of Licensed Beds 

Ranked by No. of Licensed Beds 



Facility 

Facility 

MUSC Medical Center 



MUSC Medical Center 




Email 


Email 

843-792-2300 

www.muschealth.org 

- 

843-792-2300 

www.muschealth.org 

- 

Administrator(s) / Year 

Founded 

Administrator(s) / Year 

Founded 

David J. Cole, Patrick J. Cawley 

1824 

David J. Cole, Patrick J. Cawley 

1824 

Licensed Beds / 2015 

Admissions 

Licensed Beds / 2015 

Admissions 

709 

36,660 

709 

36,660 

Active Staff Physicians / 

Registered Nurses 

Active Staff Physicians / 

Registered Nurses 

860 

2,799 

860 

2,799 

Roper Hospital 



Roper Hospital 



843-724-2901 

www.rsfh.com/roper 

- 

843-724-2901 

www.rsfh.com/roper 

- 

Matthew Severance, Lorraine 

Lutton 

1829 

Matthew Severance, Lorraine 

Lutton 

1829 

316 

12,014 

316 

12,014 

419 

619 

419 

619 

Trident Medical Center 

9330 Medical Plaza Drive 


Trident Medical Center 

9330 Medical Plaza Drive 


843-797-7000 


- 

843-797-7000 


- 

Todd Gallati 

1975 

Todd Gallati 

1975 

313 

17,295 

313 

17,295 

374 

743 

374 

743 

Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital 

2095 Henry Tecklenburg Blvd. 


Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital 

2095 Henry Tecklenburg Blvd. 


843-402-1000 

www.rsfh.com 

- 

843-402-1000 

www.rsfh.com 

- 

Allen Carroll, Lorraine Lutton 

1882 

Allen Carroll, Lorraine Lutton 

1882 

204 

8,845 

204 

8,845 

357 

415 

357 

415 

East Cooper Medical Center 

2000 Hospital Drive 


East Cooper Medical Center 



843-881-0100 

www.eastcoopermedctr.com 

ECInfo@tenethealth.com 

843-881-0100 

www.eastcoopermedctr.com 

ECInfo@tenethealth.com 

Jason Alexander 

1986 

Jason Alexander 

1986 

130 

5,321 

130 

5,321 

431 

223 

431 

223 

Summerville Medical Center 

295 Midland Parkway 


Summerville Medical Center 

295 Midland Parkway 


843-970-5000 

www.tridenthealthsystem.com/Summerville- 

Medical-Center 

843-970-5000 

- 

www.tridenthealthsystem.com/Summerville- 

Medical-Center 

- 

Lisa Valentine 

1989 

Lisa Valentine 

1989 

94 

6,300 

94 

6,300 

525 

280 

525 

280 

Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital 



Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital 



843-606-7000 

www.rsfh.com 

- 

843-606-7000 

www.rsfh.com 

- 

Lorraine Lutton, Anthony 

Jackson 

2010 

Lorraine Lutton, Anthony 

Jackson 

2010 

85 

1,637 

85 

1,637 

270 

124 

270 

124 

Vibra Hospital of Charleston 



Vibra Hospital of Charleston 



843-375-4111 

www.vhcharleston.com 

- 

843-375-4111 

www.vhcharleston.com 

- 

Dan Dunmyer, Leah Willis, 

Lindsey Fisher 

2004 

Dan Dunmyer, Leah Willis, 

Lindsey Fisher 

2004 

59 

937 

59 

937 

83 

80 

83 

80 

Roper Rehabilitation Hospital 



Roper Rehabilitation Hospital 



843-724-2842 

www.rsfh.com 

cathy.therrell@rsfh.com 

843-724-2842 

www.rsfh.com 

cathy.therrell@rsfh.com 

Troy Powell, Matthew 

Severance, Lorraine Lutton 

1992 

Troy Powell, Matthew 

Severance, Lorraine Lutton 

1992 

52 

1,109 

52 

1,109 

8 

33 

8 

33 

Moncks Corner Medical Center 

401 N. Live Oak Drive 


Moncks Corner Medical Center 

401 N. Live Oak Drive 


Cognitive & Behavioral Health Center of 


29 Leinbach Drive 

Cognitive 

Charleston, 

& 

SC 

Behavioral 

29407 

Health Center of 


29 Leinbach Drive 


Roper Hospital - Berkeley 

730 Stony Landing Road 


Roper Hospital - Berkeley 



34 | HEALTH AND WELLNESS 

843-761-8721 


- 

843-761-8721 


- 

843-501-7001 

cbhealthcenters.com 

j.monnier@cbhealthcenter.com 

843-501-7001 

cbhealthcenters.com 

j.monnier@cbhealthcenter.com 

843-899-7700 

www.rsfh.com 

- 

843-899-7700 

www.rsfh.com 

- 

Todd Gallati 

1986 

Todd Gallati 

1986 

Cindy Carter, Jeannine Monnier 

2014 

Cindy Carter, Jeannine Monnier 

2014 

Brenda R. Myers, Lorraine Lutton 

1992 

Brenda R. Myers, Lorraine Lutton 

1992 



Because occur. Email of space additions constraints, or corrections only the totop-ranked lists@scbiznews.com. companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit 



8 

0 

8 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

42 

16 

42 

16 

0 

0 

0 

0 

29 

18 

29 

18 


Researched by Business Journal staff

Retirement Communites 

Ranked by No. of Beds/Units in the Charleston Area 

Retirement Communites 

Ranked by No. of Beds/Units in the Charleston Area 



No. of Beds/Units 

Services 

Company 

Company Bishop Gadsden Episcopal 

Retirement Community 

1 Bishop Gadsden Way 


Bishop Gadsden Episcopal 

Retirement Community 

1 Bishop Gadsden Way 


Phone / 

Website 

Phone / 

Website 

843-406-6298 

www.bishopgadsden.org 

843-406-6298 

www.bishopgadsden.org 

Administrator/ 

Year Founded 

Administrator/ 

C. Year William Founded Trawick 

- 

1948 

C. William Trawick 

- 

1948 

Total Beds/ 

Units/Total 

Employees 

Total Beds/ 

Units/Total 

Employees 

402 

275 

402 

275 

Independent Independent Living Living 

No. of Beds/Units 

Assisted Assisted Living Living 

Skilled Care Skilled Care 

Alzheimer's Alzheimer's Care Care 

Salon/Barbershop Salon/Barbershop 

Fitness Facility Fitness Facility 

General Store General Store 

Guest Apartment Guest Apartment 

Services 

Library Library 

Personal Personal Laundry Laundry 

Physician Physician Office Office 

Scheduled Scheduled Activities Activities 

Transportation Transportation 

260 • 46 19 • • • • • • • • • 

260 • 46 19 • • • • • • • • • 

Lutheran Homes of SC, Inc. dba 

Franke At Seaside 

1885 Rifle Range Road 


Lutheran Homes of SC, Inc. dba 

Franke At Seaside 

1885 Rifle Range Road 


843-856-4700 

www.FrankeAtSeaside.org 

843-856-4700 

www.FrankeAtSeaside.org 

Mark H. Lee, Sandy 

Stoll, Mark H. Lee 

- 

1892 

Mark H. Lee, Sandy 

Stoll, Mark H. Lee 

- 

1892 

331 

- 

221 • 44 22 • • • • • • • • 

331 

- 

221 • 44 22 • • • • • • • • 

The Village at Summerville 

201 W. Ninth North St. 


843-873-2550 

www.preshomesc.org/communities/ 

summerville 

Robin Miller 

- 

1958 

273 

220 

92 • 86 0 • • • • • • • • • 

The Village at Summerville 

201 W. Ninth North St. 


843-873-2550 

www.preshomesc.org/communities/ 

summerville 

Robin Miller 

- 

1958 

273 

220 

92 • 86 0 • • • • • • • • • 

Somerby of Mount Pleasant 

3100 Tradition Circle 


843-849-3096 

www.somerbyofmtpleasant.com 

Lisa Kinsella 

- 

2008 

247 

100 

158 • 0 38 • • • • • • • • • 

Somerby of Mount Pleasant 

3100 Tradition Circle 


843-849-3096 

www.somerbyofmtpleasant.com 

Lisa Kinsella 

- 

2008 

247 

100 

158 • 0 38 • • • • • • • • • 

The Bridge at Charleston 

2590 Elms Plantation Road 


843-553-6342 

www.thebridgeatcharleston.com 

Michelle Nelson 

- 

1998 

65 

36 

0 • 0 0 • • • • • • 

The Bridge at Charleston 

2590 Elms Plantation Road 


843-553-6342 

www.thebridgeatcharleston.com 

Michelle Nelson 

- 

1998 

65 

36 

0 • 0 0 • • • • • • 

Carter-May Home/St. Joseph 

Residence 

1660 Ingram Road 


Carter-May Home/St. Joseph 

Residence 

1660 Ingram Road 


843-556-8314 

www.charitiessc.org 

843-556-8314 

www.charitiessc.org 

Janine N. Bauder 

- 

1929 

Janine N. Bauder 

- 

1929 

25 

25 

25 

25 

0 • 0 0 • • • • • 

0 • 0 0 • • • • • 

Evergreen Residential Care Inc. 

1612 Evergreen St. 


843-402-6860 

- 

Evergreen Contact 

- 

1984 

8 

- 

0 • 0 0 • • • • 

Evergreen Residential Care Inc. 

843-402-6860 

Evergreen Contact 

1612 Evergreen St. 

- 

- 

8 


1984 

- 

0 • 0 0 • • • • 










» RETIRING WELL 

Senior Centers 

Listed alphabetically 

Berkeley County 

Moncks Corner Senior Center 

Berkeley Seniors Inc. (BSI) 

103 Gulledge St. 


843- 761-0390 

St. Stephen Senior Center 


1264 Russelville Road 

St. Stephen, SC 29469 

843- 761-0390 

South Berkeley Senior Center 


103 Thurgood Road 

Goose Creek, SC 29455 

843- 761-0390 

Each year, more and more retirees 

discover the benefits of relocating to 

the Charleston area. The mild weather, 

historic surroundings, cultural arts and 

idyllic location on the water make it a picturesque 

place to celebrate days of leisure. 

South Carolina also has low property 

taxes and no estate tax, enticing retirees 

to move to the area. The cost of living is at 

the national average, a typical home sells for 

about $248,000, and crime remains low in 

the Charleston area. 

A robust economy, quality health care 

facilities and a host of recreational activities 

give the Charleston area everything retirees 

require for a relaxing lifestyle. 

The population of those 65 years and 

older is growing nationwide, and the Charleston 

area is no exception. That means planning 

for more health care facilities, more affordable 

housing and recreational activities to 

address the needs of the aging population. 

The Medical University of South Carolina, 

Roper St. Francis Healthcare and East Cooper 

Medical Center all serve area health care 

Charleston County 

Awendaw Senior Center 

South Santee Senior and Community Center 

6655 N Highway 17 

Awendaw, SC 29429 

843-928-3280 

CASC Senior Center 

Charleston Area Senior Citizens Inc. (CASC) 



843- 722-4127 

Lowcountry Senior Center 

865 Riverland Drive 


843-990-5555 

Mount Pleasant Senior Center 

840 Von Kolnitz Road 


843- 856-2166 

needs. Trident Health Care System is another 

provider in the Charleston area, with locations 

in Summerville and Moncks Corner. 

The Summerville Medical Center has found 

a niche in treating ailments common in se- 

Senior Program at Echo House 

Coastal Catholic Charities 

3921 St. John’s Ave. 


843- 308-9361 

Dorchester 

Faith Sellers Senior Center 

Dorchester Seniors Inc. 

312 North Laurel St. 


843- 871-5053 

David Sojourner Senior Center 

5361 E. Jim Bilton Blvd. 

St. George, SC 29477 

843-563-3707 



Photo/File 


niors, routinely scoring top points from the 

Joint Commission for its treatment of heart 

attacks, heart failure and pneumonia. Palmetto 

Primary Care Physicians is building a 

new medical campus in the Nexton mixed-use 

community in Summerville. 

Berkeley County is scheduled to have its 

first full-service hospital when Roper-St. 

Francis’ new facility at Carnes Crossroads in 

Goose Creek opens in 2019. 

Strong retirement communities and 

long-term assisted living facilities are abundant 

in and around the Charleston area. 

The Charleston area offers a number of 

public recreational activities and options for 

a healthy lifestyle. The Charleston County 

Parks and Recreation Commission has a host 

of parks and waterfront piers and offers discounts 

on yearly memberships for seniors. 

The James Island County Park, Mount Pleasant 

Palmetto Islands County Park and North 

Charleston Wannamaker County Park offer 

walking trails, canoeing, kayaking and shelters 

for gatherings. 

For those looking for an easy stroll along 

the beach, there’s the Isle of Palms County 

Park and Kiawah Beachwalker Park. The 

Folly Beach Edwin S. Taylor Fishing Pier has 

become a hot spot for catching fish. 

The Charleston County Parks and Recreation 

Department wants to create more 

biking options in the area. In the next several 

years, Charleston County also plans to 

construct the Lowcountry Lowline, which 

will add miles of bike trails to connect all of 

the county’s parks. 

Numerous farmers markets address 

the need to purchase fresh, local produce. 

A weekly Saturday morning market draws 

hundreds to downtown Charleston between 

April and November. A similar market 

draws residents and visitors in Mount Pleasant 

on Tuesday afternoons. Food stands dot 

the landscape, and most accept vouchers for 

seniors under the Senior Farmers’ Market 

Nutrition Program (SFMNP). • 

Photo/File 


Living In 

Now that you have decided to make the Charleston area your new home, you’ll 

need to decide where you want to live. There are so many choices, and all have 

something unique to offer. 

You could live in the historic downtown, across the harbor in Mount Pleasant, in a 

suburban neighborhood or at the beach. You really can’t go wrong, whether you settle in 

booming North Charleston or neighborly Moncks Corner. 

In these pages, we tell you at length about each of the possibilities. We talk about the 

community, the history, the neighborhoods and businesses and a touch of the lifestyle 

you can expect. To help you visualize, we show some photos of each area. 

And when you get ready to move in, you’ll find phone numbers and websites to help 

you get settled. 

Enjoy! 

SC Safe Home 

In coastal South Carolina, hurricanes sometimes threaten. The S.C. Department of Insurance offers help 

through SC Safe Home. This program awards grants of up to $5,000 in matching and nonmatching funds to 

assist homeowners in coastal communities in strengthening their properties against the severe winds associated 

with hurricanes and other natural disasters. To learn more, visit the website, 

www.scsafehome.com, or call 803-737-6209. 


Historic Charleston...........................................40 

Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island............44 

North Charleston...............................................46 

Mount Pleasant...................................................48 

West Ashley...........................................................51 

James Island and Folly Beach.....................53 

Johns and Wadmalaw Islands.....................55 

Daniel Island........................................................56 

Kiawah and Seabrook Islands.....................58 

Summerville..........................................................60 

Jedburg and Ridgeville....................................65 

Moncks Corner...................................................66 

Goose Creek.........................................................68 

Sponsored by 

38 | LIVING IN

Photo/Ryan Wilcox/Charleston Regional Business Journal 

LIVING IN 

Historic Charleston 

A blend of old Southern charm and new development 

With all the grace and charm of a 

Southern city, Charleston draws 

in visitors and residents with 

its historic charisma and waterfront panoramas. 

Stroll down King Street to browse 

boutiques, wander through art galleries in 

the French Quarter, or tour some of the 

city’s historic homes. The peninsula is home 

to a rich history that is revealed in nearly all 

of its buildings, streets and parks. 

Charleston is home to a vibrant higher 

education community. The College of 

Charleston was granted a charter in 1785 

and the school maintains a large presence 

downtown. 

In 1824, the Medical University of South 

Carolina was founded, becoming the first 

medical school in the South. The MUSC 

campus and hospital occupy a large area 

on the peninsula’s western side between 

Calhoun and Bee streets, where a cluster of 

other health care providers have hospitals, 

such as Roper St. Francis and the VA Medical 

Center. 

Despite a major earthquake in 1886 and 

Hurricane Hugo in 1989, Charleston still 

has some of the most historic homes and 

buildings in the South. A designated “historic 

district” preserves many residential 

properties. 

Neighborhoods 

The housing options downtown range 

MOVING IN 

City of Charleston................................................. 577-6970 

www.charleston-sc.gov 

Charleston County School District.........937-6300 

Sweetgrass Baskets 

One of the oldest handcrafts of African 

origin in the U.S. Numerous resident 

artists still create these baskets from 

indigenous plants at the Charleston 

City Market. 

All phone numbers are 843 area code, except where noted 

Building permits....................................................577-5550 

Charleston Water System..............................727-6800 

S.C. Electric & Gas Co..............................800-251-7234 

Trash and recycling............................................724-7364 

40 | LIVING IN HISTORIC CHARLESTON

Photo/Kim McManus/Charleston Regional Business Journal 


The Pineapple Fountain is an iconic landmark in downtown Charleston. 

THE MUST 

DO’S 

Charleston Wine 

and Food Festival 

Held in late February/early March, this 

annual festival celebrates the culinary 

history and culture of the Lowcountry. 

Spoleto 

Festival USA 

This 17-day festival 

draws dozens of 

music, dance and 

theater companies 

to Charleston 

with more than 120 

performances at many 

historic and unique venues 

starting in May. 

Photo/Andrew Cebulka courtesy 

of Charleston Wine and Food Festival Photo/Paul Mulkey, SEWE 

Crowds flock to the Charleston Farmers Market at Marion Square every Saturday from April through December. 

Southeastern Wildlife Exposition 

Conservation exhibits, birds of prey, 

retriever demonstration and Dock Dogs are 

among the highlights of this expo held each 

February. 

LIVING IN HISTORIC CHARLESTON | 41

Rainbow Row is one of the most famous landmarks on 

the peninsula. 

from the sprawling, pastel-colored, multimillion-dollar 

homes to new luxury condos 

overlooking the Ashley River. The median 

price of homes downtown is higher than 

surrounding areas. 

South of Broad is the neighborhood literally 

south of Broad Street that includes the 

often-photographed Battery and Waterfront 

Park. Full of large traditional homes, this 

area has some of the most expensive real 

estate in Charleston with most of the houses 

coming with a price tag in the millions. Walk 

down the streets in this quiet, storied neighborhood 

to catch a glimpse of traditional 

Charleston gardens and verandas. 

The French Quarter, above Broad Street, 

is bound by Market and Meeting streets 

and Waterfront Park. It is characterized by 

the many art galleries, cobblestone streets 

and restaurants that fill the area, and it is 

named for the French merchants who once 

occupied the area. 

Above the French Quarter is Ansonborough, 

the peninsula’s first neighborhood, 

although much of it was destroyed in a fire 

Rutledge Cab Co. is a favorite of residents from the 

Wagener Terrace and Hampton Park neighborhoods. 

Photo/Rutledge Cab Co. 

in 1838 and had to be rebuilt. Many of the 

houses have Greek Revival characteristics 

and were built by some of Charleston’s 

oldest family names, such as Joseph Legare 

and Edward McCrady. 

Harleston Village is another one of the 

old neighborhoods that was developed in 

1770. It encompasses the area north of 

Broad Street to Calhoun Street. It includes 

Colonial Lake, which was set aside for public 

use in 1768. Renovations in 2016 added 

more seating and pathways, popular with 

joggers and dog walkers. The architecture 

includes Italian and Georgian, as well as 

42 | LIVING IN HISTORIC CHARLESTON

Photo/Jay Wayne Productions 

Local craft breweries, such as Revelry Brewing seen here, dot the landscape of Charleston. 

styles that span the 18th, 19th and 20th 

centuries. 

Radcliffeborough is bound by King, Vanderhorst, 

Smith and Radcliffe streets and 

contains much of the College of Charleston 

campus. Many of the houses have Italian 

and Gothic Revival influences. 

To the west and north of Radcliffeborough 

are Cannonborough and Elliottborough, 

where homes are being renovated at a 

rapid rate. Close to MUSC, this area is popular 

with medical students and families who 

want a house downtown without the price 

of a lower-peninsula property. 

New developments are opening up 

residential spaces, such as the Midtown 

project, expected to help revitalize 

upper King Street with condominiums 

and single-family houses mixed in with 

commercial space. The recently constructed 

Bee Street Lofts offer views of the Ashley 

River. With their proximity to the Medical 

University of South Carolina, the lofts have 

been popular with physicians moving to 

the area. To the east of Radcliffeborough is 

the Mazyck-Wraggborough neighborhood, 

The peninsula is home 

to a rich history that is 

revealed in nearly all 

of its buildings, streets 

and parks. 

which stretches from King over to 

Washington Street. Anchoring the area is 

the landmark Marion Square, the 10-acre 

public park that houses a farmers market on 

Saturdays from April to December 

The area also includes the Children’s 

Museum of the Lowcountry, the Charleston 

Museum and the newly renovated Gaillard 

Center, Charleston’s premier venue for 

performances and special events. 

Farther up the peninsula, Hampton Park 

Terrace and Wagener Terrace offer more 

housing options with turn-of-the-century 

and brick bungalow homes. The Citadel campus 

also falls in the Hampton Park area. • 

LOCAL 

KNOWLEDGE 

Many of the streets and buildings around the 

peninsula are pronounced in a very distinct way 

by the locals. Mispronunciation will be a telltale 

sign that you’re “from off.” Here are a few 

pronunciations and sayings that will have you 

sounding like a local, right from the start. 

Huger Street 

Pronounced (Hugh-Gee) 

The Gaillard Center 

Charleston’s premier venue 

is pronounced (Gil-yard) 

From off 

If you weren’t born in Charleston, then come 

and live here, you’ll always be “from off ” 

Pluff mud 

The mud of the tidal marshes that emit the 

signature smell of the Lowcountry 

LIVING IN HISTORIC CHARLESTON | 43

Photo/City of Isle of Palms 

Aerial vew of Isle of Palms. 

LIVING IN 

Isle of Palms and 

Sullivan’s Island 

For a day’s visit or a lifetime, islands’ beaches beckon 

East Cooper’s two beach-front islands 

are connected by one bridge but represent 

two distinct lifestyles. 

Sullivan’s Island lies at the entrance to 

Charleston Harbor and spent much of its history 

as a slave port. Its strategic position made 

it a key to the seaward defense of the city of 

Charleston and it was fortified well into the 

20th century. To Charlestonians of the late 

19th and early 20th century, Sullivan’s Island 

was the beach to which they escaped by boat 

when the summer heat grew unbearable. 

Today, the island’s military and 

beach-retreat heritage give the place an 

elegantly shabby, slow-moving style that is 

unique among Southern beach communities. 

Islanders have adapted abandoned fortifications 

and disused buildings from Fort 

Moultrie’s sprawling past into creative liv- 

ing spaces and public uses. Victorian homes 

line shaded streets. 

About 2,000 people live on the 

3.3-square-mile island, which remains a 

popular destination for beach-goers from 

Charleston and Mount Pleasant. But with 

no hotels, the beach is seldom crowded. 

Easements and strict regulations protect 

the island’s dunes and maritime forests, and 

its lighthouse, which began operation in 

1962, was conveyed to the National Parks 

Service in 2008. 

Though Sullivan’s Island was home to 

MOVING IN 

City of Isle of Palms...........................................886-6428 

www.iop.net 

Town of Sullivan’s Island.................................883-3198 

www.sullivansisland-sc.com 

Charleston County School District.........937-6300 

Isle of Palms building permits...................886-9912 

Isle of Palms Water and Sewer.................886-6148 

Release program 

Sea turtles that have been 

rehabilitated at the S.C. Aquarium are 

released at the Isle of Palms. 


City of Isle of Palms trash..................................720-7111 

Sullivan’s Island building permits...........883-5727 

Sullivan’s Island water system................. 883-3947 

Sullivan’s Island trash.......................................884-8518 


Recycling (Charleston County).....................720-7111 

44 | LIVING IN ISLE OF PALMS AND SULLIVAN’S ISLAND

Poe’s Tavern is one of the lively restaurants Sullivan’s Island residents enjoy. 

two settlements in the 19th century, the 

neighboring Isle of Palms remained a remote, 

sparsely populated vacation spot until 

the early 20th century. A 50-room hotel 

opened in 1906, followed in 1912 by a beach 

pavilion and amusement park. 

First known as Hunting Island, and then 

Long Island, developers renamed it the Isle 

of Palms in 1913 to attract tourists. Development 

of the 5.6-square-mile island didn’t 

begin in earnest until the 1940s. 

The boom started in 1944 with the 

purchase of 1,300 acres by The Beach Co., 

which laid out roads and began building a 

mixture of vacation and affordable housing. 

The Ben Sawyer Bridge connecting Mount 

Pleasant to Sullivan’s Island completed the 

Charleston-to-IOP automobile link in 1945 

and more growth followed. 

By the 1970s, developers turned their 

eyes toward a 1,600-acre tract and began 

construction of what is today the gated Wild 

Dunes Resort. This exclusive community 

features two golf courses, extensive tennis 

facilities and a system of walking and bicycling 

trails. 

Hurricane Hugo destroyed 95% of the 

IOP’s buildings in 1989 and the influx of 

insurance cash led to a burst of luxurious 

gentrification. Today, the island has a 

population of more than 4,500, multi- 

million-dollar homes line the water and its 

Front Beach commercial district bustles 

with restaurants and shops. 

The IOP’s Windjammer Lounge is a classic 

beachfront bar and music venue, and the 

annual Polar Bear Swim on Sullivan’s Island, 

which draws thousands of high-spirited 

bathers every New Year’s Day, originates at 

Dunleavy’s Pub in the island’s tiny downtown. 

Life on the islands offers distinct choices 

for those who can afford them — the upscale 

energy of the IOP versus the quirkier charms 

of Sullivan’s Island. Residents of both islands 

benefit from one of the area's finest elementary 

schools, enjoy easy access to shopping 

via the Isle of Palms Connector and can often 

be spotted tooling around in their ubiquitous 

electric golf carts. • 

Storage of old barrels of civil war gun powder in Fort 

Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island in South Carolina. 

Photo/Poe’s Tavern Photo/File 

THE MUST 

DO’S 

Sullivan’s Island 

Polar Bear Plunge 

Every New Year’s Day 

people flock to the 

shores of Sullivan’s 

Island for the annual 

Polar Bear Plunge. 

Start the year by 

diving in the cold 

winter water of the 

Atlantic. 

Isle of Palms Connector Run 

Run one of the most scenic bridges in the 

Lowcountry, then enjoy the Isle of Palms for 

a post-race party. 

LOCAL 

KNOWLEDGE 

“Meet me at Station 12.” 

All of the cross streets on both Sullivan’s 

Island and Isle of Palms are called 

stations. Each one is numbered, so an 

easy way to make plans to meet on the 

beach is to pick a station and let all of 

your friends know. 

Where the waves are 

The Isle of Palms is the place to go to 

catch a wave on this side of town. Surfers 

of all types and skill levels can be seen 

catching the waves on most days. 

LIVING IN ISLE OF PALMS AND SULLIVAN’S ISLAND | 45

Photo/City of North Charleston 

O.A.R. plays Riverfront 

Park in North Charleston 

during their XX Tour. 

LIVING IN 


Area is home to Boeing, ice hockey, concerts and conventions 

North Charleston is an area in transition. 

With industrial and military 

roots, the city in recent years 

has committed to redeveloping its central 

neighborhoods and reinventing itself as a 

trendy yet affordable place to live. 

The area north of Charleston was developed 

as plantations by early colonists, 

but after the Civil War, it grew into an 

industrial center. Just after the turn of the 

20th century, the U.S. Navy targeted a huge 

swath of land along the Cooper River for 

a new naval base, and planned neighborhoods 

began to unfold to house workers, 

the military and their families. 

The North Charleston area boomed 

during World War II. The dynamic area 

incorporated as a city in 1972 and has 

expanded to include land in Charleston, 

Dorchester and Berkeley counties. 

In the 1990s, the federal government 

closed the navy base in North Charleston. 

The city of North Charleston has since partnered 

with developers to infuse new life 

into the area’s historic neighborhoods. 

Redevelopment areas include Park 

Circle, a community of neighborhoods 

planned early in the 20th century. Park Circle 

is now a trendy and vibrant community 

with a number of restaurants and bars. 

Residential developments such as Oak 

Terrace Preserve have earned a reputation for 

their sustainable building practices. Nearby 

MOVING IN 

City of North Charleston ..............................554-5700 

www.northcharleston.org 

Charleston County School District ........937-6300 

Building permits .................................................. 740-2578 


In one of the largest economic development 

announcements ever made in the 

Lowcountry, Mercedes-Benz Vans, a 

division of Daimler, announced plans in 

2015 to create 1,300 jobs and invest about 

$500 million to build a new van plant in 

North Charleston. 

Charleston Water System ............................727-6800 

S.C. Electric & Gas Co. ...........................800-251-7234 

Trash ...............................................................................745-1026 


46 | LIVING IN NORTH CHARLESTON

The City of North Charleston's municipal building houses city hall, administrative and departmental offices. 

Montague Avenue is a Main Street of the 

past alive again with shops and restaurants. 

Redevelopment is ongoing on the former 

naval base as well, where once-empty 

military buildings now bustle with art studios, 

private offices and other commercial 

activity collectively known as the Navy Yard 

at Noisette. 

North Charleston remains a center of 

business activity for the region, with many 

of the Charleston area’s commercial and industrial 

employers located there. Boeing Co. 

announced plans in late 2009 to locate its 

second assembly line for its 787 Dreamliner 

in North Charleston. In 2011, South Carolina 

officials along with Boeing celebrated the 

completion of the assembly plant. 

One of the area’s major attractions is 

the North Charleston Coliseum and Performing 

Arts Center and adjacent Charleston 

Area Convention Center. The complex 

is home to the Stingrays, a minor league 

hockey team, and is a venue for concerts, 

performances and meetings large and 

small. The Charleston International Airport 

is also located in North Charleston. 

Nearby shopping centers include the 

Tanger Outlet Center and Northwoods 

Mall. Interstate 26 runs through North 

Charleston as it carries travelers east to 

Charleston and west toward Columbia. Interstate 

526, which has terminal points in 

Mount Pleasant and West Ashley, reaches 

its peak in North Charleston. • 

The Eternal Father of the Sea Chapel that once served the Charleston Navy Base has been fully restored and is now 

available for public use. 

Photo/City of North Charleston Photo/Ryan Johnson/City of North Charleston 

THE MUST 

DO’S 

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day 

The largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in 

the Lowcountry is the best place to channel 

your inner Irishness. East Montague Street 

is closed and Park Circle comes alive for 

this annual tradition. 

LOCAL 

KNOWLEDGE 

Craft brewery capital 

of the Lowcountry 

North Charleston currently boasts five 

breweries, with more on the way. 

To imbibe on the local brews check out: 

• Coast Brewing Co. 

• Freehouse Brewery 

• Holy City Brewing Co. 

• Lo-Fi Brewing 

• Rusty Bull Brewing Co. 


LIVING IN NORTH CHARLESTON | 47

Photo/File 

Shrimp boats at Shem Creek Marina. 

LIVING IN 

Mount Pleasant 

Town across the harbor offers many residential options 

Despite its reputation as a suburban 

gateway to Charleston and the East 

Cooper beaches, the historic heart 

of Mount Pleasant can still be found near 

picturesque Shem Creek, where the local 

fishing fleet dock beside popular locally 

owned eateries. The Old Village, founded 

in 1680 and incorporated in 1837, sits on 

breezy bluffs that overlook the harbor just 

seaward of Shem Creek. 

The opening of the $650 million Arthur 

Ravenel Jr. Bridge in 2005 marked the beginning 

of a new era for what has become 

the state’s fourth-largest municipality, now 

home to more than 80,000 people. 

Locals still treasure the area’s 18th century 

homes, quaint Pitt Street commercial 

district and the neighborhood’s authentic 

shade-drenched ambiance. Residents and 

visitors alike enjoy trips to Alhambra Hall 

Park and the nearby Pitt Street Bridge, 

which once connected the town to Sullivan’s 

Island by trolley but now offers views of 

Charleston Harbor and easy access to fishing 

and crabbing. 

Other glimpses of Mount Pleasant’s past 

can be found across town on scenic Long 

Point Road. 

On one side of the road, motorists may 

turn off and wander down a broad alley of 

oaks that leads to Boone Hall Plantation. 

Settled in 1743, it remains a working plantation. 

Its “you-pick ’em” fields and seasonal 

MOVING IN 

Town of Mount Pleasant .................................884-8517 

www.tompsc.com 


Building permits ..................................................884-5184 


Shrimp season 

Fresh shrimp can be bought right off 

the boat on Shem Creek. Typically, 

brown shrimp are caught from May 

to August and white shrimp from 

September to December. 

Mount Pleasant Waterworks ....................884-9626 


Blue Flame Gas ......................................................884-2017 

Trash and recycling ...........................................884-8518 

48 | LIVING IN MOUNT PLEASANT

THE MUST 

DO’S 

Photo/File 

Photo/Chart Photography 

Cooper River Bridge Run 

Tens of thousands of runners participate 

in this world-class 10K held in late March 

or early April. The race starts on the Mount 

Pleasant side of the Arthur Ravenel Bridge. 

Runners get amazing views of Charleston 

Harbor as they run over the bridge to 


Lowcountry Oyster Festival 

More than 65,000 pounds of oysters are 

loaded on tractor trailers ready for hungry 

folks during this annual January event at 

Boone Hall Plantation. 

LOCAL 

KNOWLEDGE 

The Pitt Street Bridge 

Tucked away at the end of Pitt Street in 

the Old Village area of Mount Pleasant, 

the Pitt Street Bridge offers sweeping 

views of the Lowcountry and plenty of 

spots to drop a fishing line. 

Photo/Greater Charleston 

Restaurant Association 

This historic wooden pier known as Pitt Street Bridge is part of a modern greenway for pedestrians and bicyclists. 

events are beloved by local families. 

On the other side of Long Point Road, 

the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site 

interprets life at Snee Farm Plantation, 

home of one of the original signers of the 

U.S. Constitution. The U.S. Park Service staff 

makes a special effort to explain and preserve 

the region’s Gullah culture. 

Glimpses of that Gullah heritage can be 

seen along U.S. 17, where the area’s “basket 

ladies” still make and sell the Lowcountry’s 

signature sweetgrass baskets from simple 

roadside stands. 

A weekly farmers market on Tuesday afternoons 

from April to October gives access 

to affordable, healthy food. The town unveiled 

two new modern hospitals in 2010. 

East Cooper Regional Medical Center and 

Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital. 

Fitness has also been on the upswing 

since the new bridge opened with a lane for 

bicyclists and pedestrians. Residents make 

extensive use of the town’s numerous parks, 

ballfields and gyms, and recreational sports 

leagues are numerous. 

Palmetto Islands County Park, a 943- 

acre facility, has nature trails, picnic areas, a 

water park and pedal boat rentals. Patriots 

Point on Charleston Harbor boasts a staterun 

military museum that displays four 

World War II-era vessels and more than a 

dozen vintage aircraft. Patriots Point also 

connects to the Ravenel Bridge by way of 

Memorial Waterfront Park. 

Mount Pleasant’s neighborhoods have 

varying styles and offer residents a range 

of choices, including large historic homes 

in the town’s “Old Village,” new family 

home construction in many neighborhood 

developments and upscale condominium 

communities. 

I’On, a new-urbanist development off 

Mathis Ferry Road, is an award-winning 

neighborhood of beautiful homes, elaborate 

public spaces and mixed-use construction. 

Farther out, the sprawling new developments 

of Park West and Carolina Park are moving the 

geographic center of town more to the north. 

With people come businesses, most of 

them oriented on either U.S. Highway 17 

or Coleman Boulevard. The town’s most 

prominent shopping area is Towne Centre, 

between the Isle of Palms Connector and 

the end of Interstate 526 along U.S. 17. 

In keeping with tradition, the town loves 

a good festival. Mount Pleasant hosts festivals 

for the arts, oysters, Scottish games, 

local foodies and children. Every April, the 

town turns out for the annual Blessing of 

the Fleet at Memorial Waterfront Park. The 

Christmas parade is a big draw, as is the 

Cooper River Bridge Run, which attracts 

runners and walkers by the tens of thousands 

each spring. • 

50 | LIVING IN MOUNT PLEASANT

Photos/Charleston Regional Business Journal 

The Avondale Point area of West Ashley bustles 

with shops, salons, restaurants and bars. 

LIVING IN 

West Ashley 

One of the first suburbs has old plantations, visionary greenway 

The area west of the Ashley 

River in Charleston is home to 

some of the area’s oldest suburban 

neighborhoods and, a 

little farther out, some of the newest. 

West Ashley, as it’s called, also features a 

range of old and new shopping centers and 

restaurants, historic plantations and other 

attractions, and a unique outdoor walking trail. 

Neighborhoods closest to the Charleston 

peninsula were built in the 1920s through the 

1950s. Among the older subdivisions are Old 

Windermere, Byrnes Down, Moreland, Avondale 

and The Crescent. Development continued 

through the 1970s and 1980s in neighborhoods 

farther out from the city, such as Northbridge, 

Northbridge Terrace and Wespanee Plantation. 

New residential development has continued 

in recent years, especially past the western 

boundary of Interstate 526, in neighborhoods 

like Shadowmoss and Carolina Bay. 

Long-ago residents of West Ashley have 

left behind several historic plantations and 

gardens that have been preserved and are 

open for tours. Magnolia Plantation, Middleton 

Place and Drayton Hall Plantation allow 

visitors to learn about the architecture and 

life of South Carolinians in the 1700s and the 

centuries following. 

MOVING IN 

West Ashley/City of Charleston ..............724-3765 



City of Charleston building permits ..... 724-7320 


Hidden art 

Stroll Avondale and you’ll find art 

commissioned by the chART Outdoor Initiative 

& Gallery, which consists of public community 

art spaces supporting contemporary artists 

working in the visual arts. 



Trash ..............................................................................724-7364 


LIVING IN WEST ASHLEY | 51

THE MUST 

DO’S 

Photo/Magnolia Gardens 

Spoleto Finale 

Middleton Place has historically been the 

location for the annual Wells Fargo Festival 

Finale of Charleston’s 17-day Spoleto 

Festival in June. Guests pack a picnic and 

explore Middleton Place’s landscaped 

gardens while local and regional bands 

play throughout the afternoon. 

Photo/Julia Lynn Photography Photo/Avondale 5K board 

Magnolia Gardens boardwalk. 

Another historic destination in West 

Ashley is Charles Towne Landing, the site of 

the English settlement that would become the 

Carolina colony. The 664-acre attraction is a 

state park. 

Photo/Gavin Lyons 

When getting around by car, main highway 

corridors in West Ashley are U.S. 17, called 

Savannah Highway, and S.C. 61, also known 

Avondale 5k 

This popular annual neighborhood 5k 

race winds through the scenic Avondale 

subdivision in West Ashley with a 

lively after party at the Triangle Char + 

Bar parking lot. Strollers and dogs are 

welcome! The race benefits Charleston’s 

Charles Webb Center, which serves children 

with special needs. 

as Ashley River Road. The two highways are 

connected by S.C. 7, also called Sam Rittenberg 

Boulevard. Interstates 526 and 26 connect 

West Ashley to North Charleston to the north 

and Mount Pleasant to the east. 

For those interested in seeing West Ashley 

by foot or bike, the West Ashley Greenway is a 

good option. This 10.5-mile walking and biking 

path weaves among residential areas and 

shopping centers and through small marshy 

areas and swaths of trees. The trail starts near 

the South Windermere Shopping Center and 

stretches to Johns Island. 

The Oak Barrel Tavern is a regular stop for the 

residents of the Avondale neighborhood. 

Shopping is plentiful in West Ashley. The 

area is home to Citadel Mall, one of the area’s 

two enclosed malls. Shopping centers anchored 

by national retailers and restaurants surround 

Citadel Mall, which is located just inside I-526 

near the intersection of U.S. 17 and Sam Rittenberg 

Boulevard. West Ashley also includes 

eclectic shopping strips filled with many locally 

owned stores and eateries, such as the Avondale 

shopping area along U.S. 17. • 

52 | LIVING IN WEST ASHLEY

Located on the "Edge of America," Edwin Taylor Folly Beach Fishing 

Pier boardwalk attracts tourists and saltwater fishermen. 

Photo/File 

LIVING IN 

James Island and Folly Beach 

Looking for the beauty of nature? You’ll find it here. 

James Island and Folly Beach, 

located just south of Charleston, 

represent a distinctly independent 

streak in the Lowcountry 

character. 

Long a semirural area, James Island 

has seen its population boom since the 

early 1990s and the opening of the James 

Island Connector, a bridge that links the 

island directly to the Charleston peninsula. 

James Island is bounded by Wappoo 

Creek, Charleston Harbor and the Stono 

and Folly rivers. Its network of marshes, 

inlets, sounds and creeks gives it one of the 

most scenic natural environments in the 

region. It was a strategic key to Charleston 

during the Revolutionary and Civil wars. 

MOVING IN 

Town of James Island .........................................795-4141 

www.jamesislandsc.us 

City of Folly Beach .............................................588-2447 

www.cityoffollybeach.com 



The Confederate attack on Fort Sumter 

began in 1861 with a shot from the island’s 

Fort Johnson, modern-day home of a stateof-the-art 

government marine science research 

facility. 

McLeod Plantation, with its alley of 

slave cabins visible from Folly Road near 

the foot of the Wappoo Bridge, stands near 

the entrance to the private Country Club 

of Charleston. The Riverland Terrace neighborhood, 

located between Maybank Highway 

and Wappoo Creek, features enormous 

live oaks and deeply shaded lanes. A nearby 

commercial district offers fine restaurants, 

antiques and the Terrace Theatre, the area’s 

only art-house cinema. 

Recreational options include the 

Charleston Municipal Golf Course and 

James Island County Park, a 643-acre facility 

with trails, fishing docks, a 50-foot 




Berkeley Electric Cooperative...................559-2458 

James Island trash .........................795-9060, ext. 118 

Folly Beach Public Works ...............................513-1831 


LIVING IN JAMES ISLAND AND FOLLY BEACH | 53

THE MUST 

DO’S 


Folly festivals 

Folly Beach street festivals are held 

throughout the year. The Sea & Sand Festival, 

FollyGras, Taste of Folly, Follypalooza and the 

Follywood Oyster Roast are major events 

that feature live music, food and art vendors. 

Each benefits a local nonprofit. 

Photo/Vive Media Photo/Piwakawaka Photo 

Above: James Island County Park swing. 

Right: A dolphin swims by the Morris Island lighthouse. 

climbing wall, kayak rentals, picnic areas 

and a campground. The park’s Splash Zone 

water park is extremely popular with fami- 

Photo/Charleston Outdoor Adventures 

lies during summer months, and the county 

Holiday Festival of Lights 

park’s annual Holiday Festival of Lights attracts 

motorists on winter nights. 

The James Island County Park lights up for 

James Island ends where Folly Road 

the holidays with more than three miles of 

700 light displays. It has been named one of 

the best holiday displays in the country. 

LOCAL 

KNOWLEDGE 

enters a marsh marked by the landmark 

“Folly Boat,” an abandoned hull that was 

deposited on the roadside by Hurricane 

Hugo. Locals have been painting messages 

on it ever since. Another treasured local 

landmark – Bowen’s Island Restaurant – sits 

on a tidal creek in a hummock of trees in 

the vast marsh between James Island and 

marks the center of the island. 

The undeveloped eastern end of the 

island was the longtime site of a Coast 

Guard station. Morris Island, where the 

Union assault depicted in the movie Glory 

took place, lies across the inlet from the old 

station. The island has been heavily eroded, 

Folly Beach. 

and the Morris Island Lighthouse has been 

Folly Beach calls itself “The Edge of 

surrounded by water for decades. 

Milton P. 

Demetre Park 

Formerly known as 

'Sunrise Park,' it offers 

sweeping views of the 

harbor from James 

Island. 

America,” and the seven-mile island certainly 

seems to take the nickname seriously. The 

island celebrates its bars, fishing shacks, 

funky eateries and nefarious characters, and 

East Coast surfers swarm to the spot they 

call “The Washout” whenever an Atlantic 

swell pushes big waves ashore. 

A county-run 1,000-foot fishing pier 

Long described as the Lowcountry’s 

“poor man’s beach,” Folly’s signature shacks 

ceased to be affordable escapes for drifters, 

starving artists and beach bums a decade 

ago. Nonetheless, the island’s 2,300 yearround 

residents preserve its identity as 

a place where corporate homogenization 

hasn’t taken over – yet. • 

54 | LIVING IN JAMES ISLAND AND FOLLY BEACH

LIVING IN 

Johns and Wadmalaw Islands 

Home to many farms, plant nurseries and produce stands, 

these are among the Lowcountry’s last rural sea islands 

Johns Island, the Lowcountry’s last 

remaining rural sea island, is a vast 

swath of land between James Island, 

the mainland west of Charleston and the private 

barrier islands of Kiawah and Seabrook. 

Its future is one of the most important 

undecided questions in the Lowcountry. 

The island grows much of the area’s fresh 

organic produce and is home to numerous 

farms, nurseries, packing houses and produce 

stands. And though its main transportation 

arteries are heavily trafficked, the island 

has miles of long, quiet, tree-lined roads 

that attract Lowcountry bicyclists. 

Traffic remains one of the island’s most 

pressing issues. The debate continues, as 

opponents don’t want to trade their rural 

way of life for the suburban development 

better roads would bring. 

The island boasts the Angel Oak, believed 

to be one of the oldest trees east of 

the Mississippi. Estimates of its age range 

from 400 years to more than 1,500 years. 

However old it is, this ancient oak is a 

graceful giant, 65 feet tall and more than 25 

feet around. Owned by the city of Charleston, 

it is open to the public. 

Another local gem is the village of Rockville 

at the end of neighboring Wadmalaw 

Island. This remote, picturesque village 

plays host each August to the Rockville Regatta, 

an event that dates back more than 

100 years and marks the end of the Lowcountry’s 

competitive sailing season. 

Horses raised for work, transportation 

or recreation have long been a part of life 

on the island. The public Mullet Hall Equestrian 

Center at Johns Island County Park 

provides facilities for horse shows, plus 20 

miles of riding trails. 

The Charleston Executive Airport is a 

small facility that offers convenience to resort 

visitors and flying lessons for locals. 

A 16,000-square-foot library, completed 

in 2004, is the county’s largest branch. 

Much of the development on the island 

today is upscale, including The Preserve at 

Fenwick Hall. Other developments offer a 

mixture of affordable and luxury choices, 

varying from waterfront lots to Charlestonstyle 

urbanism to custom rural seclusion. 

The island’s central commercial district 

is located at the intersection of Main, Maybank 

and Bohicket roads. 

Johns Island is a stronghold of Gullah 

culture and holds a special place in the Lowcountry’s 

civil rights history. Native son 

Esau Jenkins, despite no formal education 

beyond fourth grade, understood in the 

1950s and ‘60s that the future of the island’s 

black communities would depend on 

bootstrapping programs for their education 

MOVING IN 

City of Charleston ............................................... 724-3745 






St. John’s Water Co..............................................559-0186 

S.C. Electric & Gas ....................................800-251-7234 


Republic Services (trash)............................. 937-4048 

Recycling (Charleston County): ..................720-7111 

The Angel Oak’s age is the subject of 

much debate. Estimates range from 

400 years to more than 1,500 years. 

and health. He and others founded “Citizenship 

Schools” that helped residents — many 

illiterate — qualify to vote, and their Sea 

Island Health Corp. brought doctors and 

nurses to rural corners that had never received 

proper care. • 

Charleston Tea Plantation 

Hundreds of thousands of tea bushes 

stretch out acre after acre at this working 

tea plantation. Tours of the tea factory 

and a trolley tour let guests get a peek at 

the America’s only tea factory and the 

tea-making process. 

Photo/Charleston Tea Plantation 

Photo/Liz Segrist/Charleston Regional Business Journal 

LIVING IN JOHNS AND WADMALAW ISLANDS | 55

LIVING IN 

Daniel Island 

A master plan guides development of luxury neighborhoods 

The Lowcountry’s newest address is 

also one of its most attractive. Daniel 

Island has grown from an undeveloped 

expanse of forest and farmland 

into a thriving community of more than 

5,000 people. 

The 4,000-acre island at the tip of the 

Cainhoy Peninsula was essentially uninhabited 

when Interstate 526 crossed it in the 

1990s, linking the land between the Wando 

and Cooper rivers to the mainland for the 

first time. Development, guided by a master 

plan worked out in conjunction with the 

Guggenheim Foundation (which owned the 

island from 1947 to 1997), began in the late 

1990s. Today, the Daniel Island community 

spans nine neighborhoods, a central 

commercial district, more than 400 acres 

of public parkland, two golf courses, a professional 

soccer stadium and a world-class 

tennis facility. 

Daniel Island is incorporated into the 

city of Charleston, even though it is located 

in Berkeley County and residents must pass 

through Mount Pleasant or North Charleston 

to reach it. Though generally considered 

a bedroom community, the island’s daytime 

population swells to an estimated 8,500, 

thanks to employers such as software firm 

Blackbaud and the 34-acre campus of Bishop 

England High School, which moved to 

the island in 1998 after more than 80 years 

in downtown Charleston. 

Home prices range from the $300,000s 

to more than $3 million, with select lots 

selling for upward of $1 million. 

Condominiums are available for less 

than $200,000, but the island’s network of 

public spaces, services, shopping, education 

and amenities generally tends to put 

a premium on property values. Plans point 

toward an eventual population of 15,000. 

Life on the island benefits from 23 miles 

of shoreline, much of it open to the public, 

and the extensive system of parks and 

docks give neighborhoods plenty of public 

spaces and room to socialize. 

The island’s event calendar gets more 

crowded every year, thanks in large part 

to the Family Circle Tennis Center, which 

hosts the world-class Volvo Car Open 

Women’s Tennis Association tournament 

in April, and MUSC Health Stadium, home 

pitch for the Charleston Battery Soccer 

Club. These modern facilities are increasingly 

in demand for concerts and festivals. • 

MOVING IN 

Daniel Island/City of Charleston .............724-3765 

www.danielisland.com 

Berkeley County School District ............899-8600 


LOCAL 

KNOWLEDGE 

Osprey 

Osprey are large raptors that nest near 

water. Several osprey nests are located 

on Daniel Island, prompting The Daniel 

Island School to name the bird as its 

mascot. The Daniel Island Garden Club 

built an “Osprey Trail” garden oasis with 

an 11-foot-tall copper osprey sculpture 

for the community to enjoy. 




Trash (City of Charleston) .............................724-7364 

Recycling (Berkeley County).......................719-2383 

Photos/Daniel Island Real Estate 

56 | LIVING IN DANIEL ISLAND

Photo/Kiawah Island Resort 

Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course played host to the 

2012 PGA Championship and will do so again in 2021. 

LIVING IN 

Kiawah and Seabrook Islands 

Life on private islands is like a vacation every day 

Kiawah and Seabrook islands, two 

private resort communities south 

of Charleston, offer a quality of 

life that includes world-class golf, upscale 

homes and breathtaking views of the Lowcountry’s 

landscape. 

Pottery found on Kiawah Island dates as 

far back as 4,000 years. Ownership of the island 

changed many times through the years 

from the Indians to the British and then to 

some of the earliest “Charlestonians.” Its 

history is linked to names you may already 

be familiar with: Gibbes, Vanderhorst and 

Middleton, to name a few. 

Development of the island loosely began 

in the 1950s when C.C. Royal, who made his 

fortune in the lumber business, purchased 

the island. He built a home for his wife 

and seven children and then sold 65 lots to 

friends. In 1974, the Kuwait Investment Co. 

purchased the island from Royal’s heirs and 

created a land plan that consisted of a resort 

and residential development. Kiawah Development 

Partners is currently the master 

developer of the island. 

Approximately 1,200 full-time residents 

inhabit the island, but the population swells 

in the spring and summer when about 600 

MOVING IN 

Town of Kiawah Island .................................... 768-9166 

www.kiawahisland.org 

Town of Seabrook Island .................................768-9121 

www.townofseabrookisland.org 


Town of Kiawah building permits .......... 768-9166 


Strand feeding 

Bottlenose dolphins along the Kiawah River 

feed on mullet by herding them onto shores 

and sandbars. The dolphins then launch 

themselves on shore to feed on their catch. 

Kiawah Island Utility (water)......................768-0641 


Kiawah trash and recycling ....................... 768-9166 

Seabrook Island building permits............768-9121 

Seabrook Island Utility Commission......768-0102 

58 | LIVING IN KIAWAH AND SEABROOK ISLANDS

Photo/Seabrook Island Club 

THE MUST 

DO’S 

An ariel view of the Beach Club clubhouse on Seabrook Island. 

of the island’s properties are rented. 

The island is also home to the Kiawah 

Island Golf Resort, which includes five public 

golf courses and two private courses; The 

Sanctuary, a AAA Five Diamond hotel; an 

award-winning spa; and several restaurants. 

In August 2012, the PGA Championship 

was played at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort’s 

Ocean Course. The PGA major brought more 

than $200 million of economic impact to the 

area, including millions of dollars worth of 

worldwide exposure. The Ocean Course will 

host the event again in 2021. 

Outside of golf, the island also caters 

to tennis players and is a destination for 

runners during the annual Kiawah Island 

Marathon, held each December. 

Seabrook Island, just across the marsh 

from Kiawah Island, is a 2,200-acre mix of 

forest, salt marsh and beach. The island was 

discovered by settlers in 1666 and indigo 

and rice were its first cash crops. The island 

was first called Jones Island, then Simmons 

Island and finally Seabrook when it was purchased 

by William Seabrook in 1816. 

Originally developed in 1972 as a resort 

and conference center location, the island 

has evolved into a private oceanfront community. 

There are more than 2,500 properties 

on Seabrook Island and more than 700 

families live on the island year round. 

There is no shortage of things to do on 

Seabrook Island, from golfing on two private 

courses, to playing tennis, horseback 

riding and boating. There are also several 

restaurants to choose from. 

Inhabitants of both islands place a high 

value on the environment and have made 

sure that the buildings are constructed in 

harmony with the natural surroundings. 

There are also plenty of opportunities to 

observe and study wildlife, whether strolling 

on the beach or exploring the waterways 

via kayak or canoe. 

Just 30 minutes from Charleston, the islands 

are close enough for a day trip into the 

city. However, if shopping is your pleasure, 

there are several opportunities for excursions 

on both islands. Freshfields Village on neighboring 

Johns Island offers a variety of stores, 

from sporting goods to groceries, as well as 

several restaurants. • 

Horseback riding 

The Equestrian Center on Seabrook Island 

offers a rare opportunity for visitors and 

residents to ride horseback on three miles of 

beautiful trails along the beach. A full-service 

Equestrian Center caters to riders of all skill 

levels. 

LOCAL 

KNOWLEDGE 

Rory McIlroy won the 2012 PGA Championship. 

PGA bragging rights 

Kiawah Island is home to five 

championship golf courses. The PGA 

Championship will return to Kiawah’s 

Ocean Course in 2021, nine years after 

first hosting the PGA Tour major. The 

Ocean Course is one of only four courses 

in the U.S. to have hosted every major 

PGA of America event. 

Photo/Chris M Rogers Photography Photo/Charleston Regional Busines Journal 

LIVING IN KIAWAH AND SEABROOK ISLANDS | 59

Photo/Town of Summerville 

Hutchinson Square in Summerville's historic downtown. 

LIVING IN 

Summerville 

Town is alive with family friendly festivals and natural beauty 

Summerville is a community that still 

gathers at Town Square to celebrate the 

Fourth of July and a place where Friday 

night high school football draws a spirited 

crowd. In early December, the holiday 

season is ushered in with an annual Christmas 

tree lighting downtown. In this modern 

Southern city, progress and preservation are 

inextricably intertwined, making it a dynamic 

and diverse place to live and work. 

Downtown Restoration, Enhancement 

and Management (D.R.E.A.M.), a nonprofit 

group spearheaded by local residents, has 

done much since its inception in 1992 to 

bring focus and support to Summerville and 

its historic downtown district. The commercial 

area is bustling again with unique 

shops, a local bookstore, art galleries and 

eateries. Guerin’s Pharmacy — the oldest 

still operating in South Carolina — contains 

antiques, a full-service pharmacy and an 

old-style soda fountain that serves drug 

store classics such as cherry and vanilla 

Cokes, milkshakes and chili dogs. 

The Summerville Dorchester Museum 

documents cultural and natural history with 

a film and exhibits of colonial settlers, early 

churches and architecture. More than 700 

buildings have been placed on the National 

MOVING IN 

Town of Summerville..........................................851-4201 

www.summerville.sc.us 

Dorchester District 2 schools......................873-2901 

www.dorchester2.k12.sc.us 

Register of Historic Places. 

Summerville traces its roots to the 

1780s, when it was known as Pineland 

Village to plantation owners wanting to 

escape the swamp fever and insects of the 

Lowcountry summer. After being deemed 

by medical specialists in 1899 as one of 

the best areas in the world for lung and 

throat disorders, the area experienced a 

golden era, with special lodgings and resorts 

springing up to accommodate pulmonary 

patients. The most famous was Pine Forest 


Building permits....................................................851-4220 

Public Works............................................................851-4225 


Waste Pro (trash)..................................................619-0800 

60 | LIVING IN SUMMERVILLE

THE MUST 

DO’S 

Photo/Town of Summerville 

Flowertown Festival 

One of the largest arts and crafts festivals 

in the Southeast, the Flowertown Festival is 

held every spring with thousands of festivalgoers 

and more than 200 artists set up in 

Azalea Park among the blooming azaleas 

and wisteria. The charity festival supports 

the Summerville YMCA. 

LOCAL 

KNOWLEDGE 

Largest glass of sweet tea 

Summerville was awarded a trademark 

to be considered the birthplace of sweet 

tea, and the town holds the Guinness 

World Record for the largest glass of 

sweet tea made from scratch—more 

than 2,500 gallons of the drink set a new 

record in June 2016. 

Photo/Summerville Family YMCA Photo/Kim McManus/Charleston Regional Business Jounral 

Azalea Park 

Inn, which sometimes served as the Winter 

White House for Presidents William Howard 

Taft and Theodore Roosevelt. 

Today, Summerville is Dorchester County’s 

largest city with an estimated population 

of more than 49,000. Named one of the 50 

best small towns in America by Kiplinger’s 

Personal Finance magazine, Summerville 

offers residents the best of both worlds in 

terms of quality of life and housing. Known 

for its stately Victorian homes, the city also 

offers a variety of new construction options 

attracting families, businesses and military 

personnel to the area. 

Dubbed “Flower Town in the Pines,” 

Summerville still gets high marks for natural 

attributes. The Flowertown Festival draws 

more than 200,000 people every spring for 

a weekend dedicated to artisans and crafts 

amid the profusion of blooms in Azalea Park. 

This event is consistently ranked one of the 

Top 20 events in the Southeast by the Southeast 

Tourism Society. 

Azalea Park, a 12-acre oasis of ponds, 

paths, fountains and tennis courts, has also 

been the site for one of South Carolina’s 

premiere outdoor arts events, Sculpture in 

the South. This exhibit and sale of original 

sculpture typically features more than 30 

artists from across the country representing 

a range of sculpture from Western to whimsical. 

During the event, patrons also can 

explore 22 permanent sculptures displayed 

in public places in Summerville. 

Summerville residents can take to the 

trails at nearby Givhans Ferry State Park, 

on the former site of an 18th-century ferry 

that once crossed the Edisto River. The park 

features camping, cabins, fishing, picnic 

areas and river access. 

At Francis Beidler Forest in Four Holes 

Swamp, shaded boardwalks wind through 

ancient groves of towering cypress and 

Pleistocene swamps. The forest — a National 

Natural Landmark — is protected and 

managed by the National Audubon Society 

and is the largest remaining virgin stand of 

bald cypress in the world. 

A popular destination for visitors, 

Summerville offers plenty of hotel rooms 

and bed and breakfast inns, including the 

Linwood Bed & Breakfast, built in 1883 by 

Julia Drayton Hastie, heiress to Magnolia 

Plantation. The Victorian mansion is surrounded 

by nearly two acres of award-winning 

landscaped gardens. The mansion itself 


Photo/Provided by West Rock 

The Parks Apartments at Nexton are within walking distance of corporate 

offices, the Brown Family Park and the Carolina Ale House. 

is appointed with heart of pine floors, high 

ceilings, chandeliers, Victorian bays and triple 

sash windows, many with original glass. 

Summerville has plenty of fine and fun 

dining options. Across the board, restaurants 

use style and originality to create 

menus that appeal to an array of tastes. 

Summerville’s eateries include both chain 

and independently owned restaurants. 

Downtown, you’ll find an area called Short 

Central, a cobblestoned, pedestrian-only 

streetscape with shops and cafés just a block 

from Town Hall. 

For those interested in stocking up 

on ingredients to create a feast at home, 

Summerville’s farmers market is a popular 

event. It runs weekly on Saturdays from 

April to November and is located near Town 

Hall. The market features artisanal foods 

and local produce. 

With many established neighborhoods 

and communities, an up-and-coming neighborhood 

is Nexton, a 4,500-acre master 

planned community located at the intersecton 

of U.S. Highway 17-A and I-26. It includes 

offices, hotels, apartments, schools, 

parks and trails, and several options for 

dining, entertainment and shopping. 

Photo/Provided by WestRock 

The Corner House Cafe and Information Studio at newly 

built Summers Corner provides a place for residents, 

newcomers and people in the community to gather, learn 

about the planned residential development and enjoy 

fresh, local food and beverages. 

The community is South Carolina’s first 

gigabit community, which means internet 

speeds will be 100 times faster than the 

average fixed high-speed Internet connection, 

a plus for businesses that want to send 

large files quickly. Nexton was selected as 

the 2015 Community of the Year by the 

Charleston Home Builders Association. 

Adding to the town’s many things to do 

and places to go, Summerville officials have 

created a Sweet Tea Trail that promises an 

adventure in Southern hospitality through 

history, food and shopping. 

The trail tells the story of sweet tea’s 

birth in Summerville. It’s said that tea 

plants landed in Summerville in the late 

1700s by way of the Ashley River. Andre 

Michaux, a French explorer and botanist, 

imported them along with varieties of camellias, 

gardenias and azaleas near Charleston 

at what is now known as Middleton 

Place Plantation. 

In 1888, a wealthy scientific philanthropist 

acquired 600 acres in Summerville and 

established the Pinehurst Tea Plantation. 

The plants were eventually moved to a spot 

on Wadmalaw Island, which is now known 

as the Charleston Tea Plantation and is 

owned by Bigelow. 

The town has held a Sweet Tea Festival 

in recent years to celebrate Southern traditions 

and, of course, sweet tea. 

From its Friday night football games 

to its annual festivals, Summerville is a 

place where rich history and progress mix 

seamlessly. Leaders focus on stimulating 

economic development in and around 

Summerville while making sure Flower 

Town in the Pines does not lose its smalltown 

charm. • 


LIVING IN 

Jedburg and Ridgeville 

Rural countryside poised to change with industrial development 

The suburban sprawl that has enveloped 

the Lowcountry slowly fades 

as you head northwest out of Summerville 

on U.S. Highway 78, past Jedburg 

Road, and approach the town of Ridgeville. 

But that rural, small-town feel belies the 

fact that this part of Dorchester County is 

undergoing a profound change. 

That transformation started in 2015 

when Swedish automaker Volvo announced 

it would build its first North American 

production facility at the Camp Hall tract, 

about seven miles northeast of Ridgeville 

across Interstate 26 in Berkeley County. 

The plant is expected to hire nearly 2,000 

workers initially and begin producing cars 

in 2018 with an ultimate goal of hiring up 

to 4,000. That influx of high-paying, skilled 

workers will change forever this sleepy 

stretch of pine forests, farmland and small 

communities. 

A drive through Ridgeville’s business 

district will take you into a quintessential 

Southern railroad town, past barbecue 

restaurants, a general store and other small 

businesses. It’s a place where just about 

everybody knows each other, where store 

owners have served multiple generations of 

the same families. The U.S. Census lists 

Ridgeville’s population at approximately 

1,600, but that includes nearly 900 inmates 

at the state’s Lieber Correctional Institute 

on the outskirts of town. 

Quiet and close to nature, Ridgeville 

is just minutes from the Francis Beidler 

Forest, a National Audubon Society wildlife 

sanctuary, and Givhans Ferry State Park, 

along the Edisto River. The Cypress Methodist 

Camp Ground off S.C. Highway 173, 

a religious and community gathering place 

Downtown Ridgeville (above) is a mix of family owned 

restaurants, retail and other businessess typical of a 

small Southern town. The final assembly facility (right) 

for Volvo’s new automotive manufacturing plant near 

Ridgeville is the largest building on the site. 

established more than 200 years ago, is still 

in use and is on the National Register of 

Historic Places. 

The Volvo project, still in the construction 

phase, is already attracting new industry 

and infrastructure improvements. 

India-based Sundaram-Clayton Ltd. announced 

that it would spend $50 million 

and hire up to 130 workers for a facility in 

Ridgeville to supply cast molds for use in 

automotive production. An industrial park 

is being planned for the area near the intersection 

of Highway 78 and S.C. Highway 

MOVING IN 

Town of Ridgeville mayor’s office.............871-7960 

Email................................ridgevillecityhall@sc.rr.com 

Dorchester School District 4......................563-4535 

Building permits..................................................... 832-0011 

27 to accommodate expected demand from 

Volvo suppliers. 

Developers already have turned their 

attention to several properties for retail 

centers, residential projects and other industrial 

customers, and a water main system 

upgrade is coming to the area as part of 

the Volvo deal. 

Companies that are among the town’s 

largest current employers include Showa 

Denko Carbon, which supplies a key component 

for steel manufacturing, and Key West 

Boats, a recreational boat maker. • 


Ridgeville Water Dept.......................................873-3286 


Edisto Electric Cooperative............................245-5141 

Waste Pro (trash and recycling)..............619-0800 

Photo/Liz Segrist 

Photo/Kathy Allen 

LIVING IN JEDBURG AND RIDGEVILLE | 65


The Old Santee Canal Park commemorates the 

historic canal system built from 1793 to 1800. 

LIVING IN 

Moncks Corner 

Quiet, close-knit community also home to Google’s data center 

Moncks Corner was a colonial trading 

post with a history that dates 

back to 1735. It was founded by 

landowner Thomas Monck, for whom the 

town was named. In 1853, Moncks Corner 

became an official scheduled stop on the 

North East Railroad and two buildings were 

subsequently built to accommodate freight 

and passengers. 

The original train depot was destroyed 

by fire in 1915, and the existing building 

was constructed at the current site. The 

train depot was an important social landmark 

for residents in the early 1900s, just 

as it is today. Officials renovated the historic 

building in 2000 to serve as the town’s 

visitor and cultural center. Special events 

are held at the depot throughout the year, 

including the Fourth of July Street Dance 

and Christmas festivities. Residents also 

can rent it for special events. 

Moncks Corner today has more than 

9,000 residents and is the Berkeley County 

seat. The original downtown is populated 

with progressive shops and restaurants and 

the town has positioned itself for growth. 

Moncks Corner is home to the corporate office 

for Santee Cooper, a state-owned utility 

company. The area was selected by Google in 

2007 as the site for a $600 million investment 

for two data centers. Early in 2013, 

Google announced another $600 million 

investment to expand its current campus. 

With the area’s growth, Moncks Corner’s 

neighborhoods offer residents a convenient 

MOVING IN 

Town of Moncks Corner...................................719-7900 

www.monckscornersc.gov 

Berkeley County School District.............899-8600 

www.berkeley.k12.sc.us 

Moncks Corner building permits..............719-7900 

location in a quiet community. Neighborhoods 

include Cypress Ridge, Fairmont 

South, Stoney Creek and Foxbank Plantation. 

Foxbank Plantation was developed on 

a former rice plantation of the same name. 

It spans 800 acres and includes community 

lakes, ponds and plenty of green space. 

Amenities include a swimming pool, parks 

and walking paths. A Foxbank Elementary 

School is set to open in 2018. 

There are several options for schools 

in Moncks Corner. Students attend public 

schools within the Berkeley County School 

District, which received 22 Palmetto Gold and 

Silver awards for excellence in for the 2014-15 


Berkeley Electric Cooperative.....................761-8200 

Public Works Commission.............................719-7965 

Berkeley County Water & Sanitation...... 761-8817 

Santee Cooper Electric Utility....................761-8000 

Republic Services (recycling).....................552-4751 

66 | LIVING IN MONCKS CORNER

school year. Private schools also are available. 

Moncks Corner’s proximity to area attractions, 

parks and more make it a match 

for residents who enjoy outdoor living. 

Old Santee Canal Park commemorates 

America’s first summit canal, which began 

operating in 1800. In addition to tours of the 

historic site, the park features the Berkeley 

County Museum and Heritage Center. Exhibits 

and artifacts portray the region’s history, 

including that of Brig. Gen. Francis Marion, 

who was also known as the “Swamp Fox” and 

was born near Moncks Corner. The museum 

also includes the history of Native Americans, 

colonial life, the Civil War and the Francis 

Marion National Forest. 

Mepkin Abbey, a former plantation 

perched on the river’s bluffs, now serves as 

home to a Trappist monastery with a garden 

and chapel open to the public. Visitors can 

tour the monastery and gardens, or take 

part in spiritual retreats. 

Cypress Gardens, a county-owned public 

park and well-known tourist attraction, is 

scheduled to reopen in spring 2018 after 

being closed since sustaining damage in the 

October 2015 floods. 

World-class waterskiing, wind surfing, 

sailing, boating and fishing are popular on 

Lake Moultrie, as well as the state’s largest 

lake, Lake Marion. The Palmetto Trail, a recreational 

trail that stretches statewide, takes 

trekkers off the beaten path for a closer experience 

with Southern fauna and wildlife. 

In addition to these options, the town has 

built a 52-acre recreation complex opened in 

2015 which now holds four lighted baseball 

fields, paved parking, a concession stand/ 

press box, event signs, paved access road, 

an irrigation system and walking trails. The 

complex is also home to the Moncks Corner 

Farmers Market from 3-7 p.m. Thursdays 

through December. 

The town invested $5.4 million into 

phase one of the center with future plans for 

tennis courts and a recreation center with 

a basketball court, swimming pool, jogging 

track and community rooms. Picnic areas 

and playgrounds are also planned for the 

complex. • 

THE MUST 

DO’S 

Lights at Santee Cooper 

This popular event includes a driving tour 

of dozens of holiday light displays, a Holiday 

Fair and “Tinsel Trot” Holiday Fun Run. A car 

admission fee of $5 goes to local charities. 

Presented by Santee Cooper, the lights are 

fully powered with renewable energy from 

Santee Cooper’s Green Power program. 

Photo/Santee Cooper 

LIVING IN MONCKS CORNER | 67

Photo/City of Goose Creek 

The City of Goose Creek’s Sounds 

of Summer concert series draws 

a crowd to Crowfield Golf Club. 

LIVING IN 

Goose Creek 

New homes spring up where rice plantations once ruled 

The magazine Bloomberg Businessweek 

reported in 2012, “Goose Creek is 

on our list of best places to raise 

kids for the second year in a row. There are 

more than a few reasons. This quiet, pretty 

suburb of Charleston has much to offer, 

from great parks to solid schools, to rolling 

bike trails.” 

Indeed, Goose Creek, located about 20 

minutes north of Charleston, has become a 

very desirable place to live in the Lowcountry. 

It ranks as the state’s eighth largest municipality 

with more than 42,000 residents. 

While the exact origin of the city’s name 

is unknown, this area of the Lowcountry 

has been called Goose Creek since the late 

1600s. Early settlers were planters from 

Barbados who brought with them knowledge 

of various crops, including rice and 

indigo. These crops were successfully grown 

in the region for more than 100 years. 

Fast forward to 1961, when the city of 

Goose Creek was incorporated and farmlands 

in the area began to be sold and subdivided 

to accommodate the fast-growing area 

and subsequent housing boom. 

Today Goose Creek is the most densely 

populated city in Berkeley County. Its easy 

MOVING IN 

City of Goose Creek............................................ 797-6220 

www.cityofgoosecreek.com 

Berkeley County School District.............899-8600 

www.berkeley.k12.sc.us/ 

Building permits..............................797-6220, ext. 1100 

Garbage......................................................................824-2200 


access to I-26 and its proximity to Charleston 

continue to make it a popular bedroom 

community in the region. Well-known 

housing developments include Carnes 

Crossroads, Crowfield Plantation and Cane 

Bay Plantation. Crowfield, a former rice 

plantation, spans 382 acres and includes 

residential housing, as well as commercial 

development, churches and schools. Its recreation 

amenities include a golf course and 

country club, lakes, hiking and biking trails, 

Berkeley Electric Cooperative.....................761-8200 

S.C. Electric & Gas......................................800-251-7234 

Goose Creek water service...........797-6220, ext. 0 

Berkeley County Water & Sanitation...... 761-8817 


68 | LIVING IN GOOSE CREEK

Goose Creek Mayor Michael Heitzler 

dedicates the city’s latest historical 

marker in 2016. 

Photos/City of Goose Creek 

THE MUST 

DO’S 

City of Goose Creek 

Police officers on 

bike patrol. 

and recreational areas. Cane Bay Plantation 

spans 4,500 acres and includes several 

neighborhoods — including Del Webb, an 

active senior living neighborhood — as 

well as schools, parks, playgrounds, athletic 

fields, hiking and biking trails, and retail 

centers. 

Carnes Crossroads is a another sprawling, 

planned community of 2,300 acres 

near the intersection of U.S. Highways 176 

and 17-A. It is projected to be home to more 

than 15,000 people at final buildout. 

Opportunities for outdoor living in 

the Lowcountry are plentiful and Goose 

Creek is no different. The city’s recreation 

department has constructed several parks 

throughout the area featuring playgrounds, 

picnic areas and ball fields. Golf enthusiasts 

can enjoy 18 holes at Crowfield Golf and 

Country Club, which also has tennis and 

swimming. 

There also are plenty of activities within 

a short drive of Goose Creek. Soccer enthusiasts 

can enjoy a Charleston Battery game 

at MUSC Health Stadium, or tennis fans can 

watch the annual Volvo Car Open tennis 

tournament, held each spring at the Family 

Circle Tennis Center. Both stadiums are located 

on nearby Daniel Island. 

Goose Creek is home to the Naval Weapons 

Station, which is part of the Lowcountry’s 

largest employer, Joint Base Charleston. 

The Naval Weapons Station 

employs nearly 13,500. The base is the 

command center for the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear 

Power Training program. 

Other major employers in Goose Creek 

include aluminum manufacturers Alcoa 

Mount Holly and JW Aluminum, and lighting 

manufacturer Quoizel Lighting. Quoizel, 

founded in 1930 in New York, relocated 

its headquarters to a state-of-the-art, 

500,000-square-foot facility in Goose Creek. 

Google built a $600 million data center 

in 2008 in Mount Holly, which is between 

Goose Creek and Moncks Corner. In 2013, 

the Internet search engine announced it 

would invest another $600 million to build 

a second data center. 

In addition to creating jobs, Google 

helped fund the city’s free WiFi network 

that has been implemented at four locations 

in the county, including Central Avenue 

downtown. 

The free WiFi service complements improvements 

such as new sidewalks, buried 

power lines and street lamps downtown and 

encourages more growth in the area. • 

Goose Creek Fall Festival 

Thousands of residents and visitors attend 

this popular, family friendly event with live 

entertainment, vendors, a kids’ play area, 

climbing wall and plenty of food. Proceeds 

from the festival go to Helping Hands of 

Goose Creek. Held behind the Goose Creek 

municipal center on U.S. Highway 52 (Goose 

Creek Boulevard) every October. 

LOCAL 

KNOWLEDGE 

Hiker biker trail 

A popular hiking and biking trail behind 

the City of Goose Creek Municipal 

Center draws a number of recreation 

enthusiasts. The trail encircles a lake 

behind the municipal center at 519 N. 

Goose Creek Blvd. and connects to a trail 

that goes up U.S. Highway 52/ 

Goose Creek Boulevard. 

Photo/Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce Photo/City of Goose Creek 

LIVING IN GOOSE CREEK | 69

Sports and Recreation 

One of the best things about life in the Lowcountry is the myriad opportunities 

for outdoor activities. 

The weather is good most of the year, and sports and recreational activities 

are there for the taking. You can join an organized team or take up an individual activity, 

such as kayaking or paddle boarding. 

Every community in the Charleston area has a well-developed sports and recreation 

program. In the pages that follow, we tell you about the recreation offerings for each city 

and town, with some of the highlights of the year. 

There is also a listing of other recreational possibilities beyond the municipal departments, 

such as bocce, roller derby or rugby. 

So, pick your favorite and get out there and enjoy yourself! 


City of Charleston 

Recreation Department...................................72 


Park and Recreation Commission..............74 

Dog Parks...............................................................74 


Parks and Recreation.......................................75 

Mount Pleasant Recreation...........................76 

Golf Courses.........................................................77 

Dining Out............................................................. 78 

Places to Stay......................................................80 

Alternative and Outdoor Venues...............83 

Arts Abound.........................................................85 

Attractions and Tours.......................................88 

Calendar of Events............................................ 93 

Newcomer Information and Map.............. 96 

Sponsored by 

70 | SPORTS AND RECREATION


Recreation Department 

823 Meeting St., Charleston, SC 29403 

Laurie Yarbrough, director 


check under departments tab for recreation 

The City of Charleston Recreation Department 

serves downtown Charleston, James Island, Johns 

Island, West Ashley and Daniel Island. 

Photo/City of Charleston Recreation Dept. 

Sports offered: Soccer, tennis, football, 

baseball, softball, basketball, track, cross country, 

golf, wrestling, lacrosse, volleyball, aquatics, karate 

Other activities: Cheerleading, gymnastics, 

double dutch, camps, dance, yoga, cooking, art, 

environmental education, therapeutic recreation, 

bocce, bowling, Ultimate Frisbee, fencing 

Top three citywide 

events of the year 

Easter Eggstravaganza: held near Easter; 

egg hunt, activities, games; Hampton Park. 

Celebration of Summer: An end-of-summer 

party held in Hampton Park in late July. Family 

friendly with pony rides, jump castles and more. 

Trick or Treat in the Park: just before 

Halloween; wear costumes and trick or treat at 

decorated cars; Hampton Park. 

A few places to check out 

Park hours are dawn to dusk unless otherwise 

posted. Some of the city’s popular parks are: 

Hazel Parker Community 

Center and Playground 

70 E. Bay St. 

"Let's Play" and "Let's Create" family days 

James Island Recreation Complex 

1088 Quail Drive 

camps and classes, and sports for all ages 

Youth baseball and softball programs are offered in all areas. 

In the Lowcountry, outdoor living is a 

special draw. You can go surfing, kayaking, 

fishing or biking – all in the same 

weekend. But outdoor recreation is just the 

start. 

When you move your family to a new 

community, a concern may be whether your 

new hometown offers the sports and recreational 

activities your family enjoys. In the 

Lowcountry, you will find most activities are 

available, even some you might not expect, 

such as lacrosse and ice hockey. 

This section includes a listing of the 

offerings by the major parks and 

recreation departments in the 

area. The largest are City 

of Charleston, Mount 

Pleasant and North 

Charleston, but smaller 

departments such as 

Summerville and Isle of 

Palms also have a lot to offer. 

While recreation departments 

are set up to serve 

the residents of their 

communities, most allow 

non-residents to 

register for programs 

for an added fee. 


County Park and Recreation 

Commission 

provides mostly individual 

park-based activities, such as kayaking, 

climbing and water parks. The county 

does run team sports in some rural areas 

that aren’t served by other departments. 

Most parks offer programs for all ages, 

from preschool to senior adults. In general, 

permits are required to hold an event in a 

park; check with the local parks department 

to see what is needed. 

And if your interest runs to college or 

professional sports, the Charleston area has 

a lot to offer. Charleston Southern University, 

The Citadel and College of Charleston 

all have standout sports 

programs. 

The Lowcountry is 

home to three professional 

teams: the Charleston 

RiverDogs (baseball), a 

Class A affiliate of the New 

York Yankees; the Charleston 

Battery (soccer) of the 

United Soccer Leagues; and 

the South Carolina Stingrays 

(hockey), a member of the East 

Coast Hockey League affiliated 

with the Washington 

Capitals. 

And one more thing: 

Charlie is the mascot 

of the Riverdogs. 

(Photo/Charleston 

Riverdogs) 


Charleston County Park 

and Recreation Commission 

861 Riverland Drive, Charleston 29412 

843-795-4386 

David Bennett, executive director 

www.CharlestonCountyParks.com 

A clickable map is available at 

www.ccprc.com/index.aspx?NID=8 

Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission 

provides park and recreation services but does 

not duplicate services provided by municipalities 

and other special recreation districts. The county 

commission has developed a countywide park system 

that emphasizes individual and family activities such 

as outdoor recreation, environmental education and 

public beach access. The commission runs rural 

recreation sports programs in areas not otherwise 

served at McClellanville, Johns Island and Hollywood. 

Activities: Summer camps, water parks, climbing 

wall, geocaching, group and corporate services, nature 

and history programs, outdoor adventure, youth and 

school programs, swimming lessons and water safety 

Top events 

Holiday Festival of Lights: 

family event held in November and December, 

James Island County Park 

Charleston Sprint Triathlon Series: swim 

600-yard freshwater lake; bike 12 miles; run 5K; 

separate dates in May, June, July and August; James 

Island County Park 


Some of the most popular parks are: 


871 Riverland Drive, James Island 

camping, challenge course, climbing wall, water park 

CawCaw 

Interpretive 

Center 

5200 Savannah 

Highway, Ravenel 

SK8 Charleston 

Skate Park 

1549 Oceanic St., 


Photo/Steve Aycock 

Bird watching on Folly Beach 

The Volvo Car Open tennis tournament 

brings women’s tennis greats to Daniel Island 

every spring. 

For outdoor fun, Folly Beach is considered 

a top surfing destination on the East 

Coast, and you can check conditions at its 

storied “Washout” via webcam. 

Kayaking in the blackwater rivers and 

swamps or quieter areas of Charleston 

Harbor is a favorite. Outfitters along Shem 

Creek in Mount Pleasant rent equipment. 

Recreational boating and sailing are local 

passions. Each April hundreds of sailors 

take to Charleston Harbor for Charleston 

Race Week, sponsored by the Charleston 

Ocean Racing Association. Deep sea fishing 

charters are available at Shem Creek and 

Dog Parks 


Ackerman Park Dog Run, 55 Sycamore Drive 

Bees Landing Recreation Complex, 1530 Ashley Gardens 

Blvd. 

Governor’s Park, 165 Fairbanks Oak Alley 

Hampton Park Dog Run, corner of Rutledge Avenue and 

Grove Street 

Hazel Parker Dog Run, 70 E. Bay St. 

James Island Recreation Complex, 1088 Quail Drive 


James Island County Park, 871 Riverland Drive 

North Charleston Wannamaker County Park, 8888 University Blvd. 

Mount Pleasant Palmetto Islands County Park, 444 Needlerush 

Parkway 

All dogs must be up to date on vaccinations 

and must be under their owners’ supervision at all times. 

other locations. 

Locals fish off piers at Folly Beach or the 

Memorial Waterfront Park in Mount Pleasant, 

or net crabs in tidal creeks. 

Running has grown in popularity since 

the founding of the Cooper River Bridge 

Run in 1978. The Bridge Run takes place 

each April, attracting world-class 10K runners 

and tens of thousands of amateur athletes 

and walkers. The race begins in Shem 

Creek and finishes in downtown Charleston. 

The area’s flat roads make for fast cycling. 

The Lowcountry hosts a series of popular 

cycling events, including group rides 

and races. 

So, test out your old favorites or try 

something new. It’s all here. • 

Here are some parks set up expressly 

for dogs and their owners. 


Photo/Larry Monteith/Charleston Moves 


Photo/City of Charleston Recreation Dept. 


Parks and Recreation 

 

2500 City Hall Lane 

North Charleston, S.C. 29406 

843-740-5814 

Ed Barfield, recreation director 


North Charleston Parks and Recreation serves the 

city of North Charleston. 

Sports offered: Softball, baseball, 

basketball, football, soccer, wrestling, 

volleyball, track and field 

Activities: adult and senior fitness, after-school 

programs, aquatics, camps, ceramics, dance, disc 

golf, cheerleading 

Top events 

Youth Pitch, Hit and Run: local competition 

held in April; winners advance to sectional 

competition 

The City of Charleston Swampfox Track Team hosts an annual meet each fall for school teams and individuals. 

Other parks and recreation 

departments 

Isle of Palms Parks and Recreation 

24 28th Ave., Isle of Palms, SC 29451 

www.iop.net 

This department serves the Isle of Palms with 

baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball and 

soccer. Also offered are fitness, dance, taekwondo, 

gymnastics, and camps. Events include the Sand 

Sculpting Contest; the IOP Beach Run and the IOP 

Connector Run. 

Hanahan Recreation and Parks 

3100 Mabeline Road, Hanahan, SC 29410 

www.cityofhanahan.com 

The department serves the city of Hanahan. Offered 

are basketball, football, baseball, softball, soccer, 

volleyball, as well as T-ball, dance, tumbling, camps 

and fitness. 

Summerville Parks and Recreation 

515 W. Boundary St., Summerville, SC 29485 

843-851-5211 

www.summervillesc.gov 

Among the sports offered are softball, baseball, 

tennis, football and cricket. The town has a major 

sports center, the Jerry Blackwell Sports Complex, 

at 515 W. Boundary St. Also unique are the Sawmill 

Branch Trail and a skate park. 

Goose Creek Recreation 

843-569-4242 

www.goosecreekrecreation.com 

Goose Creek Recreation serves residents at Goose 

Creek Community Center and Casey Community 

Center, as well as a city pool and community 

parks. Activities offered include baseball, softball, 

golf, basketball, volleyball, football, cheerleading, 

gymnastics, camps, soccer and tennis. 

Moncks Corner 

Recreation Department 

118 Carolina Ave., Moncks Corner 

843-719-7900 

The recreation department offers baseball, T-ball, 

football, soccer, cheerleading basketball and softball. 

Winter Wonderland: held in December for 

young children at Armory Park 


Among North Charleston’s gems are: 

Riverfront Park 

1001 Everglades Ave. 

On the Cooper River with beautiful views, a 

performance pavilion and meadow 

Park Circle Butterfly Garden 

4800 Park Circle 

Butterflies and plants, picnics, walking paths 

Photo/City of North Charleston/Ryan Johnson 

SPORTS AND RECREATION | 75

Mount Pleasant Recreation 

391 Egypt Road, Mount Pleasant 29464 

843-884-2528 

Ken Ayoub, director 


Mount Pleasant Recreation Department serves the 

town of Mount Pleasant. 

Sports offered: Tennis, baseball, basketball, 

golf, soccer, softball, track, cross country, football, 

lacrosse, volleyball 

Also: Camps, art, therapeutic recreation, music, 

aquatics, dance, skate park 

Top events 

Spring Carnival: held in May, children’s 

activities; at Alhambra Hall Park 

Blessing of the Fleet and Seafood 

Festival: held in April; blessing of the fleet 

ceremony, boat parade, seafood sampling, music, 

arts and crafts; Memorial Waterfront Park 

Old Village 5K Run, Walk, Stroller and 

Dog Jog: held in November starting at Alhambra 

Hall Park; for all ages 

Mount Pleasant Junior Regatta: 

late summer, Hobcaw Yacht Club 


Some of Mount Pleasant’s best-loved parks are: 

Alhambra Hall and Park 

131 Middle St. 

Reception hall, waterfront green space, playground. 

Park West Recreation Complex 

1251 Park West Blvd. 

Lighted tennis courts, indoor pool, athletic fields, 

lake pavilion, walking trails. 

The view from the porch of Alhambra Hall. 

The College of Charleston Sailing Center (www.sailing.cofc.edu) features more than 53 boats. 

Other Sports and Rec 

Sports Event Organizers, Volunteer 

Groups, Training Resources and 

Sports Facilities 

ARENA SPORTS 

Arena City Soccer and Sports 

www.arenacitysoccerandsports.com 

BADMINTON 

Charleston Badminton Group 

www.facebook.com/ 

badmintoncharleston 

BEACH VOLLEYBALL 

Charleston Beach Volleyball & Social 

Club 

www.charlestonvolleyball.net 

BOCCE 

Chucktown Bocce League 

www.facebook.com/pages/Chucktown- 

Bocce-League/101115219964370 

BOXING 

Hurricane Boxing Club 

hurricaneboxing.net 

DANCE 

Ballroom Dance Club of Charleston 

www.ballroomdancecharleston.org 

Charleston Shag Club 

www.charlestonshagclub.com 

DISABLED SPORTS 

Charleston Miracle League 

www.charlestonmiracleleague.org 

Special Olympics of the Lowcountry 

www.facebook.com/solowcountry 

Summerville Miracle League 

www.summervillemiracleleague.org 

DODGEBALL 

Charleston Sports & Social Club 

www.charlestonssc.com 

Arena City Soccer Sports 

arenacitysoccerandsports.com 

DOG SPORTS 

Low Country Dog Agility Club 

www.lowcountrydogagility.com 

FENCING 

Fencing Fight Club 

facebook.com/fencingcharleston/ 

FOX HUNTING 

Middleton Place Hounds Hunt Club 

www.middletonplacehounds.com 

GYMNASTICS 

Gymnastics Academy of Charleston 

www.gymnasticsacademyofcharleston. 

com 

HIKING 

West Ashley Greenway Bike/Hike Trail 

www.westashleygreenway.org 

ICE HOCKEY /SKATING 

Carolina Ice Palace 

www.carolinaicepalace.com 

Figure Skating Club of Charleston 

www.fscofcharleston.com 

LACROSSE 

Charleston Hurricanes Men’s 

Lacrosse Club 

facebook.com/CharlestonHurricanesLax 

Lowcountry Lacrosse Youth League 

www.lowlax.com 

MARTIAL ARTS 

Charleston Martial Arts 

http://chas-ma.com 

OCEAN RACING 

Charleston Ocean Racing Association 

www.charlestonoceanracing.org 

POLO 

Charleston Polo Club 

charlestonpoloclub.com 

Carolina Polo & Carriage Company 

www.cpcc.com/polo.htm 

Hyde Park Polo Club 

hydeparkpoloclub.com 

ROCK CLIMBING (WALLS) 

Charleston County PRC 

ccprc.com 

Coastal Climbing 

coastalclimbing.com 

ROLLER DERBY 

Lowcountry Highrollers Women’s 

Derby team 

www.lowcountryhighrollers.com 

RUGBY 

Charleston Outlaws 

Rugby Football Club 

www.charlestonrugby.com 

Charleston Hurricanes Women's Rugby 

www.charlestonwomensrugby.org 

STANDUP PADDLE BOARDING 

www.charlestonsupsafaris.com 

SURFING 

Southern South Carolina/ 

Eastern Surfing Association 

ssc.surfesa.org 

ULTIMATE FRISBEE 

Charleston Ultimate 

Players Association 

www.charlestonultimate.com 

WAKEBOARDING 

& WATERSKIING 

Trophy Lakes Watersports Center 

www.trophylakesports.com 

Source: Charleston Area Sports Commission 



Berkeley 

Berkeley Country Club 

at Exeter Plantation 

772 Exeter Plantation Road 


Semiprivate with event facilities 

843-761-4653 

www.berkeleycc.com 

Crowfield Golf Club 

300 Hamlet Circle 

Goose Creek, SC 29445 

Semiprivate public 

843-764-4618 

www.crowfieldgolf.com 


Beresford Creek course 

at Daniel Island Club 

600 Island Park Drive 

Daniel Island, SC 29492 

Private with event facilities 

843-971-3555 

www.danielislandclub.com 

Bulls Bay Golf Club 

995 Bulls Bay Blvd. 


Private 

843-881-2223, ext. 14 

www.bullsbaygolf.com 

Charleston Municipal Golf Course 

2110 Maybank Highway 


Public 

843-795-6517 

www.charleston-sc.gov/golf 

Charleston National Golf Club 

1360 National Drive 


Semiprivate 

843-884-4653 

www.charlestonnationalgolf.com 

Coosaw Creek Country Club 

4110 Club Course Drive 



843-767-9000 

www.coosawcreek.com 

Cougar Point Golf Club, 

Kiawah Island Golf Resort 

1 Sanctuary Beach Drive 

Kiawah Island, SC 29455 

Public resort with event facilities 

843-266-4020 

kiawahresort.com 

Dunes West Golf & River Club 

3535 Wando Plantation Way 



843-856-9000 

www.duneswestgolfclub.com 

The Links at Stono Ferry 

4812 Stono Links Drive 

Hollywood, SC 29449 


843-763-1817 

www.charlestongolfweddings.com 

The Ocean Course at 


1000 Ocean Course Drive 



843-266-4670 

kiawahresort.com 

Osprey Point at 




Resort with event facilities 

843-266-4640 

www.kiawahresort.com 

Patriots Point Links 

1 Patriots Point Road 


Public 

843-881-0042 

www.patriotspointlinks.com 

Ralston Creek at Daniel Island Club 




843-971-3555 


RiverTowne Country Club 

1700 RiverTowne Country Club Drive 



843-849-2400 

www.rivertownecountryclub.com 

Shadowmoss Plantation Golf Club 

20 Dunvegan Drive 



843-556-8251 

www.shadowmossgolf.com 

Snee Farm Country Club 

1200 Club Drive 



843-884-8571 

www.sneefarmcc.com 

Turtle Point at 


1 Turtle Point Drive 



843-266-4050 


Wild Dunes Resort Harbor Course 

5881 Palm Blvd. 

Isle of Palms, SC 29451 


843-886-2004 

www.wilddunes.com 

Wild Dunes Resort Links Course 

1 Sundial Circle 



843-886-2002 

www.wilddunes.com 

Golf Courses 

Dorchester 

The Golf Club at Wescott Plantation 

5000 Wescott Club Drive 


Public with event facilities 

843-871-2135 

wescottgolf.com 

Legend Oaks Golf Club 

118 Legend Oaks Way 



843-821-4077 

www.legendoaksgolf.com 

Pine Forest Country Club 

1000 Congressional Blvd. 


Semiprivate 

843-851-1193 

www.pineforestcountryclub.com 

Summerville Country Club 

400 Country Club Blvd. 


Semiprivat public 

843-873-2210 

www.summervillecountryclub.com 

Summerville Country Club, 

Miler Golf Course 




843-873-2210 


SPORTS AND RECREATION | 77

Photo/Poe’s Tavern 

Nothing caps off a day on Sullivan’s Island 

like a burger from Poe’s Tavern. 

» DINING OUT 

Charleston loves to eat well. 

The view is beautiful, the things 

to do are fun, the beach beckons – 

but soon after you get here (maybe even 

before), you’ll find yourself hungry. 

And luckily, there’s a world of good food 

to choose from. 

The signature dish of Charleston may be 

shrimp and grits. It’s so popular that most 

every restaurant has its own version, sometimes 

in a tomato sauce, other times in a 

cream sauce. The shrimp will be fresh from 

the sea and the grits ground in a nearby 

mill. It makes a filling meal that marries the 

two flavors perfectly. 

If grits aren’t on your menu of likes, 

then you might like to try Lowcountry boil. 

This hefty stew generally includes shrimp, 

sausage, corn and potatoes, but once again, 

everybody has their own version. Some 

recipes include oysters, fish or mussels, depending 

on the season. In any event, when 

the concoction is turned out hot and steaming 

onto a sideboard, you’ll find your mouth 

watering. 

Speaking of oysters, there’s no better 

season of the year than oyster season – 

late fall through March – in our opinion. 

The plump bivalves roasted outside are 

the food of the gods. There’s just enough 

work involved to get them out of the shell. 

Immediately, you feel a connection to the 

sea. 

Seafood not your favorite? Then head 

out for barbecue. South Carolinians lay 

claim to originating mustard-based sauce, 

but many places offer a variety including 

vinegar-based and tomato-laden. The slowsmoked 

meat is the most important factor 

anyway. 

If your passion is fried chicken, then 

you’re in luck. Southern home cooking 

restaurants and even pickup places pride 

themselves on the tastiness of their chicken. 

And you’ll want to pair it with fresh biscuits 

and sweet tea. 

Charleston is home to dozens of topnotch 

restaurants. Eating out or meeting 

friends for drinks is treated with reverence 

here. Whenever there’s a contest for the 

best city for food, Charleston is in the running. 

If you’re feeling like something more 

casual, we’ve got that too. There’s no shortage 

of bar and grill, coffee shop and drive-in 

eateries. 

And you won’t have to look far for 

food-related events. The Charleston Wine 

and Food Festival and the Lowcountry Oyster 

Festival are just two of many. • 

78 | DINING OUT

Photo/Edmunds Oast 

Photo/Leigh-Ann Beverley 

The kitchen at Edmund’s Oast opens right into the dining 

room. They also have 48 taps of craft beers, including 

some that are brewed on premises. 

The Forage Board at Harold's Cabin. 

Photo/Chrys Rynearson 

Mellow Mushroom in North Charleston. 

Photo/Ryan Johnson,City of North Charleston 

Photo/Liz Segrist/Charleston Regional Business Journal 

People head to EVO Pizza in North Charleston for their award-winning pizza. 

Carrie Morey sold her biscuits online for nine years before 

opening Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit on Upper King Street. 

DINING OUT | 79

» PLACES TO STAY 

Charleston is a top travel destination – and that 

means plenty of places to stay the night when 

you’re visiting. You’ll find rooms available at 

historic inns and bed and breakfasts, beachfront resorts 

and everything in between. Wake to the sound 

of the ocean or the sight of yachts in the harbor. 

The Charleston area has the perfect accommodations 

for you and your family, whatever your needs. 

And should you want to plan your wedding in 

Charleston, as hundreds of people do every year, 

there’s a whole list of possible venues awaiting you. 

They are also available for family reunions, meetings 

Hotels 

Properties in the Charleston Area, Ranked by No. of Guest Rooms 

Property 



Kiawah Island SC 29455 

Belmond Charleston Place 


Charleston SC 29401 

North Charleston Marriott 

4770 Goer Drive 

North Charleston SC 29406 

The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort 


Kiawah Island SC 29455 

Francis Marion Hotel 

387 King St. 


Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina 


Mount Pleasant SC 29464 

The Mills House Wyndham Grand Hotel 



DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites 

Charleston, SC - Historic District 

181 Church St. 


Hyatt Place Charleston - Historic 

560 King St. 


Courtyard Charleston Waterfront 

35 Lockwood Drive 


Hampton Inn Charleston - Historic District 



The Dewberry Hotel 



Holiday Inn Express Charleston Downtown - 

Ashley River 

250 Spring St. 


Hilton Garden Inn Charleston Waterfront 

45 Lockwood Drive 


Aloft Charleston Airport & Convention Center 

4875 Tanger Outlet Blvd. 



Email 

843-768-2121 


reservations@kiawahresort.com 

800-455-2427 

CharlestonPlaceMeetings.com 

info.cph@belmond.com 

843-747-1900 

www.marriott.com/chsmn 

mhrs.chsmn.sales@marriott.com 

843-768-6000 


reservations@kiawahresort.com 

843-722-0600 

www.francismarioncharleston.com 

info@thefrancismarion.com 

843-856-0028 

www.charlestonharborresort.com 

sales@charlestonharborresort.com 

843-577-2400 

www.millshouse.com 

info@millshouse.com 

843-577-2644 

www.doubletree3.hilton.com 

CHSCS_DT_Guest@hilton.com 

843-414-4900 

www.hyattplacecharlestonhistoricdistrict.com 

- 

843-722-7229 

www.marriott.com/chscy 

chscy@jhmhotels.com 

843-723-4000 

www.charlestonhistoricdistrict.hamptoninn.com 

chshd_hampton@hilton.com 

843-558-8000 

thedewberrycharleston.com 

sales@dewberryhotels.com 

843-722-4000 

www.charlestonhiexpress.com 

gm@charlestonhiexpress.com 

843-637-4074 

www.charlestonwaterfrontdowntown.hgi.com 

chsdw-salesadm@hilton.com 

843-566-7300 

www.alofthotels.com/charleston 

sales@aloftcharlestonairport.com 

General 

Manager/ 

Year 

Founded 

Terry 

Treuting, 

Brendon 

Bashford, Bill 

Lacey, Missy 

Wurthmann 

1976 

Paul Stracey 

1986 

Patrick 

Rogers 

1983 

Brendon 

Bashford, Bill 

Lacey 

2004 

Gayle 

Karolczyk 

1924 

Nick 

Saltmarsh 

1999 

Brad Baer 

1853 

Reggie A. 

Edwards 

1998 

Kelsey Stoffel, 

Lauren Smith 

2015 

Mark Thomas 

1997 

Kevin 

Eichman 

1992 

Scott Dawson 

2016 

Matthew 

Cunningham 

2013 

Charles Reed 

2014 

James Bynum 

2008 




or conferences. 

In these pages, we give you a comprehensive 

list of hotels in the area, starting with those with the 

largest number of rooms. 

You’ll also find a list of the area’s alternative and 

outdoor venues for events. 



# of Rooms 

# of Meeting Rooms 

Corporate Rate Hotel Amenities Sales Manager 

1,500 

20 

$295 

434 

36 

$395 

291 

14 

$139 

255 

15 

$383 

235 

14 

$169 

217 

9 

$149 

216 

10 

$200 

212 

10 

$0 

191 

3 

$379 

179 

2 

$144 

170 

1 

$170 

155 

3 

$299 

153 

1 

$169 

141 

3 

$279 

136 

1 

$139 

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, 

pool, 24-hour room service, 

airport shuttle, fitness center, 

spa, free breakfast, business 

center 




spa, business center 

On-site restaurant, pool, 

24-hour room service, airport 

shuttle, fitness center, 

business center 




spa, business center 


fitness center, spa, business 

center 



fitness center, spa, business 

center 


pool, fitness center, business 

center 

Free Wi-Fi, fitness center, 


Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness 

center, free breakfast, 




center 





24-hour room service, fitness 

center, spa 






center 


pool, airport shuttle, fitness 

center, business center 

Marty Couch 

Charlie Wellman 

Alan Strozier 

Marty Couch 

Tressa Wright 

Shannon Hall Hartman 

Joseph Kramer 

Angela Muschek 

Rachel L. Frost 

Christine Greenleaf 

Connie Hess, Tanya Reagor 

Tanya Matthews 

Lindsey Lambrakos 

Mamie Bush 

Amy H. Houchins 


80 | PLACES TO STAY

Hotels 




Property 

Hilton Garden Inn Charleston/Mt. 

Pleasant 

300 Wingo Way 



Email 

843-606-4600 

www.charlestonmtpleasant.hgi.com 

Jennifer.maxwell@hilton.com 

General 

Manager/ 

Year 

Founded 

Jennifer 

Colangelo 

2015 

# of Rooms 

# of Meeting 

Rooms 


133 

7 

$149 

Free Wi-Fi, on-site 

restaurant, pool, fitness 


Jennifer Maxwell 

Tides Folly Beach 

1 Center St. 

Folly Beach SC 29439 

843-588-6464 

www.tidesfollybeach.com 

- 

Matt 

Zengerle 

1985 

132 

5 

$189 



center 

Hope Johnston 

Courtyard by Marriott Mount Pleasant 

1251 Woodland Ave. 


843-284-0900 

www.marriott.com/chscm 

juliana.shores@marriott.com 

Cheryl M. 

Craven 

2007 

130 

5 

$159 




Ashley Miller 

Town & Country Inn and Suites 



843-571-1000 

www.thetownandcountryinn.com 

sales@thetownandcountryinn.com 

Stephen P. 

Clarke 

1984 

129 

6 

$105 



center 

Stephen P. Clarke, Erin T. 

England 

Homewood Suites by Hilton 

Charleston Convention Center/Airport 

5048 International Blvd. 


Home2 Suites by Hilton, Charleston 

Convention Center 

3401 West Montague Ave. 


Wyndham Garden Charleston Mount 

Pleasant 

1330 Stuart Engals Blvd. 


Holiday Inn Express & Suites Mount 

Pleasant 

350 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. 


Hampton Inn & Suites North Charleston 

University Boulevard 

2688 Fernwood Drive 


Hyatt House Charleston - Historic District 

560 King St. 


843-735-5000 

www.charlestonairport.homewoodsuites.com 

chshm_ds@hilton.com 

843-744-4202 

www.charlestonairportconventioncenter.home2suites.com 

chscc_ds@hilton.com 

843-352-5100 

www.wyndhamgardenmtpleasant.com 

jparsons@wyndhamgardenmtpleasant.com 

843-375-2600 

www.hiemountpleasant.com 

mlytton@charlestownehotels.com 

843-735-7500 

www.hamptoninn3.hilton.com 

- 

843-207-2299 

www.hyatthousecharlestonhistoricdistrict.com 

rachel.frost@hyatt.com 

Christopher 

Wernham 

2008 

Linda Dawalt 

2011 

Tommy 

Loeber 

2014 

James Poole 

2009 

Anthony 

Smith 

2007 

Lauren 

Smith, 

Kelsey 

Stoffel 

2015 

128 

4 

$175 

122 

0 

$149 

120 

3 

$119 

116 

1 

$99 

115 

2 

$109 

113 

5 

$239 

Free Wi-Fi, pool, airport 

shuttle, fitness center, free 

breakfast, business center, 

in-room kitchen 

Free Wi-Fi, pool, airport 

shuttle, fitness center, free 

breakfast, business center, 













business center, in-room 

kitchen 

Jenna Joseph 

Tom Brinkerhoff 

Judy M. Parsons 

Marianne McNeeley, 

Meredith Lytton 

Rachel Hassell 

Rachel Frost 

Suburban Extended Stay Hotel 

7582 Stafford Road 


843-414-6800 

- 

- 

Elnora 

Gathers 

2008 

112 

0 

$79 


center, business center, inroom 

kitchen 

CJ Westerman 

Quality Inn & Suites at Patriots Point 



843-856-8817 

www.choicehotels.com 

qisales@hgmhotels.com 

Stephen 

Haws 

1999 

103 

2 

$100 




Peggy Foltz 

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Charleston- 

Ashley Phosphate 

7670 Northwoods Blvd. 


Wingate by Wyndham at Charleston 

Southern University 



843-553-1600 

www.hiexpress.com/chastni-26 

gm@hiexpressnorthwoods.com 

843-553-4444 

www.charlestonwingate.com 

ANikay@charlestonwingate.com 

Cheryl Q. 

Clark 

1999 

Ron Jaicks 

2008 

98 

1 

$109 

97 

1 

$99 







Tara McConnell 

Alyssa Ruiz , Alyssa Nikay 

King Charles Inn 



843-723-7451 

www.kingcharlesinn.com 

reservations@kingcharlesinn.com 

Maureen 

Sheridan 

1960 

91 

- 

$200 




Ray Berrouet 

Residence Inn by Marriott Mount Pleasant 

1116 Isle of Palms Connector 


843-881-1599 

www.marriott.com/chsmp 

juliana.shores@marriott.com 

Melissa 

Zimmerman 

2002 

90 

1 

$179 



business center, in-room 

kitchen 

Ashley B Miller 

Best Western Charleston Inn 



843-571-6100 

www.thecharlestoninn.com 

brichards@charlestownehotels.com 

Bill Richards 

1982 

87 

- 

$99 

Free Wi-Fi, pool, free 

breakfast, business center 

Bill Richards 

The Vendue 

19 Vendue Range 


843-577-7970 

www.TheVendue.com 

- 

Pietro 

Giardini 

2014 

84 

1 

$289 


restaurant 

Mirka Siewicki 





PLACES TO STAY | 81

Hotels 


Property 

North Charleston Inn 

2934 W. Montague Ave. 



Email 

843-744-8281 

www.northcharlestoninn.com 

sales@northcharlestoninn.com 

General 

Manager/ 

Year 

Founded 

Rachel Elliott 

1973 



# of Rooms 

# of Meeting Rooms 


80 

2 

$64 

Free Wi-Fi, pool, free breakfast, 


Rachel Elliott 

Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Charleston 



843-225-4411 

www.hawthorn.com 

charlestonhawthornsuites@gmail.com 

Paul Multani 

2006 

77 

1 

$79 

Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness center, 

free breakfast, business center, 


Charmae Othman 

Sleep Inn Charleston 



843-556-6959 

www.sleepinn.com/hotel/sc212 

brichards@charlestownehotels.com 

Bill Richards 

2000 

74 

0 

$99 



Bill Richards 

Best Western Patriots Point 

259 McGrath Darby Blvd. 


843-971-7070 

www.bestwestern.com 

mtpleasantbestwestern@earthlink.net 

Tiffany A. Bell 

2004 

70 

- 

$120 

Free Wi-Fi, pool, airport shuttle, 

free breakfast, business center 

- 

The Palms Hotel 

1126 Ocean Blvd. 

Isle of Palms SC 29451 

843-886-3003 

www.thepalmshotel.us 

info@thepalmshotel.us 

Matthew 

Cunningham 

2000 

68 

0 

$149 



- 

The Restoration 

75 Wentworth St. 


843-518-5100 

www.therestorationhotel.com 

frontdesk@therestorationhotel.com 

Mike Scavo 

2010 

55 

14 

$199 


pool, fitness center, spa, free 

breakfast, business center, inroom 

kitchen 

Karen Winn 

The Inn at Middleton Place 

4290 Ashley River Road 


843-556-0500 

www.theinnatmiddletonplace.com 

- 

Abigail Martin 

1987 

54 

3 

$139 


pool, free breakfast 


HarbourView Inn 

2 Vendue Range 


843-853-8439 

www.harbourviewcharleston.com 

gm@harbourviewcharleston.com 

Chris Harvey 

1998 

52 

1 

$209 

Free Wi-Fi, free breakfast, 


Jessica Bowman 

Shem Creek Inn 

1401 Shrimp Boat Lane 


843-881-1000 

www.shemcreekinn.com 

info@shemcreekinn.com 

James Poole 

1986 

51 

- 

$159 


pool, free breakfast 

- 

French Quarter Inn 



843-722-1900 

www.fqicharleston.com 

frontdesk@fqicharleston.com 

Brent Gresham 

2002 

50 

2 

$199 




Grand Bohemian Hotel 



843-722-5711 

www.grandbohemiancharleston.com 

- 

Olivier Bottois 

2015 

50 

1 

$275 


fitness center 

Jeannie Green 

Fulton Lane Inn 

202 King St. 


843-720-2600 

www.fultonlaneinn.com 

- 

Lisa Anderson 

1994 

45 

1 

$139 

Free Wi-Fi, free breakfast 

Jennifer Huber, Linn Lesesne 

Kings Courtyard Inn 

198 King St. 


843-723-7000 

www.kingscourtyardinn.com 

kci-concierge@charminginns.com 

Lisa Anderson 

1980 

41 

1 

$139 

Free Wi-Fi, free breakfast 

Jennifer Huber, Linn Lesesne 

Spectator Hotel 

67 State St. 


843-724-4326 

www.thespectatorhotel.com 

info@thespectatorhotel.com 

Brent Gresham 

2015 

41 

2 

$219 




Wentworth Mansion 



843-853-1886 

www.wentworthmansion.com 

wm-concierge@charminginns.com 

Noreen 

Marchant 

1998 

21 

2 

$289 


spa, free breakfast, business 

center 

Linn Lesesne, Jennifer Huber 

Woodlands Mansion 

125 Parsons Road 

Summerville SC 29483 

843-875-2600 

www.woodlandsmansion.com 

stay@woodlandsmansion.com 

Tom 

Limehouse 

2012 

18 

3 

$325 



Becky Harper 

Zero George St. 

0 George St. 


843-817-7900 

www.zerogeorge.com 

contact@zerogeorge.com 

Dean Andrews 

2012 

18 

1 

$299 


free breakfast 

- 

21 East Battery Bed & Breakfast 

21 East Battery Bed & Breakfast 


843-556-0500 

www.21eastbattery.com 

info@21eastbattery.com 

Abigal M. 

Martin 

1825 

3 

3 

$199 

Free Wi-Fi, free breakfast, inroom 

kitchen 






82 | PLACES TO STAY

Alternative & Outdoor Event Venues 

Ranked by Maximum Capacity 

Venue 

Exchange Park 

9850 U.S. Highway 78 

Ladson, SC 29456 

MUSC Health Stadium B 

1990 Daniel Island Drive 


North Charleston Coliseum and 

Performing Arts Center 

5001 Coliseum Drive 


Hyde Park Farm & Polo Club 

6763 Davis Rd. 

Ravenel, SC 29470 

Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park 

360 Fishburne St. 


McAlister Field House 

171 Moultrie St. 


Charleston Maritime Center 

10 Wharfside St. 


Patriots Point Naval & Maritime 

Museum 



Middleton Place 




Email 

843-572-3161 

www.exchangepark.org 

denise@exchangepark.org 

843-971-4625 

www.charlestonbattery.com 

info@charlestonbattery.com 

843-529-5000 

www.northcharlestoncoliseumpac.com 

mnasrollahi@northcharlestoncoliseumpac.com 

704-609-6866 

www.hydeparkpoloclub.com 

info@hydeparkpoloclub.com 

843-723-7241 

www.riverdogs.com 

melissa@riverdogs.com 

843-953-2665 

www.citadel.edu/events 

ocm@citadel.edu 

843-853-3625 

www.cmcevents.com 

atchisonb@charleston-sc.gov 

843-881-5989 

www.patriotspoint.org 

info@patriotspoint.org 

843-556-6020 

www.middletonplace.org 

info@middletonplace.org 

Top Local 

Official(s)/ Year 

Founded 

Michael Carney, 

Denise Carner 

1979 

Andrew Bell 

1999 

Mariah Nasrollahi, 

Frank Lapsley 

1993 

Amy Vann Flowers 

2009 

Melissa Azevedo 

1997 

Allison Bringardner 

1939 

Alysia Olshinski, 

Atchison Bob 

1997 

Mac Burdette, 

Bobby Kotlowski, 

Chris Hauff 

1975 

Charles H. Duell, 

M. Tracey Todd 

1741 




B Formerly Blackbaud Stadium 

Max. Capacity / 

Outdoor / 

Reception 

50,000 

- 

50,000 

14,000 

5,100 

- 

14,000 

2,000 

7,600 

8,000 

8,000 

350 

6,000 

5,000 

1,000 

6,000 

0 

6,000 

4,000 

1,500 

450 

3,500 

3,500 

1,500 

2,000 

2,000 

2,000 

Description 



Venue buildings, open land with pond, 70 acres of indoor and outdoor 

event space and 100 acres of parking space 

Home of the Charleston Battery, 1,400 parking spaces plus overflow 

available 

A premier destination for live entertainment and sports with the 

coliseum providing a 13,000 seat capacity, the performing arts center 

with a 2,300 seat proscenium theater and the convention center 

offering a 77,000 square foot exhibit hall 

Unlimited parking, 400 acres, 17 miles to downtown Charleston, open 

air pavilion with fireplace, beautiful barn with brick floors, bridal suite 

Outdoor picnic areas available as well as the stadium's sky suites 

McAlister Field House is a 6,000-seat multipurpose facility and home to 

The Citadel's basketball, volleyball and wrestling teams 

Downtown waterfront event and conference venue with space available 

for indoor and outdoor receptions and ceremonies; free parking 

available 

With unmatched views of the harbor and Charleston city skyline, the 

USS Yorktown aircraft carrier is the most unique venue; we offer 

competitive pricing and more than 20 venues for groups of 15 to 3,500 

on board the ship and landside 

18th-century plantation, America's oldest landscaped gardens, house 

museum and plantation stableyards with indoor and outdoor reception 

sites 


PLACES TO STAY | 83

Alternative & Outdoor Event Venues 

Ranked by Maximum Capacity 



Venue 

Charleston Gaillard Center 




Email 

843-724-5212 

www.gaillardcenter.com 

bookings@gaillardcenter.com 

Top Local 

Official(s)/ Year 

Founded 

Kevin T. Carlon 

2015 

Max. Capacity / 

Outdoor / 

Reception 

1,800 

- 

- 

Description 

The 1,800-seat Martha and John M. Rivers’ Performance Hall creates 

an inviting setting where artist and audience come together and 

connect; state-of-the-art ballrooms and meeting rooms are also 

available 

Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina 



843-856-0028 

www.charlestonharborresort.com 

sales@charlestonharborresort.com 

Oliver Rooskens 

1999 

1,500 

2,500 

1,500 

We offer a variety of venues including 6,500 private beach front with tiki 

bar and 4,500 sq ft pavilion, in addition to our 9 traditional meeting 

spaces including our largest indoor event space, the Yacht Club, which 

features panoramic views of the Charleston Harbor and downtown 

skyline. 

Scottish Rite Center 



843-779-7533 

www.ksacharleston.org 

reservations@ksacharleston.org 

J. Wallace 

1801 

1,500 

2,000 

800 

Auditorium: 500+ plush seats, stage/presentation floor, tiled dance 

floor, full audio/video control booth; banquet hall and prep kitchen: 

tables and chairs included, raised stage lectern/audio, kitchen/prep area 

included 

Memminger Auditorium 

56 Beaufain St. 


843-724-1196 

www.memmingerauditorium.com 

info@memmingerauditorium.com 

Spoleto Festival 

2008 

1,000 

250 

600 

Multiuse space available year-round featuring 2,500 square feet of 

storage space, catering setup and backstage needs; banquet room-style 

partition wall available and six dressing rooms 

South Carolina Aquarium 

100 Aquarium Wharf 


843-579-8656 

www.scaquarium.org 

nsoroka@scaquarium.org 

Kevin Mills, Nicole 

Soroka 

1992 

800 

200 

500 

Guests can mix and mingle with over 5,000 resident animals in 60 

exhibits. 

Candlelite Pavilion 

at Summerville Country Club 



843-873-2210 


sblanton@knology.net 

Bufort Blanton 

2009 

800 

800 

500 

Outdoor covered pavilion with extended deck, prep kitchen, lighting, 

portable bars, wireless PA system, dance floor, tables, chairs; outdoor 

patio extension suitable for oyster roasts, fundraisers; 40'x40' tent also 

available for patio 

Summerville Country Club, Miler Golf 

Course 



843-873-2210 


sblanton@knology.net 

Bo Blanton Jr. 

1925 

800 

800 

500 

Covered outdoor pavilion with pull-down curtains if needed; large 

outdoor patio suitable for oyster roasts and weddings with 40' x 40' tent 

available; tables and chairs on site 

The Golf Club at Wescott Plantation 

5000 Wescott Club Drive 


843-871-2135 

wescottgolf.com 

susannave@wescottgolfclub.com 

Susan Nave, 

Lindsey Monroe, 

Perry Green 

2000 

600 

500 

500 

Antebellum-style clubhouse with wraparound porch, hardwood floors, 

twin fireplaces and vaulted ceilings; 6,000-square-foot tented patio for 

weddings and outdoor events 

The Grand Pavilion 



888-845-8880 

www.wilddunesmeetings.com 

wilddunesreservations@destinationhotels.com 

Jody Harris 

1972 

600 

- 

800 

Ocean-front space in the heart of Wild Dunes Resort with sweeping 

views of the Atlantic; ideal for casual corporate gatherings, cocktail 

parties, dinners or receptions 

Lowndes Grove Plantation 

266 St. Margaret St. 


843-853-1810 

www.pphgcharleston.com 

hello@pphgcharleston.com 

Jennifer Goldman 

2007 

600 

- 

600 

Downtown Charleston's last great waterfront estate boasts panoramic 

sunset views of the Ashley River; 1786-era architecture and period 

furnishings; expansive piazza; grand lawn framed by century-old live 

oaks and private river dock 

Wild Dunes Resort 



888-845-8880 

www.wilddunesmeetings.com 

wilddunesmeetings@destinationhotels.com 

Jeff Payne 

1972 

600 

500 

600 

From the Grand Pavilion overlooking the ocean to the Sweetgrass 

Pavilion Conference Center, Wild Dunes offers a wide variety of 

impressive space for your next event. 

Beresford Creek course at Daniel 

Island Club 



843-971-3555 


diinfo@danielislandclub.com 

Greg Keating 

1999 

500 

- 

500 

Nationally ranked Tom Fazio layout available on a limited basis for 

member-sponsored charity and corporate events when course is closed 

for member play (Tuesdays) 

Daniel Island Club 



843-971-3555 


info@danielislandclub.com 

Greg Keating 

1999 

500 

- 

500 

Private country club featuring two championship golf courses; 7,100 

square foot ballroom, dividable; private board room; outdoor venues; 

full-service catering options. Popular for weddings, corporate events 

and fundraising events 

Harborside East 

28 Bridgeside Blvd. 


843-606-2718 

www.harborsideeast.com 

chelsea@harborsideeast.com 

Chelsea Banias 

2006 

500 

500 

500 

One of Charleston’s premier venues located minutes from downtown at 

Patriot’s Point, Harborside East offers a spacious interior reception 

space and a stunning waterfront patio with breathtaking view of the 

Ravenel Bridge and downtown Charleston 

Laurel Hill County Park 

1400 N. Hwy 41 


843-795-4386 

ccprc.com/2005/Laurel-Hill-County-Park 

customerservice@ccprc.com 

Tom O'Rourke 

2015 

500 Features an oak allee, large open meadows, and gorgeous backdrops; 

500 Laurel Hill can handle very large groups up to 500 people, but is still 

- intimate enough for a small private function 

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens 



843-571-1266 

www.magnoliaplantation.com 

office@magnoliaplantation.com 

Leanza Kauffman, 

Tom Johnson, 

Mary Ann Johnson 

1676 

500 

500 

500 

Features three scenic locations for weddings and corporate events; 

America's oldest public garden and 19th century Romantic style garden 





84 | PLACES TO STAY

Photo/Julia Lynn Photography 

Streamers fill the air during the final 

moments of the 40th season Celebration 

Concert for the Spoleto Festival at the 

Gaillard Center in Charleston. 

» ARTS ABOUND 

The depth and breadth of Charleston’s arts scene may surprise you. From established galleries and 

historic theaters to funky festivals and improv comedy, the Holy City and surrounding areas have 

much to offer. The following is just a small selection of what’s available to satisfy your artistic cravings. 

Visual arts 

Charleston Renaissance Gallery 

fineartsouth.com 

Focusing on fine art of the American South, 

the Charleston Renaissance Gallery has offerings 

ranging from 18th century portraits 

and engravings to contemporary paintings 

and sculpture. 103 Church St., Charleston; 

843-723-0025 

Charleston Gallery Association 

www.charlestongalleryassociation.com 

The Charleston Gallery Association is made 

up of more than 40 galleries showcasing 

local, regional and national artists’ work. 

The association holds art walks four times 

a year, on the first Friday of March, May, 

October and December. 

City Gallery at Waterfront Park 

citygalleryatwaterfrontpark.com 

The City Gallery presents several exhibits 

each year focusing on contemporary visual 

arts created by local, regional, national 

and international artists. 34 Prioleau St., 

Charleston; 843-958-6484. 

ARTS ABOUND | 85

Gallery Chuma 

www.gallerychuma.com 

Specializing in the works of the Gullah 

people of coastal South Carolina, Gallery 

Chuma features Gullah art, books, crafts, 

storytelling, tours and food. 

188 Meeting St., #N1, Charleston; 

843-722-1702. 

Gibbes Museum of Art 

www.gibbesmuseum.org 

As Charleston’s only visual arts museum, 

the Gibbes also offers educational programs, 

group tours and art discovery walking 

tours. The museum recently completed 

extensive renovations. 

135 Meeting St., Charleston; 843-722-2706. 

Photos/Ryan Johnson,City of North Charleston 

Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art 

halsey.cofc.edu 

Administered by the School of the Arts at 

the College of Charleston, the Halsey Institute 

of Contemporary Art was created to 

advocate, exhibit and interpret visual art, 

with an emphasis on contemporary art. 

161 Calhoun St., Charleston; 843-953-4422. 

MOJA Arts Festival 

www.mojafestival.com 

Started in 1984, the annual MOJA Arts 

Festival is a celebration of African American 

and Caribbean arts and features music, visual 

art, storytelling, performances, crafts, 

children’s activities and more. 

843-724-7305. 

North Charleston City Gallery 

www.northcharleston.org/arts and culture 

tab 

Located in the commons area at the 

Charleston Area Convention Center, the 

North Charleston City Gallery features exhibits 

that are rotated on a monthly basis. 

5001 Coliseum Drive, North Charleston; 

843-740-5854. 

Sculpture artists from across the nation applied to the 11th annual National Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition, 

a component of the 2016 North Charleston Arts Festival. Presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts 

Department, this unique, 12-month exhibition offers established and emerging artists the opportunity to display their 

thought-provoking, extraordinary sculptures. 

Piccolo Spoleto 

www.piccolospoleto.com 

Piccolo Spoleto was created in 1979 to coincide 

with the international Spoleto Festival 

USA and primarily features artists from the 

Southeast. Held at a variety of locations in 

downtown Charleston. 843-724-7305. 

Spoleto Festival USA 

https://spoletousa.org/ 

Held each spring since 1977, this 17-day 

festival features visual art exhibits and 

more than 120 performances from opera to 

jazz music. 843-579-3100. 

Performing arts 

The Actors’ Theatre of South Carolina 

www.actorstheatreofsc.org 

Founded in 1995 and headquartered in 

Charleston, the Actors’ Theatre has members 

who travel the state presenting a full 

season of performances as well as acting 

classes and a film division. 843-588-9636. 

Hometown favorite Shovels and Rope play a concert at 

the Charleston Music Hall. 

American Theater 

www.pphgcharleston.com/venues/ 

the-american-theater 

The American Theater opened in 1942 as 

one of Charleston’s premier movie houses. 

It closed in 1977 but was revitalized and reopened 

in 2005 as a state-of-the-art meeting 


86 | ARTS ABOUND

and conference facility. It also hosts a variety 

of performances, including Spoleto activities. 

446 King St., Charleston; 843-853-1810. 

Charleston Music Hall 

www.charlestonmusichall.com 

Said to offer some of the best acoustics in 

Charleston, the Charleston Music Hall welcomes 

a variety of performers throughout 

the year from bluegrass to blues. 

37 John St., Charleston; 843-853-2252. 

Charleston Stage 

www.charlestonstage.com 

Charleston Stage, which calls the renovated 

Dock Street Theatre home, was founded in 

1978 and is the state’s largest professional 

theater company. 843-577-5967. 

Charleston Symphony Orchestra 

charlestonsymphony.org 

Founded in 1936, the Charleston Symphony 

Orchestra is known for its Masterworks 

and Pops series. The CSO also offers holiday 

performances and family concerts throughout 

the year. CSO makes its home at the 

newly renovated performance hall at the 

Gaillard Center. 843-723-7528. 

Dock Street Theatre 

https://www.charlestonstage.com/dockstreet-theatre.html 

The historic Dock Street Theatre reopened 

after undergoing a three-year, $20 million 

renovation. It originally opened in 1736 

and was the first building in America built 

specifically for theatrical productions. It is 

a performance venue for Spoleto Festival 

USA and home of Charleston Stage. 

135 Church St., Charleston; 843-577-7183. 

Flowertown Players 

www.flowertownplayers.org 

This community theater presents a range 

of productions from musicals to serious 

dramas as well as performances and classes 

for children. 133 S. Main St., Summerville; 

843-875-9251. 

Footlight Players Theatre 

www.footlightplayers.net 

Since 1931, the Footlight Players Theatre 

has presented a variety of stage productions 

and has become known as one of the top 

community theaters in the South. A typical 

season includes six performances. 

20 Queen St., Charleston; 843-722-4487. 

The Gaillard Center 

www.gaillardcenter.com 

Recently renovated and reopened, the $142 

million Gaillard Center is a world-class 

performing venue. It hosts a multitude of 

events and performances from Charleston 

Symphony Orchestra concerts to rock-‘n’- 

roll. 95 Calhoun St., Charleston; 

843-242-3099. 

The Have Nots! Comedy Improv 

theatre99.com 

Theatre 99 has developed into a company 

of about 50 individuals, who along with 

visiting artists create affordable improv, 

sketch and stand-up offerings three nights 

a week. Local shows are held at Theatre 99, 

the group’s own theater. 280 Meeting St., 

Charleston; 843-853-6687. 

Memminger Auditorium 

memmingerauditorium.com 

Built in the 1930s as an auditorium for 

Memminger High School, the building had 

stood vacant since the 1960s and was severely 

damaged by Hurricane Hugo in 1989. 

Spoleto Festival USA played a large part in 

the building’s recent $6 million renovation 

and the facility reopened in 2008. Now 

used for a variety of performances and also 

available for rental for events. 

56 Beaufain St., Charleston; 843-724-1196. 

North Charleston Coliseum 

and Performing Arts Center 

www.northcharlestoncoliseumpac.com 

The North Charleston Coliseum and Performing 

Arts Center have hosted events 

as varied as hockey games and Broadway 

shows throughout the year. The coliseum 

seats 13,000-plus for concert performances. 

The Performing Arts Center seats 2,300. 

5001 Coliseum Drive, North Charleston; 

843-529-5000. 

PURE Theatre 

puretheatre.org 

PURE Theatre has gained respect as a small 

professional theater focusing on the works 

of contemporary playwrights. 

477 King St., Charleston; 843-723-4444. 

Sottile Theatre 

sottile.cofc.edu 

The Sottile Theatre opened in 1927 as the 

Gloria Theater and hosted the premiere of 

Gone With the Wind in 1939. It’s now the 

home of various events, including Charleston 

Comedy Festival performances. 

44 George St., Charleston; 843-953-6340. 

South of Broadway Theatre Co. 

southofbroadway.com 

The South of Broadway Theatre Company 

produces a season of seven shows plus 

PlayFest, showcasing local playwrights and 

actors. The theater also offers classes and 

Summer Theatre Camp. 

1080 E. Montague Ave., North Charleston; 

843-745-0317. 

Woolfe Street Playhouse 

Woolfestreetplayhouse.com 

The 200-seat Woolfe Street Playhouse is 

home to the Village Repertory Co., which 

brings bold productions of new and established 

works. The company moved into a 

century-old meatpacking warehouse in the 

former industrial center of the Charleston 

peninsula. 34 Woolfe St., Charleston; 

843-856-1579. • 

For more about arts events in the area, 

visit charlestonarts.org. 

ARTS ABOUND | 87


Edwin S. Taylor Folly Beach Fishing Pier 

» ATTRACTIONS AND TOURS 

Aiken-Rhett House Museum 

48 Elizabeth St. 


843-723-1159 

www.historiccharleston.org/aiken-rhett 

Admission: $12 

Intact mansion and associated 

outbuildings demonstrating urban life in 

antebellum Charleston. 

Angel Oak Park 

3688 Angel Oak Road 

Johns Island, SC 29455 

843-559-3496 

www.angeloaktree.com 

Admission: free 

65-foot-high live oak tree provides 17,000 

square feet of shade; estimated by some 

to be more than 1,500 years old. 

Audubon Center & Sanctuary at 

Francis Beidler Forest 

336 Sanctuary Rd. 

Harleyville, SC 29448 

843-462-2150 

sc.audubon.org 


1.7-mile boardwalk, canoe trips and night 

walks in authentic, old-growth swamp. 

Berkeley County Museum 

& Heritage Center 



843-899-5101 

scberkmuseum.org 

Admission: free with park admission 

Exhibits displaying Lowcountry culture 

and natural history; located in Old 

Santee Canal Park. 

Boone Hall Plantation 

1235 Long Point Rd. 


843-884-4371 

www.boonehallplantation.com 


One of America’s oldest working, living 

plantations. Presents over 300 years of 

history, beauty and grace. 

Calhoun Mansion 

14-16 Meeting St. 


843-722-8205 

www.calhounmansion.net 


The largest privately owned Guilded 

Age house museum on the Charleston 

peninsula. 

Carolina Ice Palace 

7665 Northwoods Blvd. 


843-572-2717 

www.carolinaicepalace.com 

Admission: $6-$10 

Two National Hockey League-size ice 

skating rinks, sports lounge, meeting 

rooms, pro shop, birthday party rooms, 

catering, figure skating and hockey. 

Caw Caw Interpretive Center 


Ravenel, SC 29470 

843-889-8898 

www.ccprc.com 

Admission: $2 

654-acre site with intact rice fields, 

interpretive trails, exhibit center and 

wildlife. 

88 | ATTRACTIONS AND TOURS

Center for Birds of Prey 



843-971-7474 

www.thecenterforbirdsofprey.org 


See nearly 50 species of birds of prey 

from around the world including eagles, 

hawks, falcons and owls; guided tours 

and flight demonstrations. 

Charles Pinckney National Historic 

Site 

1254 Long Point Road 


843-881-5516 

www.nps.gov/chpi 


Country estate of Charles Pinckney; 

Constitution history, archaeology, 

African-American history. 

Charleston Fun Park 



843-971-1223 

www.charlestonfunpark.com 


Mini golf, go-karts, climbing wall, virtual 

reality coaster, bumper cars, mini 

bowling and arcade. Birthday parties 

and group events too. 

Charleston Museum 



843-722-2996 

www.charlestonmuseum.org 


America’s first museum, showcasing a 

variety of cultural and natural history 

artifacts relating to the South Carolina 

Lowcountry. 

Charleston Stage at the Historic 




843-577-7183 

www.charlestonstage.com 

Admission: varies 

South Carolina’s largest professional 

theatre company, produces a full season 

of plays, musicals and theatre for youth 

programs. 

Caw Caw Nature & History Interpretive Center. 

Charleston Tea Plantation 

6617 Maybank Highway 

Wadmalaw Island, SC 29487 

843-559-0383 

www.charlestonteaplantation.com 

Admission: Factory tour free; trolley 

ride $10 

Tea plantation with informational tours 

of the on-site factory and trolley rides 

designed to educate the public on the 

growing and processing of tea. 

Charleston Zipline Adventures 

1152 Guerins Bridge Road 


843-928-3947 

www.charlestonziplineadventures.com 


Zip Line Canopy Tour - A two-hour 

adventure zipping through the trees, 

swinging bridges and a grand finale 

extreme zip at 750 feet. Kids Zip. 

Charles Towne Landing State 

Historic Site 

1500 Old Towne Road 


843-852-4200 

www.charlestownelanding.travel 


Birthplace of the Carolinas. Charleston’s 

largest natural habitat zoo, costumed 

interpretation, 17th-century trading ship, 

picnic areas and bike rentals. 

Children’s Museum of the 

Lowcountry 

25 Ann St. 


843-853-8962 

exploreCML.org 


The museum offers learning adventures 

for children, birth to 10 years, and their 

families. 

Coastal Carolina Fair 

9850 U.S. Highway 78 

Ladson, SC 29456 

843-572-3161 

www.coastalcarolinafair.org 


Annual fair that opens for 11 nights, 

starting last Thursday in October. The 

Exchange Club of Charleston donates all 

proceeds to local charities. 

Colonial Dorchester State Historic 

Site 

300 State Park Road 


843-873-1740 

www.southcarolinaparks.com/ 

colonialdorchester 

Admission: $2; $1.25 for S.C. seniors 

Archaeological park on the site of 

Dorchester, an inland trading town on 

the Ashley River that flourished from 

1697 through the Revolutionary War. 


Deep Water Vineyard & Winery 

6775 Bears Bluff Road 

Wadmalaw Island, SC 29487 

843-559-6867 

www.deepwatervineyard.com 

Admission: $5 tastings 

Winery tour and tasting area. 




843-720-3968 


Admission: varies 

Site of America’s first theater, houses 

the state’s largest professional acting 

company and is the centerpiece of 

Spoleto Festival USA. 

Drayton Hall Preservation Trust 



843-769-2600 

www.draytonhall.org 


Founded in 1738, an icon of Colonial 

America and the nation’s oldest 

preserved plantation house open to 

the public with 1790s African-American 

cemetery. 

Edisto Island Serpentarium 

1374 S.C. Highway 174 

Edisto Island, SC 29438 

843-869-1171 

www.edistoserpentarium.com 

Admission: $14.95 

Reptile zoo and gift shop. 

Edmondston-Alston House 

21 E. Battery 


843-722-7171 

Edmondstonalston.com 


Daily tours, private tours available as 

well as reception and dinner space. 

Fort Moultrie 

1214 Middle St. 

Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482 

843-883-3123 

www.nps.gov/fosu 

Admission: $3 

History of American seacoast defense 

from 1776-1947; visitor center with 

museum exhibits, film and bookstore. 


Fort Sumter Tours 

360 Concord St., Suite 201 


843-722-2628 

www.fortsumtertours.com 


Daily tours departing from Liberty 

Square in Charleston and Patriots Point 

in Mount Pleasant. 

Friends of the Hunley 

1250 Supply St. 


843-743-4865 

www.hunley.org 


See the Confederate submarine H.L. 

Hunley undergoing restoration at the 

Warren Lasch Conservation Center. 

Gibbes Museum of Art 



843-722-2706 

www.gibbesmuseum.org 


Houses one of the foremost collections 

of American art from the 18th century 

to the present, in addition to six to eight 

special exhibitions annually. 

Heyward-Washington House 

87 Church St. 


843-722-2996 



Charleston’s Revolutionary War 

house; Townhome of Thomas 

Heyward Jr., signer of the Declaration 

of Independence; rented by George 

Washington in 1791. 

Hopsewee Plantation 

494 Hopsewee Road 

Georgetown, SC 29440 

843-546-7891 

www.hopsewee.com 


Original rice plantation attic-to-cellar 

tour; birthplace of Thomas Lynch Jr., 

Declaration of Independence signer and 

member of Continental Congress. 

The climbing wall at James Island County Park. 

James Island County 

Park Challenge Course 



843-762-2172 

www.charlestoncountyparks.com/ 

challengecourse 


High and low ropes course for teambuilding; 

customized programs for all 

ages and abilities. 


Climbing Wall 



843-795-4386 

www.charlestoncountyparks.com/wall 


50-foot climbing wall and 1,000-squarefoot 

bouldering wall for supervised 

climbing. 

James Island County 

Park Splash Zone 


James Island, SC 29412 

843-795-7275 

www.splashparks.com 


Two 200-foot slides, lazy river, Caribbean 

play structure, concessions, kiddie pool, 

lockers, lifeguards, vending. 

Joseph Manigault House 



843-723-2926 



An exceptional example of Federal 

period architecture with a remarkable 

collection of early 19 th -century 

furnishings. 

Photo/Coleman Photography 

Karpeles Manuscript Museum 

Library 

68 Spring St. 


843-853-4651 

www.rain.org/~karpeles/chasfrm.html 


Displays historical manuscripts on a 

wide variety of cultural, scientific, social, 

intellectual, economic and historical 

subjects. 

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens 



843-571-1266 

www.magnoliaplantation.com 


Pre-Revolutionary War plantation house 

with early American antiques, biblical 

garden, antebellum cabin, train tour, 

nature boat tour and slave cabin tour. 

Mepkin Abbey 

1098 Mepkin Abbey Road 


843-761-8509 

www.mepkinabbey.org 

Admission: $5 

Gardens are open to the public 

Middleton Place 



843-556-6020 

www.middletonplace.org 


A National Historic Landmark and home 

to America’s oldest landscaped gardens. 

Learn about the rice barons of South 

Carolina and enslaved people here. 

Nathaniel Russell House 



843-723-1623 

www.historiccharleston.org 


200-year-old Federal townhouse with 

elaborate plasterwork, fine furnishings 

and a magnificent free-flying staircase. 

North Charleston Fire Museum and 

Education Center 

4975 Centre Pointe Drive 


843-740-5550 

northcharlestonfiremuseuem.org 

Admission: $6 

ATTRACTIONS AND TOURS | 91

Guest of all ages will love the museum’s 

interactive exhibits, hands-on 

equipment, play area with functioning 

fire pole and theater experience. 

Old Exchange Building and Provost 

Dungeon 

122 East Bay St. 


843-727-2165 

www.oldexchange.org 


Revolutionary War museum completed 

in 1771, featuring historical artifacts from 

Charleston’s Colonial, Revolutionary and 

Civil War periods. 


Palmetto Islands County Park 

444 Needlerush Parkway 


843-406-6950 

www.charlestoncountyparks.com/picp 

Admission: $2 

943-acre nature-based park with 

playgrounds, trails, boating, biking, 

shelters, water park, special events. 

Palmetto Islands County Park 

Splash Island 

444 Needlerush Parkway 


843-884-0832 



200-foot slide, Cyclone swirling water 

ride, 16-foot otter slide, kiddie pool, 

sprays, waterfalls, geysers, vending. 

Patriots Point Naval & 

Maritime Museum 



843-881-5989 



Patriots Point is home to the USS 

Yorktown, USS Laffey, the interactive 

Vietnam Experience Exhibit and the 

Medal of Honor Museum. 

Sewee Visitor & Environmental 

Education Center 



843-928-3368 

www.fws.gov/seweecenter 


Center features tourist information on 

recreational opportunities available in 

Mullet Hall Equestrian Center. 

the Francis Marion National Forest Cape 

Romain National Wildlife Refuge. 

SK8 Charleston 

1549 Oceanic St. 


843-795-4386 

http://ccprc.com/1725/SK8-Charleston- 

Skate-Park 

Admission: $3 

SK8 Charleston is handicappedaccessible 

and has a raised building 

with a large viewing deck overlooking 

all the action along with a skate shop. 

Sky Zone Charleston 

411 Wando Park Blvd. 


843-588-5777 

www.skyzone.com/charleston 

Admission: $10 for 30 minutes 

15,000 square feet of wall-to-wall 

trampolines. 

South Carolina Aquarium 

100 Aquarium Wharf 


843-579-8656 

www.scaquarium.org 


Discover more than 5,000 animals. Enjoy 

interactive dive shows and explore the 

Zucker family sea turtle recovery. 

SpiritLine Cruises and Events 

360 Concord St., Suite 201 


843-722-2628 

www.spiritlinecruises.com 


Fleet is available for private charters and 

dinner cruises. 

The Alley 

131 Columbus St. 


843-818-4080 

www.thealleycharleston.com 


Full service restaurant & bar, event 

space, eight lanes of bowling, arcade 

games, outdoor space 

The Reel Deal Charters LLC 

1 Seafood Drive 


843-388-5093 

www.thereeldealcharters.com 


Year-round inshore and offshore, deep 

sea and big game saltwater fishing. 

Licenses, bait and tackle included 

Wescott Park 



843-767-0782 


Admission: varies by event 

Enclosed shelter, open shelters, 

playgrounds, adult fitness area, ball 

fields, batting cages, Ripken training 

area, dog parks 

Whirlin’ Waters Adventure Waterpark 



843-572-7275 



27,000-square-foot wave pool, lazy river, 

treehouse play structure, kiddie pool 

area, seven-story multislide complex, 

racer slides, birthday parties. 

Wild Blue Ropes 

1595 Highland Ave. 


843-225-1555 

wildblueropes.com 


Aerial adventure park experience with high 

climbing ropes and challenge course. 

Yorktown Ghost Tours 



843-277-0587 

www.yorktownghosttours.com 


Explore the sacrifice, heroism and 

mystery of the USS Yorktown, including 

the devastating history and documented 

strange activity. 


Photo/Greater Charleston Restaurant Association 

The Lowcounty Oyster Festival 

is the world’s largest and takes 

place in January at Boone Hall 

Plantation in Mount Pleasant. 

» CALENDAR OF EVENTS 

Charleston is a busy city – there’s always a race, festival or tour of homes going on. If it’s January, 

there must be oysters; if it’s spring, there must be a race over the bridge. You can count on it. Here are 

some of the main events that shape our year. 

JANUARY 

Happy New Year, Charleston 

This is a time to celebrate as only the Lowcountry 

knows how. There will be crowds 

everywhere as Charlestonians and visitors 

welcome the New Year at venues all over 

the area. Folly Beach and Sullivan’s Island 

both have popular “polar bear” plunge 

events on New Year’s Day and hundreds of 

people run from the beach into the freezing 

ocean water to celebrate the new year. 

Lowcountry Oyster Festival 

www.charlestonrestaurantassociation. 

com 

Each January, two tractor trailer loads of 

oysters – more than 65,000 pounds – are 

brought in for the annual Lowcountry 

Oyster Festival at Boone Hall Plantation. 

Contests, live music and other activities are 

scheduled throughout the day, including an 

oyster shucking contest, oyster eating contest 

and a contest among local chefs for the 

best oyster recipe. 

FEBRUARY 

Southeastern Wildlife Exposition 

sewe.com 

Known for its world-class original art, diverse 

exhibits and animal demonstrations, 

the annual Southeastern Wildlife Exposition 

brings 120 artists and more than 350 

exhibitors to venues throughout Charleston 

for a long weekend. Conservation exhibits, 

birds of prey and retriever demonstrations, 

and Dock Dogs are among the highlights. 

CALENDAR OF EVENTS | 93

Photo/Paul Mulkey/Southeastern Wildlife Exposition 

Center for Birds of Prey flight demonstrations at the annual Southeastern Wildlife Exposition. 

Charleston Wine 

and Food Festival 

charlestonwineandfood.com 

Starting in late February and continuing 

into early March, this festival celebrates 

the culinary history and culture of the Lowcountry. 

Foodies can enjoy dozens of events 

during the four-day event. Marion Square is 

the center of the action. 

MARCH 

Charleston Fashion Week 

charlestonfashionweek.com 

This week showcases emerging designers 

and modeling talent under the tents on 

Marion Square. More than 30 runway 

shows are featured. The latest trends from 

local designers and boutique owners are 

featured. 

Charleston Antiques Show 


Each year in mid-March, collectors and enthusiasts 

are treated to an array of English, 

European and American antiques from 

dealers across the country. Visitors can 

learn through educational presentations 

and purchase furnishings, decorative and 

fine art, architectural elements, garden furniture, 

vintage jewelry and silver. Held at 

Charleston Gaillard Center, 95 Calhoun St. 

Spring Festival of 

Houses and Gardens 


Starting in late March, this monthlong 

event opens some of Charleston’s finest 

historic gardens and houses for touring. Let 

the Historic Charleston Foundation be your 

guide for one of the tours that give a rare 

chance for a glimpse inside private homes. 

APRIL 

World Grits Festival 

worldgritsfestival.com 

Who could resist a festival that’s all about 

grits? This family oriented festival in St. 

George celebrates all forms of coarsely 

ground hominy and crowns a winner in the 

official Grits Rolling Contest. 

Summerville Flowertown Festival 

www.flowertownfestival.com 

The three-day event showcases the beautiful 

blooming azaleas, wisteria and dogwood 

in Summerville, a northern suburb 

of Charleston. The festival brings a host of 

artisans, food vendors, children’s activities 

and musical performances. It is organized 

by the Summerville Family YMCA. 

94 | CALENDAR OF EVENTS


Fourth of July fireworks shot from Patriots Point are one of many displays that can be enjoyed around the Lowcountry. 

Cooper River Bridge Run 

bridgerun.com 

Start in Mount Pleasant and run across the 

Cooper River on the expansive Arthur Ravenel 

Jr. Bridge. You’ll wind up in downtown 

Charleston. Held in late March or early 

April each year, the event features a popular 

world-class 10K run as well as a walk. 

Volvo Car Open 

www.volvocaropen.com 

In 2015, the week-long Charleston women's 

professional tennis tournament became the 

Volvo Car Open. Home to the tournament 

is the Family Circle Tennis Center, built 

through a partnership between the city of 

Charleston and Family Circle magazine. 

The tournament is held at the Daniel Island 

center each April. Watch the stars play, 

then come back to attend concerts and 

events held throughout the year. 

MAY & JUNE 

Piccolo Spoleto USA 

www.piccolospoleto.com 

This festival, running concurrently with 

Spoleto Festival USA, focuses primarily on 

artists from the Southeast, offering theater, 

music, visual arts, dance, ethnic culture 

presentations, comedy, crafts and film. It 

takes place at a variety of locations around 


JULY 

Fourth of July 


Fireworks launched from the flight deck 

of an aircraft carrier at Patriots Point and 

a shoreside party with beach music make 

Independence Day in Charleston fun. Communities 

all over the area have their own 

celebrations. Sit on the beach and watch 

fireworks all around. 

SEPTEMBER 

OCTOBER 

Fall Tour of Homes and Gardens 

www.preservationsociety.org 

Charleston’s historic homes and gardens 

welcome visitors on a rotating basis, starting 

in late September through most of October. 

Over five weeks, you can experience 

history close up while helping the Preservation 

Society raise funds. 

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 

Holiday Festival of Lights 

www.ccprc.com 

Experience the spirit of the holidays with 

millions of sparkling lights at James Island 

County Park. The display opens the second 

week of November and continues through 

New Year’s. There are more than 600 light 

displays, many reflected in the park’s waterways. 

• 

Spoleto Festival USA 

spoletousa.org 

Each year since 1977, dozens of music, 

dance and theater performances as well 

as visual arts exhibits have come to the 

Charleston area for Spoleto USA. The 17- 

day festival begins in late May and continues 

into June. It fills Charleston’s historic 

theaters, churches and outdoor spaces with 

more than 120 performances 

MOJA Arts Festival 

www.mojafestival.com 

In late September through early October, 

the MOJA Arts Festival celebrates African 

American and Caribbean arts. Featured are 

music, visual arts, storytelling, performances, 

crafts and children’s activities at various 

locations. 


CALENDAR OF EVENTS | 95

17 

Dorchester 

County 

78 

78 

26 

17A 

Summerville 

17A 

Goose 

Creek 

Berkeley 

County 

17A 

165 

61 

52 

Hanahan 

33 

17 

North 


41 

17 

Ravenel 

162 

17 


County 

642 

526 

West 

Ashley 

7 

26 

703 


30 

James 

Island 

Daniel 

Island 

Mt. 

Pleasant 

17 

517 

Sullivan's 

Island 

699 

Isle of 

Palms 

Atlantic 

Ocean 

164 

Meggett 

700 

Johns 

Island 

171 

Folly Beach 

174 

Kiawah 

Island 

Seabrook 

Island 

» NEWCOMER INFORMATION 

TELEPHONE 

AT&T 

800-331-0500 

www.att.com 

Home Telecom 

843-761-9101 

www.homesc.com 

WOW! 

843-225-1000 

www.wowway.com 

CABLE 

Comcast 

800-266-2278 

www.comcast.com 

WOW! 

843-225-1000 

www.wowway.com 

Spectrum (formerly Time 

Warner) Cable 

866-892-7201 

www.spectrum.com 

ELECTRICITY AND 

NATURAL GAS 

Berkeley Electric Cooperative 

843-761-8200 

www.becsc.com 

Edisto Electric Cooperative 

800-433-3292 

www.edistoelectric.com 

Santee Cooper 

843-761-8000 

www.santeecooper.com 

South Carolina Electric & Gas 

800-251-7234 

www.sceg.com 

GARBAGE 


843-724-7364 



843-824-2200 


City of Hanahan 

843-529-3413 

www.cityofhanahan.com 

City of Isle of Palms 

843-886-8956 

www.iop.net 

James Island Public Service 

District 

843-795-9060 

www.jipsd.org 

Town of Moncks Corner 

843-719-7900 


Town of Mount Pleasant 

843-884-8518 


City of North Charleston 

843-745-1026 


Town of Sullivan’s Island 

843-883-3198 


Town of Summerville 

843-619-0800 

www.summervillesc.gov 

WATER AND SEWER 

Berkeley County Water 

& Sanitation Authority 

843-572-4400 

www.bcwsa.com 

Charleston Water System 

843-727-6800 

www.charlestonwater.com 

Dorchester County 

Water and Sewer Dept. 

843-563-0075, 843-832-0075 

www.dorchestercounty.net 

City of Folly Beach 

843-588-2447 

www.cityoffollybeach.com 


843-797-6220, ext. 1 


City of Isle of Palms 

843-886-6148 

www.iopwsc.com 

James Island Public 

Service District 

843-795-9060 

www.jipsd.org 

Town of Moncks Corner 

843-719-7900 


Johns Island 

843-559-0186 

St. Johns Water Co. 

Town of Sullivan’s Island 

843-883-5733 


Summerville Commissioners 

of Public Works 

843-871-0810 

www.summervillecpw.com 

Mount Pleasant Waterworks 

843-884-9626 

www.mountpleasantwaterworks. 

com 

96 | NEWCOMER INFORMATION

Charleston

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