Charleston Local Guide

Communities

Beautiful and well-preserved buildings line the streets of Charleston, South Carolina

The historic downtown area between the Ashley River and the Cooper River is a peninsula that sticks out into the harbor. Suffused with history, charm, and culture, this photogenic area is even lit at night by real, flickering gaslights. There are two particularly notable neighborhoods downtown, the French Quarter where the early Huguenot settlers made their homes, and South of Broad, the most exclusive neighborhood in Charleston and, indeed, the entire state of South Carolina. The French Quarter is a pleasant mix of homes and businesses built in a French Colonial architectural style that many find reminiscent of old New Orleans. Within the exclusive South of Broad are two small but grand neighborhoods with even greater cachet: the waterfront properties along Battery Park and the much-photographed Rainbow Row, colorful row houses along the Cooper River.

Daniel Island between the Wando and Cooper Rivers covers about fifteen square miles, and has almost twenty-five linear miles of coastline. Several major hi-tech employers have made their headquarters on Daniel Island and the rest of the island is devoted to modern, planned residential neighborhoods, restaurants, shops, and schools.

Folly Beach consists mainly of beach shacks of greater and lesser degrees of luxury. It is a favorite refuge for artists, students, and a few corporate innovators.

Hollywood, South Carolina is about twenty miles south of Charleston, with abundant access to the Intercoastal Waterway, a few tidal creeks, golf courses, a equestrian center and polo field. Homes in this easily commutable area are surprisingly affordable, especially considering the available amenities.

MC Mordechai house at 69 Meeting St., built around 1800

James Island and John’s Island give the impression of remoteness but are really minutes away from downtown by bridge. Undisturbed old timber tends to hide the homes from one another and many of the homes are raised with under-house garages.

Mount Pleasant is an upscale and desirable bedroom community where boats play a major role in the leisure culture. Many homes and restaurants have docks and a lot of weekend visiting and local travel is conducted by boat.

Goose Creek is a heretofore rural area about thirty miles north of Charleston where new homes are being built on old plantation land. The lots are large and the houses are far larger for the money than anything in the city.

West Ashley between the Intercoastal Waterway and the Ashley River is the oldest suburb of Charleston, but construction continues in the area due to high demand, especially for homes on the Waterway and the deep parts of the river, where boats can be docked near houses.