There are countless reasons to consider retiring in Charleston SC. There are so many places to see and things to do, that you could never exhaust the wonders of living in the Lowcountry. Below is just a small tidbit of information that we hope will entice you to travel to the Holy City to see if retirement living in Charleston SC is for you!
The city, founded in 1670, was named for King Charles II of England. It was the colonial capital and the wealthiest city in the South, based upon its exports of rice and indigo, and trading with the Indians. The city has preserved much of its storied history and offers a great variety of resources. There are excellent art galleries and antique shops, dining for virtually any taste, excellent live theater and dance, a full-time professional symphony, plus opera, choral music, festivals, special events, and more. Charleston has outstanding healthcare resources, four colleges, Charleston International Airport, large marinas, fresh water, salt water, and off-shore fishing, and direct access to the Intracoastal Waterway. Minutes away are a number of sea islands offering pristine sand beaches.
Among the dozens of communities around Charleston, prospective retirees would likely be most interested in its barrier islands, which offer a number of lifestyle choices. The following are charming satellite communities in the greater Charleston area:
Isle of Palms, 12.5 miles north of the city is a barrier island with seven miles of beautiful sand beach. It connects to the mainland by a causeway over the Intracoastal Waterway. It offers the charm of a sea island and a full compliment of goods and services (groceries, specialty stores, churches, etc.). The northern end of the island is Wild Dunes resort community which has two and a half miles of beach, two championship golf courses, a top 50 tennis center, and more. Isle of Palms marina, located at the north end of the island, is a large, first class facility. Access to the ocean is via an inlet at the southern end of the island, or nearby Charleston harbor.
Sullivan’s Island, just south of Isle of Palms, forms the north side of the ocean inlet into Charleston harbor. It offers a casual, relaxing lifestyle with family oriented beaches and charming seaside neighborhoods. Sullivan’s Island also has notable historic significance. During the Revolutionary War, on June 28, 1776, the battle of Sullivan’s Island became the first Patriot victory over the British. And it from was Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island that the first shots of the Civil War were fired — on Fort Sumpter across the harbor.
Folly Beach is a beautiful six-mile long barrier island only 15 minutes east from Charleston’s downtown historic district. It offers six miles of sandy ocean beach with great surfing and in-shore or off-shore fishing. The area is also great for bird watching. Folly Beach also boasts one of the longest piers on the East Coast where you can fish or dance the evening away to live band music.
Mt. Pleasant, known for its stately live oaks and historic houses, the roots of the Old Village of Mount Pleasant stretch back to the 18th century. Originally the location of summer homes for wealthy Charlestonians, one of the area’s oldest waterfront communities is now a year-round address for a mix of retirees, young families, and professionals.
Daniel Island is a place where traditional neighborhoods, nationally ranked golf and a vibrant downtown enjoy a spectacular coastal setting. Surrounded by rivers, creeks and beautiful marsh views, Daniel Island is a place where people live and work, where children walk to school, and where the opportunities for active recreation are limitless. Residents of all ages have come from around the country to make their home here, drawn by the island’s natural beauty, welcoming neighbors and endless array of amenities and conveniences, all within just 15 minutes of historic Charleston.
Summerville, the Flower Town in the Pines, where charm and southern hospitality blend gracefully with the modern and progressive. Summerville is rich in history with a focus on economic development that preserves the past while building for the future. Nearby Charleston is the major source of cultural activities. The Flowertown Festival held every year in the Summerville Azalea Park is the largest arts and crafts festival in South Carolina. This fast growing region is also home to many developments designed for active adults 55+.
The Town of James Island is a beautiful, unique island in South Carolina with a rich history and bright future. Nestled amongst the deep blue waters of the Charleston Harbor and the meandering Stono and Folly Rivers, James Island boasts scenic marsh views and a plethora of majestic trees. Once covered in farmland, James Island is now primarily a residential community that has somehow managed to protect that small-town feel its residents and visitors know and enjoy.
West Ashley is noted as the birthplace of Charleston as English colonists established the first permanent settlement in the Carolina Colony there in 1670. West Ashley or as it is more formally known, West of the Ashley, is one of the six distinct areas of the city proper of Charleston, S C, with an estimated 2016 population of 75,144. Flanked by the scenic waterfront vistas and marshes of the Ashley and Stono Rivers and ancient moss draped oak trees, initial neighborhoods west of the Ashley were developed in the 1950’s.
Johns Island, also spelled John’s Island, is an island in Charleston County, South Carolina, and is the largest island in the state of South Carolina. Johns Island is bordered by the Wadmalaw, Seabrook, Kiawah, Edisto, Folly, and James islands; the Stono and Kiawah rivers separate Johns Island from its border islands. Johns Island was named after Saint John Parish in Barbados by the first English colonial settlers on the island, who had come from there. Johns Island is a remarkable 84 square miles in area, with a population in excess of 14,000 people. That said, roughly one-third of the Island falls within the city of Charleston’s limits. Its proximity to downtown Charleston, its natural beauty and the welcoming lifestyle it offers help to explain its recent explosive growth.
McClellanville is a small fishing town in rural Charleston County. It is situated on the Atlantic coast, on land surrounded by Francis Marion National Forest, and has traditionally derived its livelihood from the Atlantic Ocean and coastal marshes by fishing, shrimping and oystering. McClellanville began as a coastal retreat for rice and indigo planters in the mid-1800’s and later evolved into a fishing town.Fishing still anchors the local economy. Less than an hour’s drive separates this marsh front community from Charleston to the south and Georgetown SC to the north.
The WELCOME sign is always up in any of the islands or communities around the Peninsula City of Historic Charleston. For more information, please contact THE BRENNAMAN GROUP:843.345.6074 – bob@charlestonproperty.net
