Your Path to Charleston

Charleston Your Path to

Transactions into Relationships

Converting

Office: 843.577.0001

RhettSmithSCProperties.com

Mobile: 843.813.4968

Rhett.Smith@CarolinaOne.com

49 Broad St. Chalreston, SC 29401

Welcome to Charleston I am a native Charlestonian and married with two young children. I have worked in Sales and Real Estate in a number of forums most of my business career. Starting with Rhett H. Smith

operating a hot dog eatery on the Isle of Palms front beach. After selling this start up business I made the decision to become a business broker and bought, bought in or started several businesses throughout the Tri-County area. This included insurance agencies, a dry cleaner, restaurants, and senior-in-home care service. My background has provided me an excellent foundation for handling diverse real estate needs.

With a deep love and respect for my city and State, I have become quite community minded and give back through my affiliations Office: 843.577.0001 Mobile: 843.813.4968 RhettSmithSCProperties.com Rhett.Smith@CarolinaOne.com

CAROLINA ONE REAL ESTATE

with Rotary, St. Michaels, The Charleston Museum, made in SC Alliance, and Legal Liaison for Stiles Point School with the Charleston County School Board.

“Every now and then you meet someone who stands out from the crowd.

Rhett Smith is one. He is dedicated to his work and equally to his family. If you are fortunate enough to work with Rhett on the sale or purchase of a property, you will surely have an exceptional experience. In fact, you can count on it. He has the ability to guide you through every step in the process.

As a bonus? You might even have some fun along the way.”

Personal Mission Statement: “Live by Choice, not Chance.

Make Changes, not Excuses.

Be Motivated, not manipulated.”

Residential Specialist Active Member of the National Association of Realtors Charleston Trident Association of Realtors CIPS: Certified International Property Specialist ICREA • TRC:Transnational Referral Certificated

49 BROAD STREET, CHARLESTON, SC 29401 Office: 843.577.0001 • Mobile: 843.813.4968 RhettSmithSCProperties.com • Rhett.Smith@CarolinaOne.com

CAROLINA ONE REAL ESTATE

49 BROAD STREET, CHARLESTON, SC 29401 Office: 843.577.0001 Mobile: 843.813.4968 RhettSmithSCProperties.com Rhett.Smith@CarolinaOne.com

CAROLINA ONE REAL ESTATE

THE PATH TO CHARLESTON REAL ESTATE

S E CTION NA ME

»Welcome

T

he 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.

INTRO | 1

WE LC O ME

Why, thank you!

» We’ve got it all Charleston was named No. 1 tourist city in the United States in 2013 by Conde’ Nast Traveler readers for the third year in a row. 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, take in 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

Spoleto Festival

Photo/Julia Lynn/ USA

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 surprisingly vibrant as well. PerOpening ceremon ies for Spoleto Fe forming and visual arts come together stival USA . in the annual Spoleto Festival.

Friendliness

The Charleston area keeps racking up the recongnition in many areas. Here are a few examples. We’re flattered...

Charleston is the No. 1 Best City in North America - Travel & Leisure, 2014 No. 2 World’s Best City -Travel & Leisure, 2014 No. 2 Top world destination - Conde Nast Traveler, Readers’ Choice Awards, 2014 A top 10 best place for where jobs will be in 2015 - Forbes, 2014 No. 4 Best Performing U.S. metro for high tech GDP growth -Milken Institute, 2015 No. 12 Greatest places to live in U.S. - Outside Magazine 2014

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!”

No. 13 for job recovery among U.S. metros - Brookings Institution, 2014

Lodging

No. 3 Best Cities for Young Entrepreneurs - Under30CEO.com, 2013

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.

Photo/Leon’s Fine Poultry & Oysters

Restaurants Charleston has become a hotspot 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

Char-grilled oysters from Leon’s Fine Poultry & Oysters located on Upper King street.

2 | INTRO

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 Town Centre in Mount Pleasant for trendy shops and locally-owned boutiques. Whatever you’re looking for, you can probably find it here.

Top 12 Technology hubs in America - SlateTech, 2013 No. 2 America’s Most Exciting mid-size cities - Movoto, 2014 No. 2 for economic growth (South Atlantic area) - Area Development, 2012 Top 10 Small American Cities of the Future - American Cities of the Future, 2015 No. 2, Top 10 downtowns - Livability.com, 2012 No. 2 Best weekend getaway destination - U.S. News & World Report, 2015

Sources: Charleston County Economic Development, Charleston Regional Development Alliance

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 the #1 Travel Destination in the World by Condé Nast Traveler Readers. 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.

I wouldn’t live anywhere else.”

David Bennett Chief Operating Officer, Charleston County Parks Recreation Commission

“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

“Charleston is full of diverse communities that are rich in history & culture, which are the foundations of a great city. It’s the history & culture that draws you in to Charleston but it’s the great people that keep you here!”

“FrontDoor chose to make roots in the Lowcountry because of its natural charm, the exceptional lifestyle and most of all because of the people here. Life here is just a little less hectic, and our homes reflect Anton J. Gunn, the relaxed lifestyle that makes Charleston MSW such a great place to be.”

Executive Director Mark Lipsmeyer Division Vice President/Charleston, FrontDoor Communities

of Community Health Innovation & Chief Diversity Officer, MUSC Health

“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

INTRO | 3

Photo/Charleston Southern University

» Living In

Photo/File

contents

»Welcome

2 Introduction to Charleston 3 Sponsors’ Welcome 6 Education in the Lowcountry 13 Higher Education 18 Market Facts/Economy 26 Health & Wellness

40 Historic Charleston 44 Mount Pleasant 46 Isle of Palms & Sullivan’s Island 48 North Charleston 50 West Ashley 54 James Island & Folly Beach 57 Johns & Wadmalaw Islands 58 Daniel Island 60 Kiawah & Seabrook Islands 62 Summerville 64 Moncks Corner 66 Goose Creek

Volume 7

» Resource Guide

68 Sports & Recreation 71 Dog Parks 75 Golf Courses 76 Dining Out 78 Places to Stay 81 Alternative & Outdoor Venues 84 Arts Abound 88 Attractions & Tours 93 Calendar of Events 96 Newcomer Information & Map 4 | INTRO

Photo/Charleston Outdoor Adventures

2015

Photo/Adam MacConne ton

ll/City of North Charles

Intro Editor - Licia Jackson ljackson@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7546 Intro Associate Editor - Jenny Peterson jpeterson@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3145 Creative Director - Ryan Wilcox rwilcox@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3117 Senior Graphic Designer - Jane Mattingly jmattingly@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 Account Executive - Sara Cox scox@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3109 Account Executive - Mariana Hall mhall@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3105 Account Executive - Bennett Parks bparks@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3126

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 these added features to Intro Charleston.

South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth

President and Group Publisher - Grady Johnson gjohnson@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3103 Vice President of Sales - Steve Fields sfields@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3110 Director of Audience Development - Rick Jenkins rjenkins@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 112 Event Manager - Kathy Allen kallen@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3113 Audience Development & IT Manager - Kim McManus kmcmanus@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3116 Event Planner - Jacquelyn Fehler jfehler@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 113 Accounting Manager - Vickie Deadmon vdeadmon@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 100

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.

INTRO | 5

Education School Districts, p. 8 /// Private Schools, p. 10 /// Higher Education, p. 13

ffernan

6 | INTRO

Photo/Ashley He

• Sponsored by •

Photo/The Citadel

T

he 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 some 43,000 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 more than 30,000 students in 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.

Photos/Ashley Heffernan

E DU CATIO N

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.

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.

In November 2012, Berkeley County voters passed a school improvement referendum that will construct and equip five new schools and renovate 29 other schools in the district. New schools include: • A new high school in the Daniel Island/ Cainhoy area.

• A new middle school in the Daniel Island/Cainhoy area.

• A new elementary school in the Sheep Island Road area.

• A new elementary school in the Tanner Plantation area.

• A new elementary school in the FoxBank Plantation area.

Top: Sixth graders at Laing Middle School are working together to build nine greenhouses, complete with irrigation and ventilation systems.

Bottom: Junior Girls Day Out participants learned how to use a 3-D modeling software called SketchUp to build and print their own 3-D houses during Geek Squad Academy.

Berkeley County School District 229 E. Main St. Moncks Corner, SC 29461 843-899-8600 www.berkeley.k12.sc.us For a complete list of schools in Berkeley County School District, visit www.berkeley.k12. sc.us/Schools.cfm.

To determine your neighborhood school based on home address, visit http://gis.berkeleycountysc.gov/maps/school_system.

Berkeley County School District, the fourthlargest school system in the state, serves more 8 | INTRO

than 29,000 students and operates 40 schools, including eight high schools, nine middle schools, 22 elementary schools and one alternative school.

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

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 www.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 1,000 square miles. The district serves about 43,000 students in 80 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 schools, including such specialized programming as Montessori, International Baccalaureate, single-gender, military-infused, math and science, arts and global studies programs.

Charleston County School District’s current

EDUCATION

» School District Overview School District Map

Student enrollment, 2013

In Dorchester County, the districts divide along Eagle Drive, Indigo Road and Cummings Chapel Road.

50,000

Dorchester County School District 4

Berkeley County School District

40,000 30,000

X – Students per teacher

20.8 22.6

20,000

22.3

10,000 Dorchester County School District 2

16.9 Berkeley

Charleston

Dorchester 2

Dorchester 4

Dorchester 2

Dorchester 4

Average SAT scores, 2013 1,500 Charleston County School District

1,450 1,400

strategic plan, Charleston Achieving Excellence, centers on four priorities: literacy improvement; effective teaching and leadership; world-class schools and systems; and strategic partnerships. The district has three main goals: close the achievement gap; elevate achievement overall; and raise the graduation rate.

1,300 Berkeley

Charleston

Photo/Dorchester County School District 2

Dorchester School District 2 102 Green Wave Blvd.

Summerville, SC 29483 843-873-2901 www.dorchester2.k12.sc.us For a complete list of schools, visit this shortened link: http://bit.ly/16PtumA. This website has a list of schools for each subdivision.

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 more than 23,000 students in suburban Summerville through three high schools, six middle schools and 12 elementary schools, plus an alternative program for grades six to 12 and an adult community education program.

In November 2012, the community approved a $179 million School Improvement Referendum that will provide three new elementary schools and a new middle school of the arts. It will also fund major expansions and renovations at five elementary and three

1,350

middle schools. All three high schools will have classroom additions to accommodate increased career and technology programs. The new schools are scheduled to open in fall 2015 and will alleviate overcrowding at all schools in the district.

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 http://bit.ly/SA6syD. 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 2,000. The district offers honors/advanced placement, college prep, tech prep and occupational courses.

INTRO | 9

ED UCATIO N

Private Schools

For more lists subscribe to:

www.CharlestonBusiness.com

Ranked by Fall 2014 Enrollment

Phone

Website / Email

Enrollment / Teachers

Grades Student:Teacher Ratio B

Administrator(s) / Year Founded

Porter-Gaud School 300 Albemarle Road, Charleston, SC 29407

843-556-3620

www.portergaud.edu thirni@portergaud.edu

860 117

1st through 12th 12:1

Bishop England High School 363 Seven Farms Drive, Charleston, SC 29492

843-849-9599

www.behs.com kbrownell@behs.com

715 55

9-12 13:1

Pinewood Preparatory School 1114 Orangeburg Road, Summerville, SC 29483

843-873-1643

www.pinewoodprep.com admissions@pinewoodprep.com

700 80

Pre-K3 through 12th 9:1

Northwood Academy 2263 Otranto Road, North Charleston, SC 29406

843-764-2284

www.northwoodacademy.com admissions@northwoodacademy.com

699 47

Pre-school through 12th 15:1

Ashley Hall 172 Rutledge Ave., Charleston, SC 29403

843-722-4088

www.ashleyhall.org info@ashleyhall.org

675 75

2 years old through 12th 9:1

Christ Our King-Stella Maris School 1183 Russell Drive, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-884-4721

www.coksm.org INP

602 38

Pre-K through 8th 16:1

Palmetto Christian Academy 361 Egypt Road, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-881-9967

www.palmettochristianacademy.org lisas@palmettochristianacademy.org

500 60

Pre-K2 through 12th 14:1

First Baptist School of Charleston 48 Meeting St., Charleston, SC 29401

843-722-6646

www.fbschool.org admissions@fbschool.org

478 50

K2 through 12th 11:1

843-723-0664 843-761-8539

www.masonprep.org mainoffice@masonprep.org www.sjcacavaliers.com info@sjcacavaliers.com

340 40 330 35

K through 8th 14:1 K3 through 12th 10:1

843-884-3663

www.coastalchristian.org aprilvail@coastalchristian.org

275 40

K3 through 12th 7:1

David DuBose Egleston Jr. 1867 Patrick Finneran, Nancy Heath, Kit Brownell 1915 Stephen M. Mandell 1952 Larry L. Evanoff, Darlene W. Anderson, Melanie Van Deusen 1978 Jill S. Muti 1909 John Byrnes, Susan Splendido 1950 Mike E. Lindsey 1992 Thomas E. Mullins, Robin J. Riggs, Will McCombs 1949 Erik Kreutner 1964 Eric M. Denton 1966 Mike Winkler, Becky King 1953

School

Mason Preparatory School 56 Halsey Blvd., Charleston, SC 29401 St. John's Christian Academy 204 W. Main St., Moncks Corner, SC 29461 Coastal Christian Preparatory School 681 McCants Drive, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

Because of space constraints, only the top-ranked companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit www.scbiznews.com/data. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to lists@scbiznews.com or go to www.tinyurl.com/joinourlists.

B Some schools include volunteers and part-time teachers in their student:teacher ratio.

10 | INTRO

Researched by Melissa Verzaal

ED UCATIO N

Private Schools

For more lists subscribe to:

Ranked by Fall 2014 Enrollment School

Charleston Day School 15 Archdale St., Charleston, SC 29401 Blessed Sacrament Catholic School 7 St. Teresa Drive, Charleston, SC 29407 Cathedral Academy 3790 Ashley Phosphate Road, North Charleston, SC 29418 Dorchester Academy 234 Academy Road, St. George, SC 29477 The Oaks Christian School 505 Gahagan Road, Summerville, SC 29485 Charleston Collegiate School 2024 Academy Drive, Johns Island, SC 29455 Ridge Christian Academy 2168 Ridge Church Road, Summerville, SC 29483 Charleston Catholic School 888-A King Street, Charleston, SC 29403 Summerville Catholic School 226 Black Oak Blvd., Summerville, SC 29485 Sundrops Montessori School 955 Houston Northcutt Blvd., Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 James Island Christian School 15 Crosscreek Drive, Charleston, SC 29412 Addlestone Hebrew Academy 1639 Wallenberg Blvd., Charleston, SC 29407 Riverpointe Christian Academy 2508 Ashley River Road, Charleston, SC 29414 Charles Towne Montessori School 56 Leinbach Drive, Charleston, SC 29407

www.CharlestonBusiness.com

Phone

Website / Email

Enrollment / Teachers

Grades Student:Teacher Ratio B

Administrator(s) / Year Founded

843-377-0315

www.charlestondayschool.org christy.lowell@charlestonday.org www.scbss.org sbendt@scbss.org www.cathedralacademy.com contact@cathedralemail.com www.dorchesteracademy.org headmaster@dorchesteracademy.org www.oakschristianschool.org theoakschristianschool@gmail.com www.charlestoncollegiate.org tfrank@charlestoncollegiate.org www.ridgechristian.info mrsbray@ridgechristian.info www.charlestoncatholic.com charlestoncatholic@charlestoncatholic.org www.summervillecatholic.org scsadmin@summervillecatholic.org www.sundropsmontessori.com info@sundropsmontessori.com www.jics.org jics@jics.org www.addlestone.org info@addlestone.org www.riverpointechristian.org Riverpointechristian. org www.charlestownemontessori.org susan@charlestownemontessori.org

266 31 263 24 250 28 231 25 225 22 220 30 210 20 200 18 200 30 172 29 160 25 140 32 110 18 90 5

1st through 8th 6:1 K3 through 8th 13:1 K4 through 12th 15:1 K4 through 12th 12:1 K3 through 8th K3-K5 18:2; 1st-8th 18:1 Pre-K through 12th 8:1 Birth through 12th 10:1 K4 through 8th 11:1 K4 through 8th 15:1 6 weeks through 4th 9:1 K4 through 8th 16:1 18 months through 8th 12:1 for Grades K-8 6 months through 12th 8:1 15 months through age 12 6:1 to 15:1

Brendan J. O'Shea 1937 Roseann P. Tracy 1948 Chris Bateman 1999 Karen H. Neil 1966 Robin B. Boehler 1998 Hacker H. Burr 1970 Gentry Ard 1997 Fred S. McKay 1991 Lisa Tanner 1984 Shannon Smith 1997 Jeremy Schwartz 1994 Abby Levine 1956 Robert C. Jones Jr. 1967 Kevin O'Loughlin 1972

843-766-2128 843-760-1192 843-563-9511 843-875-7667 843-559-5506 843-873-9856 843-577-4495 843-873-9310 843-849-3652 843-795-1762 843-571-1105 843-763-1600 843-571-1140

Because of space constraints, only the top-ranked companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit www.scbiznews.com/data. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to lists@scbiznews.com or go to www.tinyurl.com/joinourlists.

B Some schools include volunteers and part-time teachers in their student:teacher ratio.

12 | INTRO

Researched by Melissa Verzaal

EDUCATION Photo/College of Charleston

» Higher Education

W

hether you are a collegebound 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 has been on the rise in recent years. More than 248,000 students were enrolled in South Carolina’s public and independent two- and four-year institutions during the 2011-2012 school year.

Founded in 1770, the College of Charleston is the city’s oldest institution. It is a nationally recognized public liberal arts and 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 both 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. A few dozen women also attend the military college, although females were not allowed until 1996. The school is

South Carolina is home to 84 institutions of higher learning, including: •

Three research institutions

•

10 comprehensive teachi ng institutions

•

Four regional campuses of

•

16 technical colleges

•

24 independent senior ins

•

Two two-year independe nt institutions

•

Two private professional

•

USC

titutions

schools 24 out-of-state degree gra nting institutions

Photo/Charleston Southern University

INTRO | 13

ED UCATIO N

Photos/Gibson

Pitts

Left: Students in the aerospace training program at Trident Technical College.

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

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 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 of Photo/Art Institute Charleston

Graphic Design students at the Art Institute learn the skills they’ll need to enter the thriving design scene in Charleston.

14 | INTRO

EDUCATION For more lists subscribe to:

Colleges and Universities

www.CharlestonBusiness.com

Ranked by Fall 2014 Enrollment

Institution Trident Technical College 7000 Rivers Ave. North Charleston, SC 29406

Phone / Website Email

Enrollment / Faculty

Public/ Private

Top Three Undergraduate Majors, by Enrollment

Administrator Mary Thornley 1964

843-574-6111 www.tridenttech.edu infocenter@tridenttech.edu

16,136 334

Public

Associate in Arts Associate in Science Nursing

843-953-5500 www.cofc.edu admissions@cofc.edu

10,488 535

Public

Biology Communication Psychology

Glenn F. McConnell 1770

843-863-7050 www.charlestonsouthern.edu enroll@csuniv.edu

2,968 162

Private

Nursing Business Kinesiology

Jairy C. Hunter Jr. 1964

843-225-3294 www.citadel.edu admissions@citadel.edu

2,763 189

Public

Business Administration Criminal Justice Political Science

John W. Rosa 1842

843-266-7981 www.swu.edu charleston@swu.edu

1,823 55

Private

Business Administration Human Services Biology

Todd S. Voss 1906

843-574-0101 www.miller-motte.edu sara.eichelman@miller-motte.edu

700 17

Private

Medical and Health Science Programs Management-International Trade Program

Sara A. Eichelman 1916

Limestone College 4500 Leeds Ave., Suite 208 Charleston, SC 29405

843-745-1100 www.limestone.edu lroberts@limestone.edu

500 10

Private

Business Administration Social Work Computer Science

Laura Roberts 1845

Charleston School of Law 81 Mary St. Charleston, SC 29403

843-329-1000 www.charlestonlaw.edu info@charlestonlaw.edu

448 28

Private

Juris Doctor

Joseph D. Harbaugh 2003

Medical University of South Carolina 171 Ashley Ave. Charleston, SC 29425

843-792-2300 www.musc.edu eslweb@musc.edu

293 1,519

Public

Nursing Cardiovascular Perfusion

David J. Cole 1824

ECPI University & Medical Careers Institute 7410 Northside Drive Charleston, SC 29420

843-414-0350 www.ecpi.edu jweaver@ecpi.edu

280 16

Private

Health Science Computer and Information Science Electronics Engineering Technology

James Weaver 1966

843-767-8912 www.erau.edu/charleston charleston@erau.edu

150 1

Private

Aviation Management Professional Aeronautics Technical Management

John Johnson 2006

843-747-1279 www.southeasterninstitute.edu dakennedy@southeasterninstitute.edu

90 5

Private

Massage Therapy Medical Assisting Pharmacy Technician

John Houston 1997

843-554-2111 www.saintleo.edu/northcharleston northcharleston@saintleo.edu

65 2

Private

Business Administration Health Care Administration Criminal Justice

Elizabeth Heron 2012

843-569-0889 www.centuracollege.edu dcaccha@centura.edu

55 25

Private

Medical Assistant Medical Billing and Coding

Steve G. Forehand 1969

843-760-1324 www.webster.edu/charleston charleston@webster.edu

48 50

Private

Management Psychology

Vivian GallmanDeRienzo 1915

843-577-5245 www.buildingartscollege.us info@buildingartscollege.us

41 7

Private

Timber Framing Architectural Iron Trowel Trades

Colby M. Broadwater III, James M. Waddell V 2004

843-552-7320 www.distanceeducation.siu.edu odeocp@siu.edu

25 4

Public

Workforce Education and Development Accounting Business Administration

Gayla M. Stoner 1869

College of Charleston 66 George St. Charleston, SC 29424 Charleston Southern University 9200 University Blvd.

Charleston, SC 29406 The Citadel 171 Moultrie St. Charleston, SC 29409 Southern Wesleyan University Adult & Graduate Studies 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 301 Charleston, SC 29405 Miller-Motte Technical College 8085 Rivers Ave., Suite E North Charleston, SC 29406

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 101 W. Hill Blvd., Building 221 Charleston Air Force Base, SC 29404 Southeastern Institute 4600 Goer Drive, Suite 105 North Charleston, SC 29406 Saint Leo University - North Charleston Center 2430 Mall Drive, Suite 185 North Charleston, SC 29406 Centura College 8084 Rivers Ave. North Charleston, SC 29406 Webster University 4105 Faber Place Drive, Suite 100 North Charleston, SC 29405 American College of the Building Arts 21 Magazine St. Charleston, SC 29401 Southern Illinois University Carbondale 101 W. Hill Blvd., Building 221, Room 128 Charleston AFB, SC 29404

Because of space constraints, only the top-ranked companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit www.scbiznews.com/data. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to lists@scbiznews.com, fax to 843-849-3122 or go to www.tinyurl.com/joinourlists.

Researched by Business Journal Staff

INTRO | 15

ED UCATIO N

16 | INTRO

Students in the computer lab at Charleston Southern University.

higher education.

Many exciting programs are under way 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 hightech 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.

Photo/MUSC

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 located at the Charleston Air Force Base.

The Art Institute of Charleston opened in 2007 and is a branch of the Art Intitute of Atlanta. The programs it offers 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 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

Photo/Charleston Southern University

Photo/College of Charleston

The College of Charleston Observatory.

Medical students learning at MUSC.

Market Facts Economic Drivers, p. 20 /// Area Information, p. 22 /// Real Estate, p. 24

» A region on the move

18 | INTRO

anus

• Sponsored by •

Photo/Kim McM

C

harleston’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. The S.C. State Ports Authority saw break-bulk cargo, which is cargo that doesn’t fit into molded containers, almost double to 1.24 million tons from 2009 to 2011.

Ports, logistics, manufacturing and distribution companies account for a significant amount of economic activity in the Charleston region.

As the housing market gradually recovers, 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 Volker Mornhinwe g, head of Mercede than 25% of the financial assets in banks across the state. The largest banking s-Benz Vans, and Gov. Nikki Haley un veil plans for the institution headquartered in the Charleston area, First Federal Savings and new facility that will manufacture Sprinter vans in No Loan, also holds the second-highest market share for the region. The largest rth Charleston. market share is held by Wells Fargo Bank, which took over Wachovia Bank.

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.

M ARK ET FACTS

» Economic Drivers Manufacturing The economic landscape of the Lowcountry changed recently when two automobile manufacturers made the decision to invest $1 billion in new manufacturing facilities. Mercedes-Benz Vans and Volvo Cars both announced 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

Port of Charleston The S.C. State Ports Authority expected to handle 1 million pier containers by the end of the 2015 fiscal year, a goal that CEO Jim Newsome said the port has not achieved since before the recession. Charleston’s port is the eighth-largest in the U.S., behind Savannah, Gal., its nearest competitor geographically, which ranks sixth in terms of the value of goods handled each year.

20 | INTRO

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 multi-state 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

The average day at S.C. ports

$150 million

Six vessels sail into South Carolina’s harbors.

Source: S.C. State Ports Authority

$150 million is the average value of the cargo.

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 jobs creator with manufacturing, technology, cyber security and contracting through SPAWAR Systems Center Atlantic, Lockheed, General Dynamics, SRC and many other defense contractors throughout the region.

Photo/ Senior Airman Dennis Sloan

Photo/ Ashley Heffernan

Hospitality & Tourism

M A RKET FACTS

Hospitality and tourism pumps tens of millions of dollars each year into Charleston and South Carolina’s economy. The robust sector serves as a major economic driver for businesses and communities across the state.

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, conventions and history all weave throughout the Charleston region.

In fiscal year 2014, the Charleston area received more than $14.2 million from accommodations taxes paid for hotel stays. Charleston County received the bulk of that money with $13.5 million. Overall, accomodations taxes brought more than $55 million to the state in 2014.

2013 tourism by the numbers

4.76 million visitors

$2.8 billion economic impact

$227 per peson for expenditures per Day Source: College of Charleston Tourism Analysis INTRO | 21

MARK ET FACTS

» Area Information

5 fastest-growing job sectors in Charleston MSA, 2012-2013

2013 Charleston-area population By county and major city

No. 1: 122.2% Farming, Fishing and Forestry Occupations 2012: 180 | 2013: 400

No. 2: 19%

Education, Training and Library Occupations 2012: 14,600 | 2013: 17,380

194,020

145,397

Berkeley County

Dorchester County

No. 3: 9.1%

Computer and Mathematical Occupations 2012: 6,720 | 2013: 7,330

44,719

38,579

101,989

71,875

Goose Creek

Summerville

North Charleston

Mount Pleasant

372,803

No. 4: 7%

Business and Financial Operations Occupations 2012: 11,950 | 2013: 12,790

125,583

Charleston County

Charleston

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

vel time to work, in minutes a r t n a e M

25.2

25.7

U.S. AVERAGE

25.5

25.0

RICHMOND, VA.

24.5 RALEIGH

23.4

Berkeley

Charleston

Dorchester*

84,104

175,534

56,617

Car, truck or van - drove alone

70,356

140,720

47,071

Car, truck or van - carpooled

7,144

14,609

6,146

Public transportation (excluding taxis)

444

2,870

146

Bicycle

85

2,629

N/A

Walked

2,512

6,224

587

Other means

1,024

1,794

579

Worked at home

2,539

6,688

2,088

22.8

KNOXVILLE, TENN.

* Dorchester County’s figures had not been estimated by the American Community Survey, so the 2010 figures were used.

22.3

GREENVILLE

26 Minutes 22 | INTRO

25 Minutes

24 Minutes

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Workers 16 and older

SAVANNAH

AUSTIN, TEXAS

Arts, Design,Entertainment, Sports and Media Occupations 2012: 3,030 | 2013: 3,150

How people get to work in the Charleston area, 2012

24.2 CHARLESTON JACKSONVILLE, FLA.

No. 5: 4%

23 Minutes

22 Minutes

20.7

LEXINGTON

21 Minutes

20 Minutes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

M ARK ET FACTS

» Real Estate Median home sales prices by year $1,000,000 and more

Property types: single-family detached, single-family attached, manufactured/mobile homes

323 sold

$260K

$0-$99,999

$400,000$999,999

$240K

1,961 sold

1,918 sold

$220K

2013 sales by price range

$200K

CHARLESTON MLS

$180K

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

$140K

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

$160K

$200,000$399,999 Berkeley

Charleston

$100,000$199,999

4,458 sold

Dorchester

Note: Inventory calculation is active listings plus contingent listings Source: Charleston Trident Association of Realtors

Housing building permits issued by county

4,378 sold

Source: Charleston Trident Association of Realtors 2013 Annual Report

Days on the market until sale 140

– Single-Family

– Condos

- 200 housing permits

130 - 2011

- 2012

- 2013

120

876 881

Berkeley

110

1,105

100

1,299

Charleston

1,664 2,133

80

469

Dorchester

653 620

70 Jan. 2009 Source: U.S. Census Bureau

24 | INTRO

90

Jan. 2010

Jan. 2011

Jan. 2012

Jan. 2013

Source: Charleston Trident Association of Realtors 2013 Annual Report

Health & Wellness Market FACTS Urgent Care Centers, p. 32 /// Hospitals, p. 34 /// Retirement Communities, p. 37 Stuff Here /// Stuff Here /// Stuff Here /// Stuff Here

W

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

• SPONSORby • • • Sponsored

26 | INTRO

Adventures

type here type here type here type here type here type here type here type here type here type here like totype takehere thingstype easyhere here in the here type here typeehere type Lowcountry, but that doesn’t mean type here type here type here type here type we here don’t give attention to a diet and activity type here type here type here type heree type contributes to type our health here type herelevel typethat here type here hereand type wellbeing. here type here type here type here type hereetype In this you will readtype about all the reasons here typesection here type here here type here type living here can help inspire to healthy living.

Andtype here type here type hereyou type here type here when medical caretype is what youtype need, we offer finest here type here here here typethe here type here type here type here type here type here in physicians, clinics and hospitals.

Charleston has type herebeen typehome heretotype type typeinhere long somehere of the tophere hospitals Southtype here type here type here type heree type here Carolina. type here type here type type finding here type here When you are moving to ahere new place, out about type here typebehere type here typepages, heree health care can a challenge.

In these wetype give herea list type type type here type here type you ofhere urgent carehere centers, hospitals and retirement here type here here type here communities withtype full information abouttype each.here

Photo/Charleston Outdoor

» HEADLINE » Taking Care of You

S E CTION NA ME

INTRO | 27

H E ALT H & WELLNESS

B

28 | INTRO

the month.

But when you’re never more than five minutes from a park, you don’t have to wait for organized events to get exercise. “Exercise doesn’t have to be highly structured,” said Tim Scheett, assistant professor of exercise science at the College of Charleston. “Just take the kids to the park and play along with them.”

The walk across the Arthur Ravenel Jr. bridge over the Cooper River or a jog along Folly Beach may be an inspiring choice, but there are plenty of beautiful sights to see all over the area. If you tire of walking in your own neighborhood, go downtown and walk through rows of historic homes, Scheett suggested.

Walking is great way to remain healthy.

He also recommended taking the family to one of the many weekend festivals in the Lowcountry or nearby. Most are inexpensive or free to attend. “You spend the day walking around and before you know it, you’ve had three or four hours of exercise,” he said.

Research shows that exercising outside – which you can do year round in Charleston – gives additional benefits, Johnson said. “You tend to stick with it more and there are mental health benefits. It also helps with circadian rhythms for people who work odd shifts. And it helps relieve stress.”

Gardening – another year-round pastime – combines the virtues of exercise with fresh Photo/Kathy Allen

eautiful weather, lots of outdoor activities, fresh food and, when you need it, top-notch medical care – what better combination could there be to encourage good health?

Charleston is blessed with all these. And if you need a nudge to get started, there are organized efforts to help you.

“It takes something different (for each person) to motivate them to make a behavior change,” said Susan L. Johnson, director of the Office of Health Promotion at Medical University of South Carolina. “Newcomers will be checking out resources like the bridge walk and the beaches. When you take advantage of the different activities, you start to feel a part of the community.”

The weekends here offer so many fitness and health-related activities. There are fun runs, walks, cycling events, urban agriculture and farmers markets.

“Lighten Up Charleston,” a joint effort of the mayor’s office and MUSC, encourages residents to get moving and improve their diets.

Participants can sign up on the website, lightenupcharleston.org, to get free information and track their own exercise, diet and weight loss.

Local parks and recreation departments offer dozens of fitness classes and programs of all kinds. In a recent month, the Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission, Parklands Foundation and MUSC teamed up for a Green Exercise pass. Those who bought a $10 T-shirt could be admitted free to more than 30 fitness classes in county parks during

Photo/Town of Mount Pleasant

Photo/MUSC

The campus of the Medical University of South Carolina lies along the Ashley River.

The Mount Pleasant Farmers Market is a great spot for fresh, local food.

INTRO | 29

H E ALT H & WELLNESS Photo/Roper St. Francis

food. “Gardening is the same as moderate intensity exercise,” Scheett said. “It’s free exercise and it saves money.”

MUSC has an urban farm that offers educational programs on gardening. And places like

30 | INTRO

Boone Hall Plantation have events that focus on growing fresh food but also give the history behind it, Johnson said.

There’s a spreading movement to encourage Lowcountry residents to eat fresh and local.

Farmers markets selling fresh produce, meats, baked goods and other items are popping up all over. The largest ones are at Marion Square downtown and in Mount Pleasant, Johnson said, and there is also a farmers market on the MUSC campus.

CSA farms ( community-supported agriculture) deliver boxes of fresh food regularly to their customers during the growing season.

Some of them can be found at the website lowcountrylocalfirst.org. This site offers a guide to farmers markets, purveyors and growers of produce.

“There are always food events,” Johnson said. “We are trying to do live cooking events to show that healthy food tastes good.”

One of these is the Cooking Well Invitational, in which hospital chefs compete in an event hosted by a celebrity chef. The event is held at the Culinary Institute of Charleston.

The culinary field is moving toward health and wellness, Johnson said, and that means even when you eat out at one of our many fine restaurants, you should find some healthy choices.

When your quest for wellness means you

H E A LT H & W ELLNESS Photo/MUSC

services, nursing homes and assisted living facilities. There are more than 2,100 licensed physicians practicing in Charleston, Dorchester and Berkeley counties. The area’s four biggest hospitals – Roper St. Francis, Medical University of South Carolina, Trident Health and East Cooper Medical Center – employ more than 15,000 workers.

While medical centers were traditionally located in downtown Charleston, in recent Dr. Frank McGowan Jr. visits with children at the years they have moved into suburban areas to Atrium at MUSC, one of the Lowcountry’s major provide patient care closer to home.

Taken together, the Lowcountry has all the hospitals. advantages you need for a healthy lifestyle.

So go outside, get moving, and when you’re need medical care, you’re in a good place. The hungry, go shopping for some garden-fresh Lowcountry is home to several major hospifoods. tals and many specialty clinics, rehabilitation

Make room for exercise in your busy day Always on the RUN with no time to exercise?

Here are some tips for fitting exercise into your schedule: 1. Park in the farthest space from the office, grocery store or apartment so you will have to walk.

2. At work, take the long way to the coffee pot or restroom. Take a five-minute walk through the halls.

3. Opt for the stairs instead of elevators.

4. Keep a light pair of dumbbells in your desk and do arm exercises while reading e-mail.

5. Swap out your office chair for an exercise ball 10-20 minutes a day to work abs and other key muscles.

8. While your children are at ball practice, walk or jog around the field. Or try high-intensity interval training: do any kind of exercise hard and fast for 20-30 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Do this for four to five minutes, then take a rest and water break. Then repeat the process. If you do this 30 minutes every day, it will really improve your fitness.

9. Organize a parent-child game for the families of your child’s teammates. Encourage the parents to practice before the game.

10. Take your dog to a dog park, and walk the park while your dog runs.

6. If your office setup allows it, look into getting a treadmill desk. You can walk on it at low speed while using the phone with a headset and while reading reports.

7. Spend an evening outdoors with your family. Take a walk on a greenway or on the beach. Build a sandcastle with the kids.

INTRO | 31

H E ALT H & WELLNESS

Urgent Care Centers

For more lists subscribe to:

Listed alphabetically A Doctor on Call P.A. www.adoctoroncall.com admin@adoctoroncall.com 843-886-4402 1202-A Palm Blvd. • Isle of Palms, SC 29451 Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; Sat. by appointment Family Medicine, Botox, Juvederm Filler, Urgent Care, Immigration Physicals, Laser Hair Removal, PCA Chemical Peels, Weight Loss No. of Physicians: 1 Doctors Care Charleston West www.DoctorsCare.com Info@doctorscare.com 843-402-6834 3424 Shelby Ray Court Charleston, SC 29414 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. Nonsurgical osteoarthritis knee treatment. DOT physicals and employer health services.

Open late and on weekend, walk-ins welcome.

No. of Physicians: 25 Doctors Care Dorchester Road www.DoctorsCare.com Info@doctorscare.com 843-871-7900 10160 Dorchester Road Summerville, SC 29485 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. Nonsurgical osteoarthritis knee treatment. DOT physicals and employer health services.

Open late and on weekend, walk-ins welcome.

No. of Physicians: 25 Doctors Care Ivy Hall www.DoctorsCare.com Info@doctorscare.com 843-884-6424 3074 U.S. Highway 17 North Mount Pleasant, SC 29466 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. DOT physicals and employer health services. Open late and on weekend, walk-ins welcome.

No. of Physicians: 25

32 | INTRO

www.CharlestonBusiness.com

Doctors Care James Island www.doctorscare.com Info@doctorscare.com 843-762-2360 743 Folly Road Charleston, SC 29412 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. Nonsurgical osteoarthritis knee treatment. DOT physicals and employer health services.

Open late and on weekend, walk-ins welcome.

No. of Physicians: 25

Doctors Care Summerville www.DoctorsCare.com Info@doctorscare.com 843-871-3277 410 N. Main St. Summerville, SC 29483 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. Nonsurgical osteoarthritis knee treatment. DOT physicals and employer health services.

Open late and on weekend, walk-ins welcome.

No. of Physicians: 25

Doctors Care Moncks Corner www.doctorscare.com Info@doctorscare.com 843-899-3870 459 U.S. Highway 52 N. Moncks Corner, SC 29461 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. DOT physicals and employer health services. Open late and on weekend, walk-ins welcome.

No. of Physicians: 25

Doctors Care West Ashley www.DoctorsCare.com Info@doctorscare.com 843-556-5585 1851 Sam Rittenberg Blvd.

Charleston, SC 29407 Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

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.

No. of Physicians: 25

Doctors Care Mount Pleasant www.DoctorsCare.com Info@doctorscare.com 843-881-0815 631 Johnnie Dodds Blvd.

Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 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. Nonsurgical osteoarthritis knee treatment. DOT physicals and employer health services.

Open late and on weekend, walk-ins welcome.

No. of Physicians: 2 Doctors Care Northwoods www.DoctorsCare.com Info@doctorscare.com 843-572-7000 8091 Rivers Ave. North Charleston, SC 29406 Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 8 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. DOT physicals and employer health services. Open late and on weekend, walk-ins welcome.

No. of Physicians: 25

MedCare Urgent Care Center - North Charleston www.medcareurgentcare.com info@medcareurgentcare.com 843-552-3629 8720 Dorchester Road North Charleston, SC 29420 Hours: Mon.-Sun. 9 a.m.-9 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 No. of Physicians: 3 MedCare Urgent Care Center - West Ashley www.medcareurgentcare.com info@medcareurgentcare.com 843-793-6093 1850 Sam Rittenberg Blvd.

Charleston, SC 29407 Hours: 9 a.m.-9 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 No. of Physicians: 3

Moncks Corner Medical Center www.tridenthealthsystem.com 843-761-8721 401 N. Live Oak Drive Moncks Corner, SC 29461 Hours: 24-hour emergency room Emergency, radiology, digital mammography, lab, primary care and specialty physicians, physical therapy, ultrasound, physical rehabilitation No. of Physicians: 12 Nason Medical Center www.nasonmedical.com 843-300-3500 319 Folly Road James Island, SC 29412 Hours: Mon.-Sun. 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Ambulatory urgent care, X-rays, lab services, workers’ compensation.

No. of Physicians: 10 Nason Medical Center www.nasonmedical.com 843-300-3500 4278 Ladson Road Ladson, SC 29456 Hours: Mon.-Sun. 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Ambulatory urgent care, X-rays, lab services, workers’ compensation.

No. of Physicians: 10 Nason Medical Center www.nasonmedical.com 843-300-3500 1101 Bowman Road Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Hours: Mon.-Sun. 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Ambulatory urgent care, X-rays, lab services, workers’ compensation.

No. of Physicians: 10 Nason Medical Center www.nasonmedical.com 843-300-3500 5133 Rivers Ave. North Charleston, SC 29406 Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Ambulatory urgent care, X-rays, lab services, workers’ compensation.

No. of Physicians: 10 Nason Medical Center www.nasonmedical.com 843-300-3500 8901 University Blvd. \North Charleston, SC 29406 Hours: Mon.-Sun. 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Ambulatory urgent care, X-rays, lab services, workers’ compensation.

No. of Physicians: 10

H E A LT H & W ELLNESS

INTRO | 33

HE ALT H & WELLNESS

Hospitals

For more lists subscribe to:

Ranked by No. of Licensed Beds

www.CharlestonBusiness.com

Phone / Website Email

Licensed Beds / 2013 Admissions

Active Staff Physicians / Registered Nurses

Administrator(s) / Year Founded

MUSC Medical Center 169 Ashley Ave. Charleston, SC 29425

843-792-3232 www.muschealth.com INP

709 35,767

921 2,593

David J. Cole 1824

Roper Hospital 316 Calhoun St. Charleston, SC 29401

843-724-2901 www.rsfh.com/roper INP

368 13,157

447 733

Matthew J. Severance, David F. Dunlap 1829

843-847-4100 www.tridenthealthsystem.com INP

296 21,028

556 765

Todd Gallati 1975

843-402-1000 www.rsfh.com INP

204 8,872

343 428

Allen Carroll, David F. Dunlap 1882

843-881-0100 www.eastcoopermedctr.com INP

132 5,046

431 216

Jason Alexander 1986

843-577-5011 www.charleston.va.gov INP

103 4,288

210 430

Scott R. Isaacks 1966

843-832-5000 www.tridenthealthsystem.com INP

94 5,733

556 765

Lisa Valentine 1989

843-606-7000 www.rsfh.com INP

85 1,522

247 83

David F. Dunlap, John Sullivan 2010

Vibra Hospital of Charleston 1200 Hospital Drive Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-375-4000 www.vhcharleston.com INP

59 INP

60 63

Darrell Jones 2004

Roper Rehabilitation Hospital 316 Calhoun St. Charleston, SC 29401

843-724-2842 www.rsfh.com beth.weiser@rsfh.com

52 1,155

5 55

David F. Dunlap, Matthew J. Severance 1992

843-820-7777 www.healthsouthcharleston.com INP

49 INP

2 35

Troy Powell 1994

843-761-8721 www.tridenthealthsystem.com INP

0 0

26 12

Todd Gallati 1986

843-899-7700 www.rsfh.com INP

0 0

29 19

David F. Dunlap, Brenda R. Myers 1992

843-501-7001 cbhealthcenters.com INP

INP INP

INP INP

Cindy Carter 2014

Facility

Trident Health 9330 Medical Plaza Drive North Charleston, SC 29406

Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital 2095 Henry Tecklenburg Blvd.

Charleston, SC 29414

East Cooper Medical Center 2000 Hospital Drive Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center 109 Bee St. Charleston, SC 29401

Summerville Medical Center 295 Midland Parkway Summerville, SC 29485

Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital 3500 U.S. Highway 17 N. Mount Pleasant, SC 29466

HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Charleston 9181 Medcom St. Charleston, SC 29406

Moncks Corner Medical Center 401 N. Live Oak Drive Moncks Corner, SC 29461

Roper Hospital - Berkeley 730 Stony Landing Road Moncks Corner, SC 29461

Cognitive & Behavioral Health Center of Charleston 29 Leinbach Drive Charleston, SC 29407

INP=Information not provided. Because of space constraints, only the top-ranked companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit www.scbiznews.com/data. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to lists@scbiznews.com or go to www.tinyurl.com/joinourlists.

34 | INTRO

Researched by Business Journal staff

H E A LT H & W ELLNESS

Retirement Communities

For more lists subscribe to:

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

www.CharlestonBusiness.com

Guest Apts.

Library

Laundry

In-House Dr.

Activities

Transportation

•

•

•

•

•

•

C. William Trawick, Sarah E.H. Tipton, Lynne Kerrison 1850

•

•

•

•

•

•

Susan Foreman, Sheena Janse, Corinne Carrington 1996

•

•

•

•

•

•

Sandy Stoll, Mark H. Lee 1892

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Lisa Kinsella 2008

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Robin Miller 1958

176 -

•

•

•

•

Ruth Walker 1967

843-571-6075 www.ashley-park.com

117 14

•

•

•

•

Tom Perregaux, Roxann Perregaux 2005

843-766-5228 www.nhccharlestonhealthcare.com

88 -

•

•

•

•

Angela Atkinson 2008

Hallmark Healthcare Center 255 Midland Parkway, Summerville, SC 29485

843-821- 5005 www.ra2.biz/hallmark/home.htm

83 155

•

•

•

Durena Stinson 1993

The Bridge at Charleston 2590 Elms Plantation Road, North Charleston, SC 29406

843-553-6342 www.thebridgeatcharleston.com

65 36

•

•

•

•

Michelle Nelson 1990

843-884-4104 www.summitplaceofdanielisland.com

59 40

•

•

•

•

Sean Davis 2003

Sherman House 1635 Raoul Wallenberg Blvd., Charleston, SC 29407

843-763-2242 -

56 4

•

•

Donna Bailey 1984

Pinewood Place 101 Centennial Blvd., Goose Creek, SC 29445

843-569-2520 www.alcco.com

30 34

•

•

•

Cindy William 1997

843-556-8314 www.charitiessc.org

25 25

•

•

•

Janine Bauder 1929

Beds / Employees

Fitness Center

•

Phone / Website

Salon/Barber

General Store

Services

843-762-3300 www.bishopgadsden.org

357 275

•

•

Sandpiper Retirement Community 1049 Anna Knapp Blvd., Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-881-3210 www.premierseniorliving.com

344 -

•

•

Franke At Seaside 1885 Rifle Range Road, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-856-4700 www.frankeatseaside.org

331 -

•

•

Somerby of Mount Pleasant 3100 Tradition Circle, Mount Pleasant, SC 29466

843-849-3096 www.somerbyofmtpleasant.com

247 100

•

The Village at Summerville 201 W. Ninth North St., Summerville, SC 29483

843-873-2550 www.preshomesc.org/communities/summerville

227 220

White Oak of Charleston 9285 Medical Plaza Drive, Charleston, SC 29406

843-797-8282 www.whiteoakmanor.com

Ashley Park Retirement Community 1451 Tobias Gadson Blvd., Charleston, SC 29407

NHC HealthCare 2230 Ashley Crossing Drive, Charleston, SC 29414

Company Bishop Gadsden Episcopal Retirement Community 1 Bishop Gadsden Way, Charleston, SC 29412

Summit Place of Daniel Island 320 Seven Farms Drive, Charleston, SC 29492

Carter-May Home/St. Joseph Residence 1660 Ingram Road, Charleston, SC 29407

Because of space constraints, only the top-ranked companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit www.scbiznews.com/data. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to lists@scbiznews.com, fax to 843-531-5402 or go to www.tinyurl.com/joinourlists.

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Administrator / Year Founded

Researched by Business Journal staff

INTRO | 35

HE ALT H & WELLNESS

» Retiring well Photo/File

E

ach 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 is priced at $228,000, 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 needs. Trident Health Care System is another provider in the Charleston area, with locations

Senior Centers

For more lists subscribe to:

www.CharlestonBusiness.com

Listed alphabetically Berkeley County Moncks Corner Senior Center Berkeley Seniors, Inc. (BSI) 103 Gulledge Street Moncks Corner, SC 29461 843-761-0391 South Berkeley Senior Center Berkeley Seniors, Inc. (BSI) 103 Thurgood Road Goose Creek, SC 29455 843-761-0390

CASC Senior Center Charleston Area Senior Citizens, Inc. (CASC) 259 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29401 843-722-4127 Lowcountry Senior Center 865 Riverland Drive Charleston, SC 29412 843-762-9555

Charleston County

Mount Pleasant Senior Center 840 Von Kolnitz Road Charleston, SC 29464 843-856-2166

Awendaw Senior Center South Santee Senior & Community Center, Inc. 5600 N. Highway 17 Awendaw, SC 29492 843-928-4700

Senior Program at Echo House Coastal Catholic Charities 1911 Hackemann Avenue North Charleston, SC 29405 855-377-1357

36 | INTRO

in Summerville and Moncks Corner. The Summerville Medical Center has found a niche in treating ailments common in seniors, routinely scoring top points from the Joint Commission for its treatment of heart attacks, heart failure and pneumonia. Strong retirement communi-

Dorchester County Faith Sellers Senior Center Dorchester Seniors, Inc. 312 North Laurel Street Summerville, SC 29483 843-871-5053 David Sojourner Senior Center Dorchester Seniors, Inc. 5361 East Jim Bilton Boulevard St. George, SC 29477 843-563-3709

H E A LT H & W ELLNESS Photo/File

ties 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 Lowcountry Lowline, which will add miles of bike trails to connect all of the county’s parks.

Numerous farmer’s 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).

INTRO | 37

Living In Market FACTS

Historic Charleston, p. 40 /// Mount Pleasant, p. 44 /// Isle of Palms & Sullivan’s Island, p. 46 North Charleston, p. 48 /// West Ashley, p. 50 /// James Island & Folly Beach, p. 54 Johns & Wadmalaw Islands, /// Daniel p. 58Here /// Kiawah & Seabrook Islands, p. 60 Stuff Here p. ///57Stuff HereIsland, /// Stuff /// Stuff Here Summerville, p. 62 /// Moncks Corner, p. 65 /// Goose Creek, p. 67

» HEADLINE » Finding your home

type here type here type here type here type here type here type here type here type here type here type here type here type here type here type here ow that have decided maketype the here type here type hereyou type here typetohere Charleston areahere your new you’ll need type here type here type typehome, heree type here type here type where here type heretotype here are type to decide you want live. There here type here typechoices, here type here type hereetype so many and all have something to here offer. type here type here type here type here type here type here type here type here Youtype couldhere live in the historic downtown, across thetype here here Pleasant, type here here neighborhood type here type harbortype in Mount in atype suburban here type hereYou type here type here type here or at the beach. really can’t go wrong, whether youtype here type here type here type here type here type settle in booming North Charleston or neighborly Moncks here type here type here type heree type here Corner. type here type here here type here type here In these pages, we telltype you at length about each of the type here type here type here type heree type possibilities. We talk about the community, the history, here type here type here type here type here type the neighborhoods and businesses, with a touch of the here type here type here type here type here 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 web sites to help you get settled.

Enjoy!

Photo/Kim McManus

N

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

• SPONSOR • • Sponsored by •

38 | INTRO

LIVING IN

Berkeley County

Historic Charleston

Dorchester County

The past shapes our present as new residential choices invite

Charleston County

A bit of history The city, originally named Charles Towne, was founded in 1670 in current day West Ashley and started with about 30 houses. It moved to the peninsula 20 years later and grew to encom-

Photo/Kim McManus

Photo/File

W

ith 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.

Left: Marion Square hosts a number of events pass several thousand inhabitants as it became a throughout the year. major trading center.

After weathering several hurricanes and Above: Rainbow Row showcases the color palette of French and Spanish attacks during the 1700s, the homes downtown.

Charleston became a royal colony in 1721.

Charleston began to take shape as a major city, adding cultural, residential and commercial aspects. Businesses popped up, such as the country’s first fire insurance company and one of the country’s first theaters. Several historic landmarks were built, including the East Bay Moving In (All phone numbers are 843 area code, except warehouse district, which is now Rainbow where noted) Row; and lots were laid out in 1745 for the first neighborhood, Ansonborough.

City of Charleston ......................................724-3765 The first church services at St. Michael’s www.charleston-sc.gov Episcopal Church on Broad Street were held in

“ A rich history that is revealed in nearly all of its buildings.”

Charleston County School District .........937-6300 UTILITIES Building permits ........................................724-7320 Charleston Water System ........................727-6800 S.C. Electric & Gas Co. ..................... 800-251-7234 Trash and recycling ..................................724-7364

40

|

INTRO

LIV ING IN H I SNTO O RRI THC CH A RL ESTO N

Photo/Gibson Pitts

Photo/Michael Kelley/Husk Restaurant

Downtown is a much sought-after location for newcomers who are attracted to its history, beauty and charming walkability.

Top: Upper King Street has had a resurgence and is now the center of downtown Charleston’s nightlife scene.

Above Left: The Bar at Husk is one of Charleston’s hidden spots to grab a drink and a bite to eat after a day at work.

Above Right : With tech companies like People Matter chosing to locate in the heart of King Street, downtown isn’t just for shoppers and tourists anymore.

Left: Charleston homes, steeped in history, can be found throughout the peninsula.

INTRO | 41

L I VIN G IN HIST ORIC CHA RL ESTON Photo/Liz Segrist

LIVING IN

Berkeley County

Moncks Corner Quiet, close-knit community is also home to Google

Dorchester County

Charleston County

Above: The Charleston City Market offers a unique shopping experience.

Below: A cruise ship docks in Charleston Harbor.

1761. It is now the oldest church building in the city. The Charleston Museum was established in 1773 as the first museum in what would become the United States.

Several major Revolutionary battles unfolded around Charleston, and the city eventually fell under British control for two years before it was incorporated in 1783.

The College of Charleston was granted a charter in 1785 and the school garners a large presence downtown to this day.

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

42

|

INTRO

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 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 oftenphotographed 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 in 1838 and had to be rebuilt. Many of the houses have Greek Revival characteristics and were built by

Photo/Rutledge Cab Co.

Photo/Kim McManus

LIV ING IN H I S TO RI C CH A RL ESTO N

Rutledge Cab Co. is a favorite of resid ents from the Wagener Terrace and Ham pton Park neighborhoods.

The pineapple fountain at Waterfront Park.

Photo/Kim McManus

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 and is now used by joggers and dog walkers. The architecture includes Italian and Georgian, as well as 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. This injection of residential property has attracted several restaurants to the area.

To the east of Radcliffeborough is the Mazyck-Wraggborough neighborhood, 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 on Ann Street and the Charleston Museum on Meeting Street.

Farther up the peninsula, Hampton Park Terrace and Wagener Terrace offer more affordable housing options with turn-of-the-century and brick bungalow homes. The Citadel campus also falls in the Hampton Park area.

INTRO | 43

LIVING IN

Berkeley County

Mount Pleasant

Dorchester County

Town across the harbor offers many residential options

Charleston County

INTRO

Right: Harry Gilmore sells hot dogs while floating on Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant. this privately owned historic property has been open to the public for tours since 1955 yet remains a working plantation. Its “you-pick ’em” fields and seasonal 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.

Efforts to honor and preserve traditions like

ffernan

|

Above: The 1,250-foot-long Mount Pleasant Pier is part of the Memorial Waterfront Park and offers residents exceptional access to the Charleston harbor.

Photo/Ashley He

44

Photo/Charleston County Parks and Recreation

A

fter almost 250 years as “the sleepy town on the other side of the harbor,” Mount Pleasant forged its 20th century identity when the Grace Bridge opened in 1929, connecting it to Charleston and sparking a building boom that continues more than 80 years later. The Silas Pearman Bridge, built adjacent to the Grace Bridge, opened in 1966.

Yet by the dawn of the 21st century, snarling traffic on those Cooper River bridges was choking the area’s prized quality of life. Things improved dramatically with the opening of the $650 million Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, an eight-lane marvel that was greeted with fireworks and celebration on July 16, 2005.

The enlarged bridge marked the beginning of a new era for the state’s fifth-largest municipality, now home to about 65,000.

Despite its reputation as the 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.

Locals treasure its 18th century homes, its 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,

Moving In

(All phone numbers are 843 area code, except where noted) Town of Mount Pleasant ..........................884-8517 www.tompsc.com Charleston County School District .........937-6300 UTILITIES Building permits ........................................884-5184 Mount Pleasant Waterworks ..................884-9626 S.C. Electric & Gas Co. ..................... 800-251-7234 Blue Flame Gas .........................................884-2017 Trash and recycling ..................................884-8518

LIV ING IN M OU NT PL EA SA NT

also connects to the Ravenel Bridge by way of Memorial Waterfront Park, unveiled in 2009.

Mount Pleasant’s neighborhoods have varying styles and offer residents a range of choices.

The Tides, an upscale condominium community on Charleston Harbor, is among the town’s newest. 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 east.

With people come businesses, most of them There are many desirable neighborhoods in Mount oriented on either U.S. 17 or Coleman BouPleasant. levard. The town’s most prominent shopping lane for bicyclists and pedestrians. Residents area is Towne Centre, between the Isle of Palms make extensive use of the town’s numerous Connector and the end of Interstate 526. parks, ballfields and gyms, and recreational In keeping with tradition, the town loves a sports leagues are numerous. good festival. Mount Pleasant hosts festivals Palmetto Islands County Park, a 943-acre for the arts, oysters, Scottish games, local foodfacility, has nature trails, picnic areas, a 50-foot ies and children. Every April, the town turns observation tower, a water park and pedal boat out for the annual Blessing of the Fleet at Merentals. Patriots Point on Charleston Harmorial Waterfront Park. The Christmas parade bor boasts a state-run military museum that is a big draw, as is the Cooper River Bridge Run, displays four World War II-era vessels and more which attracts runners and walkers by the tens than a dozen vintage aircraft. Patriots Point of thousands each spring.

Photo/Kim McManus

sweetgrass basketry demonstrate an emerging sense of civic identity. After decades of rapid suburban growth, Mount Pleasant began allocating building permits in 2005 and now puts greater emphasis on planning.

The qualities the town guards today helped convince Money magazine to name Mount Pleasant as one of the Top 100 Best Places to Live in 2006 and 2010. Money magazine lists the average home value at around $287,000 and median household income more than $95,000.

Caring for others is also on the rise. East Cooper Community Outreach, a volunteer organization that emerged in the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo in 1989, operates social programs aimed at helping disadvantaged people live healthier, more successful lives. 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 both opened that year.

Fitness has also been on the upswing here since the new bridge opened in 2005 with a

INTRO | 45

LIVING IN

Berkeley County

Isle of Palms & Sullivan’s Island

Dorchester County

Charleston County

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

46

|

INTRO

Photo/Leslie Burden

E

ast 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 beachretreat 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 living spaces and public uses.

Victorian homes line shaded streets.

About 2,000 people live on the 3.3-squaremile 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 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 Sullivan’s Island lighthouse is a prominent landmark and has been in use since 1962.

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-toIOP automobile link in 1945 and more growth followed.

By the 1970s, developers turned their eyes toward a 1,600-acre tract and

MOVING IN

(All phone numbers are 843 area code, except where noted) 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 UTILITIES Isle of Palms building permits..................886-9912 Isle of Palms Water and Sewer...............886-6148 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 S.C. Electric & Gas Co....................... 800-251-7234 Recycling (Charleston County)................720-7111

LIV ING IN I S LE O F PA LM S & S U L L I VA N’ S I SL A ND Photo/Poe’s Tavern Photo/Leslie Burden

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 multimillion-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 state’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.

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

Right: Many bird species call these barrier islands their home.

Life on the islands offers distinct choices. The Isle of Palms exudes upscale energy while Sullivan’s Island maintains quirkier charms.

Photo/City of Isle of Palms

Inset: Sea turtles that have been rehabilitated at the S.C. Aquarium are released at the Isle of Palms.

Main: Docks line the Intracoastal Waterway on the back side of the Isle of Palms.

INTRO | 47

LIVING IN

Berkeley County

North Charleston

Dorchester County

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

Charleston County

48

|

INTRO

Photo/Matt Tomsic

N

orth 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. Residential developments in the works, such as Oak Terrace Preserve and Mixson, have earned a reputation for their sustainable building practices. Nearby 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 Charles-

North Charleston is home to Boeing South Carolina, a major employer and economic driver for the area.

"North Charleston continues to experience a resurgence of new communities, shopping areas and industries." ton. 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. An $18 million expansion is under way for the coliseum that will include a new ticket window, upgraded box suites, better kitchen facilities and stage and sound improvements.

Nearby shopping centers include the Tanger Outlet Center and Northwoods Mall.

The Charleston International Airport is

Moving In

(All phone numbers are 843 area code, except where noted) City of North Charleston ..........................554-5700 www.northcharleston.org Charleston County School District .........937-6300 UTILITIES Building permits ........................................740-2578 Charleston Water System ........................727-6800 S.C. Electric & Gas Co. ..................... 800-251-7234 Trash ............................................................745-1026 Recycling (Charleston County)................720-7111

LIV ING IN N O R TH CH A RL ESTO N

of North Charleston

Photo/Adam MacConnell/City of North Charleston Rynearson

Photo/Ryan Johnson/City

Photo/Chrys

also located in North Charleston. Interstate 26 forms a spine that begins in Charleston and runs through North Charleston toward Columbia. Interstate 526, which has terminal points in Mount Pleasant and West Ashley, reaches its peak in North Charleston.

Top: Residents gather for the annual 4th of July festival at Riverfront Park.

Above left: The annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration is the biggest in the Lowcountry.

Above right: Coast Brewing Co. owner David Merritt sprays water into the mash tun at the company’s brewhouse in North Charleston.

Bottom: 2015 North Charleston Arts Festival’s Children Festival at Park Circle.

Photo/Adam MacConnell/City of North Charleston

INTRO | 49

LIVING IN

Berkeley County

West Ashley

Dorchester County

One of the first suburbs has old plantations, visionary greenway

Charleston County

Photo/Leslie Burden

The Avondale Point area of West Ashley bustles with shops, salons, restaurants and bars.

T

he 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.

50

|

INTRO

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

Moving In

(All phone numbers are 843 area code, except where noted) West Ashley/City of Charleston ..............724-3765 www.charleston-sc.gov Charleston County School District .........937-6300 UTILITIES City of Charleston building permits ........724-7320 Charleston Water System ........................727-6800 S.C. Electric & Gas Co. ..................... 800-251-7234 Trash ............................................................724-7364 Recycling (Charleston County)................720-7111

LIV ING IN N O R THWCH EST A RLAESTO SH L EY N

Photo/Kathy Allen

West Ashley features a range of old and new neighborhoods and shopping centers, historic plantations and a unique greenway.

Photo/Leslie Burden

Photo/Leslie Burden

Top: A blue heron flies through Magnolia Plantation, which was founded in 1676.

The gardens opened to the public in 1870, the first to do so in America.

Left: The Mellow Mushroom and the Voodoo Tiki Bar & Lounge are some of the restaurants in the Avondale area.

Above: Some of the art commissioned by the chART Outdoor Initiative & Gallery, which consists of public community art spaces supporting contemporary artists working in the visual arts.

INTRO | 51

LI VIN G IN SWEEST C TIASHL ON EY NAME Photo/Ryan Wilcox

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.

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.

When getting around by car, main highway corridors in West Ashley are U.S. 17, called

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

Shopping is plentiful in West Ashley. The area is home to Citadel Mall, one of the area’s two enclosed malls. Shopping centers anchored

Bottom: An alligator blends in at Magnolia Plantation.

Bottom left: The Oak Barrel Tavern is a regular stop for the residents of the Avondale neighborhood. 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.

Photo/Kathy Allen

Photo/Gavin Lyons

52 | INTRO

Top: A beautiful sunset along the West Ashley Greenway.

LIVING ON

Berkeley County

James Island & Folly Beach

Dorchester County

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

Charleston County

Photos/Ryan Wilcox

J

ames Island and Folly Beach, located just south of Charleston, represent a distinctly independent streak in the Lowcountry character.

Long a semi-rural 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. The Confederate attack on Fort Sumter began in 1861 with a shot from the island's Fort Johnson, modern-day home of a state-of-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,

Folly Beach at sunset. 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 climbing wall, kayak rentals, picnic areas and a campground. The park’s Splash Zone water park is extremely popular with families during summer months, and the

county park’s annual Holiday Festival of Lights attracts motorists on winter nights.

James Island ends where Folly Road enters a marsh marked by the landmark “Folly Boat,”

MOVING IN

(All phone numbers are 843 area code, except where noted) Town of James Island ..............................795-4141 www.jamesislandsc.us City of Folly Beach ....................................588-2447 www.cityoffollybeach.com Charleston County School District .........937-6300 UTILITIES City of Charleston building permits ........724-7320 Charleston Water System ........................727-6800 S.C. Electric & Gas Co. ..................... 800-251-7234 Berkeley Electric Cooperative.................559-2458 James Island trash ................... 795-9060, ext. 118 Folly Beach Public Works ...... 588-2447, ext. 1832 Recycling (Charleston County)................720-7111

54 | INTRO

LIV ING IN N O R TH CH A RL ESTO N

INTRO | 55

ns

Photos/Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission

Photo/Gavin Lyo

Above: The Drop In Deli is a regular stop for residents and tourists to Folly Beach.

Top left: Kayakers enjoy the annual East Coast Paddlesports & Outdoor Festival at James Island County Park.

Middle: Reggae Nights Summer Concerts series at James Island County Park.

Photo/Charleston Outdoor Adventures

Bottom left: A dolphin swims by the Morris Island lighthouse.

James Island’s enormous live oaks and deeply shaded lanes lead into Folly Beach, which is also called "The Edge of America."

56 | INTRO

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 Folly Beach.

Folly Beach calls itself “The Edge of 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 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 Coast Guard station. The island has been heavily eroded, and the Morris Island Lighthouse has been surrounded by water for decades.

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 year-round residents preserve its identity as a place where corporate homogenization hasn’t taken over – yet.

LIV ING ON JO H NS I SL A ND

LIVING ON

Johns & Wadmalaw Islands These islands are among the Lowcountry’s last rural sea islands and where much of the area’s organic produce is grown.

Berkeley County

Dorchester County

Charleston County

City of Charleston ......................................724-3745 www.charleston-sc.gov Charleston County School District .........937-6300 UTILITIES City of Charleston building permits ........724-7320 Charleston Water System ........................727-6800 St. John’s Water Co...................................559-0186 S.C. Electric & Gas ............................ 800-251-7234 Berkeley Electric Cooperative.................559-2458 Republic Services (trash).........................937-4048 Recycling (Charleston County): ..............720-7111

Dramatic sunsets are a common occurrence on these rural islands.

Inset: The Angel Oak is estimated to be 1,500 years old. be one of the oldest trees east of the Mississippi. Said to be an estimated 1,500 years old, the 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 (a largely undeveloped 738-acre tract) 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.

ist

(All phone numbers are 843 area code, except where noted)

Photo/Liz Segr

MOVING IN

Photo/Ryan Wilcox

J

o hns 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. Johns Islanders shot down a proposed Cross Island Expressway in the 1990s and are divided over a proposed extension to Interstate 526 that would cross the island en route to the James Island Connector, shortening the 30-minute commute to Charleston considerably. 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

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 Charleston-style 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 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.

INTRO | 57

LIVING ON

Berkeley County

Daniel Island A master plan guides development of luxury neighborhoods

Dorchester County

Charleston County

Photos/Daniel Island Real Estate

Development on Daniel Island is guided by a master plan that was sponsored by the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation. The first modern houses were built in 1996. In 2007, the island was honored by the Urban Land Institute with their "Award for Excellence" for innovative and successful planning principals.

MOVING IN

(All phone numbers are 843 area code, except where noted) Daniel Island/City of Charleston .............724-3765 www.danielisland.com Berkeley County School District ............899-8600 UTILITIES City of Charleston building permits ........724-7320 Charleston Water System ........................727-6800 S.C. Electric & Gas Co. ..................... 800-251-7234 Trash (City of Charleston) ........................724-7364 Recycling (Berkeley County)....................719-2383 58 || INTRO

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 he Lowcountry’s newest address is also one of its most attractive. Daniel more than $3 million, with select lots selling for upwards of $1 million.

Island has grown from an undevelCondominiums are available for less than oped expanse of forest and farmland into a thriving community of more than 5,000. $200,000, but the island’s network of public spaces, services, shopping, education and The 4,000-acre island at the tip of the Cainhoy Peninsula was essentially uninhabited amenities generally tends to put a premium on property values. Plans point toward an evenwhen Interstate 526 crossed it in the 1990s, tual population of 15,000. linking the land between the Wando and CooLife on the island benefits from 23 miles of per rivers to the mainland for the first time.

Development, guided by a master plan worked shoreline, much of it open to the public, and out in conjunction with the Guggenheim Foun- the extensive system of parks and docks give neighborhoods plenty of public spaces and dation (which owned the island from 1947 room to socialize. to 1997), began in the late 1990s. Today, the The island’s event calendar gets more Daniel Island community spans nine neighborhoods, a central commercial district, more than crowded every year, thanks in large part to the Family Circle Cup Tennis Center (its namesake 400 acres of public parkland, two golf courses, a professional soccer stadium and a world-class women's tennis tournament is played there each April) and Blackbaud Stadium, home pitch tennis facility.

Daniel Island is incorporated into the city of for the Charleston Battery Soccer Club. These modern facilities are increasingly in demand Charleston, even though it is located in Berkefor concerts and festivals. ley County and residents must pass through

T

INTRO | 59

LIVING ON

Berkeley County

Kiawah & Seabrook Islands

Dorchester County

Life on private islands is like vacation every day

Charleston County

60 | INTRO

Photos/Seabrook Island Club

K

iawah 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 Seabrook Island offers a family-friendly environ1974, the Kuwait Investment Co. purchased ment, as well as the opportunity to ride horses the island from Royal’s heirs and created a land along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. plan that consisted of a resort and residential development. Kiawah Development Partners is Seabrook Island, just across the marsh currently the master developer of the island. from Kiawah Island, is a 2,200-acre mix of Approximately 1,200 full-time residents inhabit the island, but the population swells in forest, salt marshes and beach. The island was the spring and summer when about 600 of the discovered by settlers in 1666 and indigo and rice were its first cash crops. The island was island’s properties are rented.

The island is also home to the Kiawah Island first called Jones Island, then Simmons Island and finally Seabrook when it was purchased by Golf Resort, which includes five public golf courses and two private courses; The Sanctuary, William Seabrook in 1816.

Originally developed in 1972 as a resort a AAA Five Diamond hotel; an award-winning and conference center location, the island has spa; and several restaurants. evolved into a private oceanfront community.

In August 2012, the PGA Championship There are more than 2,500 properties on was played at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort.

Seabrook Island and more than 700 families The PGA major brought more than $200 millive on the island year round. lion of economic impact to the area, includThere is no shortage of things to do on ing millions of dollars worth of worldwide Seabrook Island, from golfing on two private exposure. courses, to playing tennis, horseback riding and Outside of golf, the island also caters to boating. There are several restaurants to choose tennis players and is a destination for runners from also. each year during the annual Kiawah Island Inhabitants of both islands place a high Marathon, held each December.

MOVING IN

(All phone numbers are 843 area code) Town of Kiawah Island .............................768-9166 www.kiawahisland.org Town of Seabrook Island .........................768-9121 www.townofseabrookisland.org Charleston County School District .........937-6300 UTILITIES Town of Kiawah building permits ...........768-9166 Kiawah Island Utility (water)....................768-0641 Berkeley Electric Cooperative.................559-2458 Kiawah trash and recycling ....................768-9166 Seabrook Island building permits...........768-9121 Seabrook Island Utility Commission.......768-0102

LIV ING ON K I AWA H & S EA BRO O K I SL A ND S

Photos/Kiawah Island Resort

"World-class golf is played alongside upscale homes with breathtaking views."

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 away 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, as well as at Freshfields Village on neighboring Johns Island. Freshfields Village offers a variety of stores, from sporting goods to groceries, as well as several restaurants.

Top: Kiawah Island's Ocean Course played host to the 2012 PGA Championship and will do so again in 2021.

Above: Riding bikes on Kiawah’s wide beach is a great way to relax.

Above left: Mingo Point plays host to many oyster roasts.

INTRO | 61

LIVING IN

Berkeley County

Summerville

Dorchester County

Town is alive with family friendly festivals and natural beauty Photo/Kim McManus

Downtown Summerville bustles with shopping and eating options, many of which are locally owned and operated.

S

ummerville is a community that still gathers at Town Square to celebrate the 4th 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 62 | INTRO

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 the colonial settlers, early churches and architecture. More than 700 buildings have been placed on the National 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 Inn, which sometimes served as the Winter White House for Presidents William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt.

Charleston County

Today, Summerville is Dorchester County’s largest city with an estimated population of more than 43,000. 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 the full spectrum of new construction options attracting families, business 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

MOVING IN

(All phone numbers are 843 area code, except where noted) Town of Summerville.................................851-4201 www.summerville.sc.us Dorchester District 2 www.dorchester2.k12.sc.us UTILITIES Building permits.........................................851-4220 Commissioners of Public Works..............871-0810 S.C. Electric & Gas Co. ..................... 800-251-7234 Waste Pro (trash).......................................619-0800

LIV ING IN SU MMERVI L L E Photos/Town of Summerville

Morning light illuminates downtown’s storefronts.

currently a functioning tea farm and the only Roasters, a coffeehouse that roasts and grinds coffee fresh onsite. On East Third North Street place to produce black tea in the United States.

Local bakeries are getting on the Sweet Tea , Coastal Coffee Roasters uses organic, fair Trail, offering patrons sweet tea cupcakes and trade, Rainforest Alliance, bird friendly and sweet tea relish and jelly. Several anSwiss water process certifitique and vintage stores cations to create its coffee are joining in, offering blends. patrons a special opFor those interested in portunity to shop – and stocking up on ingredients to enjoy sweet tea – from 1-4 create a feast at home, Sump.m. the second Sunday of merville’s farmers market is a each month. Officials are popular event. It runs weekly in the process of planning on Saturdays from April to a Sweet Tea Festival to celNovember and is located ebrate Southern traditions near Town Hall. The market and, of course, sweet tea. features artisanal foods and From its Friday night local produce. football games to its annual Adding to the town’s festivals, Summerville is a many things to do and placplace where rich history and es to go, Summerville ofSummerville set the Guiness World progress mix seamlessly. ficials have created a Sweet Record for the largest glass of swe et tea Leaders focus on stimulatTea Trail that promises at 1,400 gallons in June 201 5. ing economic development an adventure in Southern in and around Summerville hospitality through history, while making sure the food and shopping.

Flower Town in the Pines does not lose The trail tells the story of sweet tea’s birth in Summerville. It’s said that tea plants landed its small-town charm. 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. It’s Photo/Kim McManus

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 has nine hotels. It also has seven bed and breakfasts, 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 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.

A newcomer to downtown is Coastal Coffee

It's easy to see why Summerville has been dubbed 'Flowertown in the Pines.'

INTRO | 63

LIVING IN

Berkeley County

Moncks Corner

Dorchester County

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

Charleston County

Photo/Ryan Wilcox

The Old Santee Canal Park commemorates the historic canal system built from 1793 to 1800.

M

oncks 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 attend classes at the depot and rent it for special events.

Moncks Corner today has more than 8,000 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 64

|

INTRO

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 location in a quiet community. Neighborhoods include Cypress Ridge, Fairmont South, Stoney Creek and Foxbank Plantation. Foxbank Plantation is being 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.

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 2012. 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.

MOVING IN

(All phone numbers are 843 area code) Town of Moncks Corner............................719-7900 www.townofmonckscorner.sc.gov Berkeley County School District.............899-8600 www.berkeley.k12.sc.us UTILITIES Moncks Corner building permits.............719-7900 Berkeley Electric Cooperative.................761-8200 Public Works Commission........................719-7965 Berkeley County Water & Sanitation......572-4400 Santee Cooper Electric Utility..................761-8000 Republic Services (recycling)..................937-4048

LIV ING IN MO NCKS CO RNER Photo/Kim McManus

Photo/Leslie Burden

Google spent another $600 million on a new data center facility in Berkeley County in 2013.

The museum also includes the history of Native Americans, colonial life, the Civil War and the Francis Marion National Forest.

Cypress Gardens features boat rides through blackwater swamps and the Berkeley Blueways offer 20 canoeing and kayaking trails. Cypress Gardens hosts an annual Ukulele Festival. Now in its third year, the festival for enthusiasts includes ukulele and hula workshops, vendors and a free concert. It also offers boat jams, where ukulele players climb into boats, 10 to 12 per boat, and row around the swamp singing and jamming together.

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.

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.

At Cypress Gardens, visitors can experience the swamp environment in a row boat, on many walking trails and at the interpretive center.

In addition to these options, the town broke ground on a 52-acre recreation complex in 2011 and expects phase one to be completed by the fall of 2013. The town is investing $5.4 million into phase one, which will include four lighted baseball fields, paved parking, a concession stand/press box, event signs, paved access road, an irrigation system and walking trails.

Future plans include tennis courts and a recre-

ation center with a basketball court, swimming pool, jogging track and community rooms. A farmers market, picnic areas and playgrounds are also in the future plans for the complex.

The town’s close-knit community is looking ahead by focusing on maintaining a balance between continued growth and the preservation of its cultural amenities and small town character.

Photos/Palmetto Trail

The Lake Moultrie Passage of the Palmetto Trail offers beautiful views of the lake as well as primitive campsites for hikers and bikers to enjoy.

INTRO | 65

LIVING IN

Berkeley County

Goose Creek

Dorchester County

New homes spring up where rice plantations once ruled

Charleston County

Photo/City of Goose Creek

T

he magazine Bloomberg Businessweek reported in 2011, “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 outside Charleston, has become a very desirable place to live in the Lowcountry. It ranks as the state’s 12th largest municipality with more than 37,000 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 suc66

|

INTRO

cessfully 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 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 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, and

MOVING IN

(All area codes 843 except where noted) City of Goose Creek...................................797-6220 www.cityofgoosecreek.com Berkeley County School District.............899-8600 www.berkeley.k12.sc.us/ UTILITIES Building permits....................... 797-6220, ext. 1100 Garbage.......................................................824-2200 Berkeley Electric Cooperative.................761-8200 S.C. Electric & Gas............................. 800-251-7234 Goose Creek water service.......... 797-6220, ext. 0 Berkeley County Water & Sanitation......572-4400 Charleston Water System ........................727-6800

Photo/Berkeley County School District

Photo/City of Goose Creek

LIV ING IN G O O SE CREEK

recreational areas. Cane Bay Plantation spans 4,500 acres and includes several neighborhoods — including Del Webb, an active adult living neighborhood — as well as schools, parks, playgrounds, athletic fields, hiking and biking trails, and retail centers.

An up-and-coming neighborhood is Nexton, a 4,500-acre master planned development between Goose Creek and Summerville that will include offices, hotels, apartments, parks and trails, and many choices for dining, entertainment and shopping. A ground breaking was held in 2013 for the first building to be built, a 100,000-square-foot office building designed to achieve LEED certification. Part of the building will be occupied by MeadWestvaco Corp., which is developing the community with the Rockefeller Group.

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 Blackbaud Stadium, or tennis fans can watch the annual Family Circle Cup tennis tournament, held each spring at the Family Circle Cup Center. Both stadiums are located on nearby Daniel Island in Berkeley County.

facturer 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 has committed to playing a positive role in each of the communities where it operates facilities.

Google’s website states it has given $932,000 to schools and nonprofits in South Carolina

“Goose Creek is home to the Naval Weapons Station, which is part of the Lowcountry’s largest employer, Joint Base Charleston.”

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 manu-

since 2009. It also awarded a $167,000 WiFi grant to Goose Creek to help implement a free WiFi network downtown.

The WiFi network was incorporated into the redevelopment of Central Avenue downtown and complements improvements such as new sidewalks, buried power lines and street lamps. The improvements have been funded through tax dollars set aside to encourage growth in the area.

Photo/City of Goose Creek

INTRO | 67

Sports & Recreation City of Charleston Recreation Department, p. 70 Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission, p.71 North Charleston Parks and Recreation, p. 72 Mount Pleasant Recreation, p.74 /// Golf Courses, p. 75 /// Dog Parks, p. 71

O

n Riverdogs

ne 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 welldeveloped 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!

The Charlesto n Riverdogs D irector of Fun, carries Charles actor Bill Mur ton Mayor Jo ray, e Riley across opening day. homeplate on

• Sponsored by •

68 | INTRO

Photo/Charlesto

» So many ways to have fun

LIV ING IN N O R TH CH A RL ESTO N

S P ORTS AND R ECR EAT I O N Photo/Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission

City of Charleston Recreation Department » 8 23 Meeting St., Charleston, SC 29403 Laurie Yarbrough, director www.charleston-sc.gov; check under departments tab for recreation The City of Charleston Recreation Department serves downtown Charleston, James Island, Johns Island, West Ashley and Daniel Island.

» S ports offered: Soccer, tennis, football, baseball, softball, basketball, track, cross country, golf, fitness, wrestling, lacrosse, volleyball, aquatics, karate

» O ther 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

» E aster Eggstravaganza: held near Easter; egg hunt, activities, games, refreshments, Hampton Park

» C elebration of Summer: mid-July; camps celebrate the end of summer camp with a themed party, Hampton Park

» T rick 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:

» H azel Parker Community Center and Playground 70 E. Bay St. camps, tennis and adult fitness

» B ees Landing Recreation Complex 1580 Ashley Gardens Blvd. offering sports, arts and fitness

» J ames Island Recreation Complex 1088 Quail Drive camps and classes, and sports for all ages

70 | INTRO

Whirlin’ Waters Waterpark at Wannamaker County Park.

I

n 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.

Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission provides mostly individual parkbased 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

Charlie is the mascot of the Riverdogs.

(Photo/Charleston Riverdogs)

S P O RT S A N D RECREATION Photo/Ashley Heffernan

Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission » 8 61 Riverland Drive, Charleston 29412 843-795-4386 Tom O’Rourke, executive director

A capacity crowd at the Charleston Stingrays hockey game.

www.ccprc.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

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 Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals.

And one more thing: The Family Circle Cup 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 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.

Ackerman Park Dog Run, 55 Sycamore Drive Bees Landing Recreation Complex, 1580 Ashley Gardens Blvd.

Governor’s Park, 165 Seven Farms Drive 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 All dogs must be supervised at all times and may not be left unattended at any time.

Charleston County

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.

rks

City of Charleston

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.

» A ctivities: 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

» H oliday Festival of Lights: family event held in November and December, James Island County Park

» P et Fest: exhibits, demonstrations, experts, Mount Pleasant Palmetto Islands County Park

ston County Pa

Here are some parks set up expressly for dogs and their owners.

palities and other special recreation districts. The

entertainment, competitions, held each spring, Photo/Charle

Dog Parks

does not duplicate services provided by munici-

» C harleston 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

A few places to check out Some of the most popular parks are

» James Island County Park 871 Riverland Drive, James Island camping, challenge course, climbing wall, water park

» C awCaw Interpretive Center 5200 Savannah Highway, Ravenel

» F olly Beach Fishing Pier

101 E. Arctic Ave., Folly Beach

» M ount Pleasant Pier

71 Harry Hallman Blvd.

INTRO | 71

S P ORTS AND R ECR EAT I O N Photo/Larry Monteith/Charleston Moves

North Charleston Parks and Recreation » 2 500 City Hall Lane

North Charleston, S.C. 29406 843-740-5814 Ed Barfield, recreation director www.northcharleston.org

North Charleston Parks and Recreation serves the city of North Charleston.

» S ports offered: Softball, baseball, tennis, basketball, football, soccer, wrestling, volleyball, track and field

» A ctivities: adult and senior fitness, after-school programs, aquatics, camps, ceramics, dance, disc

Charleston Moves celebrated (We Can’t Wait To) Bike To Work Day by having a police escort guide bikers over the Legare bridge from West Ashley to downtown. A pedestrian lane is to be built in the near future.

golf, cheerleading

Photo/College of Charleston

Top events

» Youth Pitch, Hit and Run: local competition held in April; winners advance to sectional competition

» Winter Wonderland: held in December for young children at Armory Park

A few places to check out Among North Charleston’s gems are:

» R iverfront Park 1001 Everglades Drive on the Cooper River Beautiful views, a performance pavilion and meadow

» P ark Circle Butterfly Garden

adjacent to Felix C. Davis Community Center 4800 Park Circle Butterflies and plants, picnics, walking paths

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

Other parks and recreation departments

Hanahan Recreation and Parks

baseball, tennis, football, cricket and soc-

T-ball, softball, golf, basketball, volleyball,

3100 Mabeline Road, Hanahan, SC

cer. The town has a major sports center,

football, cheerleading, soccer, tennis,

29410

the Jerry Blackwell Sports Complex, at

aquatics, fitness and music.

Isle of Palms Parks

www.cityofhanahan.com

515 W. Boundary St. Also unique is the

and Recreation

The department serves people of all

Sawmill Branch Trail, a seven-mile trail

Moncks Corner

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

ages in the city of Hanahan. Offered are

through town; and a skate park.

Recreation Department

www.iop.net

basketball, football, baseball, softball,

This department serves the Isle of

soccer, volleyball, wrestling, as well as

Goose Creek Recreation

843-719-7900

Palms with baseball, softball, basketball,

T-ball, cheerleading, tumbling, camps and

843-569-4242

The recreation department offers base-

volleyball and soccer. Also offered are

fitness.

www.goosecreekrecreation.com

ball, T-ball, football, soccer, basketball

Goose Creek Recreation serves residents

and softball. The town broke ground on a 52-acre recreation complex in 2011.

fitness, dance, karate, gymnastics, and

118 Carolina Ave., Moncks Corner

camps. Events include the Sand Sculpting

Summerville Parks and Recreation

with offerings at Goose Creek Communi-

Contest; annual yard sale; Doggie Day at

843-851-5211

ty Center and Casey Community Center,

the Rec; the IOP Beach Run and the IOP

www.summerville.sc.us

as well as a city pool and community

Connector Run/Walk.

Among the sports offered are softball,

parks. Activities offered include baseball,

72 | INTRO

S P ORTS AND R ECR EAT I O N

Mount Pleasant Recreation » 3 91 Egypt Road, Mount Pleasant 29464 843-884-2528, ext. 109 Ken Ayoub, director www.tompsc.com Mount Pleasant Recreation Department serves the town of Mount Pleasant.

» S ports offered: Tennis, baseball, basketball, golf, soccer, softball, track, cross country, football, lacrosse, volleyball, wrestling

» A lso: Camps, art, therapeutic recreation, music, aquatics, dance, skate park

Top events

» S pring Carnival: held in May, children’s activities; at Alhambra Hall Park

» B lessing 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

» O ld Village 5K Run, Walk, Stroller and Dog Jog: held in November starting at Alhambra Hall Park; for all ages

» M ount Pleasant Junior Regatta: late summer, Hobcaw Yacht Club

Other Sports and Rec Sports Event Organizers, Volunteer Groups, Training Resources and Sports Facilities

» FENCING East of the Cooper Fencing eastofthecooperfencing.com

» ARENA SPORTS Arena City Soccer and Sports: arenacitysoccerandsports.com

» FOX HUNTING

» BADMINTON Charleston Badminton Group www.facebook.com/badmintoncharleston

» GYMNASTICS Gymnastics Academy of Charleston www.gymnasticsacademyofcharleston.com

» BEACH VOLLEYBALL

» HIKING

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

» A lhambra Hall and Park 131 Middle St. Reception hall, waterfront green space, playground.

» P ark West Recreation Complex 1251 Park West Blvd.

Lighted tennis courts, indoor pool, athletic fields,

West Ashley Greenway Bike/Hike Trail www.westashleygreenway.org

» BOCCE

Chucktown Bocce League https://www.facebook.com/ pages/Chucktown-BocceLeague/101115219964370

» ICE HOCKEY /SKATING Carolina Ice Palace www.carolinaicepalace.com.

Figure Skating Club of Charleston www.fscofcharleston.com

» BOXING

» LACROSSE

Hurricane Boxing Club hurricaneboxing.net

» DANCE Ballroom Dance Club of Charleston www.ballroomdancecharleston.org Charleston Shag Club www.charlestonshagclub.com 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

lake pavilion, walking trails.

Middleton Place Hounds Hunt Club www.middletonplacehounds.com

Charleston Beach Volleyball & Social Club www.charlestonvolleyball.net

» DISABLED SPORTS

Places to check out

» ROCK CLIMBING (WALLS)

Low Country Dog Agility Club www.lowcountrydogagility.com

Charleston Hurricanes Men’s Lacrosse Club www.eteamz.com/ charlestonhurricanes Lowcountry Lacrosse Youth League (LLYL) www.lowlax.com

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 Hurricanes Women RFC www.charlestonwomensrugby.org

» SCUBA DIVING Charleston Dive Club http://www.lowcountryscuba.com/ Home/charleston-dive-club-1/ charleston-dive-clubCharleston Scuba charlestonscuba.com » STAND UP PADDLE BOARDING Charleston SUP Nation www.distressedmullet.com/ charleston-sup-nation » SURFING

» MARTIAL ARTS

Charleston Martial Arts http://chas-ma.com

Southern South Carolina/Eastern Surfing Association ssc.surfesa.org

» OCEAN RACING Charleston Ocean Racing Association www.charlestonoceanracing.org

» ULTIMATE FRISBEE Charleston Ultimate Players Association www.charlestonultimate.com

» POLO

» UNDERWATER HOCKEY Charleston Blockaderunners charlestonblockaderunners.teamopolis.com

Charleston Polo Club charlestonpoloclub.com Carolina Polo & Carriage Company www.cpcc.com/polo.htm Hyde Park Polo Club hydeparkpoloclub.com

» WAKEBOARDING & WATERSKIING Trophy Lakes Watersports Center www.trophylakes.com

Source: Charleston Area Sports Commission Photo/Ryan Wilcox

rch of Alhambra The view from the po

74 | INTRO

Hall.

The view at the end of the West Ashley Greenway.

S P O RT S A N D RECREATION

Berkeley » Berkeley Country Club at Exeter Plantation 772 Exeter Plantation Road Moncks Corner, SC 29461 Semiprivate 843-761-4653 www.berkeleycc.com

» Crowfield Golf Club

300 Hamlet Circle Goose Creek, SC 29445 Public 843-764-4618 www.crowfieldgolf.com

» Redbank Plantation Golf Course

2316 Redbank Road Goose Creek, SC 29445 Private 843-764-7802 www.facebook.com/redbankplantationgolfcourse

» Yeamans Hall Club

900 Yeamans Hall Road Hanahan, SC 29410 Private 843-747-8855 www.yeamanshallclub.com

Charleston » 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.

Awendaw, SC 29429 Private 843-881-2223, ext. 14 www.bullsbaygolf.com

» Cassique

100 Old Cedar Lane Seabrook Island, SC 29455 Private 843-768-5752 www.kiawahislandclub.com

» Charleston Municipal Golf Course 2110 Maybank Highway Charleston, SC 29412 Public 843-795-6517 www.charleston-sc.gov/golf

» Charleston National Country Club 1360 National Drive Mount Pleasant, SC 29466 843-884-3673 www.charlestonnationalgolf.com

» Charleston National Golf Club 1360 National Drive Mount Pleasant, SC 29466 Semiprivate 843-884-4653 www.charlestonnationalgolf.com

» Coosaw Creek Country Club

4110 Club Course Drive North Charleston, SC 29420 Semiprivate, with event facilities 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

» Country Club of Charleston

Golf Courses

» The Ocean Course at Kiawah

Island Golf Resort 1000 Ocean Course Drive Kiawah Island, SC 29455 Public, resort, with event facilities 843-266-4670 kiawahresort.com

» Ocean Winds Golf Course 3772 Seabrook Island Road Seabrook Island, SC 29455 Private, with event facilities 843-768-2529 www.discoverseabrook.com

» Osprey Point at Kiawah Island Golf Resort 1 Sanctuary Beach Drive Kiawah Island, SC 29455 Resort, with event facilities 843-266-4640 www.kiawahresort.com

1 Country Club Drive Charleston, SC 29412 Private 843-795-2312 www.countryclubofcharleston.com

» Patriots Point Links

» Crooked Oaks Golf Course

» Ralston Creek at Daniel Island

3772 Seabrook Island Road Seabrook Island, SC 29455 Private, with event facilities 843-768-2529 www.discoverseabrook.com

» Dunes West Golf & River Club 3535 Wando Plantation Way Mount Pleasant, SC 29466 Semiprivate, with event facilities 843-856-9000 www.duneswestgolfclub.com

» The Golf Club at Briar’s Creek 4000 Briar’s Creek Lane Johns Island, SC 29455 Private 843-768-3050 www.briarscreek.com

» The Links at Stono Ferry

4812 Stono Links Drive Hollywood, SC 29449 Semiprivate, with event facilities 843-763-1817 www.stonoferrygolf.com

» Oak Point at Kiawah Island Golf Resort 4394 Hope Plantation Drive Kiawah Island, SC 29455 Resort, with event facilities 843-266-4100 kiawahresort.com

1 Patrios Point Rd. Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Public 843-881-0042

Club 600 Island Park Drive Daniel Island, SC 29492 Private, with event facilities 843-971-3555 www.danielislandclub.com

» RiverTowne Country Club

1700 RiverTowne Country Club Drive Mount Pleasant, SC 29466 Semiprivate, with event facilities 843-849-2400 www.rivertownecountryclub.com

» Shadowmoss Plantation Golf Club 20 Dunvegan Drive Charleston, SC 29414 Semiprivate, with event facilities (843) 556-8251 www.shadowmossgolf.com

» Snee Farm Country Club 1200 Club Drive Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Private, with event facilities 843-884-8571 www.sneefarmcc.com

» Turtle Point at Kiawah Island Golf Resort 1 Turtle Point Drive Kiawah Island, SC 29455 Public, resort, with event facilities 843-266-4050 www.kiawahresort.com

» Wild Dunes Resort Harbor Course 5881 Palm Blvd.

Isle of Palms, SC 29451 Resort, with event facilities 843-886-2004 www.wilddunes.com

» Wild Dunes Resort Links Course 5757 Palm Blvd.

Isle of Palms, SC 29451 Resort, with event facilities 843-886-2002 www.wilddunes.com

» Wrenwoods Golf Club

100 Cusabee Trail, No. 601 Joint Base Charleston, SC 29404 Semiprivate 843-963-1833 www.jbcharleston.com/wrenwoodshome

Dorchester » Candlelite Pavilion at Summerville Country Club 400 Country Club Blvd.

Summerville, SC 29483 Semiprivate 843-873-2210 www.summervillecountryclub.com

» The Golf Club at Wescott Plantation 5000 Wescott Club Drive Summerville, SC 29485 Public, with event facilities 843-871-2135 wescottgolf.com

» Legend Oaks Golf Club 118 Legend Oaks Way Summerville, SC 29485 Semiprivate with event facilities 843-821-4077 www.legendoaksgolf.com

Pine Forest Country Club 1000 Congressional Blvd.

Summerville, SC 29483 Semiprivate 843-851-1193 www.pineforestcountryclub.com Summerville Country Club, Miler Golf Course 400 Country Club Blvd.

Summerville, SC 29483 Semiprivate, with event facilities 843-873-2210 www.summervillecountryclub.com

INTRO | 75

Photos/Edmunds Oast

Dining Out

76 | INTRO

Photo/Leon’s Fine Poultry & Oysters

C

harleston 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 hot and steaming out 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 slow-smoked 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 top-notch 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 foodrelated events. The Charleston Wine and Food Festival and Taste of Charleston are just two of many.

Photo/Ryan Johnson/City of North Charleston

Photo/Poe’s Tavern

Photo/Chrys Rynearson

Photo/Liz Segrist

DINING OUT

Opposite page top: The kitchen at Edmunds Oast opens right into the dining room. They also have 48 taps of craft beers, including some that are brewed on premises.

Photo/Ryan Johnson/City of North Charleston

Opposite page middle: The chicken sandwich at Leon’s Fine Poultry & Oysters, a new favorite on upper King Street.

Top left: Carrie Morey sold her biscuits online for nine years before opening Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit on Upper King Street this summer. (Photo/Liz Segrist) Top right: People head to EVO Pizza in North Charleston for their famous pork trifecta pizza.

Center left: Nothing caps off a day on Sullivan’s Island like a burger from Poe’s Tavern.

Center right: Local celebrity, Tony The Peanut Man, sells his boiled peanuts at the St. Patrick’s Day celebration in North Charleston.

Bottom left: Food trucks can be found all over the area. Roti Rolls was one of the pioneers of this movement in Charleston.

INTRO | 77

Places to Stay

C

harleston 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 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.

Hotels

For more lists subscribe to:

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

www.CharlestonBusiness.com

Phone / Website Email

Rooms / Mtg. Rooms / Avg. Corp. Rate

Kiawah Island Golf Resort 1 Sanctuary Beach Drive Kiawah Island, SC 29455

843-768-2121 www.kiawahresort.com reservations@kiawahresort.com

1,500 20 $295

Belmond Charleston Place 205 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29401

843-722-4900 www.belmond.com/charlestonplace -

435 32 $220

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, 24-hour room service, airport shuttle, fitness center, spa, free breakfast, business center Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, 24-hour room service, fitness center, spa, business center

Charleston Marriott 170 Lockwood Blvd.

Charleston, SC 29403

341 15 $159

Charleston Plaza Hotel 4770 Goer Drive North Charleston, SC 29406

843-723-3000 www.marriottcharleston.com mhrs.chsmc.sales@marriott.com 843-747-1900 www.innplacehotels.com/locations/ charleston one.stop@prismhotels.com

Embassy Suites Airport/Convention Center 5055 International Blvd.

North Charleston, SC 29418

Property

The Sanctuary 1 Sanctuary Beach Drive Kiawah Island, SC 29455 Wild Dunes Resort 5757 Palm Blvd.

Isle of Palms, SC 29451 Francis Marion Hotel 387 King St. Charleston, SC 29403 The Mills House Wyndham Grand Hotel 115 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29401 DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites 181 Church St. Charleston, SC 29401 Courtyard Charleston Waterfront 35 Lockwood Drive Charleston, SC 29401 Holiday Inn Charleston Riverview 301 Savannah Highway Charleston, SC 29407 La Quinta Inn Riverview 11 Ashley Pointe Drive Charleston, SC 29407 Hampton Inn Charleston Historic District 345 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29403 Hilton Garden Inn Charleston Airport 5265 International Blvd.

North Charleston, SC 29418 Crowne Plaza Charleston Airport Convention Center 4831 Tanger Outlet Blvd.

North Charleston, SC 29418 Renaissance Charleston Hotel Historic District 68 Wentworth St. Charleston, SC 29401

Sales Manager

General Manager / Year Founded

Marty Couch

Roger Warren, Missy Wurthmann 1976

Charlie Wellman

Paul Stracey 1986

On-site restaurant, pool, fitness center, business center

Liza Edgerton

Patrick Rogers 2007

289 14 $119

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, airport shuttle, fitness center, business center

Doug Copeland

John Wong 1983

843-747-1882 www.embassysuitescharleston.com wade.bryant@jqh.com

255 28 $169

Wade Bryant

Peter Steketee 2000

843-768-6000 www.kiawahresort.com reservations@kiawahresort.com

255 15 $383

Marty Couch

Bill Lacey 2004

843-886-6000 www.wilddunes.com groupsales@wilddunes.com 843-722-0600 www.francismarioncharleston.com info@thefrancismarion.com 843-577-2400 www.millshouse.com 843-577-2644 www.charlestondoubletree.com 843-722-7229 www.marriott.com/chscy chscy@jhmhotels.com 843-556-7100 www.holiday-inn.com/chs-riverview rguinn@hiriverview.com 843-556-5200 www.lq.com iqfdsrriverview@gmail.com 843-723-4000 www.tinyurl.com/bpdrsv8 843-308-9330 www.charlestonairport.hgi.com betsay.painter@hilton.com

250 18 $219 235 14 $159 216 10 212 10 $149 179 1 $129 178 3 $139 175 $85 170 1 168 7 $129

On-site restaurant, pool, airport shuttle, fitness center, free breakfast, business center Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, 24-hour room service, airport shuttle, fitness center, spa, business center Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, fitness center, spa, business center Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, fitness center, spa, business center Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, fitness center, business center

Jody Harris

Frank Fredericks 1972

Tressa Wright

Gayle Karolczyk 1924

Lisa Stackhouse

Brad Baer 1853

On-site restaurant, fitness center, business center

Heidi Callahan

Michael Perry 1998

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, fitness center, business center Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, fitness center, business center Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, business center Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, business center Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, airport shuttle, fitness center, business center

Christine Greenleaf

Mark Thomas 1997

843-744-4422 www.crowneplaza.com/charlestonsc angie.gibbs@interstatehotels.com

166 4 $129

843-534-0300 www.renaissancecharlestonhotel.com -

166 6 -

Because of space constraints, only the top-ranked companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit www.scbiznews.com/data. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to lists@scbiznews.com, fax to 843-531-5402 or go to www.tinyurl.com/joinourlists.

78 | INTRO

Hotel Amenities

Rose M. Guinn -

Jeremy McCauley 1971 Brenda Peiper, Bill Mitchell 2007

Tanya Reagor, Emily Zirpola

Kevin Eichman 1990

Betsay Painter

Marcus Rogers 2002

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, airport shuttle, fitness center, business center

Angie Gibbs

Mark Mitchell 2010

On-site restaurant, pool, fitness center, business center

-

Brian Wander 2001

Researched by Business Journal staff

P L ACES TO STAY For more lists subscribe to:

Hotels

www.CharlestonBusiness.com

Properties in the Charleston Area, Ranked by No. of Guest Rooms Property Radisson Hotel Charleston Airport 5991 Rivers Ave. North Charleston, SC 29406 Holiday Inn Charleston - Mount Pleasant 250 Johnnie Dodds Blvd.

Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Embassy Suites Historic Charleston 337 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29403 Holiday Inn Express Charleston Downtown Ashley River 250 Spring St. Charleston, SC 29403 Residence Inn Charleston Airport 5035 International Blvd.

North Charleston, SC 29418 The Village at Wild Dunes 5757 Palm Blvd.

Isle of Palms, SC 29451 Holiday Inn Charleston Airport & Convention Center 5264 International Blvd.

North Charleston, SC 29418 Aloft Charleston Airport & Convention Center 4875 Tanger Outlet Blvd.

North Charleston, SC 29418 Hilton Garden Inn Charleston/Mt. Pleasant 300 Wingo Way Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Tides Folly Beach 1 Center St. Folly Beach, SC 29439 Courtyard by Marriott Charleston-Mount Pleasant 1251 Woodland Ave. Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Days Inn Patriots Point 261 Johnnie Dodds Blvd.

Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Charleston Grand Hotel B 3640 Dorchester Road North Charleston, SC 29405 Town & Country Inn and Suites 2008 Savannah Highway Charleston, SC 29407 Hampton Inn Daniel Island 160 Fairchild St. Charleston, SC 29492 Homewood Suites by Hilton Charleston Convention Center/Airport 5048 International Blvd.

North Charleston, SC 29418 Hyatt Place Charleston Airport/Convention Center 3234 W. Montague Ave. North Charleston, SC 29418 Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina 20 Patriots Point Road Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Courtyard Charleston Coliseum 2415 Mall Drive North Charleston, SC 29412 Holiday Inn Express - Summerville 120 Holiday Drive Summerville, SC 29483 SpringHill Suites by Marriott Downtown/ Riverview 98 Ripley Point Drive Charleston, SC 29407 Home2 Suites by Hilton, Charleston Convention Center 3401 West Montague Ave. North Charleston, SC 29418

General Manager / Year Founded

Phone / Website Email

Rooms / Mtg. Rooms / Avg. Corp. Rate

843-744-2501 www.radisson.com/charlestonsc_airport dosradisson@nvnhotels.com 843-884-6000 www.himtpleasant.com -

159 7 158 8 $149

843-723-6900 www.tinyurl.com/cnrwsrq -

153 5 $179

843-722-4000 www.charlestonhiexpress.com gm@charlestonhiexpress.com

153 1 $189

843-266-3434 www.marriott.com/chsno erin.whitsitt@jqh.com

150 4 $144

866-499-7142 www.wilddunesmeetings.com -

150 15 $214

Free Wi-Fi, pool, airport shuttle, fitness center, free Erin Whitsitt breakfast, business center, inroom kitchen Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, fitness center, spa, Jody Harris, Eric business center, in-room Pease kitchen

843-576-0300 www.holidayinn.com/chastnairport chsfrontdesk@lch-sc.com

142 5 $134

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, airport shuttle, fitness center, business center

843-566-7300 www.alofthotels.com/charleston sales@aloftcharlestonairport.com 843-606-4600 www.charlestonmtpleasant.hgi.com jennifer.arnold2@hilton.com 843-588-6464 www.tidesfollybeach.com -

136 1 $129 133 7 $139 132 5 $189

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, airport shuttle, fitness Amy H. Houchins center, business center Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, fitness center, business Jennifer Arnold center

Steve Spear 2008

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, fitness center

Hope Johnston

Ken Merkel 1985

843-284-0900 www.marriott.com/chscm juliana.shores@marriott.com

130 4 $154

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, fitness center, business center

Ashley B. Miller

Cheryl M. Craven 2007

843-881-1800 www.daysinn.com mtpleasantdaysinn@hotmail.com

130 $117

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool

-

Vijay Patel 1981

843-554-4140 www.choicehotels.com gm.sc480@choicehotels.com

129 1 $70

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, airport shuttle, fitness center, business center

Alonzo Taylor

843-571-1000 www.thetownandcountryinn.com sales@thetownandcountryinn.com 843-216-6555 www.charlestondanielisland.hamptoninn.com graham.parrish@hilton.com

129 6 $105 128 2 -

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, fitness center

Stephen P. Clarke, Erin T. England

843-735-5000 www.tinyurl.com/cbvonaw chshm_ds@hilton.com

128 4 $175

843-302-8600 www.charlestonairport.place.hyatt.com -

127 2 $119

843-856-0028 www.charlestonharborresort.com reservations@charlestonharborresort.com

125 9 $129

843-747-9122 www.marriott.com/chscn 843-875-3300 www.hiexpress.com/summervillesc hiesummervilleagm@aol.com

123 2 123 5 $110

843-571-1711 www.marriott.com/chssh julie.gerthoffer@fowlerhospitality.com

123 2 $139

843-744-4202 www.charlestonairportconventioncenter.home2suites.com chscc_ds@hilton.com

122 0 $149

Because of space constraints, only the top-ranked companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit www.scbiznews.com/data. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to lists@scbiznews.com, fax to 843-531-5402 or go to www.tinyurl.com/joinourlists.

B previously Clarion Inn & Suites

Sales Manager

Hotel Amenities

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, airport shuttle, fitness Jennifer Mortland center, business center Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, Amy Anderson, pool, fitness center, business Sandra McLoone center Parker, Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, Dianne Emily Zirpola, pool, fitness center, free Stephanie breakfast, business center Massey Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, business center

Shannon Bevill, Lindsey Lambrakos

John Wong 1974 Brian Rafferty 1988 Donna Ford 1996 Rebecca Ruttiger, Jeff Sargent 2013 James Wells 2004 Frank Fredericks 2008 Ryan Padgett 2006

Shari Perez

Free Wi-Fi, pool, airport shuttle, fitness center, free Brittany Mckie breakfast, business center Free Wi-Fi, pool, airport shuttle, fitness center, free Jenna Joseph, breakfast, business center, in- Melissa DeGroot room kitchen Free Wi-Fi, restaurant, pool, airport shuttle, fitness center, Jessica Phillips free breakfast, business center Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, 24-hour room service, Shannon H. fitness center, business Hartman center Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, airport shuttle, fitness center, business center Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, Bento Samatha business center Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, Julie Gerthoffer business center, in-room kitchen Free Wi-Fi, pool, airport shuttle, fitness center, free breakfast, business center, in- Tom Brinkerhoff room kitchen

Jennifer Colangelo 2015

Kamlesh Shah, Vivian Faulk, Freda Y. Holback 2003 Demetrius E. Palassis 1984 Graham Parrish 2001 Cori Lovern 2008 Vicki Wilkins 2010 Oliver Rooskens 1997 Kevin Rhoton 1999 Rohan Chopra 1981 Jennifer Hill 1999 Matthew Barlett 2011

Researched by Business Journal staff

INTRO | 79

PLAC E S TO STAY

Hotels

For more lists subscribe to:

Properties in the Charleston Area, Ranked by No. of Guest Rooms Property Hampton Inn & Suites Charleston/West Ashley 678 Citadel Haven Drive Charleston, SC 29414 Hampton Inn & Suites Mount Pleasant/Isle of Palms 1104 Isle of Palms Connector Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Holiday Inn Charleston Historic Downtown 425 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29403 Wyndham Garden Charleston Mount Pleasant 1330 Stuart Engals Blvd.

Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Residence Inn by Marriott Charleston Riverview 90 Ripley Point Drive Charleston, SC 29407 Quality Inn 7415 Northside Drive North Charleston, SC 29420 Holiday Inn Express & Suites Mount Pleasant 350 Johnnie Dodds Blvd.

Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Hyatt Place North Charleston 7331 Mazyck Road North Charleston, SC 29406 Homewood Suites by Hilton Charleston / Mount Pleasant 1998 Riviera Drive Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Suburban Extended Stay Hotel 4620 Dorchester Road North Charleston, SC 29405 Quality Inn & Suites at Patriots Point 196 Patriots Point Road Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Fairfield Inn & Suites Charleston Airport/Convention Center 4841 Tanger Outlet Blvd.

North Charleston, SC 29418 Hampton Inn Charleston North 7424 Northside Drive North Charleston, SC 29420 Holiday Inn Express & Suites Charleston-Ashley Phosphate 7670 Northwoods Blvd.

North Charleston, SC 29406 Wingate by Wyndham at Charleston Southern University 9280 University Blvd.

North Charleston, SC 29406 Residence Inn Charleston North 7457 Northside Drive North Charleston, SC 29420 The Boardwalk Inn at Wild Dunes Resort 5757 Palm Blvd.

Isle of Palms, SC 29451 King Charles Inn 237 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29401 Residence Inn by Marriott Charleston Mount Pleasant 1116 Isle of Palms Connector Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Best Western Sweetgrass Inn 1540 Savannah Highway Charleston, SC 29407 Holiday Inn Express-North Charleston 2435 Elms Center Road North Charleston, SC 29406 Holiday Inn Express-Moncks Corner 505 Rembert C. Dennis Blvd.

Moncks Corner, SC 29461 The Vendue 19 Vendue Range Charleston, SC 29401 Comfort Suites at the Isle of Palms Connector 1130 Hungryneck Blvd.

Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 The North Charleston Inn 2934 W. Montague Ave. North Charleston, SC 29418

www.CharlestonBusiness.com

Rooms / Mtg. Rooms / Avg. Corp. Rate

Hotel Amenities

Sales Manager

843-573-1200 www.tinyurl.com/cqdaoga -

121 3 $139

Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, business center

Megan O'Hara Owen

Chris Wernham, Megan O'Hara Owen 2001

843-856-3900 www.tinyurl.com/crnzoat jennifer.hastey@hilton.com 843-718-2327 www.hihistoric.com sales@hihistoric.com 843-352-5100 www.wyndhamgardenmtpleasant.com jparsons@wyndhamgardenmtpleasant.com 843-571-7979 www.marriott.com/chsri julie.gerthoffer@fowlerhospitality.com 843-572-6677 www.choicehotels.com/hotels/sc276 qualityinnssc276@yahoo.com 843-375-2600 www.hiemountpleasant.com slavelle@charlestownehotels.com 843-735-7100 www.northcharleston.place.hyatt.com adrienne.jones@hyatt.com

121 3 120 3 $159 120 3 $119 119 1 $137 118 1 $60 116 1 $89 113 2 $119

Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, business center

Jennifer Hastey

John Boyd 1999

843-881-6950 www.tinyurl.com/c9pefr9 chshw_gm@hilton.com

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, fitness center, business center Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, fitness center, business center Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, business center, in-room kitchen

Blair Lawton

David Nimmo 2013

Judy M. Parsons

Tom Moorman, Joe Waring 2014

Julie Gerthoffer

Rick Buggle 2000

Free Wi-Fi, pool, free breakfast, business center

Peggy Hyatt

Baiju Gajjar 2005

Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, business center

Marianne McNeeley

Steve Lavelle 2009

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, business center

Adrienne Jones

Jason Britton 2010

107 2 $219

Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, business center, in-room kitchen

Eddy Leyte

Jonathan Greene 2002

843-747-7500 www.choicehotels.com gm.sc480@choicehotels.com 843-856-8817 www.choicehotels.com qisales@hgmhotels.com

104 $80 103 2 $90

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, in-room kitchen

-

Freda Y. Holback 1988

Free Wi-Fi, pool, free breakfast, business center

Jeanie Duvall

Lisa Crowley 1999

843-300-3100 www.marriott.com/chscs -

102 2 $119

Free Wi-Fi, pool, airport shuttle, fitness center, free breakfast, business center

Jill M. Lovins

Dawn Wells 2010

843-820-2030 www.charlestonnorth.hamptoninn.com -

102 1 $109

Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, business center

Elaina England

Stephen P. Clarke 1999

843-553-1600 www.hiexpress.com/chastni-26 gm@hiexpressnorthwoods.com

98 1 $109

Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, business center

Tara McConnell

Cheryl Q. Clark 1999

843-553-4444 www.charlestonwingate.com info@charlestonwingate.com

97 3 $109

Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, business center

Sarah K. Wharton

Ron Jaicks 2008

843-300-3636 www.residenceinncharlestonnorth.com 888-845-8880 www.wilddunesmeetings.com 843-723-7451 www.kingcharlesinn.com reservations@kingcharlesinn.com 843-881-1599 www.marriott.com/chsmp ashley.miller@marriott.com 843-571-6100 www.thesweetgrassinn.com brichards@charlestownehotels.com 843-569-3200 www.hiexpress.com/charleston-n gm@hiexpresshwy78.com 843-761-5900 www.hiexpress.com/monckscorner 843-577-7970 www.thevendue.com info@thevendue.com 843-216-0004 www.choicehotels.com/hotel/sc198 kaseyking@staysuburban.com 843-744-8281 www.northcharlestoninn.com jsiebold@charlestownehotels.com

96 1 $137 93 15 $214 91 $200 90 1 $169 87 $79 86 1 $99 84 1 $89 84 1 $189 81 0 $99 80 2 $59

Because of space constraints, only the top-ranked companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit www.scbiznews.com/data. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to lists@scbiznews.com, fax to 843-531-5402 or go to www.tinyurl.com/joinourlists.

80 | INTRO

General Manager / Year Founded

Phone / Website Email

Free Wi-Fi, pool, airport shuttle, fitness center, free breakfast, Candace R. Pengra business center, in-room kitchen

Bill Carter, Candace Pengra 2012

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, 24-hour room service

Jeff Payne

Frank Fredericks 2006

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, fitness center, business center Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, business center, in-room kitchen

Nicole Carter, Nicole Didier

Maureen Sheridan 1960

Ashley B. Miller

Jennifer Bagwell 2002

Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, business center

Bill Richards

Bill Richards 1982

Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, business center

Kelly Schlemann

Amanda Barney 2007

Free Wi-Fi, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, business center

David Hansen

David Hansen 1997

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, business center

Alex Crall, Hope Johnston

Free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurant, pool, fitness center, free breakfast, business center

Kasey King

Pietro Giardini, Nicole Turner 1975 Justin Hatfield, Rebecca Ruttiger 2000

Free Wi-Fi, pool, free breakfast, business center

Michele Holbert

Jimmy Siebold 1973

Researched by Business Journal staff

Alternative & Outdoor Event Venues Ranked by Maximum Capacity

For more lists subscribe to:

www.CharlestonBusiness.com

Phone / Website Email

Max. Capacity / Outdoor / Reception

Description

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Exchange Park 9850 U.S. Highway 78 Ladson, SC 29456 Blackbaud Stadium 1990 Daniel Island Drive Charleston, SC 29492 Hyde Park Farm & Polo Club 6763 Davis Rd. Ravenel, SC 29470 Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park 360 Fishburne St. Charleston, SC 29403

843-572-3161 www.exchangepark.org denise@exchangepark.org 843-971-4625 www.charlestonbattery.com 704-609-6866 www.hydeparkpoloclub.com info@hydeparkpoloclub.com 843-723-7241 www.riverdogs.com -

50,000 50,000 50,000 14,000 5,100 8,000 8,000 5,000 6,000 5,000 1,000

Venue buildings, open land with pond, 70 acres of outside meeting space and 100 acres of parking space

Michael Carney, Denise Massey 1979

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

Andrew Bell 1999

Unlimited parking. 400 acres 17 miles dt charleston. Open air pavilion fireplace, beautiful barn with brick floors, bridal suite. Only polo club in Charleston!

Amy Flowers 2009

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

Melissa Azevedo 1997

Charleston Maritime Center 10 Wharfside St. Charleston, SC 29401

843-853-3625 www.cmcevents.com atchisonb@charleston-sc.gov

4,000 4,000 450

Downtown waterfront event and conference venue with space available for indoor and outdoor receptions and ceremonies; free parking available

Alysia Olshinski, Atchison Bob, Bob Atchinson 1997

843-856-0028 www.charlestonharborresort.com reservations@charlestonharborresort.com

2,500 2,500 2,000

Indoor meeting space and covered outdoor areas overlooking Charleston Harbor; conference planning team and wedding specialist are available.

Oliver Rooskens 1997

843-556-6020 www.middletonplace.org info@middletonplace.org

2,000 2,000 2,000

18th-century plantation, America's oldest landscaped gardens, house museum and plantation stableyards with indoor and outdoor reception sites

843-724-7174 www.charlestoncvb.com binderr@charleston-sc.gov 843-577-3474 www.scaquarium.org -

1,500 1,500 300 1,500 500 1,300

Venue

Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina 20 Patriots Point Road Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Middleton Place 4300 Ashley River Road Charleston, SC 29414 Charleston Visitor Center & Bus Shed 375 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29403 South Carolina Aquarium 100 Aquarium Wharf Charleston, SC 29401

Open, covered usable space Receptions, conferences and meetings can be hosted in the executive suite, great hall or riverside terrace

Because of space constraints, only the top-ranked companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit www.scbiznews.com/data. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to lists@scbiznews.com, fax to 843-531-5402 or go to www.tinyurl.com/joinourlists.

Charles HP Duell, M. Tracey Todd, Randy Sonoski, Warren A. Cobb, Charles H.P. Duell 1741 Russell A. Binder, Taylor Harris 1991 Kevin Mills 2000

Researched by Business Journal Staff

INTRO | 81

PLAC E S TO STAY

Alternative & Outdoor Event Venues Ranked by Maximum Capacity Venue Memminger Auditorium 56 Beaufain St. Charleston, SC 29401 Candlelite Pavilion at Summerville Country Club 400 Country Club Blvd.

Summerville, SC 29483 Summerville Country Club, Miler Golf Course 400 Country Club Blvd.

Summerville, SC 29483 The Golf Club at Wescott Plantation 5000 Wescott Club Drive Summerville, SC 29485 The Grand Pavilion 5757 Palm Blvd.

Isle of Palms, SC 29451 Harborside East 28 Bridgeside Blvd.

Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Wild Dunes Resort 5757 Palm Blvd.

Isle of Palms, SC 29451 Lowndes Grove Plantation 266 St. Margaret St. Charleston, SC 29403 St. James Church Event Center 1872 Camp Rd. Charleston, SC 29412 Beresford Creek course at Daniel Island Club 600 Island Park Drive Daniel Island, SC 29492 Blackbeard's Cove 3255 U.S. Highway 17 N. Mount Pleasant, SC 29466 Daniel Island Club 600 Island Park Drive Daniel Island, SC 29492 Magnolia Plantation & Gardens 3550 Ashley River Road Charleston, SC 29414 Ralston Creek at Daniel Island Club 600 Island Park Drive Daniel Island, SC 29492 Wild Dunes Resort Harbor Course 5881 Palm Blvd.

Isle of Palms, SC 29451 Wild Dunes Resort Links Course 5757 Palm Blvd.

Isle of Palms, SC 29451 The William Aiken House 456 King St. Charleston, SC 29403 Woodlands Mansion 125 Parsons Road Summerville, SC 29483 Johnson Hagood Stadium - Club Level 68 Hagood Ave. Charleston, SC 29403 SpiritLine Cruises and Events 360 Concord St., Suite 201 Charleston, SC 29401 Turtle Point at Kiawah Island Golf Resort 1 Turtle Point Drive Kiawah Island, SC 29455 Dunes West Golf & River Club 3535 Wando Plantation Way Mount Pleasant, SC 29466

Phone / Website Email

Max. Capacity / Outdoor / Reception

843-724-1196 www.memmingerauditorium.com info@memmingerauditorium.com

1,000 250 600

843-873-2210 www.summervillecountryclub.com sblanton@knology.net

Description

Spoleto Festival 2008

800 800 500

Multi-use 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 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

843-873-2210 www.summervillecountryclub.com sblanton@knology.net

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

Bo Blanton Jr. 1925

843-871-2135 wescottgolf.com wescottgolfshop@gmail.com 888-845-8880 www.wilddunesmeetings.com 843-606-2718 harborsideeast.com reservations@harborsideast.com 843-886-6000 www.wilddunes.com groupsales@wilddunes.com

600 500 500 600 800 600 400 250 600 500 600

Antebellum-style clubhouse with wraparound porch, hardwood floors, twin fireplaces and vaulted ceilings; 6,000-square-foot tented patio for weddings and outdoor events 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 Indoor and outdoor waterfront venue on the Charleston harbor with views of downtown Charleston, the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge and the USS Yorktown

Susan Forte 2000

Chelsea Banias 2011

Golf and tennis resort with indoor and outdoor meeting and event facilities

Frank Fredericks 1972

843-853-1810 www.pphgcharleston.com info@pphgcharleston.com

560 560

843 324-6116 www.charlestoneventsvenue.com yvonne29412@yahoo.com

550 500 550

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.

22,000-square-foot facility for meetings with breakout sessions, including lighted, off-street parking, upholstered chairs, 60-inch round tables, meeting and serpentine tables, lighted stage; handicap-accessible

843-971-3555 www.danielislandclub.com -

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).

Greg Keating 1999

843-971-1223 www.blackbeardscove.net contact@blackbeardscove.net

500 -

Corporate meetings, corporate events, team building

Heather M. Stevens, Brian N. Lee 2006

843-971-3555 www.danielislandclub.com info@danielislandclub.com

500 500

Private country club featuring two championship golf courses; 7,100 sq. ft. ballroom, dividable; private board room; outdoor venues; full-service catering options. Popular for weddings, corporate events and fundraising events.

Greg Keating 1999

843-571-1266 www.magnoliaplantation.com events@magnoliaplantation.com 843-971-3555 www.danielislandclub.com 843-886-2004 www.wilddunes.com reservations@wilddunes.com 843-886-2002 www.wilddunes.com reservations@wilddunes.com

500 500 500 500 500 500 500 -

Features three scenic locations for weddings and corporate events; America's oldest public garden and 19th century Romantic style garden

1676

Nationally ranked Rees Jones layout available on a limited basis for member-sponsored charity and corporate events when course is closed for member play (Tuesdays).

Greg Keating 2006

The golf course could be used for a cocktail reception.

Jeff Minton 1980

The golf course could be used as event space for cocktail reception.

Frank Fredricks 1980

843-722-3474 www.pphgcharleston.com info@pphgcharleston.com

500 500

843-875-2600 www.woodlandsmansion.com stay@woodlandsmansion.com

500 500 400

843-953-6703 www.mywedding.com/vendors/the-clublevel-lounge-and-terraces-133401 ddillahey@citadel.edu 843-722-2628 www.spiritlinecruises.com sales@spiritlinecruises.com

450 5,800 450

Two outdoor terraces available with 500-person capacity each

Tom McAlister 2006

400 350

Available for corporate meetings & outings, private cruises & charters and for all types of group tours. Offering onsite event planners and an Executive Chef make your next event one to remember.

Ian Harris 1961

843-266-4050 www.kiawahresort.com reservations@kiawahresort.com

380 0 380

Centrally located on the resort; meeting and conference facilities on the second floor of the clubhouse; Tomasso restaurant also available for functions

Steve Agazzi, Brian Gerard, Mark Schaffer 1982

843-856-9000 www.duneswestgolfclub.com -

350 350 350

Antebellum clubhouse on Wagner Creek, 200-year-old avenue of oaks on the drive in, space for wedding ceremonies and receptions

Jason Hanson 1991

1810 National Historic Landmark in downtown Charleston; indoor and outdoor spaces with period artwork, piazzas and private grounds with manicured lawns, bluestone courtyards, reflection pool and Gothic-style carriage house Boardroom accommodates up to 12 people with in-room fireplace, flatpanel TV, private bath, terrace; private dining room accommodates up to 14, fireplace and private reception area; pavilion with over 1,400 square feet with open-air porches

Because of space constraints, only the top-ranked companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit www.scbiznews.com/data. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to lists@scbiznews.com, fax to 843-531-5402 or go to www.tinyurl.com/joinourlists.

82 | INTRO

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Lee Ray 2009

Jody Harris 1972

Jennifer Goldman 2007 Yvonne Elaine Jordan 2009

Jennifer Goldman 2000 Tom Limehouse 1906

Researched by Business Journal Staff

S E CTION NA ME

Photo/ Julia Lynn/Charleston Spoleto Festival

arts abound

The depth and breadth of Charleston’s arts scene just may surprise you. From established galleries and historic theaters to funky festivals and improv comedy, the Holy City and surrounding areas have it all. The following is just a small selection of what’s available to spark and satisfy your artistic cravings.

Visual arts

» Artistic Spirit Gallery Artistic Spirit Gallery, located at the Navy Yard at Noisette, features well-known artists’ work and “outsider art” — pieces created by self-taught, emerging artists. Call for an appointment. 10 Storehouse Row, Charleston, 843-579-0149. www.artisticspiritgallery.com

» Carolina Galleries This Church Street gallery focuses on two distinct periods in Charleston history: First, the Charleston Renaissance, which took place during the first half of the 20th century and features artwork inspired by the beauty and war-ravaged Lowcountry. And second, 21stcentury Charleston, which includes more recent paintings that capture the personality of the region, from its historic streets to quintessential marsh scenes.

106-A Church St., 843-720-8622. www.carolinagalleries.com

» Charleston Fine

Art Dealers’ Association

Diane Reeves performs at the Cistern at the College of Charleston during the 2015 Spoleto Festival.

84 | INTRO

Created in 1999, the Charleston Fine Art Dealers’ Association now includes 13 galleries.

The association hosts Palette and Stroll each July, an evening dedicated to fine art, cuisine and wine. It also hosts the Fine Art Annual, a weekend event held each November that features national artists and raises funds to support art programs in local schools. www. cfada.com

A RTS A B OUND Photo/Courtesy of Spoleto Festival USA Photo/ Kyle Cordova/Charleston Spoleto Festival

Charles “Lil Buck” Riley performing in “What Moves You” at the 2015 Spoleto Festival.

The City Gallery presents six to eight exhibits each year focusing on contemporary visual arts created by local, regional, national and international artists. 34 Prioleau St., Charleston, 843-958-6484. http:// citygalleryatwaterfrontpark.com/

» French Quarter

Gallery Association

Roughly 30 galleries are members of the French Quarter Gallery Association. The galleries stay open late the first Friday night in March, May, October and December for the very popular Art Walks. Free. 843-805-8052. www.frenchquarterarts.com

» Gallery Chuma Specializing in the works of the Gullah people of coastal South Carolina, Gallery Chuma features Gullah art, books, crafts, storytelling, tours and food. 43 John St., Charleston, 843722-7568. www.gallerychuma.com

» Gibbes Museum of Art As Charleston’s only visual arts museum, the Gibbes also offers a variety of educational programs, group tours and art discovery walking tours. 135 Meeting St., Charleston.

843-722-2706. www.gibbesmuseum.org

» Halsey Institute

of Contemporary Art

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. 54 St. Philip St., Charleston, 843-953-5680. http://halsey. cofc.edu/index.php

» MOJA Arts Festival 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. www.mojafestival.com

» New Perspectives Gallery Features curated exhibitions by Charleston area artists and special exhibits during the Piccolo Spoleto Festival and MOJA Arts Festival. 180 Meeting St., Charleston, 843-958-6459.

rnan Photo/Ashley Heffe

» City Gallery at Waterfront Park

Charleston Mayor Joe Riley paints a column red on the Gibbes Museum of Art canvas during its groundbreaking ll event. The Gibbes wi n llio mi undergo a $13.4 renovation and is late scheduled to reopen .

16 spring of 20

INTRO | 85

ARTS ABO UND Photo/Kim McManus

» Charleston Symphony Orchestra www.charlestonsymphony.com 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. Concerts are held at various locations around Charleston including the Gaillard Auditorium and the Memminger Auditorium.

572 Savannah Highway, Suite 100, Charleston.

843-577-5967.

» The Dock Street Theatre

The Dock Street Theatre was the first building built for theater in America.

» North Charleston City Gallery

» American Theater

Located in the common areas 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, 843-745-1087. www. northcharleston.org

www.pphgcharleston.com The American Theater opened in 1942 as one of Charleston’s premiere movie houses. It closed in 1977 and stood vacant for 20 years until it was revitalized and reopened in 2005 as a stateof-the-art meeting and conference facility. It also hosts a variety of performances, including Spoleto activities. 446 King St., Charleston. 843853-0246.

» Piccolo Spoleto 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. www.piccolospoleto.com

» Spoleto Festival USA Held each spring since 1977, this 17-day festival features visual art exhibits and more than 120 performances from opera to jazz music. 843-722-2764; box office: 843-5793100. www.spoletousa.org

Performing arts

» The Actors’ Theatre of South Carolina

www.actorstheatreofsc.org Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Charleston, members of the Actors’ Theatre travel the state presenting a full season of performances as well as acting classes. 843588-9636.

86 | INTRO

» Charleston Ballet Theatre www.charlestonballet.org During the last 20 years, the Charleston Ballet Theatre has achieved national recognition for its artistic and professional presentations of a range of works from classic to eclectic. 615 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Mount Pleasant, 843388-5888.

» Charleston Music Hall

www.charlestoncity.info The historic Dock Street Theatre reopened after undergoing a three-year, $20 million renovation. The theatre 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. 843-720-3968.

» Flowertown Players www.flowertownplayers.org This community theater presents a range of productions from musicals to serious dramas, as well as performances and classes just for children. 133 S. Main St., Summerville. 843875-9251.

» Footlight Players Theatre www.footlightplayers.net Since 1931, the Footlight Players Theatre has presented a variety of stage products and has become known as one of the top community theatres in the South. A typical season includes six performances.

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

» The Gaillard

Municipal Auditorium

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.

www.charlestoncity.info Built in 1968, the Gaillard hosts a multitude of events and performances from rock ‘n’ roll concerts to fashion shows.

77 Calhoun St., Charleston, 843-577-7400.

» Charleston Stage

» The Have Nots! Comedy Improv

www.charlestonstage.com Charleston Stage, which calls the newly renovated Dock Street Theatre home, was founded in 1978 and is the state’s largest professional theatre company. 843-577-7183.

www.theatre99.com Called the longest-running show in Charleston, The Have Nots! cast has been together for 15 years and performed more than 1,200 shows. Local shows are held at Theatre 99, the

A RTS A B OUND

» Memminger Auditorium Built in the 1930s as an auditorium for Memminger High School, the building stood vacant since the 1960s and was severely damaged by Hurricane Hugo. 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 from international artists performing as part of Spoleto, to local school groups. 56 Beaufain St., Charleston.

» North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center

www.coliseumpac.com The North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center have hosted numerous events from hockey games to Broadway shows throughout the year. The coliseum seats more than 13,000 for a concert performance. The Performing Arts Center seats 2,300. 5001 Coliseum Drive, North Charleston, 843-529-5011.

» PURE Theatre

Photo/Ryan Wilcox

group’s own theatre, as well as other locations throughout Charleston. 280 Meeting St., Charleston. 843-853-6687.

www.puretheatre.org PURE Theatre performs at the Circular Congregational Church and has gained respect as a small professional theatre focusing on the works of contemporary playwrights. 150 Meeting St., Charleston, 843-723-4444.

» Sottile Theatre sottile.cofc.edu The Sottile Theatre opened in 1922 as The Gloria Theatre and hosted the premiere of Gone With the Wind in 1939. It’s now the home of various performances, including Charleston Symphony Orchestra concerts and Spoleto Festival performances.

44 George St., Charleston, 843-953-5623.

» Village Playhouse www.thevillageplayhouse.com Open since 2001, the Village Playhouse and Repertory Company offer more than 150 nights of entertainment each season.

Classics, as well as new dramas and musicals, can be experienced within a venue that

Hometown favorites, Shovels and Rope, play a concert at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center. features small, candlelit tables rather than auditorium seating.

730 Coleman Blvd., Mount Pleasant, 843-856-1579.

For more about arts events in the area, visit this website: www.charlestonarts.org

INTRO | 87

Photo/Kim McManus

attractions and tours » Aiken-Rhett House

» Angel Oak Park

48 Elizabeth St. Charleston, SC 29403 843-723-1159 www.historiccharleston.org/aikenrhett Single Adult Admission: $12 Intact mansion and associated outbuildings demonstrating urban life in antebellum Charleston

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

» American

» Avery Research Center

Military Museum

2070 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., Unit 216 Charleston, SC 29407 843-577-7000 info@americanmilitarymuseum.org www.americanmilitarymuseum.org Admission: Free Hundreds of uniforms, artifacts and military miniatures covering all periods of U.S. history

88 | INTRO

for African American History & Culture

125 Bull St. Charleston, SC 29424 843-953-7609 seharrel@cofc.edu http://avery.cofc.edu Admission: Free, donations accepted Archival repository, small museum, and cultural center for public programming relating to African-

Guests are able to touch sharks and rays at the Shark Shallows exhibit, which opened in the spring 2015 at the South Carolina Aquarium.

American Lowcountry history and Gullah culture

» Avian

Exhibits displaying Lowcountry culture and natural history; located in Old Santee Canal Park

Conservation Center

» Boone Hall Plantation

4872 Seewee Road Awendaw, SC 29429 843-971-7474 info@avianconservationcenter.org www.thecenterforbirdsofprey.org Single Adult Admission: $15 Encounters with raptors from around the world during walking tours, flight demonstrations and natural history discussions

1235 Long Point Road Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 843-884-4371 www.boonehallplantation.com Single Adult Admission: $20/$18 seniors and miliary members One of America’s oldest working, living plantations, still growing fruits and vegetables; interprets plantation life in the 1800s

» Berkeley County Museum » Calhoun Mansion & Heritage Center

950 Stony Landing Road Moncks Corner, SC 29461 843-899-5101 www.scberkmuseum.org Admission: Free with park admission

14-16 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29401 843-722-8205 calhounmansion@yahoo.com www.calhounmansion.net Single Adult Admission: $16 The largest privately owned

AT T R AC T I O N AND EV ENTS

» Carolina Ice Palace 7665 Northwoods Blvd.

North Charleston, SC 29406 843-572-2717 www.carolinaicepalace.com Single Adult Admission: $7-$10 Two National Hockey League-size ice skating rinks, sports lounge, meeting rooms, pro shop, birthday party rooms, catering, figure skating, hockey

9850 U.S. Highway 78 Ladson, SC 29456 843-572-3161 office@coastalcarolinafair.org www.coastalcarolinafair.org Single Adult Admission: $8 Fair that runs for 11 days starting the last Thursday in October

tory Interpretive Center

5200 Savannah Highway Ravenel, SC 29470 843-889-8898 www.ccprc.com Single Adult Admission: $1 654-acre site with intact rice fields, interpretive trails, exhibit center, wildlife

» Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site

» The Center for Birds of Prey

» Charles Pinckney

National Historic Site

1254 Long Point Road Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 843-881-5516 http://www.nps.gov/chpi/index.htm Admission: Free Country estate of Charles Pinckney; Constitution history, archaeology, African-American history

» Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site

1500 Old Towne Road Charleston, SC 29407 843-852-4200 ctlandingsp@scprt.com

6617 Maybank Highway Wadmalaw Island, SC 29487 843-559-0383 jknight@rcbigelow.com www.charlestonteaplantation.com Single Adult 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

» Coastal Carolina Fair

» Caw Caw Nature & His-

4872 Seewee Road Awendaw, SC 29429 843-971-7474 www.thecenterforbirdsofprey.org Single Adult Admission: $15 Live birds of prey in a natural setting; information on the role birds of prey play in the environment

» Charleston Tea Plantation

The alley of live oaks in front of the Legare Waring House at Charles Towne Landing. www.charlestownelanding.travel Single Adult Admission: $10 Site of first permanent English settlement in the Carolinas, Rivers and marsh views, trails, history trails and an animal forest exhibit with bison, puma, black bear, otters, various shore birds, wild turkey and more.

» Charleston International

» The Charleston Museum 360 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29403 843-722-2996 www.charlestonmuseum.org Single Adult Admission: $12 America’s first museum, showcasing a variety of cultural and natural history artifacts relating to the South Carolina Lowcountry

Antiques Show

» Charleston RiverDogs

56 Beaufain St. Charleston, SC 29401 843-722-3405 www.historiccharleston.org Single Adult Admission: $15 Held in March, more than 30 of the nation’s exhibitors represent American, Asian and European antiques from the 17th to early 20th centuries

360 Fishburne St. Charleston, SC 29403 843-723-7241 www.riverdogs.com Single Adult Admission: $9-$19 Minor league baseball; facility also hosts numerous non-baseball events, fundraisers and concerts

300 State Park Road Summerville, SC 29485 843-873-1740 www.southcarolinaparks.com/parkfinder/state-park/725.aspx Single Adult 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

» Cypress Gardens 3030 Cypress Gardens Road Moncks Corner, SC 29461 843-553-0515 hgraham@berkeleycountysc.gov www.cypressgardens.info Single Adult Admission: $10 170-acre swamp garden with swamparium, butterfly house, museum, boat tours and walking trails, three indoor meeting venues, outdoor gazebos

INTRO | 89

Photo/Courtesy of Patriots Point

Photo/Ryan Wilcox

house museum on the Charleston peninsula

ATT RACTIO NS AND TO U R S Photo/File

Photo/Leslie Burden

Carriage Tours Carolina Polo & Carriage Co. The only carriage company in the city owned and operated by Charlestonians whose family has been in Charleston since the 1600s. 16 Hayne St., Charleston.

843-577-6767. http://cpcc.com Classic Carriage Tours A carriage ride with Classic Carriage Tours will provide insight on the city of Charleston and a lesson in Southern culture.

10 Guignard St., Charleston. 843-853-3747. www.classiccarriage.com Old South Carriage Tours Guides dressed in Confederate uniforms will take you around the city, speaking of more than 300 years of Charleston’s history.

14 Anson St., Charleston. 843-723-9712. www.oldsouthcarriage.com Old Towne Carriage Co. Hop on a carriage ride that will take you through the historic market and past historic homes and buildings in a 25-30-block area.

20 Anson St., Charleston. 843-722-1315. www.oldetownecarriage.com Palmetto Carriage Works The oldest carriage company in Charleston, Palmetto Carriage Works covers a 30-block area of the historic district. Evening tours offered in the summer.

8 Guignard St., Charleston. 843-723-8145. www.carriagetour.com

90 | INTRO

Tour Fort Sumter National Monument, where the Civil War started.

» Dock Street Theatre 135 Church St. Charleston, SC 29401 843-720-3968 www.charlestonstage.com Single Adult 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 3380 Ashley River Road Charleston, SC 29414 843-769-2600 info@draytonhall.org www.draytonhall.org Single Adult Admission: $22 Circa 1738, America’s oldest unrestored plantation house open to the public and documented 1790s African-American cemetery still in use

» Edisto Island Serpentarium

1374 S.C. Highway 174 Edisto Island, SC 29438 843-869-1171 www.edistoserpentarium.com Single Adult Admission: $14.95

Reptile zoo, new Edisto visitors center, fossil room

» Edmondston-Alston House

21 E. Battery St. Charleston, SC 29401 843-722-7171 www.edmondstonalston.com Single Adult Admission: $12 Built in 1825; contains furniture, silver, books, paintings and documents that remain in place much as they have for 150 years

» Edwin S. Taylor Folly Beach Fishing Pier 101 E. Arctic Ave. Folly Beach, SC 29439 843-588-3474 www.ccprc.com Admission: $5-10 per car to park; $8 fishing fee/$3 seniors Fishing pier, gift shop, restaurant, rental equipment available, tournaments, special events

» Exchange Park 9850 U.S. Highway 78 Ladson, SC 29456 843-572-3161 denise@exchangepark.org

www.exchangepark.org Single Adult Admission: Varies per event 170-acre multipurpose event complex hosting a wide variety of special-event programming

» Folly Beach County Park

1100 W. Ashley Ave. Folly Beach, SC 29439 843-588-2426 www.ccprc.com Single Adult Admission: $710 per vehicle Beach park with chair and umbrella rentals available.

Visit CCPRC.com for more information.

» Fort Moultrie 1214 Middle St. Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482 843-883-3123 http://www.nps.gov/fosu/planyourvisit/fomohqdirections.htm Single Adult Admission: $3 History of American seacoast defense from 1776 to 1947; visitor center with museum exhibits, film and bookstore

AT T R AC T I O N AND EV ENTS Photo/Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission

» Fort Sumter

National Monument

340 Concord St. Charleston, SC 29401 843-577-0242 http://www.nps.gov/fosu/index.htm Adult Boat Fee: $19 Ferries depart daily from Charleston and Mount Pleasant to tour the site of the opening battle of the Civil War

» Gibbes Museum of Art 135 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29401 843-722-2706 www.gibbesmuseum.org Single Adult Admission: $6 Art collection, principally American works with a Charleston or Southern connection, on display; special exhibitions

» Heyward-Washington

The climbing wall at James Island County Park. fishing, biking, lagoon boating, dog park, playgrounds, shelters, climbing wall, cottages, campsites and challenge course

Two 200-foot slides, lazy river, Caribbean play structure, concessions, kiddie pool, lockers, lifeguards, vending

House

» James Island County Park » Joseph

87 Church St. Charleston, SC 29401 843-722-2996 www.charlestonmuseum.org Single Adult Admission: $12 Built in 1772; home to Thomas Heyward Jr., signer of the Declaration of Independence; rented by George Washington in 1791

Challenge Course

Manigault House

871 Riverland Drive Charleston, SC 29412 843-762-2172 www.ccprc.com/challengecourse Single Adult Admission: varies High and low ropes course for team-building; customized programs for all ages and abilities

» Isle of Palms

» James Island County Park

350 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29403 843-723-2926 info@charlestonmuseum.org www.charlestonmuseum.org Single Adult Admission: $12 Example of Adam-style or Federal architecture, collection of American, English and French furnishings circa 1800, built in 1803

County Park

1 14th Ave. Isle of Palms, SC 29451 843-886-3863 www.ccprc.com Single Adult Admission: $7 per vehicle/$10 Saturday and Sunday May-Labor Day Dunes, boardwalk, showers, restrooms, lifeguards, vending, 350 parking spaces

» James Island County Park 871 Riverland Drive Charleston, SC 29412 843-795-7275 www.ccprc.com Single Adult Admission: $1 643-acre park with crabbing,

Climbing Wall

871 Riverland Drive Charleston, SC 29412 843-795-4386 www.ccprc.com/wall Single Adult Admission: $12-$14 50-foot climbing wall and 1,000-square-foot bouldering wall for supervised climbing

» James Island County Park Splash Zone

871 Riverland Drive James Island, SC 29412 843-795-7275 www.splashparks.com Single Adult Admission: $11.99; Under 48”: $8.99

» Karpeles Manuscript Museum Library

68 Spring St. Charleston, SC 29403 843-853-4651 KMuseumChr@aol.com www.rain.org/~karpeles/chasfrm. html Admission: Free Displays historical manuscripts on a wide variety of cultural, scientific, social, intellectual, economic, historical subjects

» Kiawah

Beachwalker Park

8 Beachwalker Drive Kiawah Island, SC 29455 843-768-2395 www.ccprc.com Single Adult Admission: $7 per vehicle/ $10 Saturdays and Sundays Beach access park with 300 feet of ocean frontage, dressing areas, outdoor showers, restrooms and seasonal lifeguards

» Magnolia

Plantation & Gardens

3550 Ashley River Road Charleston, SC 29414 843-571-1266 www.magnoliaplantation.com Single Adult Admission: $15 Pre-Revolutionary War plantation house with early American antiques, biblical garden, antebellum cabin, train tour, nature boat tour, slave cabin tour

» Mepkin Abbey 1098 Mepkin Abbey Road Moncks Corner, SC 29461 843-761-8509 www.mepkinabbey.org Single Adult Admission: $5 Gardens are open to the public

INTRO | 91

ATT RACTIO NS AND TO U R S

» Middleton Place 4300 Ashley River Road Charleston, SC 29414 843-556-6020 info@middletonplace.org www.middletonplace.org Single Adult Admission: $28 18th-century plantation, America’s oldest landscaped gardens, house, stableyards, Middleton Place Restaurant, museum shop, garden market and nursery

» Mount Pleasant Pier 71 Harry Hallman Blvd.

Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 843-762-9946 customerservice@ccprc.com www.ccprc.com Single Adult Fishing Fee: $8/$3 seniors 1,250-foot-long pier at the foot of the Ravenel Bridge featuring covered pavilion, cafe, gift shop, fishing equipment rentals, seating, restrooms

» Mullet Hall

Equestrian Center

2662 Mullet Hall Road Johns Island, SC 29455 843-768-5867 customerservice@ccprc.com www.ccprc.com Single adult admission fee: $1/walkers $5/per person on horse A 738-acre host site for competitive horse shows, festivals, events, exhibitions, and trail riding, with 20 miles of riding trails for horse owners

» The Nathaniel Russell House

51 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29401 843-724-8481 www.historiccharleston.org/russell Single Adult Admission: $12 Plasterwork ornamentation, geometrically shaped rooms, freeflying staircase, garden

92 | INTRO

» North Charleston & American LaFrance Fire Museum & Educational Center

4975 Centre Pointe Drive North Charleston, SC 29418 843-740-5550 info@legacyofheroes.org www.legacyofheroes.org Single Adult Admission: $6 The fire museum houses antique fire equipment and vehicles, an indoor play area and driving simulator

» Old Exchange Building 122 East Bay St. Charleston, SC 29401 843-727-2165 www.oldexchange.org Single Adult Admission: $10 Revolutionary War museum completed in 1771, featuring historical artifacts from Charleston’s Colonial, Revolutionary and Civil War periods

» Old Santee Canal Park 900 Stony Landing Road Moncks Corner, SC 29461 843-899-5200 parkinfo@santeecooper.com www.oldsanteecanalpark.org Single Adult Admission: $3 195-acre park on America’s first canal; boardwalks and trails lead through Biggin Creek; 11,000-square-foot interpretive center

» Palmetto Islands County Park

444 Needlerush Parkway Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 843-884-0832 www.ccprc.com Single Adult Admission: $1 943-acre nature-based park with playgrounds, trails, boating, biking, shelters, water park, special events

» Palmetto Islands County Park Splash Island

444 Needlerush Parkway Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 843-884-0832 www.splashparks.com Single Adult Admission: $7.99, under 48”: $5.99 200-foot slide, Cyclone swirling water ride, 16-foot otter slide, kiddie pool, sprays, waterfalls, geysers, vending

» Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

40 Patriots Point Road Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 866-831-1720 www.patriotspoint.org Single Adult Admission: $20 Home of Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum, the USS Yorktown, Cold War Memorial and the only Vietnam Support Base Memorial in the U.S.

» The Powder Magazine 79 Cumberland St. Charleston, SC 29401 843-722-9350 www.powdermag.org Single Adult Admission: $5 Oldest public building between Virginia and Florida, circa 1713, stored gun powder in the early 1700s

» PURE Theatre 477 King St. Charleston, SC 29403 843-723-4444 www.puretheatre.org Single Adult Admission: $15-$26

» Sewee Visitor &

Environmental Education Center

5821 U.S. Highway 17 N. Awendaw, SC 29429 843-928-3368 www.fws.gov/seweecenter Admission: Free Center features tourist information on recreational opportunities

available in the Francis Marion National Forest Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge

» South Carolina Aquarium 100 Aquarium Wharf Charleston, SC 29401 843-577-3474 sales@scaquarium.org www.scaquarium.org Single Adult Admission: $24.95 Aquarium featuring S.C. native species and other animals as well as traveling exhibits; works to inspire conservation of the natural world

» Spring Festival of Houses & Gardens

108 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29401 843-722-3405 www.historiccharleston.org Single Adult Admission: Varies Series of tours showcasing Charleston architecture

» Wannamaker County Park 8888 University Blvd.

North Charleston, SC 29406 843-572-7275 www.ccprc.com Single Adult Admission: $1 1,015-acre park, two playgrounds, 20-foot play hill, picnic sites with grills, open meadows, paved trails, boat rentals, water park, meeting space

» Whirlin’ Waters

Adventure Waterpark

8888 University Blvd.

North Charleston, SC 29406 843-572-7275 www.splashparks.com Single Adult Admission: $19.99 27,000-square-foot wave pool, lazy river, treehouse play structure, kiddie pool area, seven-story multislide complex, racer slides, vending, birthday parties

Photo/Paul Mulkey/Southeastern Wildlife Exposition

Calendar of Events

The acrobatics seen at the DockDogs competition delights crowds every year.

Photo/Andrew Cebulka/Charleston Wine

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

+ Food

» 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 oys-

The North + South + East + West gathering during Charleston Wine + Food.

ters – 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 www.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 INTRO | 93

CAL E N DAR O F EVENT S Photo/Liz Segrist

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.

» Cooper River Bridge Run www.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.

» Family Circle Cup

Cavortress, a Mount Pleasant boutique, presents at Charleston Fashion Week. to venues throughout Charleston for a long weekend. Conservation exhibits, birds of prey and retriever demonstrations, and Dock Dogs are among the highlights.

» Charleston Wine and Food Festival

www.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.

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 Memminger Auditorium, 56 Beaufain St.

» Spring Festival of

Houses and Gardens

MARCH

www.historiccharleston.org 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.

» Charleston Fashion Week

APRIL

www.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 www.historiccharleston.org Each year in mid-March, collectors and enthusiasts are treated to an array of English, European and American antiques from dealers 94 | INTRO

» World Grits Festival www.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.org The three-day event showcases the beautiful

www.familycirclecup.com A partnership between the city of Charleston and Family Circle magazine helped build a state-of-the-art tennis center that brings this weeklong women’s tournament to Daniel Island each April. Watch the stars play for the Cup, then come back to play tennis or attend sports and cultural events.

MAY & JUNE

» Spoleto Festival USA www.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

» 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 Charleston.

JULY

» Fourth of July www.patriotspoint.org Fireworks launched from the flight deck of an aircraft carrier at Patriots Point and a shoreside party with beach music make Independence

CA L E N DA R OF EV ENTS Photo/Ryan Wilcox

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

Day in Charleston fun. Communities all over the area have their own celebrations. Sit on the beach and watch fireworks all around.

SEPTEMBER

» Taste of Charleston www.charlestonrestaurantassociation.com In late September, Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant becomes the place to eat, as 50 of the Lowcountry’s favorite casual and fine dining restaurants serve sample-sized portions and beer and wine. There’s also live entertainment, a waiters’ race and a special children’s area.

» 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.

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.

For more events listings, visit this website: www.charlestoncvb.com

INTRO | 95

17

26

78

17A

Berkeley County

78

Dorchester County

Summerville

Goose Creek

17A

17A 52

61

17

165

Hanahan

33 41

North Charleston

17 7

642

526

Daniel Island

26

Mt. Pleasant 17

Ravenel

West Ashley

17

699

Isle of Palms

Charleston 30

Charleston County

162

517

703

Sullivan's Island

James Island

Atlantic Ocean

164 700

Johns Island

171

Meggett Folly Beach Kiawah Island

174

Newcomer Information Seabrook Island

TELEPHONE AT&T 855-258-1471 www.att.com

Home Telephone Company 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

Time Warner Cable 866-892-7201

www.timewarnercable.com

ELECTRICITY AND NATURAL GAS Berkeley Electric Cooperative 843-761-8200

Santee Cooper 843-761-8000

Town of Mount Pleasant 843-884-8518

City of Goose Creek 843-797-6220, ext. 1

South Carolina Electric & Gas

City of North Charleston 843-745-1026

City of Isle of Palms 843-886-6148

Town of Sullivan’s Island 843-883-3198

James Island Public Service District 843-795-9060

www.santeecooper.com

800-251-7234 www.sceg.com

GARBAGE City of Charleston 843-724-7364

www.charleston-sc.gov

City of Goose Creek 843-824-2200

www.cityofgoosecreek.com

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

www.becsc.com

Edisto Electric Cooperative 800-433-3292 www.edistoelectric.com

96 | INTRO

Town of Moncks Corner 843-719-7900

www.townofmonckscorner.sc.gov

www.tompsc.com

www.northcharleston.org

www.sullivansisland-sc.com

Town of Summerville 843-619-0800 www.summerville.sc.us

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

www.cityofgoosecreek.com

www.iopwsc.com

www.jipsd.org

Town of Moncks Corner 843-719-7900

www.townofmonckscorner.sc.gov

St. John’s Water Co. 843-559-0186 www.stjohnswater.com

Town of Sullivan’s Island 843-883-5733 www.sullivansisland-sc.com

Summerville Commissioners of Public Works 843-871-0810 www.summervillecpw.com

Mount Pleasant Waterworks 843-884-9626

www.mountpleasantwaterworks.com