Isle of Palms

The Isle of Palms has attained the near-perfect combination of preservation and development, creating an ideal beach resort for visitors and full-time residents alike, just a short drive from historic downtown Charleston. Located north of Charleston Harbor, the upscale barrier island exudes a feeling of community that most resort islands simply cannot offer. IOP is known for its cool breezes, mild winters and pleasant summers, the perfect setting for people in search of a year-round, warm-weather home.

The Isle of Palms Parks and Recreation Department offers numerous activities for residents and tourists, and there's a full-service marina for boaters. On the north end of the island, the spectacular Wild Dunes Resort is home to two world-class championship golf courses. Both The Links and The Harbor Course were designed by renowned architect Tom Fazio.

Isle of Palms residents are a short drive from the most complete shopping center in the area. Towne Centre, in Mount Pleasant, was designed to look like a small Southern village and features national department stores and shops as well as locally owned businesses. Also nearby is Shem Creek, home to one of the area's last fishing boat fleets, unusual art galleries and several outstanding restaurants.

To learn more, visit the City of Isle of Palms

Sullivan's Island

Sullivan's Island, SC is just minutes from all that historic Charleston and booming Mount Pleasant have to offer, yet it might as well be a thousand miles away. A sophisticated island town, it offers its residents and visitors no flashing neon signs, no shopping malls, no golf courses and not even a stoplight, just a small downtown district that features primarily upscale restaurants and watering holes. And that's the way the islanders plan to keep it. Residents get around on foot, on bikes or in golf carts. When they need to leave the island, they travel across an old-fashioned drawbridge. There are no hotels of any sort and rental properties are frowned upon in this family-oriented, close-knit community.

To learn more, visit the Town of Sullivan Island

Mt. Pleasant

Mount Pleasant, SC, is a vibrant, thriving community that is proud of its past and looking toward a bright future. Located across the Cooper River from historic Charleston, Mount Pleasant has experienced tremendous growth in the past decade, but has also preserved its heritage and small-town sense of community. Many people choose to live in Mount Pleasant because of the town's proximity to the area's beaches and excellent golf courses, its mild climate and nearby state-of-the-art medical facilities. The state-of-the-art Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge linked Mount Pleasant with Charleston in 2005, replacing the Grace Memorial Bridge, built in 1929, and the Pearman Bridge, which opened for business in 1966. Picturesque Shem Creek, which bisects the city, hosts several popular restaurants, shops, and one of the last fleets of local fishing boats in the area where residents can still take advantage of the fresh off-the-boat seafood sold on the docks.

To learn more, visit the Town of Mt. Pleasant

Charleston

Charleston is rated the fifth most popular vacation destination in the United States, and it surely must rank in the top five among places to spend the rest of your life. If it doesn't yet, it eventually will. Visit the city once and you'll discover that it pulls at your heartstrings like no other place in the country. Is it the delightful year-round climate? The almost-European feel of its downtown city streets? The overwhelming amount of history lurking behind every corner and down every alley? Charleston is truly one of the most cosmopolitan places around, offering sophisticated dining rivaling that of much larger cities and shopping experiences for even the most jaded consumers.

To learn more, visit the Charleston Area Convention Center and Visitor Bureau