Cities

Charleston has been rated the most popular vacation destination in the United States, and it surely must rank among the top five or ten places in your heart 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 say that Charleston is steeped in history is much like saying the sun is yellow. Other places have long histories as well, but none is a living museum that grows and changes with the times. Suffice it to say, if you’re a history buff, you will never grow tired of Charleston and the surrounding countryside.

While the city itself has no beaches, it is surrounded by water on three sides – if you’re lost, just continue on and you’ll surely run into a familiar river and get your bearings. The most picturesque spot in Charleston might be The Battery, with its panoramic views of the Ashley and the Cooper, the two rivers that form the peninsula, and the Atlantic Ocean. If you love the sights and sounds of gentle waves lapping against the shore, you can reach some of the best beaches along the Atlantic coast in a matter of minutes. If you revere golf, there is no shortage of challenging courses to conquer. If you enjoy walking, Charleston is full of interesting little parks and side streets filled with art galleries and boutiques.

In spite of all that Charleston offers, it maintains a small-town charm you’ll cherish for years to come. You’ll love morning strolls around Colonial Lake and sunset cocktails at restaurants overlooking the water. You’ll come to appreciate the intricate artwork in the wrought-iron gates and the lovely Charleston single style of architecture, designed to catch the breeze on sultry afternoons.

Most of all, you’ll cherish the many new friends and acquaintances you’ll make when you choose Charleston.

Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, 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 played an important role in South Carolina and U.S. history for more than three centuries. The many Colonial and antebellum homes in Mount Pleasant’s Old Village draw tourists in large numbers, inviting them to wander the narrow, oak-lined streets and take a peek back into the town’s proud past. The most well-known of the homes and buildings in this historic district is Alhambra Hall, a former ferry station that overlooks Charleston Harbor.

Originally the home of the Sewee Indians, Mount Pleasant’s first white settlers, led by Capt. Florentia O’Sullivan, arrived from England in 1680. The town’s name was forever etched in history on Sept. 24, 1860, when a public meeting held there produced South Carolina’s first resolution of secession. Shortly thereafter, representatives of seven Southern states met in Charleston to form the Confederate States of America.

Mount Pleasant remained a small town until well into the 20th century, populated in part by Charlestonians wealthy enough to afford summer homes across the Cooper River.

As proud as Mount Pleasant is of its past, it’s the city’s ability to look to the future that speaks loudest. 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.

While Mount Pleasant has experienced tremendous growth in the past decade, it also has 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. Mount Pleasant also is home to some of the finest shopping in the region. Towne Centre, on busy Highway 17, offers a wide selection of goods from national and local merchants.

Picturesque Shem Creek, which bisects the city, hosts several popular restaurants and one of the last fleets of local fishing boats in the area. Residents take advantage of the fresh off-the-boat seafood sold on the docks.