Moving to Mt. Pleasant & Looking for Tips on Shopping, Schools, Subdivisions Etc

Hi K.:

Another area to consider is the Goose Creek area. The Crowfield Plantation area is a great place to live. Great schools, low crime rate and centrally located to lots of different shopping areas. Mount Please is great too. Most probably can get more house for less price in Crowfield. Both of my children went to the Crowfield area schools and they are tops.

Hi K.!

I live in Mt. Pleasant and you don't need to worry about anything! It is a very vibrant and friendly community with lots of amenities for all. We have a wonderful recreation department with tons of activities for adults and kids - www.townofmountpleasant.com. I grew up in Summerville and it is also a wonderful place to live, as well as the West Ashley area. Your husband will face traffic issues no matter which part of town you decide on, but they are nothing compared to bigger cities such as Atlanta.
1. Subdivisions are abundant - it really depends on the style home and price range - they are popping up all over
2. We just opened a super WalMart that is 24 hours off of Hwy 17 North.
3. Charleston and it's surrounding areas have been voted in the top 10 of US friendliest cities for years! Don't worry about making new friends!
4. We have a Farmer's Market every Tuesday off Coleman Blvd. from 4pm til dark. We have Publix, Harris Teeter, Piggly Wiggly, BiLo, Whole Foods, etc.....
5. We have TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Kohl's, Belk, Target, and a wide variety of other shops in Towne Center - like a mall - www.mtpleasanttownecentre.com
6. I'm sure you'll find friends in your neighborhood to walk with - we have a group called Stroller Strides for moms and their kids also
7. Mosquitos are bad in the summer, but you'll learn that after 5pm you don't go out without insect repellant. Knats are here too, but they both come with our hot, humid climate
8. No - if you are clean, cockroaches/palmetto bugs don't live in your house. Not to say you won't see one occasionally, but homes are not infested as long as you maintain it!
9. HOT - 90-100 with high humidity - that's why we have AC!!!!!
10. My oldest is only 5 and never experienced bullying in preschool - haven't heard of it from my friends with older kids
11. Notifiy your school and they do a great job of keeping kids safe. Most schools have gone peanut free.
12. Most all schools in Mt. Pleasant have great reputations - elementary - Whitesides, Laurel Hill, Pinkney are all great with wonderful principals

Good luck in your move to our area. It is really a wonderful place to live and raise children! Let me know if you have any other questions!

P.

I moved to Charleston 8 years ago from Michigan and this is how I would respond to your questions.
1. Not familar with subdivision names as I live on James Island but there are many nice subdivisions in Mt. Pleasant. However, Mt. Pleasant is known to be more expensive.
2. The only 24 hour store I can think of in Mt. P. is Walgreens.
3. People are friendly, that is where you get the term "southern charm".
4. Mt. Pleasant has a fruit and veggie market with local product I believe every Tuesday on Coleman Blvd. Most people shop at Publix, BI LO or Harris Teeter for grocery stores.
5. TJ Maxx, Target and Costco are in Mt. Pleasant. There is also Marshalls, Walmart, Kolhs, Belk, GAP, Old Navy, Bed Bath Beyond, etc.
6. Not sure but I am sure there are.
7. We can have problems with nats, like a mosquito but smaller and that is in warm, damp, times of year, normally in the morning or early evening.
8. You will at some point see a palemtto bug in your house but that is rare.
9. I would say summer is around 90-95 degrees with humidity on top of that. So it feels Hot. I have seen "snow" twice and it is not like up north. You barely see white stuff in the air and when it touches the ground it mets and only does this for about 15 minutes. Every business will be closed with even the thought of snow which is funny but the south just is prepared to ice or dirt the roads.
10, 11 and 12. Not sure never went to the schools here and my daughter is not in school yet.

Also, I disagree about traffic. I used to travel from James Island to North Charleston and the traffic was going the opposite way. Everyone is travelling from the North Charleston Area to Charleston every morning and night and there is always an accident in that direction. Going from Mt. Pleasant to North Charleston should be opposite of what most people are doing. However, traffic can be a pain on Hwy 17 in Mt. Pleasant because there is a lot of stop lights but nothing like what is in big cities.

Hi K.! Welcome to the Lowcountry! I moved to Charleston in 1990 to finish college and never left. I live on James Island (JI) and I work close to the Charleston AFB. I have absolutely no traffic in the mornings to deal with (except a little on Folly Road, if I leave past 7:30am). Mt. Pleasant is nice, but you're going to pay for it and sometimes there is a good bit of traffic coming into the North area. JI is just as nice, but a little easier on the wallet. I actually own 2 homes on JI and would not live in Mt. P. (Just my own preference!). I also would not live in Summerville because of the traffic coming into town. I think most of the other ladies answered your questions adequately, but I wanted to chime in... The mosquitoes are awful from May/June through October, but the gnats are usually only a problem in September/October and March/April/May (not all year long). Don't be surprised if you see palmetto bugs in your home...even if it's clean! Also, there is a great farmer's market downtown on Saturday mornings (my daughter got to ride a pony last time we went!) and they usually have fun things for the kids as well as John's Island fruits/veggies/flowers. Oh, it's hot here :) AC is a must about 9 months out of the year (90's from June to October). However, spring time is great to have your windows open...they will be closed the rest of the year! Not much snow. Maybe a flake here or there... Welcome to the area! D. H.

Hi K.,
I've lived in Summerville, SC for most of my life. I can give you a little info, but not too much relating to Mt. Pleasant. Summerville is a short drive to North Charleston (10 min or so depending on traffic). Your husband will be dealing with a lot of traffic if he is going from Mt plesant to N. Charleston in the am or pm, usually its busiest at 7am and 5pm. Mt pleasant will put you VERY close to the beach. For me, its about a 35 min drive, but not so bad at all. People are pretty friendly in general, I do find that Mt. Pleasant can be more on the high end, things are more costly there compared to Summerville and I personally think the people are more friendlier in Summerville. I have heard that Mt. P has great schools. I do not have any bugs in my home and havent heard of them ever being a problem. It may be different closer to the beach? We do have TJ Maxx, Target, Sams Club is just like Costco. Walmart is open 24 hrs. It does get hot and very humid in the summer, 90-100 F. You will not see snow! As far as the peanut allergy, I would let the school know but your proably going to have to send their own lunch. Mosquitos are not a big issue, again in Summerville. Hope I was some help! Best of luck on your transition:) Safe traveling!

Hi K.,

I moved to Charleston in 1996 from the north to attend college, after graduating from the College of Charleston, I decided to stayed. I absolutely love it here and I think you will too. During college, I lived downtown Charleston and afterwards moved to James Island. My husband and I started looking to purchase a home this past fall in either James Island or Mount Pleasant and we actually found a better deal in Mount Pleasant versus James Island. I think there is a misconception that Mount Pleasant homes are more expensive, but you can find great deals in Mt. P as well (especially since it's a buyer's market). We love James Island and most of our friends live in JI, but we are really happy with our decision living in Mt. P.

We moved into the Belle Hall subdivision and it is close to 526 and there is great shopping walking distance (Starbucks, grocery stores, spas, clothing stores, banks, etc.). On the weekends, my husband, four month old daughter and I will stroll to the Belle Hall Shopping Center and get a coffee, figure out what we want for dinner at the grocery store, sometimes he gets a haircut, and we walk around looking at the shops. Also, it is such a great location because you have different outlets to leave the area (Interstate 526, HWY 17 via Long Point Road or Whipple/ Mathis Ferry Road) - we really do not notice any traffic.

I am actually a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty and ironically I am working with a client who just moved here from Detroit and she loves it down here as well. Please let me know if you need any additional help with deciding on which area to live in - there are so many great locations in the Charleston area. My mobile is ###-###-#### and my email address is: ____@____.com of luck with your move and I hope to hear from you.

M.

Hi, K.! Welcome to SC. My husband and I moved here 7 years ago and LOVE it! We are here to stay! We live in Mount Pleasant and I will answer your questions below....

1. What sub-divisions are good to look for a home? There are really too many to name - Hamlin, Rivertowne, Park West, Dunes West, Belle Hall, I'On, Brickyard, Snee Farm and many more!
2. Do you have 24 hour stores like up North? With 2 little ones I am in bed at 10. I have no idea!
3. Are people pretty friendly toward newcomers down there? (In Germany it's almost impossible to meet new friends) When we moved here we knew not 1 person! Everyone was so welcoming! We have found that most people we meet are not from here. So everyone HAS to be friendly!
4. What are the good fruit markets, grocery stores (without spending a mint) and clothing stores? Mt PLeasant has a farmers market every Tues afternoon and there is one downtown every Sat as well. Both awesome. Boone Hall Plantation also has a local store on Hwy 17 that has a great selection. Whole Foods is here - good but spendy. We do not have a good healthy foods type grocery store that is not expensive....yet. But our regular grocers like Harris Teeter and Publix are now carrying lots of organic brands.
5. Do you have stores like TJ Maxx, Kroger, Target & Costco? We have TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Target in Mt Pleasant. Kroger is not in this area but Publix and Harris Teeter are equivalent. Cosco and Sams's Club you have to drive I-526 to get to.
6. Are there walking groups in sub-divisions there? I participate in Stroller Strides and love it! I am actually the owner of the local franchise. You are welcome to come try out a free class. www.strollerstrides.net/charleston
7. Are the mosquitos unbearable all year round? No. Dawn and dusk in the heat of summer are the worst. But a little bug spray keeps them at bay. And you might want a bug net for your stroller.
8. Are there really cock-roaches (palmetto bugs) in ALL the houses? No. Older, historic homes downtown tend to have more. I have not had a problem with them.
9. How hot does it really get there all summer? What's normal? Does it EVER snow? It does get hot - low 90's. But the humidity makes it feel warmer than that. (like 100+) The trick is to get your body used to it. Don't sit in a/c all day - then even a trip to the store will beat you up. Be out in it each and every day and you will get used to it. Go to the pool. Go to the beach. And of course stay hydrated.
10. Is bullying a big problem in most of the schools? My oldest will start K in the fall and I havent heard of anything of concern. My friends with older children say the issues start more around 5th and 6th grade.
11. How do they deal with peanut allergies in school? Depends on the severity of the allergy. May just have a peanut free lunch table. Our preschool was a peanut-free school but the public schools are not. The principals I spoke to understood the importance of it and will work with you on your childs specific needs.
12. What are the best elementary schools in your opinion? Lots of good public ones - Laurel Hill, Belle Hall, Jennie Moore, Whitesides, Buist (downtown Chas magnet) and good private schools too from Palmetto Christian Academy and First Baptist School of Mt. P to the more expensive Ashley Hall and Porter Gaud. My daughter will go to Laurel Hill next year for Kindergarten.

Our kids are about the same ages. I have a 5 year old daughter and a 1 1/2 year old son. You are welcome to email me with any questions! Welcome to Mt. Pleasant!
M.

Dear K. S,
My name is P. C and I live in downtown Carleston with my husband and 2 children. I am an acupuncturist, massage therapist and yoga teacher. My husband is a builder, realtor, acupuncturist. We moved to Charleston 3 years ago and LOVE it! I would love to give you the low down on the great community we have found here. Perhaps my husband could be helpful in finding you a home? I would love to help you with all the mama source stuff. I have quite a busy practice , so the best way to reach me is by phone. Please call me at ###-###-####. Look forward to speaking with you. If you are still in Germany, we can continue to communicate by email. Mt. PLeasant is very suburrban. Wonderful walking paths, community centers, close to the beach, good public schools, whole foods, and lots of kid friendly activities. I love downtown because of the vicinity to everything! It feels like you are in a quaint town in Europe and there is some diversity. Great shopping, farmer's market, and 10-15 from all beaches. West Ashley is a neat area too which is a little less expensive and has great ammenities, Earthfare market, good schools and family oriented.

Hi! You didn't mention anything about the beaches. If that is of any interest to you then I would choose an area based on where the best beaches are! Hands down Mt. Pleasant would be my pick because of Sullivan's Island. That is the best beach in my opinion. Very laid back and family oriented. Isle of Palms is nice but VERY Touristy! Folly Beach full of young people (and I am 29) who don't seem to care about keeping the beach clean. I grew up 1 hour fom Chas and have lived in Mt.P, Summerville and now I live near Daniel Island off of Clements Ferry Rd. This area is close to 526 so very accesible to all areas. We have been here for 4 yrs and love it! Good Luck.

Check out the West Ashley area.
Its in between everything. I'm 10 miles away from downtown, James Island and North Charleston. I'm 20 miles from Mt Pleasant...its an easy drive with I526 or the new bridge.
We have everything you need for shopping (Costco is in W.Ashley)
Lots of good subdivisions in West Ashley. (We are in Grand Oaks)
You will LOVE It here in the Lowcountry no matter what area you choose.
We moved here 9 years ago from Tennessee....its hard to imagine living anywhere else.
You will get used to the heat (its only terrrible June-August) The rest of the year is great. Give away those heavy jackets, you won't need them here.
Good Luck!

The best elementary school is knightville elementary in Summerville sc we have target and the only 24 hour store there is is walmart the grocery stores are only open till 11pm we have bilo piggly wiggly foodlion Publix and of course walmart the fruit market is Publix they have the best fruits I've seen no I've never herd of bullying to be the most problem it get In the 80 kohls is the best clothing store

This post was from 2008 but we are looking at the same sitution (minus Germany). My husband is getting transfered from Detroit suburb to Charleston area (Landon, SC). From what I read it looks like Mt Pleasant could be the spot for us. How is traffice from MP to Landon?