Likely Move To Charleston - Request Information

[ChristianDean]

Hello Charlestonians (Is that right? hah)

Next year I will most likely be attending the College of Charleston and I wanted to get an early start on finding out if this area will be best suited for me and more information about the area from natives. I have been looking through the projects and development threads and I am impressed with the growth there, as it is really a city that has been off the radar for me until I recently discovered it.

First off, I want to be somewhere warm where you can dress comfortably year round. I looked at the weather averages on weather.com, but for my own city they didnt seem to be very accurate so I thought I would be better suited to ask someone who actually lives through the weather.

As far as the beaches go, how are the waves, and the atmosphere. I have actually never been to the beach in Charleston. I was curious as to what the atmosphere of the different beach towns are. Such as cafe's, a boardwalk, are there extremely touristy sections like in Tampa or Gulf Shores or little bohemian beach enclaves?

I dont want to run out of things to do, I already know there is world class shopping, but other than that, what do people usually do for fun around there. I am 21, so getting into a bar is no issue, are there any fun clubs I should know about, or even gay clubs.

I will definately be on a budget, I am really leaning towards a studio, but I havnt found too many. Id like to keep it in the neighborhood of 550 or lower, which I know for Charleston is asking alot. Where are the BAD parts of town where I would absolutely not want to live. I can handle a little riff raff ;-).

And just anything else you want to tell me ... traffic etc. Thanks Guys!!!

[ChristianDean]

Yikes 18 views and nothin ... Perhaps this isnt the place to ask, is there any other forums that may be more appropriate? Maybe an exclusive Charleston forum?

[idunno]

Yikes 18 views and nothin ... Perhaps this isnt the place to ask, is there any other forums that may be more appropriate? Maybe an exclusive Charleston forum?

Just be patient, my friend...sometimes it takes a little longer than 12 hours for someone who may be able to help you to see your post. I know this isn't very helpful, especially since I haven't been to Charleston in nearly a decade, but from what I remember, Charleston is a great place and I'm sure you'll find plenty to do there. From what I've seen on UP, it's only getting better.

[Spartan]

I am suprised that nobody has responded yet... There are no other Charleston forums that I am aware of that are worth looking at.

Charleston can have pretty oppressiveheat in the summer, but you can always count on a sea breeze to cool you off. Don't look at weather.com... they have no idea what is going on Check out NOAA for better information.

There are going to be some days (maybe a week) where you will need a light coat in the winter, but usually you won't.

Charleston is a fantastic city. There are hundreds of clubs, bars, and restaurants downtown, and even more around the city too. King St Grill is one of my favorites. I highly doubt you will run out of things to do there. Peronally, I would love to live there. Its a GREAT city

The beaches I am less familiar with. Someone else we be along to chime in on this too. Folly Beach and Isle of Palms probably have more beachfront or near beachfront activity. Sullivans Island is more rsidential, but is still a great beach.

We cant allow the discussion of specific places on where to live because of our site rules. However, neighborhoods we can talk about.

You will not find anything at your price range downtown with out having at least two or three roomates in addition to you, but the houses are large enough to accomodate it. I know people who live in Harleston village who pay 1600/month with 4 people, which is not bad.

Right now, the further north of Calhoun St you get, the worse the neighborhoods are. That said, I know people who have lived in Radcliffborough that said it was great. The neighborhoods are changing though. The area around MUSC isnt too bad. Don't live north of the Crosstown (US-17) and stay out of North Charleston.

Mount Pleasant will be expensive. I would be suprised if you find a place for that price on your own... maybe with a roomate though.

West Ashley will probably be a safe bet. I don't know prices in that area though.

It will be much easier for you to get that range anywhere in the city if you can find a roomate or a sublease of some sort.

Here is a map showing the downtown neighborhoods:

I am sorry for its poor quality, it is the best that I have been able to find online. I have a better one, but it is in print and I don't have a scanner.

Please let us know ifyou have any other questions. Usually its not so quiet here!

[vicupstate]

If you are use to Tampa, CHarleston will not be any worse than that. Summers can be humid and hot, but so is Tampa. Spring and Fall are really nice. Winters are quite mild.

Charleston is a great city. Lots of great architecture, history, restaurants, musuems, etc. I'm not a big nightlife person, but they have that too. The Music Farm is pretty well known for live music, but I have never been there.

Waterfront Park, the Battery, the Acquarium area and Marion Square are all great parks/public spaces.

The College of Charleston is a very beautiful, unique, bustling campus. No need for a car. The College should be able to help you find housing and or a roommate.

The beaches are great there. I like Folly and Edisto in particular. Edisto is a bit of a drive, but I like the laid-back residential (not condos) atmosphere.

Best of luck and let us know how you like it.

[monsoon]

Charleston is good for tourists and there are a lot of things to do there from that perspective, but keep in mind, depending upon what you are looking for and compared to Columbus OH, Charleston is a pretty small city. And unfortunately it isn't as bohemian as it use to be as big money and gentrification has runoff most of that atmosphere which prevailed until about the mid to late 1980s. It's quite a pricey place now for someone on what I presume to be a college budget.

The beaches in Charleston, like most beaches are top knotch which is one of the reasons the place is such a draw. If you are a beach person then it is a good area to go to. In regards to the weather, it is hot and humid there in the summer, definatly air conditioning is required, but the winters there are nice and it can get cold there but not extremely so. It rarely snows and the nights where it drops below freezing are pretty few.

[Charleston native]

Hello Charlestonians (Is that right? hah)

Next year I will most likely be attending the College of Charleston and I wanted to get an early start on finding out if this area will be best suited for me and more information about the area from natives. I have been looking through the projects and development threads and I am impressed with the growth there, as it is really a city that has been off the radar for me until I recently discovered it...

...And just anything else you want to tell me ... traffic etc. Thanks Guys!!!

Sorry I didn

[ChristianDean]

Well hey, thanks guys. That is pretty much what I wanted to know. I knew I would be getting into something very pricey by going there in the first place, you all probably snickered at my price range haha.

I am aware it will be quite a bit smaller than Tampa and Columbus, but I am looking for something a little less hectic with all of the amenities of a larger place and Charleston seemed like the one place I could find that offered that. I was also considering Mobile, Al, but I nixed that for various reasons.

[Greenville]

I moved to Charleston this past August to attend the Medical University of SC, and will do my best to give you my impressions of the city. Keep in mind that I am not from Charleston, so I did not know much about it before moving here. I am also in classes and studying a lot, so I have not been able to explore and enjoy the city as much as someone working a 9 to 5.

With that said, I think you will find Charleston to be a fun city that meets your needs. First, the good. The nightlife is great, especially for a place with a metro population of a little over half a million. There are plenty of great restaurants, bars, and clubs. There is a nice cluster of the downtown area that feels urban and well-kept. This is the more touristy area (e.g., King Street, Meeting Street, Market Street, East Bay Street). Stray too far from this grid and you will quickly be in areas you would rather not be in. Like others have said, the beach is within a 10-15 minute drive as well.

There are, however, some things I do not consider to be strong suits for Charleston. As others have mentioned, there are some bad areas. They are north of U.S. 17 and the southern parts of North Charleston. There are also a couple of blocks south of 17 between there and MUSC that are rundown and not the safest, either (a friend of mine was mugged, and another had an attempted break-in at his apartment). Generally, the more south you are on the peninsula, the better. But keep in mind that the more south you are, the higher price you will likely pay.

Many streets are being regentrified, and those areas are very hit-or-miss. Some people like the feel of a street that is being reclaimed, but this often means that there will be one or two nicely redone houses for every 10 old and rundown houses. You can often get better rates in places like this, but you also run the risk of it not being considered as safe an area. I don't think saving a few bucks is worth risking your safety, but again, some people are willing to take that risk for some "culture." This is your call.

One aspect of Charleston that I put in the "neutral" category is its history. There is undoubtedly some amazing history here. Obviously the Civil War started here. There is an old market where slaves were traded that people like to see. There are old plantation homes here. There are tons of houses and buildings that are on historic registries. For every nice historic structure that is well-kept, there are some that are dilapidated. I consider this a neutral attribute because it is a matter of personal opinion: some people appreciate the history, and others don't.

Personally, I am glad that I chose to come to medical school here. While Charleston is not a city I would want to live in after medical school, it is a nice city with plenty to do (and in my case, not so much to do that it is a distraction like New York City might be). There are certainly plenty of things available to keep you entertained. People here are friendly and certainly have a lot of city pride. Do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions.

[goodbye]

Although I don't plan on living in Charleston, I could see myself happily there if I had to move. I've always enjoyed vacationing there, and you can't beat fishing the Intercoastal Waterway,rivers, creeks, and the bay area. If you don't have one already, I suggest you purchase a boat to enjoy one of the best sides of the city and region.

[lsgchas]

I think people have a done a pretty good job painting a picture of Charleston, so I'll only add a few things. First, I wouldn't shy away from living north of the Crosstown (Highway 17). Just pick the right neighborhood. In general, if you live west of Rutledge Avenue, you're fine. Also, the College of Chas. website has a great section that gives advice for students looking for off-campus housing. It also contains up-to-date apartment listings. I even know a lot of non-students who 've used the C of C site to search for apartments.

In general, living in Charleston is a unique experience. You'll probably be invited to oyster roasts, boat trips, etc. It has its own cuisine (mostly seafood) and pace of life. It is also an extremely polite city. Someone could look like they got out of jail yesterday, and they'll still say please and thank you. And Charleston's not nearly as sleepy of a city as it once was. There's a lot of development buzz, which is great in certain areas, but in other places is ticking a lot of people off- as traffic becomes more and more unmanageable and sprawl threatens areas where a rural ethos is firmly entrenched. But downtown Charleston is generally benefiting from re-development of its rundown areas, and most students prefer living there anyway. Good luck!

[ChristianDean]

Great, thanks guys, I think that just about covers it. You all have been a great help. Feel free to add stuff still I am always looking for advice. I think I am going to go down there in late April and scope it out before I move there, which will probably be about August. I look foward to watching it grow.

One thing that I was very confused by was the amount of street shopping on King and a few other streets around there. That has to be the only actual street type shopping I have seen outside of KC, and of course some larger cities like Chicago. Its pretty awesome to have, I am considering not having a car.

[vicupstate]

I was in Charleston yesterday and saw a sign for a roomate in one of the windows above the King Street shops Downtown. It located like an ideally location. Right in the heart of everything. $550 a month. I even took a pic of the sign. I will post it soon.

Indeed, Charleston is one of the few places a college student could easily live without a car.

[Spartan]

There is an old market where slaves were traded that people like to see.

It should be noted that the Market didn't actually sell salves. Salves sold their masters' products there. Its an old school farmers market basicly. That probably why they call it the 'Old Market' now.

[Charleston native]

I moved to Charleston this past August to attend the Medical University of SC, and will do my best to give you my impressions of the city. Keep in mind that I am not from Charleston, so I did not know much about it before moving here. I am also in classes and studying a lot, so I have not been able to explore and enjoy the city as much as someone working a 9 to 5.

With that said, I think you will find Charleston to be a fun city that meets your needs. First, the good. The nightlife is great, especially for a place with a metro population of a little over half a million...

The metro area is more than "a little over half a million". The city metro is nearly 600,000. Sorry, G'ville, that quote made Chas sound like it only had something like 503,000.

[Infinite1]

It should be noted that the Market didn't actually sell salves. Salves sold their masters' products there. Its an old school farmers market basicly. That probably why they call it the 'Old Market' now.

that is true of the market on Market street, however the old mart, where maany things inlcuding slaves were traded is still in existence and is just finiishing renovations.

see the llink here.

[voyager12]

I went to The College of Charleston and graduated in 01. Its an awesome school and I have never met anyone that did not like it. I lived on campus for one year in a very scary dorm but the college has been very proactive in purchasing newer apt complexes and building great new dorms so if you end up in one..it will probably be very nice. I lived in downtown and Mount Pleasant. DT Chas is expensive but very worth it. With your budget you will need a roommate to live in a safe area. There are so many great restaurants and things to do. Charleston was "discovered" years ago and while gentrification has taken away a lot of funkiness and local flavor itsmstill there on Upper King and other areas. Everyone is very friendly. Charleston has won "best mannered city" for years and years. Although there's a great deal of "surface" friendliness since Charleston is an old aristocratic Southern city and Charleston does have a slightly snobby attitude towards those from "off". I noted in your post that you mentioned gay bars...I am gay and if you are too the gay community is relatively small , bars include Dudleys and Pantheon DT on Ann St. and Patricks Pub in West Ashley. The southern end of Folly Beach is popular with gays. You will love COFC. Good Luck :-)

[Greenville]

The metro area is more than "a little over half a million". The city metro is nearly 600,000. Sorry, G'ville, that quote made Chas sound like it only had something like 503,000.

No offense was intended, Charleston native. I was not sure of the exact number, but I knew it was 500-600,000, and in comparison to a million, that amounts to "a little over half a million" in my book.

[Spartan]

that is true of the market on Market street, however the old mart, where maany things inlcuding slaves were traded is still in existence and is just finiishing renovations.

see the llink here.

Oh cool. I didnt know that such a thing existed in Charleston! I figured mose of the 'trading' was done at the port itself.

[Charleston native]

No offense was intended, Charleston native. I was not sure of the exact number, but I knew it was 500-600,000, and in comparison to a million, that amounts to "a little over half a million" in my book.

I apologize if I "sounded" reactive to the statement. No offense taken, just trying to keep things clear.