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Seems like a thread started by someone bitter about something.
- Traffic will get worse, sure, but that's what happens in growing cities. It's almost like a badge of honor.
- Tourists are the side effect of being a great place; another badge of honor
- Schools are over-crowded in MtP
- Most public transportation systems are filthy vile environments. City isn't big enough to support commuter rail just yet...
- High home prices - badge of honor
- Few bike lanes...plenty of sidewalks; I'm pretty sick and tired of a**hole bikers in the road when there is a perfectly good bike path or sidewalk.
- Humidity - it's the Southeast. You new?
- High sales tax - I assume you mean the prepared foods...?
- Job market - Yes, MtP isn't well known for their business and has been known to run big companies out of town.
- Crowded restaurants - badge of honor
- Bad recycle programs - who cares? If you didn't know most municipalities toss a great deal of recycleables in with the rest of the trash you're not paying attention. It is mostly a waste of money to recycle anything but aluminum and some plastics.
- Post office - how often do you go anyway. Just do it online like a normal person. Plus, Sullivan's Island is another.
- Library - how often would you go anyway? Libraries still exist?
- DMV - wasn't packed when I went. Maybe go early like every other person in the country that knows how to avoid DMV lines.
- No car inspections - who cares? This is a benefit. It's not like they actually looked at your car for more than 5 seconds when you had them done in NY...
- SC bottom of list - and the top of lists a lot. Not sure why being a top state for obesity has anything to do with you. It's not like there are hamburgers in the drinking water.
I mean, there are plenty of places with as much or more history than Charleston (Philly, NYC, Boston, New Orleans, just to name a few off the top of my head). There are plenty of cities that are superior, architecturally. There are tons of cities that are more artistic, have a better foodie scene, are more diverse, etc. Charleston just seems like a mediocre mid-sized college town with slightly older-than-usual architecture and a great PR department. I'm really curious about what people think makes this town special or unique.
Now you're getting off track. Sure some of those places are as
Historic, but not many want to love there. NYC is absurd expensive, Philly and New Orleans are **** holes, and Boston might actually be a draw. I would beg to differ that a "ton" of cities have a better food scene, especially for the size. The mediocre college town comment is the funniest and most absurd. The town would still be here without a college that outside of the state most people haven't heard of.
Sure there might be better places in different categories than Charleston. But what makes Charleston unique is that it has everything you listed into 1 package. Where else can you find a town so preserved in history, sub tropical climate, excellent food, cheap gas, great schools, slow pace of life, golfing/water sports, 15 mins from a major international airport/5
mins from a cruise port, free transportation, $14.00 expired meter tickets, friendly people with deep family traditions and manners, with a population of 35k? Maybe it's because I live downtown that we have different views on this
topic
New Orleans comes to mind, as does Miami and Savannah. But I do have an issue with you calling the Charleston Airport a "major international airport". They're not, they're a regional airport, which is why tickets almost anywhere are $100 to $200 more than Atlanta or Charlotte. And the cruise port only offers Carnival cruises, to only two destinations, and Carnival in general is less a cruise line and more a mobile lysteria breeding pit. I just feel like most of Chaz is mediocre at best, and the things that are legitimately interesting get blown way out of proportion compared to many other places that share very similar traits.
I hate to be negative (that's not true, I usually love being negative, but you know what I mean) but I've heard a lot of people talking about how unique Charleston is since I moved here, and I really don't see it. What is it that makes Charleston unique? (And I'm not being sarcastic or rhetorical here, I really want to know what people think.)
I mean, there are plenty of places with as much or more history than Charleston (Philly, NYC, Boston, New Orleans, just to name a few off the top of my head). There are plenty of cities that are superior, architecturally. There are tons of cities that are more artistic, have a better foodie scene, are more diverse, etc. Charleston just seems like a mediocre mid-sized college town with slightly older-than-usual architecture and a great PR department. I'm really curious about what people think makes this town special or unique.
I have lived in Charleston, NYC, Boston, Philly, LA, Chicago. I have spent months in LA, San Francisco, London, Dublin, and Madrid. I view Charleston as a small, clean historic city that has style, good scenery plus it has friendly and polite people. What am I missing?
To the OP - I'm truly sorry you don't like it here.
As long as we're making comparisons to other parts of the country with Charleston, let me just say that I lived in the Bedminster/Bridgewater area of New Jersey for 13 year. Historical area - check (George Washington has left his name on everything). Yuppie suburb - check; the area is a bedroom community for a lot of NYC/Wall St execs and all that they and their familieis bring with it. Taxes - out the roof on property taxes; home prices - out the roof, period.
So, for us, moving back to Charleston/Mt Pleasant was a no-brainer; we made the decision in a morning, and 6 months later were here. Are there inconveniences? Yes. Are there unfair politics? Yes. But we're far happier here than we ever were in NJ.
Now you're getting off track. Sure some of those places are as
Historic, but not many want to love there. NYC is absurd expensive, Philly and New Orleans are **** holes, and Boston might actually be a draw. I would beg to differ that a "ton" of cities have a better food scene, especially for the size. The mediocre college town comment is the funniest and most absurd. The town would still be here without a college that outside of the state most people haven't heard of.
A little off topic, though not much since we're talking about whether Mt. Pleasant, and Charleston as a whole, are a good place to live or not. This invariably draws comparison. That said, I find it humorous that in one breath you mention that "some of those places are historic, but no one would want to love (I assume you meant "live") there, and then go on to talk about how expensive they are. You do realize that how expensive somewhere is directly correlated (and caused by) how much people want to lice there, right? NYC is absurdly expensive because pretty much everyone wants to move there, and there simply isn't enough room to accommodate them. Same with Philly and New Orleans. Both have more expensive housing in the good neighborhoods than Charleston does, meaning more people want to live there than here. This is how supply and demand works.
And sure, Charleston would still be here without the schools. It would just be half its size with far fewer amenities. Every time I go downtown on a weekend, I see nothing but college students in the bars and restaurants.
As far as it having a "great" food scene for the size, the Charleston metropolitan area has 600K+ residents, putting it on par with Oxnard, CA, Modesto, CA, Springfield, MA, Colorado Springs, CO and some other places that have as good or better food scene. But the "for its size" comment is disingenuous. People don't go around claiming Charleston "is a great foodie city...for its size". They talk about what a great foodie city it is period. And it isn't. There are some good traditional american cuisine restaurants, and one really great sushi place, and a lot of places that are ok but aren't anything special. Hardly the foodie mecca it's been made out to be.
I have lived in Charleston, NYC, Boston, Philly, LA, Chicago. I have spent months in LA, San Francisco, London, Dublin, and Madrid. I view Charleston as a small, clean historic city that has style, good scenery plus it has friendly and polite people. What am I missing?
I agree with you. It's exactly that, though I would disagree with the friendly comment - it's that whole southern hospitality thing where you never say what you mean to someone's face and then talk about them once they're gone. But yes, it's a small, clean, somewhat historic city with good scenery. I'm totally ok with calling it that. My issue is that the locals have this absolutely insane idea about how amazing their city is, and have spent the last 8 months that I've lived here telling me how Charleston is the best thing to happen ever. It's a little off-putting.
New Orleans comes to mind, as does Miami and Savannah. But I do have an issue with you calling the Charleston Airport a "major international airport". They're not, they're a regional airport, which is why tickets almost anywhere are $100 to $200 more than Atlanta or Charlotte. And the cruise port only offers Carnival cruises, to only two destinations, and Carnival in general is less a cruise line and more a mobile lysteria breeding pit. I just feel like most of Chaz is mediocre at best, and the things that are legitimately interesting get blown way out of proportion compared to many other places that share very similar traits.
New Orleans: Never been so cant say much
Miami? population? Southern manners/ friendly people/ historical?
Savannah? Maybe, except Sav is way more dangerous, the downtown is sprawled out, and parking is a nightmere. Savannah is a bigger version of West Ashley: N. Chs with bridges
Like I said living downtown gives a different vibe, everything is walkable, beautiful people and new development.
New Orleans comes to mind, as does Miami and Savannah. But I do have an issue with you calling the Charleston Airport a "major international airport". They're not, they're a regional airport, which is why tickets almost anywhere are $100 to $200 more than Atlanta or Charlotte. And the cruise port only offers Carnival cruises, to only two destinations, and Carnival in general is less a cruise line and more a mobile lysteria breeding pit. I just feel like most of Chaz is mediocre at best, and the things that are legitimately interesting get blown way out of proportion compared to many other places that share very similar traits.
I went to college in New Orleans. That city is a mess. From the horrible roads (which makes our flooding after it rains here look tiny in comparison) to the rampant crime, it's a hot mess. I think Charleston is a much nicer place to live than New Orleans. Enjoyed going to college there - after all, it's a total party town - but I would never ever want to live there or worse, raise children there. The public schools there are as bad as public school gets. I like Savannah a lot but it doesn't seem to have the same level of industry there, at least in my line of work (IT). Cannot stand Miami. May have history or culture but it's too big, too much crime, and just too much.
Terrible traffic
Tourists
Extremely over-crowded schools
Terrible public transportation
High home prices
Few bike lanes
Humidity
High sales tax
Job Market is geared towards medical and tourism – meaning if you plan on job hoping there are few options.
Crowded restaurants because of tourists
Bad recycle programs
1 Post office in the city (minus the ace one)
1 Library
1 DMV that is always packed
No car inspections for the state
SC lands in the bottom 5 of every “best in America” list published. Which makes trying to explain why you live here fun.
Damn....and I was really enjoying it here. I guess I'll move to Columbia.
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