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I'm comparing this to somewhere like Nashville, Seattle, Scottsdale, or Austin, where I feel like the city is set up for people in my age range. Can someone with experience in those kinds of places weigh in? I'm not talking about the size of the city, I'm talking about something else.
West Ashley seems really run down and depressing. Mt. Pleasant seems like the best area to me, but not if it is just married couples and families. Typically I just search for where the Whole Foods store is, and that is usually the young professional / yuppie part of town.
King Street is cool, but I was wondering where do these people disappear to during the day? Isle of Palms is a pretty solid beach.
My preferred way of meeting new people is through volunteer activities, art walks, festivals, etc. I went to the farmer's market Saturday morning and it was 100% families. Am I going to be able to find activities where large numbers of 25-30 people participate, or is King Street and the beach all there is?
I also looked at the Meetup groups, which are pretty dead. From what I have seen, it seems like a town where baby boomers take every activity over and the post-college crowd just drinks and hangs out with their college friends. That's just my impression, please tell me if that makes any sense.
Seattle and Austin are more expensive and much bigger. There's more people in the city of Austin than the Charleston metro. I do hear people all the time complain now how those two are losing their appeal because of the cookie cutting apocalypse. Mainly Austin. Apparently even SXSW isn't what it used to be and is "too corporate and mainstream now." And while the tech scene boosts both cities incomes, it does have an effect on QOL and the city culture. Look at San Fran and what the tech scene has done to a lot of the old flavor.
You think Scottsdale is young and hip??? Are you sure?? I haven't made it to Nashville yet, but it seems pretty cool. Then again you'll have no beach.
People disappear to...work. Charleston is casual, but not that casual. There is much more than King and the beach. Even far inland you can find things to do: Lake Moultrie and Francis Marion Forest for one.
Volunteering is easy. There's plenty and a variety of festivals. WA is not depressing, there is a vibe with WA. It is older development wise, so of course it "looks" rundown in spots, but like everyone else said, its full of the younger crowd and they manage. New York City looks rundown everywhere but Times Square and Lower Manhattan, but its still a world class city.
There is no 30-45 donut hole. They're here, you just have to realize what many people are doing that age: starting and raising families and working full time jobs. Not too many 35 year olds are lucky enough to be able to go chill and surf at the beach for 3 hours Monday-Friday at 11am. And since they're newer families, many of them are further inland. Mt Pleasant is not really an ideal place for a 25 year old couple wanting to buy a house and raise their 1 year old because of the cost, but Summerville is.
For you, take a look at James Island. It's suburban, but there's still an island vibe, it's young, close to the beach, downtown, and WA, and it's cheaper than Mount Pleasant.
But sorry, but you're impression is wrong. Visit some more and really diversify the times, places, and days you go out and about. The "YA's are coming" thing is true. Brain drain is decreasing. The 30-45 crowd just can't be out times of day because of life. Even the college crowd isnt out all the time. It just feels that way because CofC is smack in the middle of downtown, and downtown is small area wise. MUSC and Citadel are there as well. Other area feel older because those people are retired and don't work, so during the day it's free range for them.
I was responding to your "where is everybody?" Where else would they be? What do the Nashville bars look like right now? How popping is Congress Street in Austin at 1pm on a Wednesday in September?
I'm getting the impression that you have a very flexible schedule and a lot of free time, and you're expecting the same from everyone else, but that's just not true.
Go to Nashville, Seattle, Austin...Scottsdale...and the 30-45 crowd will be the same. Working, raising kids, hanging out at happy hour/weekends, attending events every now and then. Same routine.
Trust me. I'm 8 years younger than you and I've never noticed your concern. Of course I don't care to hang with a bunch of 30 and 40 years olds, but I see them around. Some with kids, some without. And everyone looks generally happy.
Nashville coffee shops are packed during the day. Seattle and Austin are more 9-5. However, I am talking about even on a Saturday, it seemed hard to figure out where to go except for very specific areas (King Street, Isle of Palms).
I went to Folly Beach Saturday around noon and the little town was dead, except for old tourists.
It was depressing when I went into a surf shop in Isle of Palms and the person working behind the counter was a 50 year old fat guy. Normally you would expect a place like this to be staffed by cute young girls or a cool guy you could talk to about surf.
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Trust me. I'm 8 years younger than you and I've never noticed your concern. Of course I don't care to hang with a bunch of 30 and 40 years olds, but I see them around. Some with kids, some without. And everyone looks generally happy.
I think the young / old dichotomy is a southern thing. Most people would break it down 25-35 and 40+. It sounds like you're over the hill when you turn 29 here and you get lumped in with the senior citizens.
Nashville coffee shops are packed during the day. Seattle and Austin are more 9-5. However, I am talking about even on a Saturday, it seemed hard to figure out where to go except for very specific areas (King Street, Isle of Palms).
I went to Folly Beach Saturday around noon and the little town was dead, except for old tourists.
It was depressing when I went into a surf shop in Isle of Palms and the person working behind the counter was a 50 year old fat guy. Normally you would expect a place like this to be staffed by cute young girls or a cool guy you could talk to about surf.
I think the young / old dichotomy is a southern thing. Most people would break it down 25-35 and 40+. It sounds like you're over the hill when you turn 29 here and you get lumped in with the senior citizens.
Where are you from? You're really judging an area based off who was working a surf shop?
Coffee shops are packed everywhere. I'm talking about bars and entertainment venues. This time of day? They're empty. Charleston is 9-5 along with Nashville, Seattle, and Austin, which is why King Street feels sparse.
Saturday you can go literally anywhere. Just downtown alone you have: King, Meeting, The Battery, Waterfront, MARKET, Lockwood, South of Broad, the CofC campus (non student things go on), Marion Sq, etc. Saying all Charleston has is King is like saying all LA has is Sunset.
Folly is a long beach. People are scattered about. You do have to keep in mind that it's almost October and while still warm, the beach isn't going to be swamped like July for various reasons. One is because summer vacation is over, weekend or not. Two, it's football season.
That dichotomy is so not true. Where are you from? Seriously old at 29? Gtfo.
Where did you get some idea that whole foods is young people? It's a bunch of soccer moms in leggings, as is Trader Joes, but TJ seems a tad younger. There are plenty of places young people go - Upper king is slammed at night and on weekends, Shem Creek Area, Poes/Home team on sullivans, Avondale area on weekends, etc. I've never been to Park Circle so I can't opine on that area.
If you're that concerned, you probably shouldn't move here. 30 is a weird age where a lot of people that age are getting married. There are also WAY less Corporate jobs here than in other cities, which limits that age group.
Simply put ... according to Forbes .. 20 % of the Charlestons population is in the 25-34 age group...amongst the highest percentage of any city in the country ... enuf said ..
ahh -- you chose all the wrong places at the wrong time.
That's on you dude.
If you want to try it again
Arrive Friday night and visit one or a few of these and meet up with others your age and see what they are doing during the day......Revelry Brewery, , Edmund's Oast, The Recovery Room, The Republic, The Pour House, The Shelter, Bay Street Biergarten, The Rooftop at Vendue, The Alley, etc. etc. etc. A little google goes a long way.
If you find nothing Friday night -- head to the Tattooed Moos for brunch -- duck club -- and try to sit at the bar and see if you can meet up with people.
Saturday afternoon -- still lonely -- Barsa has a really good happy hour. My husband and I went and sat on the patio and ended up chatting up with a table of 7 guys 28 and older. We had a great time.
See if there's a concert at the Riverfront Park in North Charleston.
oh I forgot Leon's Oyster House -- my son & friends loved that place. Husk bar -- just have one drink but go -- it's cool
Sullivans Island -- Home Team BBQ is always packed -- have one of their signature cocktails or two or three and then you'll be chill enough to meet folks -- lol
There's a lot of mid 20s people here. Downtown, Park Circle, Avondale/Byrnes Down and Mt.P are where most young professionals live, and obviously people tend to go out in their neighborhood. It's kind of scattered about, but the closer to downtown you get the more concentrated it is with mid 20s people. I actually have a lot of friends moving from downtown to Mt. Pleasant because the rents are about the same and what you get in Mt. Pleasant is much nicer and downtown landlords tend to have the attitude of 'my property is downtown and people are going to pay for it, so why improve it?'.
However, I will say that there is a staggering level of immaturity in this city. It's a party town where eating and drinking is at the center of the city's culture. Because of that, Charleston tends to attract a certain kind of person who may be 30, but parties like they're in college. Many times I've met people who I thought were college kids but turned out to be much older.
To me Charleston pretty much comes down to the beach. If you're a beach person then its great. If you don't care so much about the beach, I think there are better cities out there that offer more 'city' stuff.
In every city I have ever been, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are basically post-college hookup central. The Austin location even has a bar in it.
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Because of that, Charleston tends to attract a certain kind of person who may be 30, but parties like they're in college.
That would be me.
If I've got surf, girls, and dudes that are easy to relate to, then I am a happy camper. I may have a good job, but I have no intention of slowing down soon.
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