Really what is there to do in Mt Pleasant ? (Charleston: neighborhoods, high school)

[moneill]

The drive to the beach isn't the only thing...it's the drive to downtown. If you have to commute to downtown, Summerville is a tough location. We were all set to move into the area, husband got an apartment there and within a month was thinking there was no way we would want to be that far away from everything. He moved to Mount Pleasant and it takes him 20 minutes to get to work. And somehow sitting in traffic on the bridge seems to be tolerable with those views...sitting on 26...not the same.

You are right -- Dunes West is not much closer -- and hence the need to be off of Rifle Range Road. The 19 months of living, commuting, exploring -- and that's our very personal conclusion.

[moneill]

Oh and I was so happy to see how quick it took us to get to James Island, the outlets, etc. from Mount Pleasant.

[StarryEyedSurprise]

Originally Posted by moneill

The drive to the beach isn't the only thing...it's the drive to downtown. If you have to commute to downtown, Summerville is a tough location. We were all set to move into the area, husband got an apartment there and within a month was thinking there was no way we would want to be that far away from everything. He moved to Mount Pleasant and it takes him 20 minutes to get to work. And somehow sitting in traffic on the bridge seems to be tolerable with those views...sitting on 26...not the same.

You are right -- Dunes West is not much closer -- and hence the need to be off of Rifle Range Road. The 19 months of living, commuting, exploring -- and that's our very personal conclusion.

That's why the commute and the needs of the individual need to be evaluated beforehand. If you can commute early and avoid the traffic, Summerville definitely has more bang for the buck. My husband works at SPAWAR, and he never hits traffic - plus he knows of local roads to get around.

It was our choice to choose nicer house/land/less pricey insurance over saving 15 mins to the beach/higher insurance/less house/land. We can make it to downtown in under a half hour - and while I absolutely love downtown, I haven't found much to do there aside from browsing the market and walking the battery. I have a few restaurants I like there, but I wish there were (or, I wish I knew of) more stuff going on down there.

It's not like NYC where I could go downtown and know stuff that was going on. And before the locals blast me for saying it - that's because, NYC is what it is, and I lived there my whole life, so I know for instance that the famous farmer's market is on Tuesdays and Thursdays, or when the San Gennaro festival is - that sort of thing. I have no knowledge of events like this in Charleston, so I didn't make it a real priority to be within ten minutes of the city. Not to mention, the commute of <30 mins is still better than any commute into NYC, so I don't feel deprived, lol.

Slight hijack - anyone know what there is to do in downtown, aside from eat at your favoite restaurant, the market, walking the battery, and doing a tour?

[OleTomCat]

Saturdays Market at Marion Square.....

Spoletto & Picelo Spoletto Festival......

And many others through out the year, pick up a 'City Paper' it is an ultra liberal local paper...

[fqtravlr]

Mt Pleasant has a movie theatre with food and beverage service during the movie! A full service bar to boot. That's pretty cool.

It has a BBQ joint, a Hardees, a Walmart, a wing joint, a Chinese restaurant, and a Mexican restaurant. I think that covers it.

PC, I grew up in North Chuck and the rest of the family still calls it home. You're a pretty big supporter of North Chuck and that's fine, but you seem to be out to find fault with every other part of the area. What gives?

[pcamps]

Originally Posted by cape_fisherman

You can do the same things in MtP as you can do in any small town across the US.

Most homes in this area (outside of MtP) are vastly overpriced in my opinion. What major road around Charleston isn't a parking lot at peak hours? And what new neighborhood isn't "cookie cutter" regardless where it's located?

I would say it's the Mt Pleasant homes that are vastly over priced (fact not opinion) in comparison to surrounding areas , and the only reason i can think of why, is that it's 15 minutes closer to the beach than all the surrounding towns.

All the other areas have some form of attraction , malls, restaurants, easy accesss to 26 and 526 for considerably a lot less money.

So what's the big deal about Mt Pleasant

[MichaelNYC]

Gee you guys make me rethink Summerville as a possible location for us when we move to the Charleston area... ??

I knocked it out knowing full well... it will be more pricey in M.P. and J.I., D.I. but would accept that for what for what they offer...

But now wondering how much difference a price of a house and how much land and property taxes and insurances would be the difference ?

Please feel free to check out my post and comment.. thanks !

Another Yankee (Brooklyn, NY) moving South to Charleston, with some questions

[scjj]

Originally Posted by StarryEyedSurprise

That's why the commute and the needs of the individual need to be evaluated beforehand. If you can commute early and avoid the traffic, Summerville definitely has more bang for the buck. My husband works at SPAWAR, and he never hits traffic - plus he knows of local roads to get around.

It was our choice to choose nicer house/land/less pricey insurance over saving 15 mins to the beach/higher insurance/less house/land. We can make it to downtown in under a half hour - and while I absolutely love downtown, I haven't found much to do there aside from browsing the market and walking the battery. I have a few restaurants I like there, but I wish there were (or, I wish I knew of) more stuff going on down there.

It's not like NYC where I could go downtown and know stuff that was going on. And before the locals blast me for saying it - that's because, NYC is what it is, and I lived there my whole life, so I know for instance that the famous farmer's market is on Tuesdays and Thursdays, or when the San Gennaro festival is - that sort of thing. I have no knowledge of events like this in Charleston, so I didn't make it a real priority to be within ten minutes of the city. Not to mention, the commute of <30 mins is still better than any commute into NYC, so I don't feel deprived, lol.

Slight hijack - anyone know what there is to do in downtown, aside from eat at your favoite restaurant, the market, walking the battery, and doing a tour?

I agree, it is an individual decision. We do not have to commute so traffic was a non-issue for us. We chose to have the comforts we wanted in a home environment, which is where I spend most of my time, over quicker access to a place that I would rarely go or an occasional festival. Sure it is fun and exciting, at first, but Charleston's not that big, and once you've seen it all and walked the streets over and over again the excitement fades. The shops are pricey and touristy and the restaurants are too expensive to eat at regularly. We pretty much only go when there are visitors in town and we have to play tour guide.

[StarryEyedSurprise]

Originally Posted by fqtravlr

Mt Pleasant has a movie theatre with food and beverage service during the movie! A full service bar to boot. That's pretty cool.

It has a BBQ joint, a Hardees, a Walmart, a wing joint, a Chinese restaurant, and a Mexican restaurant. I think that covers it.

The movie thing (for me) while it's cool, I'm totally the person who sneaks her own candy into the theater, lol.

The rest, I've seen all of that in Summerville.

OleTom, I'll see if I can find an online version of that paper. I would definitely like to do some non-touristy stuff in downtown, just need to figure out what the city has to offer.

[ZUMAN]

Here ya go:

Charleston City Paper