Once a small fishing town on the way to the beach, Mount Pleasant has become an affluent suburb of nearly 100,000 and the state's fourth-largest municipality.
For residents and visitors that means an abundance of shopping, dining and recreation options, but there are also quiet places to enjoy nature and some quirky family-owned businesses. Some beloved places have gone away, but new ones have arrived.
Sand Dollar Mini Golf and the Slip Slidin' water park on the route to the beach are long gone, as are Page's Thieves Market, Alex's diner and Richard's Bar. But an influx of new residents has brought more dining choices, and it's still possible to play mini golf (Charleston Fun Park) or visit a water park (Splash Island).
Explore
In the woods, on the water, in historic places or outdoor spaces there are lots of options for getting out and about.
Laurel Hill County Park offers walking and biking trails from a half-mile to nearly 5 miles. Entry is a $1 honor-box admission. Access it from the Park West recreation complex, 1251 Park West Blvd.
The recently expanded Memorial Waterfront Park at 99 Harry Hallman Blvd. has a 1,250-foot pier on the Cooper River. Fishing gear can be rented, there's a café, playground, dog park and special events, including dances and free movies nights.
Palmetto Islands County Park ($2 per person) is 943 acres on Horlbeck Creek and you can enter on Needlerush Parkway. Enjoy extensive trails, bike and kayak rentals, large playgrounds and playing fields, a dog park, fishing and crabbing docks, and the seasonal Splash Island waterpark (separate admission).
For harbor views and great sunsets visit Shem Creek Park (Shrimp Boat Lane), or Pickett Park (998 Pitt St.). Shem Creek Park is a network of boardwalks and marsh islands near the bars and restaurants lining the creek. Pickett Park is the repurposed remains of a causeway and bridge to Sullivan's Island.
History buffs should visit The Old Village, where the town began, with sites tied to the Revolutionary War and Civil War. The Mount Pleasant Historical Society has a suggested walking tour.
There's also the (free) Charles Pinckney National Historic Site off Long Point Road, across from the privately owned Boone Hall Plantation. Pinckney was an author and signer of the Constitution. The 28-acre site and museum is what remains of Pinckney's Snee Farm plantation — the rest is a golf course subdivision.
For 20th Century military history, there's the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum on the Charleston harbor, featuring the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown.
Despite the Everytown USA suburbanization of Mount Pleasant — two Walmarts, two Lowe's, too many grocery stores to count — there are still locally owned businesses that aren't the same as in the next town.
Independent businesses tend to be in the southern part of Mount Pleasant, since the northern sector was developed more recently. Examples familiar with residents include Gwynn's luxury clothing store, Parrot Surf & Skate and the high-end kitchen shop The Coastal Cupboard.
Eat and drink like a local
In Mount Pleasant many of the residents came from other states, pretty recently, and the influx of people from off has expanded the dining choices.
These days one can find bagels (Ruby's) and pizza (Woodhaven) that would satisfy a New Yorker. There's a growing number of Italian restaurants (including Amalfi's, Bricco Bracco, Cuoco Pazzo, La Pizzeria, Pizza Pazzo), upscale Indian restaurant Spice Palette, Cajun fare (LoLa), Thai (Basil, Pattaya, Jasmine Thai Kitchen), more than a dozen Mexican restaurants, and plenty of others.
High-end restaurants are also plentiful — look for reviews on postandcourier.com. Some local favorites include NICO Oysters + Seafood, Taverna Philosophia, Lola Rose, Langdon's, Red Drum and many more.