Island Information for the Charleston SC Area

Real Estate and Luxury Homes for Sale Resource Guide

A summertime home for Charlestonians since colonial times, the island was the scene of the first great battle of the Revolution, and later inspired stories by Edgar Allan Poe. Enjoy living on this national historic Revolutionary and Civil War site.
Understated elegance defines this South Carolina coastal island offering a casual atmosphere, natural beauty and charm, unblemished beaches, and a downtown one-block stretch of cottage-like restaurants that attracts people from all over the Charleston area. Sullivan's Island is one of the most prestigious addresses in Charleston with a price tag to match (read Forbes review CLICK here), and it is worth every penny. Enjoy views of Fort Sumter and Charleston Harbor from the beachside and estuaries of miles of serene, expansive marshes and creeks on the inside.
Dogs are welcome on the beach during restricted hours with proper dog tags.
A great place for reflection!
to see offerings  on Sullivans Island.
Sullivan’s Island has a mix of historic residential properties featuring heart pine tongue-and-groove paneling, turreted gazebos, and wrap-around porches, and modern energy efficient homes. Primarily residential, and without a single traffic light, half the fun of living here is admiring the tasteful homes while scooting about on your golf cart up and down the neighborhoods that run parallel to the sea. The oldest residence on Sullivan's Island dates to 1834, and dozens of distinctive homes that exist today were built as beach cottages in the mid to late 1800's in Classic Revival and Victorian influence.  Many of the grand old beach houses are on half-acre lots. Sullivan's Island is three miles long, and is a friendly island for the homeowners living here.
**Sullivan's Island has no beachfront boardwalks, hotels, or businesses, and no golf course.
There is fine dining at Atlanticville and Station 22 restaurants, family dining at Sullivan's and Poe's restaurants, and a convivial music, food, and nightlife at Off The Hook, Bert's Bar, and Dunleavy's Irish Pub. These are all located on the small stretch across center of the island, along with the post office and fire station.
To find your way, north-south blocks are arranged into what are known as stations. These date to the 1890's when electric and horse-drawn trolleys were introduced to the island along a series of tracks from one end to the other. The old trolley stops, or stations, still hang on as street addresses.
Overview of Sullivan's Island...CLICK FOR LARGER PHOTOS:
ADDED BONUS: Covenants approved by the Sullivan's Island town council restrict the number of houses that can be rented on the island as a means of preserving the sense of community. There is a family atmosphere on this island.
Dolphins, loggerhead turtles and osprey may be enjoyed from the quiet beachfront that is exclusively residential, yet only twenty minutes from downtown Charleston.
About Sullivans Island, South Carolina: Sullivan's Island is a small barrier island located 10 miles from downtown historic Charleston between Charleston Harbor and Breach Inlet. It is a safe place to walk, ride your bike or golf cart, and get to know your neighbors well. The island pace of life is slow and easy with quiet residential neighborhoods in a semi-tropical terrain. Sullivan's is a very classy beachfront community. There is no public beach on Sullivan's Island, but the four miles of beachfront are accessible by paths at the end of every block (station). The community boasts an outstanding elementary school for the island's children, as well as a popular park with tennis courts, a playground, soccer fields and a gazebo. Like other areas in the Lowcountry around Charleston, Sullivan's Island is rich with its own history. Fort Moultrie is located at the far South end of the island and overlooks Charleston Harbor. It is the site of the famous Revolutionary War Battle where the Americans used Palmetto logs to create a fortification. These logs absorbed the British cannonballs rather than shattering a structure, while Americans were able to hit the British ships with their cannons. South Carolina is know as the Palmetto State in commemoration of the victory. Located between the downtown strip of Sullivan's Island and Ft. Moultrie stands Sullivan's Island's Charleston Lighthouse which was built in 1963. It is distinctive with its black and white markings and its triangular shape. Old rich Charlestonian families used Sullivan's Island as a retreat from the summer heat of the city of Charleston, but much of the island was later destroyed during Hurricane Hugo in 1989 being completely submerged. During the rebuilding of the island, many luxury beachfront homes were built and much of the old character of the island was preserved with the pubs and restaurants along the first two popular blocks of the town's Middle Street in the center of the island. There are still abundant myrtle and palmetto trees; Sullivan's Island offers charm and natural beauty. It has been the summertime escape for downtown Charlestonians since the colonial era. Swimmers, sunbathers, fishermen, crabbers, shrimpers, and clam catchers all enjoy the island. On occasion the conditions might be right for surfing, although most surf on Folly Beach. People love this beach for walking peacefully and hunting for the odd beach shell. This unspoiled sandy beach is perfect for swimming. Sullivan's Island has inspired poets, painters and authors. Poe's Pub is tribute to such as shown above.