Charleston has dozens of neighborhoods with waterfront homes. While this includes the oceanfront homes on Folly Island, Sullivan’s Island, and Isle of Palms, it also includes homes with private docks (and access to community docks) throughout the Charleston area.
This list is by no means exhaustive—not even close. Along with additional neighborhoods with waterfront homes in each of the five locations on this list, locations from Daniel Island to the far lesser-known Goat Island have waterfront homes in the Charleston area as well. Rather, our goal here is simply to provide an overview of some of the options that are available to those who are in pursuit of waterfront living in Charleston.
Downtown Charleston
While downtown Charleston is located on a peninsula, it is the only area on this list where we’ve had to stretch our criteria for neighborhoods with waterfront homes just a bit. Downtown Charleston has relatively few waterfront homes, as much of the peninsula’s coastline is occupied by marinas, ports, and public spaces. With that said, here are five neighborhoods in downtown Charleston that, at a minimum, offer unobstructed water views:
1. Eastside
Downtown Charleston’s historic Eastside neighborhood has homes with views of the Ravenel Bridge and Charleston harbor. While Eastside residents do not technically live on the waterfront, their view over the Port of Charleston and easy access to Liberty Square more than make up for being just across the road.
2. Harleston Village
Harleston Village is located on the west side of the peninsula just about South of Broad. A select few homes in the neighborhood have unobstructed views of the Ashley River, and there are homes around Colonial Lake as well.
3. South of Broad
South of Broad is downtown Charleston’s most famous neighborhood, and the homes along Murray Boulevard have some of the best views in all of Charleston. Home prices here are in the millions of dollars; but, for those who can afford it, living here is one of the most unique experiences that Charleston has to offer.
4. Wagener Terrace
Wagener Terrace is one of the few neighborhoods in downtown Charleston that truly offers waterfront living. The most famous waterfront home in the neighborhood is Lowndes Grove, which is now an event venue and a recurring set on Netflix’s Outer Banks. But, there are many smaller and more affordable waterfront homes in Wagener Terrace as well, and neighborhood residents who don’t have waterfront homes can still put their kayaks in at the neighborhood’s public access point that provides access to the Ashley River.
5. Westside
The condominiums and apartments in downtown Charleston’s Westside neighborhood have unobstructed views of the Ashley River. The Bristol Condominiums on Westedge Street offer one of the few true waterfront living opportunities on the peninsula.
James Island
James Island has numerous waterfront neighborhoods, with the majority of these neighborhoods located on the Charleston harbor, the Stono River, and the marshes behind Morris Island. While it may be possible to create a list of 25 neighborhoods with waterfront homes on James Island alone, here are the five we’ve selected as representative examples of what the island has to offer:
6. Clearview
Clearview is one of James Island’s most desirable neighborhoods, located on the island’s east side along the banks of the Charleston harbor. While all residents have access to the public dock at Melton Peter Demetre Park, twenty or so homes in the neighborhood have private docks on the harbor. A handful of Clearview homes also have docks on a small creek that feeds into the harbor next to the James Island Yacht Club.
7. Fort Lamar
Fort Lamar is located on James Island’s southern edge. Several homes in this neighborhood have private docks on the creeks behind Morris Island. These creeks feed into the Folly River and the Atlantic Ocean.
8. Lighthouse Point
Lighthouse Point is located just northeast of Fort Lamar. Residents of this James Island neighborhood have similar waterfront access and views. On clear Charleston summer days, some Lighthouse Point residents can see the Morris Island Lighthouse, which is located less than three miles off of the neighborhood’s south shore.
9. Riverland Terrace
Riverland Terrace has one of the Charleston area’s largest concentrations of waterfront homes. The neighborhood stretches from the Stono river to Folly River Boulevard along the Wappoo Creek. The waterfront homes in Riverland Terrace are also among the most-desirable homes in Charleston. Homes along the Stono River have pristine Lowcountry views, while those on Wappoo Creek have easy access (by boat) to the Charleston harbor and incredible sunsets over the water.
10. White Point
White Point is located just north of Clearview. A select few homes on White Point Boulevard and Paul Revere Drive have docks on the Charleston harbor, while there are additional creekfront homes with docks and sunset views along Mill Creek.
Johns Island
Due to the fact that much of the land on Johns Island remains devoted to agricultural use and development on the island has only really started to take off relatively recently, there are relatively few waterfront neighborhoods on the island. But, there are numerous waterfront homes along Bohicket Road and River Road that are not in neighborhoods, so we have included these areas on our list as well:
11. Bohicket Road and River Road
Bohicket Road runs from Maybank Highway to Freshfields Village along Bohicket Creek. Along its roughly ten miles of live oak-lined two-lane roadway, Bohicket Road has numerous waterfront homes with views of the also-relatively-undeveloped Wadmalaw Island. Bohicket Creek runs southwest to the North Edisto River, where residents can connect to the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) or go offshore in the Atlantic Ocean.
Similar to Bohicket Road, most of the waterfront homes along River Road are not in a neighborhood. Many homes on River Road have long driveways that provide privacy and docks on the Stono River.
12. Grimbal Gates
Grimbal Gates is located on Johns Island’s north end just west of the Limehouse Bridge. Several homes in the neighborhood have private docks on creeks that connect to the Stono River.
13. Kiawah River
Kiawah River is a newer waterfront neighborhood on Johns Island that offers residents views of its namesake river. Several residents have waterfront homes on the Kiawah River itself, and the neighborhood also has waterfront homes on the various ponds and waterways spread throughout the area.
14. Kiawah River Estates
Kiawah River Estates is another private Johns Island neighborhood with waterfront homes on the Kiawah River. It is located just past the Kiawah River neighborhood on Bohicket Road, just a mile drive from Freshfields Village.
15. Headquarters Plantation
Headquarters Plantation is a private gated community off of River Road that has several large, luxury waterfront homes on the Stono River. Residents also have easy access to St. Johns Yacht Harbor, and the Atlantic Ocean is roughly a 13-mile boat ride away.
Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant rivals James Island when it comes to the number of neighborhoods with waterfront homes in the Charleston area. It has waterfront neighborhoods on the Charleston Harbor, the Wando River, Horlbeck Creek, Shem Creek, Wagner Creek, and the ICW. Some of Mount Pleasant’s most-popular neighborhoods with deepwater access include:
16. Dunes West
Dunes West is a gated community on Wagner Creek, which leads to the Wando River. Several neighborhood residents have private deepwater docks, and a select few have golf course views as well.
17. Hobcaw Point
Hobcaw Point is located on the Wando River, between the Ravenel Bridge and the Charleston Port’s Wando Welch Terminal. The waterfront homes here have incredible views and deepwater docks that provide easy access to the Wando, the Cooper River, and the Charleston harbor. Residents who don’t live on the water have easy access to the Hobcaw Yacht Club, Hobcaw Creek Docks Marina, Remleys Point Public Boat Landing, and David Simmons Jr. Community Dock.
18. Horlbeck Creek
The Horlbeck Creek neighborhood is located near Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens, and the neighborhood’s namesake waterway provides quick access to the Wando River.
19. Old Village
Mount Pleasant’s Old Village is located on the Charleston harbor, between Shem Creek and the Pitt Street Bridge. Residents who have waterfront homes in Old Village have unparalleled views of the downtown Charleston skyline—along with easy access to the ICW and the Atlantic Ocean.
20. RiverTowne
Rivertowne is a country club neighborhood in Mount Pleasant that also provides residents with access to the deepwater Horlbeck Creek. Several homes in the neighborhood have private docks with long piers overlooking the marsh that are just a short boat ride from the Wando River.
West Ashley
Finally, while West Ashley isn’t generally known for its waterfront homes, it still has several neighborhoods with water views as well as both private and community docks. Some of West Ashley’s neighborhoods that offer waterfront living include:
21. Ashleyville
Ashleyville is located on the Ashley River, just off of St. Andrews Boulevard. It is currently among the most affordable neighborhoods on this list. Many residents have expansive views of the Ashley River with downtown Charleston in the background, and all residents have access to the Higgins Pier via the West Ashley Bikeway.
22. Croghan Landing
Croghan Landing is located on Savannah Highway, just across from the entrance to Carolina Bay. But, unlike Carolina Bay, Croghan Landing is a small, quiet neighborhood that has several homes with private docks on a creek that connects to the Stono River.
23. Edgewater Park
Edgewater Park is located at the end of Wappoo Road in West Ashley. It is located across the Stono River from Riverland Terrace on James Island. Several homes on S. Edgewater Drive have docks on the Stono River, while homes on the north side of this small waterfront neighborhood have docks on the Wappoo Creek.
24. The Preserve at Poplar Grove
The Preserve at Poplar Grove is located off of Davison Road, just a short drive down Savannah Highway from Croghan Landing. Several homes in the neighborhood back to Rantowles Creek, and their private deepwater docks provide access to the Stono River under the Savannah Highway bridge. The neighborhood also has a private community dock with kayak outposts where residents can store their kayaks just steps from the water.
25. The Settlement at Ashley Hall
The Settlement at Ashley Hall is one of the Charleston area’s newer neighborhoods with waterfront homes. Located at the end of Ashley Hall Plantation Road off of Ashley River Road, the neighborhood has several deepwater lots as well as a long private community pier.
Did you like this article? Subscribe to get notified of new articles via email.