The City of North Charleston
North Charleston isn’t like any other city.
Around here, everybody is somebody. We’re a determined bunch of folks that work hard, make things with our hands, look after our neighbors, and invite everyone to the party.
We have a deeply rooted story here just waiting for you to uncover. From flashy shows, concerts, and Broadway plays, to riverfront views and shopping paradises, we have a little bit of everything. As you explore our beautiful city, embrace the unexpected. Go forth and discover some of the best things we have to offer. They’ve been waiting for you this whole time. Oh, and if someone hands you a beer while you’re visiting, make sure it was brewed at one of our local breweries!
North Charleston is a diverse and progressive city. While officially founded in 1972, our history goes back much further and is steeped in military tradition that was established in 1901 with the opening of the Charleston Naval Base. The Base closed in 1996, which served as a pivotal point for North Charleston’s future. That’s when our character began to blossom. Over the next decade our shipbuilders, mechanics, welders, and riggers developed into a community of jet and automobile manufacturers, wind turbine testers, and creators of cutting edge technologies. That isn’t to say that we have lost our grit. We’ve managed to become more refined while honoring our industrial past. We know from where we came.
One of our defining features is Park Circle, a large garden community planned in the early 1900s by the North Charleston Lands Corp. and P.J. Berkmans Co. of Augusta, GA, one of the South’s first landscape architecture firms. As part of the City Beautiful movement, their grid plan revolves around a central circular park about 300 feet in diameter. When the city of North Charleston incorporated in 1972, its boundaries mostly consisted of the Park Circle area. We have since grown to cover nearly 77 square miles.
Park Circle is a Shining Example of a Walkable Community with a Unique Character that Sets it Apart
North Charleston has been the number one retail and shopping destination in South Carolina for over two decades. We’re a shopaholic’s paradise with major retail hubs located throughout the city and small, boutique shops dotting the map. So, if you’re one to shop til’ you drop, you’ve hit the jackpot.
If you’re a traveler that experiences a new destination through your stomach, you’re in a prime spot. Farm to table restaurants and craft breweries abound the ethnic food joints are seemingly tucked around every corner; all of which could easily occupy a good portion of your itinerary.
If You’re in North Charleston, You’re Right in the Heart of the Lowcountry
You’re a short drive from one of the area’s pristine beaches, a quick Uber away from James Beard award winning restaurant, and a hop, skip, and jump to a historic plantation for that tour you’ve been thinking about.