West Ashley - Charleston, SC

English settlers first stepped foot in the Carolinas on a spot in West Ashley located on the shores of the Ashley River. The state preserved this site as a historic landmark and created a park around it, which is called Charles Towne Landing. The Landing, only 3.4 miles from outer West Ashley, features a slew of events from bi-monthly cannon firings and musket demonstrations to yoga under the oaks and movie nights.

If you're in the mood for more history, the American Military Museum sits directly within outer West Ashley and displays authentic, historic military artifacts, such as General Patton’s Army patch and General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s five-star rank insignia. The museum also houses a number of other artifacts and military uniforms.

If dancing is your activity of choice, several full-service dance studios, such as Fred Astaire and Carolina Dancesport, give residents something to stomp their feet about.

Outer West Ashley's residents enjoy easy access to Highway 17/Savannah Highway, which heads straight into downtown Charleston, making it simple to visit the area's restaurants, bars and theaters. If they wish to stay close, the neighborhood proffers some good grub of its own.

Open until late Fridays and Saturdays, the Early Bird Diner provides you with a late-night gastro-fix. Locals rave about the simple things on the menu, such as the grits and biscuits, but also devour the other traditional Southern entrées. Order the chicken and waffles to experience the tantalizing taste of pecan-crusted fried chicken served alongside a cinnamon waffle drizzled with honey mustard and syrup. With the shrimp and grits, have it your way — sautéed with a tomato-bacon gravy or fried with a sweet and spicy jelly. Either way, it comes with your choice of a scrumptious biscuit or toast. Come anytime for these delights as the diner serves them up open to close.

If you're in the mood for even more soulful, Southern cuisine, head just down the street to Boxcar Betty's Fried Chicken Sandwiches, where locals favor anything on the menu with pimento cheese or peach slaw. Locals love the boxcar, a fried chicken sandwich topped with pimento cheese, peach slaw, spicy mayo and house-made pickles. Insiders suggest you add sweet potato fries or the pimento-stuffed mushroom cap to anything for a truly golden experience.

Most of outer West Ashley’s residents drive to and from their destinations. Given its make-up of primarily “big-box” stores, an indoor mall and retail stores dotted along Savannah Highway, parking lots abound for residents. Street parking in residential neighborhoods is easy to come by if you're visiting or have guests to your home. Cabs serve the area, but you'll want to call ahead to arrange a pick-up. Uber is also an option, serving all of Charleston including outer West Ashley. If you prefer to take the bus, catch a ride on Charleston’s public bus system, CARTA, for only $1.75 one-way. While some bike lanes exist on West Ashley’s busy main roads, a more peaceful ride can be found by cycling around the area's neighborhoods.

Outer West Ashley claims two of Charleston’s biggest and best parks — St. Andrews Park and Playground and West Ashley Park. Both parks showcase playgrounds, a bunch of ball fields and picnic areas, with the former having 11 tennis courts and the latter, a 18-hole disk golf course, a dog run and access to waterways and fishing. St. Andrews Park celebrates Christmas with a tree lighting event and Christmas trees for sale at the park. Both parks are free of charge.

The cost of living in outer West Ashley runs lower than in many other parts of the city, with a one-bedroom apartment averaging $820 per month. Renters can choose from a number of different apartment complexes built in the 1990s or after, some with amenities such as pools and gyms. Charleston’s gas prices run about 2.2 percent lower than the national average, with prices in West Ashley running just a bit lower. Food and drink at restaurants and bars in West Ashley costs less than in other areas of the city, with the cost of a domestic beer averaging between $2.50 and $3.50. To top off your savings, catching a ride on a CARTA bus costs only $3.50 for a round trip.

A long list of big chain stores find their home in West Ashley, including Lowe’s, Home Depot, World Market, Target, Walmart, Sears, Dillard’s, Belk, and many more. For the local boutique, head over to West Ashley’s Avondale neighborhood to find the Bashful Boutique, a unique little store that sells fashionable clothing. Just a short drive into downtown Charleston provides you with boutiques galore along the King Street shopping district, including local favorites, Shoes on King and Anne’s.

Residents find it easy to stock up at a number of grocery stores located within the neighborhood, including Costco, Food Lion and Bi-Lo. For a farmer's market, make the short drive into the city to check out the Charleston Farmer's Market, which is ranked as a top 10 farmer's market in the nation by Travel and Leisure Magazine. The market sets up in Marion Square Park, where the city also provides free Wi-Fi.