Location, location, location
West Ashley might not come with beach access, but it is pretty conveniently situated to all things CHS. You can get to any of the beaches, downtown, Park Circle, Angel Oak, or the Ravenel Bridge in around thirty minutes or less depending on where you are in West Ashley.
Considering that any beachfront is twenty miles away, it is also a teeny bit safer to stick around during hurricane season. Depending on the neighborhood, West Ashley doesn’t experience nearly as much flooding as downtown or Arctic Avenue on Folly. We live in Grand Oaks and haven’t experienced flooding or power outages (knock on wood!)
Nature in your very own backyard
This could actually be said for most of the Lowcountry. If you’re considering moving to Charleston or deciding which neighborhood you plan to settle down in long term, I can see why West Ashley might fall out of range for some of you beach and nature lovers. I am a huge beach and nature lover myself and promise you that wildlife here extends far beyond the beautiful marshlands scattered around James Island.
West Ashley has streets lined with larger than life trees, ponds with resident alligators, great egrets, turtles, deer, lizards, snakes, and even the occasional bald eagle.
Charles Towne Landing , West Ashley Greenway, and Caw Caw (although slightly outside of the West Ashley boundary), are great spots to kick back with our coniferous friends and enjoy the views.
Kid friendly establishments
Let’s face it. Babysitters are hard to come by, and they can be an expensive option for your typical middle-class family. Date night babysitters range from $10-20 per hour depending on the individual sitter. Let’s say you want to head out for a walk on the greenway followed by a beverage and pizza at Frothy Beard. Next thing you know, you’ve spent over $100 for a few hours out ‘on the town’. Luckily, there are plenty of kid-friendly options in West Ashley, so you can eliminate the cost of a babysitter and bring the bambinos with you.
Here are a handful of kid-friendly spots in West Ashley:
Frothy Beard – Grab a pizza and a pint while the kiddos play Nintendo, then get a growler to go.
Mex 1 – My kids love the quesadillas at Mex 1, and it’s hard to tell a 4-year-old no when he requests Mex 1 by name for lunch!
Home Team – An amazing spot for BBQ and kids eat free all day on Tuesdays! If you go in the evening, you might even catch some live music. There are seats far enough away from the bar area to have the kids along without being inappropriately placed or experience music too loud for them.
Ms. Rose’s – Have you been to this place? The pretzels are fantastic, the happy hour is great, and the booth backs are so tall you can avoid playing toddler peek-a-boo with your neighbor.
Chick-fil-A – I know, I know. It’s not the healthiest or most exciting option, but let’s face it. We’re moms. With screaming kids and demanding toddlers. The play place at your nearest Chick-fil-A is great on a chilly or rainy day. Want to avoid the line? Download the app and order from your phone before you get there. P.S. Wow! Charlestonians really love their Chick-fil-A. I don’t think I’ve ever been without experiencing a major line.
The Tattooed Moose – Did you know there’s a game room in the upper level of Tattooed Moose at Citadel Mall? Take the kids to a movie or Outslide In and then follow it up with lunch at the Tattooed Moose. Talk about a fun filled day!
There are plenty more not listed here. Let us know your favorite West Ashley spot to bring the kiddos in the comments below!
Grocery shopping
Whole Foods- Need I say more? I’m ‘that’ mom who loves organic food and perusing the aisles at Whole Foods. You can find me there multiple times per week. I can’t help it. I love the fact that we finally have one on our end of town. If you’ve lived in WA for a length of time, and love Whole Foods as much as I do…you’ll know what I mean when I say a trip to the grocery store is no longer a 2-hour adventure, over the bridge and back!
Aside from Whole Foods, we have what feels like a grocery store on every other corner between Harris Teeter, Publix, BI-LO and Piggly Wiggly.
The Legare Farms rolling market makes weekly stops in West Ashley neighborhoods, and we also have a weekly West Ashley Farmers Market at Ackerman Park.
Affordability
The current average home price in West Ashley is currently $279k.
Here are some other average home prices* in surrounding Charleston areas:
Daniel Island – Average home price of $626k
Mount Pleasant – Average home price of $464k
James Island – Average home price of $380k
Folly Beach – Average home price of $673k
Isle of Palms – Average home price of $878k
Sullivan’s Island – Average home price of $1.61M
*Figures courtesy of Redfin.
