Isle of Palms Living Essentials

Access to Isle of Palms
All the essentials for life on this thriving coastal island are available on the Isle of Palms and in neighboring communities. Linked by bridge to Sullivan’s Island, and connected to Mount Pleasant via the Isle of Palms Connector, island residents have easy access to two major throughways, U.S. Highway 17 and Interstate 526. Known locally as the Mark Clark Expressway, I-526 connects to Daniel Island, North Charleston, Interstate 26 and the West Ashley section of Charleston. I-526 also offers a quick 15 link to Charleston International Airport. Hwy 17 is the main artery running north and south through Mt. Pleasant. Traveling only a few minutes north on Hwy. 17 from the IOP Connector, Island residents can take advantage of commuter service offered at the modern Mount Pleasant Regional Airport. The Isle of Palms is also accessible by boat from the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. Traveling a few minutes south on Hwy. 17 from the IOP Connector will take travelers across the Arthur Ravenel Bridge to I-26 or directly in peninsular Charleston.

Healthcare and Hospitals
A number of doctors have offices on the Isle of Palms and neighboring Sullivan’s Island. Nearby Mount Pleasant is home to East Cooper Regional Medical Center, which is conveniently located near the IOP Connector. Surrounded by a medical complex with physicians and out-patient services, this 100-bed short-term-stay hospital was the first one in South Carolina to be recognized for service excellence under the J.D. Power and Associates Distinguished Hospital Program, a distinction that acknowledges its strong commitment to provide an outstanding patient experience.

East Cooper Regional Medical Center plans to construct a 140-bed acute care hospital as a replacement for its current facility in order to better serve the needs of Mount Pleasant and the greater East Cooper community. The approximately $160 million facility will be situated on 55 acres adjacent to the current campus. The new facility will provide services including general surgery and medicine, 24-hour emergency care, orthopedics, women's health services, imaging and diagnostic services, neurosurgery and other specialties. The Isle of Palms is located about 14 miles from the state-of-the-art medical complex in downtown Charleston. Anchored by the Medical University of South Carolina and its renowned Medical University Hospital and Children’s Hospital, this huge medical complex also includes Roper Hospital, The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, and Charleston Country Hospital, as well as a number of family practitioners and specialists.

Schools and Education
Children living on the Isle of Palms attend public school at Sullivan’s Island Elementary, Laing Middle School and Wando High School. Sullivan’s Island Elementary, located on neighboring Sullivan’s Island, ranks among the state’s top academic school, and serves children grades kindergarten through fifth.

Opened in 2004, the new Wando High School serves as a model for high school construction across the nation. Designed to accommodate the rapidly growing East Cooper area, the school features wide corridors, spacious multifunctional teaching stations, and is sited so additional athletic and intramural facilities can be easily added. Other highlights include 17 science labs, a high-tech culinary arts center, and a 900-seat performing arts center which is available to local community groups and organizations.

The Charleston area is home to several outstanding colleges and universities. They include the Medical University of South Carolina, The Citadel, Charleston School of Law, the College of Charleston and Charleston Southern University. Trident Technical College, with campuses in both North Charleston and downtown Charleston, offers a number of associate and certificate programs that prepare students to enter the work force. Trident also offers a long list of continuing education opportunities for area resident. Isle of Palms residents of all ages may take classes in everything from personal finance to flower arranging to yoga and much more through Wando Community School, one of the 10 community schools operated jointly by the Charleston County School District and the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission.

Faith and Religion / Isle of Palms The island is home to three active church communities: First United Methodist, Isle of Palms Baptist, and St. Marks Lutheran, with a wide variety of other church families located nearby on Sullivan’s Island and in Mount Pleasant.