Sullivan's Island, South Carolina
Sullivan's Island is a town of 2,087 people in Charleston County, South Carolina.
Why visit Sullivan's Island
Townapedia lists 26 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 12 places to eat and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Sullivan's Island Lighthouse, Ben Sawyer Bridge, Battery Thomson and Atlanticville Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 91°F; January lows average 36°F.
Weather in Sullivan's Island
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Sullivan's Island
Sullivan's Island, historically known as O'Sullivan's Island, is a town and island in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States, at the entrance to Charleston Harbor, with a population of 1,791 at the 2010 census, and 1,891 people in 2020. The town is part of the Charleston metropolitan area and is considered a very affluent suburb of Charleston.
From the Wikipedia article Sullivan's Island, South Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do7
Sullivan's Island Lighthouse
Lighthouse · 1.1 mi
USCG Light List Number (LLNR) 195, 163 feet tall, visible to 20 nautical miles;triangular tower, top half black, bottom half white.
Charleston Light
Lighthouse · 1.1 mi
Lighthouse in South Carolina, United States
Fort Sumter
Monument and historic site · 2.8 mi
Fort in Charleston, South Carolina
Fort Sumter Range Lights
Lighthouse · 2.8 mi
Lighthouse in South Carolina, United States
Isle of Palms Connector Bridge
Bridge · 2.9 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Sullivan's Island Range Lights
Lighthouse · 1.6 mi
Lighthouse in South Carolina, United States
Museums and landmarks26
Battery Thomson
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Atlanticville Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic district in South Carolina, United States
Battery Gadsden
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Dr. John B. Patrick House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic house in South Carolina, United States
Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
United States National Monument in Charleston, South Carolina
Lucas Family Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Cemetery in South Carolina, USA
Moultrieville Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Historic district in South Carolina, United States
Mount Pleasant Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Historic district in South Carolina
Old Berkeley County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Courthouse in South Carolina, United States
Sullivan's Island Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic district in South Carolina, United States
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U.S. Coast Guard Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic district in South Carolina, United States
14 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
United States Coast Guard Historic District
Park · 1.1 mi
1815 I'on Avenue, Sullivan's Island
Restaurants and cafes12
Mainland Container Co. Kitchen & Bar
Diner · American · 1.7 mi
1528 Ben Sawyer Boulevard, Mount Pleasant
Beardcat's Sweet Shop
Ice cream · 0.8 mi
Espresso drinks, gelato, pastries & grab-&-go sandwiches
2063 Middle Street, Sullivan's Island
Mo-Su 07:30-22:00
Boathouse at Breach Inlet
Restaurant · Regional · 1.3 mi
101 Palm Boulevard, Isle of Palms
Sullivan's Fish Camp
Restaurant · Regional, Seafood · 0.9 mi
2019 Middle Street, Sullivan's Island
The Co-Op Frose & Eatery
Restaurant · 0.9 mi
2019 Middle Street, Sullivan's Island
History
Sullivan's Island was the point of entry for approximately 40 to 50 percent of the 400,000 enslaved Africans brought to Colonial America, . It has been likened to Ellis Island, the 19th-century reception point for immigrants in New York City.
From the History section of Sullivan's Island, South Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship4
Church of the Holy Cross
Church · Anglican · 0.4 mi
2520 Middle Street, Sullivan's Island
Sunrise Presbyterian Church
Church · Presbyterian · 0.9 mi
3222 Middle Street, Sullivan's Island
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries13
East Cooper Montessori Charter
School · 2.2 mi
1120 Rifle Range Road, Mt. Pleasant
Mamie P. Whitesides Elementary
School · 2.7 mi
1565 Rifle Range Road, Mt. Pleasant
Map of Sullivan's Island
68 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°F | 36°F | 3.8 in |
| Feb | 61°F | 39°F | 3.3 in |
| Mar | 67°F | 45°F | 3.5 in |
| Apr | 75°F | 54°F | 3.6 in |
| May | 82°F | 63°F | 3.3 in |
| Jun | 88°F | 70°F | 5.4 in |
| Jul | 91°F | 73°F | 6.0 in |
| Aug | 90°F | 72°F | 6.7 in |
| Sep | 86°F | 68°F | 5.5 in |
| Oct | 78°F | 58°F | 3.9 in |
| Nov | 69°F | 47°F | 3.0 in |
| Dec | 62°F | 40°F | 3.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Sullivans Is (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Charleston County has had 23 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-23: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-05: Hurricane Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2023-08-31: Hurricane Idalia (Hurricane)
- 2022-11-21: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2022-09-29: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Charleston International Airport (CHS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 15 miles away.
- Mount Pleasant 3 mi northwest, about 5 min by car
- Isle of Palms 5 mi northeast, about 8 min by car
- James Island 7 mi west, about 11 min by car
- Charleston 9 mi northwest, about 15 min by car
- Folly Beach 10 mi southwest, about 17 min by car
- Hanahan 15 mi northwest, about 24 min by car
- North Charleston 17 mi northwest, about 27 min by car
- Kiawah Island 17 mi southwest, about 27 min by car
- Awendaw 17 mi northeast, about 27 min by car
- Goose Creek 19 mi northwest, about 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Sullivan's Island viewed from Fort Moultrie, Thomson200, CC0
- Battery-thomson-sc1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- John-patrick-house-sc1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- 200 Bank Street, Mt. Pleasant, SC, Ammodramus, CC0
- Stella-maris-church-sc1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- Darby Building (Mt Pleasant, SC) 3, Ammodramus, CC0
- U.S. Coast Guard Historic District, Sullivans Island, South Carolina - lifesaving station quarters, self, CC BY 3.0
- Fort-moultrie-post-exchange-sc1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- FortsumterNM-welcome, Staib, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lucas Family Cemetery 2, Ammodramus, CC0
- Battery-gadsden-sc1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- FortSumter2009, Bubba73 (talk) , (Jud McCranie), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sawyer Swing Span-3 SC (8423301193), Federal Highway Administration, Public domain
- Sullivans-Lighthouse, JonathanLamb, Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.