St. James Plantation, located in Brunswick County and part of the Southport community, is a large, gated senior living place with lots of different home styles, including single-family homes, condos, and townhomes, with condos and townhomes starting from $350,000 and single-family homes from $600,000, and some are designed by builders like Kent Homes, Bill Clark Homes, Dream Finders Homes, D.R. Horton, and Ryan Homes, so you get homes built new as recently as 2023, and you can find places with three bedrooms, two or more bathrooms, private bathrooms, walk-in closets, and some with as much as 3,456 square feet if that's what you want, and a few plans come with fireplaces, large owner's suites, and L-shaped kitchens with islands, while some of the plans, like the Hardwick or Grace Bay, let you choose more rooms or bathrooms if your family needs it, and there's help for buying and selling through St. James Properties, the real estate agency that works out of Southport, with loan pre-qualification options offered too.
The facility provides several types of care, like assisted living, memory care, nursing homes, independent living, and continuing care retirement community services, so seniors at different stages can find what suits them, and for help with everyday needs, there's staff support for activities of daily living, medication management, and non-ambulatory care, along with a 24-hour call system and staff supervision for safety, while housekeeping, laundry services and even help with moving in are part of community services, and families get support, which can ease those transitions. Inside the homes, you'll find private bathrooms, kitchenettes, air conditioning, Wi-Fi/high-speed internet, telephone, cable TV, and all the basics like furnishings, so daily living stays comfortable.
Dining services include a main dining room, all-day meal options, restaurant-style meals, and choices for allergies or diets like diabetes, along with meal planning and prep, which can be helpful if cooking's not easy anymore. For getting out or having guests, there's transportation and parking with two parking spots for each home. It can get busy around here, but St. James Plantation is large enough that parking and visiting go smoothly.
It has a lot of amenities that seniors enjoy, with fitness centers, indoor and outdoor pools, a spa, a wellness room, and three fitness centers, including the $4 million Signature Wellness Center with cardio equipment, weights, fitness classes, a dry sauna, and steam room. There's an on-site tennis pro shop, 13 clay-lighted tennis courts, ten pickleball courts, and the dedicated Pickleball Club, so residents can stay active however they like, and with a dedicated Movie Theater, music programs, arts and activity rooms, game rooms, a library, and scheduled daily activities, there's plenty to keep people busy. Social life here is strong, since more than 100 social clubs run from table tennis groups to mahjong, and the community keeps offering resident-led activities, community-sponsored activities, and outdoor programs. The SeaSide Club has a resort-style pool, sand volleyball court, lounge deck, and bar and grill, while Woodlands Park offers nature trails, a covered bridge, parks, amphitheater, and dog park, and Waterway Park includes walking and biking trails, a kayak launch, picnic pavilion, and a fishing and sightseeing pier. Outdoor spaces, with options like big covered porches and walkable trails, give people good reasons to get fresh air.
Golf is a major part of life here, with four private, championship courses designed by William Byrd, Nicklaus Design, Hale Irwin, P.B. Dye, and Tim Cate, for a total of 81 holes, all managed by Troon Golf, and each course is an "Audubon Certified Cooperative Sanctuary," so golfers can enjoy nature while they play. Clubhouses have dining, pro shops, and places to meet, and there's a Marina on the Intracoastal Waterway with 155 wet slips, 320 dry slips, charter fishing, and a Market Place with bars, restaurants, and shops for day-to-day living. Ocean lovers can visit "St. James by the Sea," the private beach club on Oak Island, with a pool, gazebo, boardwalk, and private parking at the ocean, and residents can enjoy the wide sandy beaches without crowds. HarborWalk units and the Reserve Club Cottages are options for those looking for condos or luxury homes with social memberships, private pools, and upgraded features.
The place is safe with four private gated entrances, security staff on duty around the clock, and walkable schools and resort-style amenities close by, plus nearby military bases like Seymour Johnson, and you can find homes with views of the woods, water, or golf courses with homesites from $200,000. There are parks, clubhouses, a community pool, fitness center, walking trails, playgrounds, and picnic areas, and both single-family and attached homes have features to help older adults, such as main-floor living, ADA compliance for digital access, and customizable floorplans that fit different needs, whether a person wants a ranch style or extra bedrooms for visiting family.
Natural areas like Buckhorn Reservoir, Lake Benson, Lake Moultrie, Walnut Creek, and the Wando River are close by for outdoor activities, and the community has a marina with slips and dry stack options as a homeport for boaters. People looking to buy can book in-person or virtual tours, and there are showcase rooms for viewing community features. Weather risks include things like hurricanes, river flooding, wildfires, heat waves, and the like, due to the coastal location, so that's something to keep in mind, but the staff and infrastructure are prepared for a variety of situations. St. James Plantation is a large community where you can settle into daily life with support, comfort, and plenty to do, and you have options for every care need and lifestyle, whether living alone or with family.
