Over 20 Towns We Loved in South Carolina

Some of My Favorite Towns in South Carolina

South Carolina was my first taste of the true South, and landing in Charleston proved to be the best introduction I could have hoped for.  I was immediately enthralled by the majesty of the downtown historic buildings.  It was early evening and the pastel fronts of the homes were lit by flickering gas lamps casting shadows of passing ghosts from days past.  Walking around the town, I saw many people jogging along the waterfront, their footfalls echoed by the clop of the horse drawn carriages filled with tourists touring the city.  I worked up a good appetite and enjoyed the local favorites of creamy, rich she-crab soup and a pile of tender shrimp smothered in butter and Cajun spices.  Driving around town that night and early the next morning, I was amazed by the disparity between the richness of the history in the inner city's shops and homes and the conditions of the poorer areas on the outskirts and in various neighborhoods scattered in places unseen by many.  The next morning I watched the sun come up over the bay, before getting into the car, for the rest of the trip.

            I set out for Georgetown, north of Charleston along the banks of the Winyah Bay.  Georgetown has an outlying commercial area with a picturesque downtown containing specialty shops, antique stores and galleries.  Georgetown's downtown benefits from the breeze off the water, although the view of the bay is marred in many spots by towers of heavy industry. 

            About twenty minutes north of Georgetown I fell in love again, this time with the town of Pawleys Island.  I came over the southern causeway where people were fishing over each side of the bridge.  Along Myrtle Avenue which runs north to south on the island, fishing huts waded into the waters of the marsh that separates the island from the mainland, and on the other side, the beach stretched into the shimmering water.  The parts of the Island I saw were free of any commercial enterprises, the speed limit was twenty-five miles per hour, and the policeman I saw rode a quad and waved to everyone he passed.  Pawleys Island seemed a place you might go on vacation and wind up leaving the last day not remembering what you did with the last week or so, taking home with you some sand in your shoes, browner skin, and a more peaceful and rested disposition.  Leaving the island I felt as though I had just awoke from a nap and the island beckoned in the rear view mirror with the allure of every warm bed wrapped in rumpled covers that I've ever had the misfortune of being called away from.

            From Pawleys Island, I drove through Moncks Corner, which was a quiet little town.  I continued on to Summerville which was a very nice residential community just a half hour north of Charleston and a great place to live, if I was raising a family and commuting to Charleston for work.  Children were playing in the streets of the quiet residential neighborhoods which were well kept with amply sized homes and property, many of which were architecturally beautiful as well.  The commercial strip prior to entering downtown had the basic fast food restaurants and retail service stores.  The downtown had several one way streets lined with shops, restaurants, and government buildings.  In the middle of the main thoroughfare was a wide median planted with trees and bushes giving the center of town a park-like, community feeling.

            Passing through Walterboro, I made my way to Beaufort which is on the coast about an hour and a half south of Charleston, and has the same charm of a beautiful city center with southern homes aching with the character of their age and small shops and galleries lining the streets.  Beaufort's downtown is set on the banks of the Coosaw River which runs into the Port Royal Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.  The downtown benefited from being a bit smaller than Charleston's, and therefore more accessible although it seemed to lack some of the night life options that are provided in a city the size of  Charleston.  However, Beaufort's smaller size protected it from some of the drawbacks that come with larger urban areas.             

            From Beaufort, I drove over the bridge that was at the end of the town to check out a bit more of the island.  I found myself in the very quiet town of Port Royal.  The streets were nearly empty and it seemed as though most people were out for the day.  I saw a number of young people driving around with surf-boards attached to the roofs of their cars.  Port Royal was more relaxed than Beaufort and seemed a good place to settle if you wanted to be within reach of Beaufort's amenities, but wanted to avoid the traffic of downtown.  At the edge of Port Royal, there was a Naval Base and a long pier where people were crabbing and fishing, many who seemed to be having plenty of luck in the fertile waters.

            From Port Royal, I took the bridge on Route 170 and connected up with Route 278 which I followed on its way to the famous Hilton Head area.  The drive to Hilton Head was exhilarating with water fowl flying around the road over the marshes that were dotted in green and blue and accented by the grasses that stuck up through the waters.  I remained in great spirits, until I hit the traffic entering the main town area.  Hilton Head has many developments on Route 278, overcrowding a small parcel of land.  People on the roads were rushed and rude, and the wait staff at the restaurant where I ate was devoid of the southern charms I had come to expect from the South.  I couldn't imagine how Hilton Head had gotten the reputation it enjoys and was happy to leave it behind for Savannah which would be my first Georgian experience.

            When I was heading out of Charleston, I stopped for directions and spoke with a local woman about the other cities I would be visiting.  Upon mentioning Savannah, she immediately smiled and asked, “You do know that Charleston and Savannah are sister cities, right?”  I replied that I did and she added, “Well, Savannah is known as the older sister,” and she paused for a moment, wetting her lips, “the one with the dirty panties.”  This immediately seemed like my kind of town, although I was a bit taken back to hear this from a woman old enough to be my grandmother.  Maybe she identified with Savannah's legacy of history and Southern charms.

            Savannah lived up to its reputation with ease.  A city right on the water has a hard time disappointing, and when its paired with a southern lady's allure and grace, then tinged with a history of promiscuity, ghosts, and great food, its easy to lose your head.  The city was a bit busy on the main streets although I was able to find parking on a side street with ease, and for free.  The downtown area of Savannah is filled with parks, and since it was a beautiful day, there were plenty of people out walking dogs, jogging, playing tennis, feeding the pigeons or just hanging around.  Walking around the city and parks there were plenty of young people talking about music and upcoming parties.  I headed down to River Street and learned the hard way that I should have left the car behind.  River Street is a major shopping and nightlife area that happens to be cobblestoned instead of paved, with a couple of parking lots on the side streets.  Take my advice, park the car up top and walk down, unless you don't care about your vehicle’s shocks or your spinal fluid, then by all means, be my guest.  The area was quite busy in the middle of the day, with people popping in and out of shops or enjoying a meal on one of the many outdoor patios.

            Savannah was the last coastal area that I had on the list, so with regret I said good-bye to the water and headed inland to Orangeburg which is almost in the middle of the state, just south of Columbia.  Many of the towns in the middle of the state reminded me of one another with clear evidence of their industrial or agrarian roots in the outlying countryside and the architecture of the buildings in the towns.  When comparing many towns, it is what the government and the people of the town decide to put back into them that sets one apart from the other.  In Orangeburg, the high point was visiting the Edisto Gardens which span over 100 acres and is filled with fountains, streams and the roses for which it is famous.  The Town seems as if it has a bright future with many of the tax dollars being reinvested in it. 

            Leaving Orangeburg, I passed through Santee which didn't have much of a town center, but was located in a beautiful natural setting of lakes and forests where many people seemed to have chosen to live simply, enjoying the land.  Sumter was next and appeared to be an urban center for the surrounding towns.  The downtown was nicely manicured with fountains, which many other towns had invested in as well, and bricked sidewalks shaded by trees.  From Sumter, I headed to Florence which is a larger city located along Interstate 95.  One highlight of this area was the Cuban restaurant I ate at which was off of 95, as I approached from the south.  The city itself was indicative of its industrial roots.  There were a few nice areas around the main business district, but it was not a place I had an interest to pursue further. 

            After leaving Florence, I traveled through the towns of Hartsville and Camden pretty quickly before getting to Columbia.  They were both nice and seemed to be good places to live.  I liked Camden better than Hartsville.  It has a prevalent horse racing heritage and a nice downtown with good shopping choices, including a galleria, kind of like a small mall of specialty shops all under one roof, which was unique. 

            Columbia is the capital city of South Carolina, and the governmental buildings were beautiful as well as were the grounds surrounding them.  I got there early in the morning and the city was very quiet, which was nice.  There was plenty of parking on the streets and a fair amount of construction going on which made me think that the city is re-investing in itself for the better of its citizens.  Walking the streets, I saw many nightclubs, restaurants and galleries for entertainment.  The city was very clean as well.

            After Columbia, I drove to the small town of Batesburg-Leesville.  The downtown was small and quiet, but I decided to check out some of the residential areas.  Upon doing so, I happened upon the main church of the community which is where all the people were apparently.  The road leading to the church is divided into two one lane roads separated by a grassy area, a theme typical of many South Carolina town roads, especially in downtown areas.  This grassy area had cars parked on it for a couple of blocks down the road.  The surrounding neighborhoods were very pretty with people relaxing on their porches or doing house chores like painting or tending their yards.  It seemed to be an area with a great sense of community and a nice place to raise a family or grow up.  As it is just to the west of Columbia, citizens would have ample opportunity to use the city, while enjoying the peace and quiet of the country.

            The route out of Batesburg-Leesville along Route 1 South led me through some of the prettiest farm land that I had ever seen, peach trees and cotton dotting the sides of the straight road.  The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow was no disappointment either as it was the town of Aiken, another one of my favorite places of the trip. 

            As Camden showed glimpses of its equestrian heritage, Aiken’s past was displayed throughout the town.  It was busy with tourist traffic driving slowly through the roads with grassy medians framed by brick and hedge walls that made me wish it were many years ago and that all of the cars were carriages.  I passed horses grazing in yards and antebellum houses set back from the road with gardens in the front, and doors guarded by pillars and wrought iron gates.  There were arches in downtown Aiken wreathed by broad leaved vines leading to fountains in the center of the road and good shops and quality restaurants to choose from.  There were no fast food establishments here.  Like Charleston, Pawleys Island, Beaufort, and Savannah before it, Aiken had character which was undeniable and immediately felt.

            From Aiken, I moved further south to my second Georgian city, Augusta, located along the banks of the Savannah River.  Upon arriving there, I was surprised by how easy it was to get around town and how quiet the city seemed.  Along the arts district main roads there were a few people and many bars.  I felt that once night fell, the city would take on a much different feel.  Many of the bars had signs advertising the promise of all different types of music to entertain their patrons into the wee hours.  Along the river, there was a walking path that looked like a great way to get some exercise, as well as having a couple of restaurants and cafes to refresh yourself afterwards.

            From Augusta, I passed through Saluda, stopping for a short while.  There wasn't much going on.  There were some Spanish specialty shops, a couple of banks, a few fast food restaurants, gas stations and a grocery store.  Saluda was interesting for the fact that it showed some evidence of the influx of immigrants that the South has been experiencing. 

            After Saluda, I was in Newberry, which is a cultural center of the region and home to the restored Newberry Opera House.  The town itself looks as though it's tried very hard to cater to the crowd that the Opera House attracts, and so far has done a nice job of it.  There are a few high end restaurants for before and after the show, as well as a nice hotel in the center of the downtown, which turned out to be rare for towns of a similar size.  Along the edges of the town, there were several older homes and buildings that looked like they were awaiting renovations and transformations into residences or businesses.  

            I traveled through Laurens and onto Greenwood.  Greenwood was very scenic due to the fact that it’s set on the outskirts of one of the most beautiful lakes I saw in South Carolina, Lake Greenwood.  As I entered the area, the sun was low in the sky at the end of the day, throwing its gaze over the docks and a couple of the last fishermen for the day.

            What came next was one of the most pleasant surprises of the trip, Abbeville.  This town was like no other I visited on the trip due to the fact that it has retained a town square in the center of town.  There are four roads that surround the main shopping area and create a square of paved area for slow moving traffic.  In the center of it all is a grassy area where people were sitting out, reading the paper, enjoying a cup of coffee and conversing.  People parked their cars and did all of their shopping on foot, walking from store to store, greeting shop owners by first name.  Abbeville is truly a slice of time gone by and hopefully will maintain its sense of community for years to come.

            Next came Anderson which was another very nice town.  Coming into the downtown, I wasn't expecting much as the surrounding areas looked a bit run down, but the town center itself was quite nice.  The community had engaged in a fund raising campaign the same as other towns that I had visited in North and South Carolina.  An animal or other emblem is chosen as the symbol of the town and then different versions of the animal are made in ceramic or other hard material.  When this is complete the animals are sold to businesses or other groups that wish to donate and then they are individually hand painted in different themes and set throughout the town, lending a festive air of individuality to the town, as well as helping to support it.  Anderson was clearly a town that the people felt connected to.  The sense of community led me to believe Anderson has a bright future.  There were many people out in the middle of the day talking on the streets, presumably on their way to lunch.  I stopped in at eCity Java which seemed to be a local hang out and grabbed a great cup of coffee before heading onto Clemson.

            Clemson was very much a typical college town.  It felt as though the town wouldn't exist without the University, which is true for many college towns and is not meant to be negative.  The University grounds were gorgeous and the surrounding areas have such a dedication to the teams, especially football, that the athletic seasons must be crazy.  The area of the town near campus had a good variety of shops, with some more cosmopolitan options for bars and dinning, such as sushi and a pizza parlor that uses spring-fed water and a brick oven to achieve a very tasty, slightly sweet and crusty dough which was quite good.  A New Yorker recommending a Southern pizza, take note of this momentous occasion.  Just outside of Clemson was the town of Seneca that is working hard to create its own identity and create a strong business environment.  The main downtown is an area called Artists Row, and this area showed great promise.  Lake Keowa was the great attraction of this area bringing in a lot of moneyed families which settle in the exclusive and often gated communities that surround the lake's crystal blue waters, which are framed by the shrouds of mountain peaks in the distance.

            The home stretch brought me back to the east on my way back to Charlotte, NC.  First up was Greenville, which was a great little city.  The main shopping area roads were labeled in large signs overhung by green branches.  There were a ton of places with outdoor seating for eating and drinking.  Many of the top fashion labels found in larger cities were represented, and it seemed that every desire could be fulfilled.  Greenville truly has all of the benefits of a larger city while enjoying the charm of the smaller ones.  I was easily able to find all that I sought; major shopping, entertainment, the Bi-Lo Center and more without a problem.  Spartanburg is about a half an hour further east.

            Rock Hill was the last city I stopped in and was a nice way to finish the trip.  Home to Winthrop University, Rock Hill is a city that benefits from its University, but probably would still be vibrant without it.  While Winthrop brings in money and culture through its students, Rock Hill still had plenty to offer.  Its location is enough to draw people, as it is about forty minutes south of Charlotte, providing a commuter haven.  The city also saw value in investing in itself as there were many renovation projects going on while I walked the streets, and the downtown area was already nicely built up.  There were a good number of mixed use buildings which are a good sign of a city's economic stability and create an interesting environment to work, shop, and play in.

I traveled more than 1500 miles and visited over 35 towns.  The time seemed like a series of episodes of a television show that is new at first and then becomes familiar, accentuated at points with moments of high tension, or beauty in my case.  As the days went by and the numbers on the odometer grew, my season progressed towards its finale.  By the end, I had my favorite episodes or towns:  the coastal beauty and historic charm of Charleston,  Beaufort and Savannah; the laid-back self-assured style of Pawley's Island and Port Royal; the small towns surviving amidst our hectic times in Batesburg-Leesville, and Abbeville;  Aiken and Clemson who embrace their categories and in turn set the standards for others of their kind; and finally the larger cities of Greenville, Rock Hill and Charlotte, who have it all and still feel as though they wouldn't be the same without you there.  South Carolina shined as all of its towns together formed a whole of warm people, peaceful highways and fields, fresh seafood and a way of life suitable for any desire somewhere within its bountiful borders.

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