Moving to South Carolina

I never thought we would be moving to South Carolina. Most people work for the better part of their lives. The reward for that should be more than just free time. A desired post retirement place to live needed to be safe, less hectic, and comfortable. The weather was also a factor, more moderate. South Carolina was the answer. The Low Country is all of the above as well as nurturing and friendly. 

Before the Move to South Carolina

I don’t know what happened as I got older. Something was missing. I started to look for a life as it once was. For example, when I was young boy living in Massachusetts we visited Cape Cod for our annual summer vacations. Cape Cod is a special memory of wonderful little towns, powder sand beaches and unique local shops and eateries. Later in life, we lived in northwestern Connecticut. We enjoyed tree-lined streets with friendly, safe neighborhoods. There was a sense of community. Friendships were forged by familiarity and shared experiences. I suspected these scenes no longer existed except in my mind.

Moving out of New York

Moving to New York, and subsequently to Florida, all of the “wonderful” seemed to fade with the years. Maybe it was just that I had grown older and my life’s focus was different. There were no neighborhoods where you knew everyone. Words of caution were expressed every time you ventured out. 

We traveled up the US east coast of Georgia to South Carolina on a family vacation in September 2021, away from every day stress brought on by Covid. The area we discovered, Bluffton South Carolina, was like re-living my fond childhood memories. Bluffton had tree-lined streets, a quaint downtown center, and nearby powdery sand beaches. Everyone said “Hello” and “May I help you”. That was all it took. We were moving to South Carolina. 

Low Country of South Carolina

Coastal Carolina, in particular, the Low Country, is unlike any other area of the Country. It has unmatched natural beauty with its rolling hills, tidal marshes and very large, stately live oak trees providing shade and encouraging cooling breezes. Some of the nations best ocean beaches and golf courses co-exist here, side by side.

We have visited very few places that have more mystique than South Carolina’s Low Country. The name itself has an alluring ring to it, even if you have no idea where, or what, it actually is.The Low Country is generally defined as the four counties in the Southeast corner of South Carolina: Beaufort, Jasper, Colleton, and Hampton counties.

South Carolina Hospitality

The Low Country is better defined by the character of its people and the land than a place on a map. There is plenty of saltwater and marshlands with thick cordgrass, live oaks and draping Spanish moss. It is sweetgrass baskets and rich Gullah culture. The wonderful foods found in the Low Country, such as she-crab soup and shrimp-and-grits are products of the area’s history and culture.

The homes have their own style too. The homes, raised off the ground, have deep front and back porches and very tall shuttered windows. Pluff mud and palmettos are everywhere. Pluff Mud, by the way, smells like someone or something has died and has a vacuum-induced sucking power that would out-suck any electrolux vacuum. Palmettos trees are exceptionally sturdy palm trees. They are primarily found in the southeastern US and the West Indies.

Bounded by the Atlantic on one side and the Savannah River on the other, the Low Country is one watery place. The marshlands and sea islands that buffer the mainland coast from the winds off the Atlantic make for the kind of vistas that will have you taking pictures of everything.

Historic Bluffton

Bluffton has been able to preserve its quaint town center while providing for the needs of a controlled, expanding population.

Bluffton’s Old Town, nestled on a high bluff overlooking the May River, is a one-square mile historic district with many structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This town on the bluff offers a variety of quaint antique shops, restaurants and art galleries. The Town attracts visitors from across the United States and beyond. It is also the gateway to Hilton Head Island.

Golf Communities

Bluffton has several premier, gated, golf communities from which to choose. They include Oldfield, Rose Hill, Belfair, Palmetto Bluff and the Colleton River Club. Each of these communities offers a rich and varied assortment of amenities for their members such as golf, tennis, swimming pools, gyms and true country clubs with bars and restaurants.

We purchased a home in the Colleton River Club after much consideration. It was primarily due to the exceptional natural beauty of the community and the warmth of the members. Colleton River Club was also the best situated community for shopping, restaurants and access to the ocean beaches on Hilton Head Island. Notice, I did not include any communities on Hilton Head Island. With only one road and bridge from the mainland to the island you need to plan your trips very carefully in order to avoid the incredibly bad traffic. This is especially true at certain times of the year, late Spring through early Fall and on certain days of the week.

5 Star Restaurants in the Low Country                        

As alluded to above, the Low Country is a mecca for vacationers trekking to Hilton Head Island during a good portion of the year. For that reason, there are many outstanding restaurants located on the island as well as in the Bluffton Old Town area. Low Country food is abundant but not to the exclusion of many other cuisines. 

Charlie’s L’Etoile Verte, on Orleans Road, Hilton Head is an excellent restaurant featuring fresh local seafood with a French low country flare. Nearby, on Orleans Road, is Nunzio’s Restaurant and Bar featuring exceptional Italian dishes, both classic and contemporary. Not to be outdone is the Santa Fe Cafe with authentic southern western cuisine featuring dishes like Painted Desert Soup made from red pepper, corn, Mexican cream and mole. Cranes Tavern and Steakhouse is the top steak house, first opening on Hilton Head in 1999. The Crane family has been running steak house restaurants in the Philadelphia are since the early 1900’s.

Bluffton also has a good selection of outstanding restaurants. Our favorites include The Bluffton Room, Truffels, Nectar and Bluffton BBQ. They each serve the best of southern cooking with a special twist.

There are so many top notch restaurants still on our list to try including the Pearl and the Farm in Bluffton. On Hilton Head Island we look forward to dining at Chez George, Sage and Red Fish.