March 2023 (and earlier trips)
I first went to South Carolina about twenty-five years ago and then again about ten years ago. On the first trip, it was a drive down with a friend who lived in Wilmington. We went to Myrtle Beach for a day trip. I didn’t particularly love it there. On my next trip, I drove from Atlanta going first to Hilton Head and then to Charleston. I enjoyed myself but wasn’t in a hurry back. On this venture, I wanted to see a bit of the northeast part of the state and so went to Clemson and Greenville. Both are quite lovely and livable. I first drove in on Toccoa Highway which is the less picturesque way to enter from Georgia. Once you cross into South Carolina, the homes become more dilapidated and the trees not as pretty. It is sort of like driving down San Pablo or similar streets from Berkeley into Oakland where the trees suddenly disappear and the paint is peeling from the structures. If you drive north a short distance and enter via 76, you will find a more scenic drive even on the South Carolina side.
CHARLESTON. Great place to visit when the weather is nice. When I was here in 2013, I rented a bike and toured over the various bridges and visited historical sites, checked out the beaches, and of course ate some amazing food. My memory is of the response of the guy at the bike shop upon my asking for a helmet, which was “you don’t need one, they are not required”, yea, I didn’t think they were. I have this weird thing where I want to keep my skull intact.
CLEMSON. This is a college town and the campus is beautiful. They also have a cute downtown. As it was raining, I did not make it to the botanical garden which is supposed to be a primary feature here. I also sadly learned too late they have a homemade ice cream place on campus. Sigh.
GREENVILLE. I was surprised by this city. The downtown is very clean and has a lot of outdoor space, bridges, waterfalls, art galleries (including a local art collective, the Artists Guild Gallery of Greenville), restaurants, (including some solid ramen at Menkoi Udon), cafes, shopping, and was just pleasant to walk around. There were a number of young folks about with dyed hair, tattoos and piercings. The large landscaped grounds along the river at Falls Park near downtown, complete with tulips and waterfalls, was beautiful even in the rain. They even have an outdoor Chihuly on display. Seems like a very livable city. Would have stayed the night had I not already booked an AirBnb in Asheville.
