My mom and step-father are moving to South Carolina - advice needed

So your comment was apropos to nothing.

 

Look at the quotes. He was responding to Second Thoughts, not oop.

 

I should have known I'd get exactly this response. I'm sorry if that part of the culture in Charleston bothers you so much. I didn't create it. I just saw it.

Hell, part of the culture in Pittsburgh embarrasses the hell out of me. Sometimes I think the places we connect with, whether they be a city, a state or a region of the country, are like family. We love them in a way we can't explain and sometimes it's hard to face their flaws.

Doesn't change the reality, for the places that you care about or the ones that I care about.

waterytart, I think he was responding to both of us. t_b_f is a bit sensitive about the South, just as I am about the 'Burgh.

 

i like myrtle beach, but then again golf's my thing.
i think several years ago they were kind of marketing myrtle to middle-class types, but i haven't been there in about four or five years, so I'm not sure what's going on there now.

 

I've lived in Charleston most of my life. It's wonderful -- restaurants in quality and quantity to rival New Orleans, an unparalleled historic downtown area smack-dab on the ocean, too many outdoor activities to count, and scenery and beaches to die for. Now, from June through mid-September, you can barely stand outside between noon and 5 p.m., it's so damn hot. But it's gorgeous. I'm never gonna move unless my company makes me, which thankfully, so far they haven't.

And honestly -- don't settle on Summerville first. This was one of the most overpriced real estate areas in the country for a long time, and the housing bust has hit hard. While you're never going to live downtown or on the beaches unless you're independently wealthy, there are homes available in the West Ashley, James Island, and Mount Pleasant areas for a fraction of what they were going for a few years ago. There are deals to be had. Summerville is nice, but it ain't Charleston. And that half-hour drive gets old quickly. Move to Summerville, you're going to spend most of your time there. Living in this area, that's a terrible waste.

Now, if you don't dig beaches and you can't do stifling summer heat, Greenville is nice. Nice views of the foothills, more temperate summer climate, quirky downtown and arts areas. I could live in Greenville. It's no Charleston, but it's nice. As for the rest of the state .... well, I've seen most of it, and I'd take a pass.

 

If you go to Summerville, say howdy to Coach McKissick for me. That fella is a South Carolina institution.

 

What you said didn't bother me. Sure, you'll find Confederate flags in the South.

The "make sure they buy Confederate flags so they'll fit in with the rest of the racists" comment rubbed me the wrong way, though.

 

They currently live in one of the nicest small towns in America (Beaver, PA), and I think Summerville closely resembles Beaver. They are both about 30-45 minutes from the big city, have a nice downtown area and is quiet enough for them to retire in peace. If they wanted to go once a month into Charlestown and see the sights, I would be surprised. Beaver is just too cold for them in the summer. My step dad lived in Ft. Myers for a few decades.

I agree though, if you were 25-40, Summerville might not be the spot. But when you are closer to 65, it might be the safer bet. Plus, it is closer to that little girl in the avatar than downtown Charestown.

They also are a host location of the garden tour in Beaver, so having a little bit of land is nice.

 

Fair enough. You had already responded to that post and you quoted mine, so I thought your response was directed at me. My mistake.

 

OK, I'm going to be honest here -- as stated earlier I've lived in Charleston, the cradle of the Civil War, for almost my entire life. And the Confederate flag is a complete non-entity down here right now. Oh sure there was a big whoop-de-do about the one atop the state house, and all the national networks shot all kinds of footage featuring flag-waving wackos, but that was like 15 years ago. Since it's come down, the only people keeping it alive are the NAACP and the NCAA. Seriously, I can't tell you the last time I saw a Confederate flag in this city. Of course, every now and then you're going to have a dude with one flying from the back of his pickup, but you'll have that anywhere. Evidently some people from away think every other yard has a Confederate battle standard flying from the front porch. The reality is nowhere close to that.

 

No, you definitely do not see one on every other lawn.

As for the ones I have seen (admittedly, it's been a little over a year since my last visit), well, I guess that was my imagination.

 

Yeah, what do I know. I only live here.