Return to Library Index

Spanish Moss and Moonbeams

The Lure of the Lowcountry

There are a myriad of reasons why families visit and relocate to Hilton Head and the surrounding areas. At the top of the list is the relaxed Lowcountry feel with huge oaks and pines dominating the landscape, pathways with beautiful treed canopies, miles of beaches along the ocean, and appreciation and emphasis on nature with a lack of street lights and flashy neon signs. “It’s a great vacation spot and a great place to hang out-laid back with great food. It’s just a very special place to be” said one island visitor.

In addition to the famous beaches, there are world-class golf courses, tennis facilities, state-of-the-art fitness centers, fishing, horseback riding, boating, kayaking, biking and for those less athletic, shopping.

“The fishing is great” said one of my clients. Tuesday was probably one of the best days I’ve had in 10 years. I caught about 20 fish plus two 5-pounders on back-to-back casts.”

If you’re in the mood for catching a glimpse of Lowcountry nature, you can paddle through the salty water of Calibogue Sound or Broad Creek. Most likely you’ll see bobbing dolphins, egrets, blue heron-maybe a bald eagle-and a variety of other Lowcountry wildlife. If you’re staying in a community with lagoons, it’s almost certain you will see an alligator lying lazily on one of the banks.

Growth and new construction have become synonymous with life in Bluffton. The town’s population has increased from 1,275 in 2000 to approximately 6,377 in 2006, according to the town’s 2007 comprehensive plan. The plan identifies two reasons for Bluffton’s significant growth. The first is the national trend toward growth in coastal areas. The 2000 Census showed that 41 percent of South Carolina’s population was concentrated in the state’s 22 coastal counties. The second reason for the area’s rapid growth is annexation. Since the town’s comprehensive plan was adopted in 1999, the town has annexed many square miles. Like Hilton Head Island, there are explicit covenants and restrictions in place to control aesthetics and maintain a certain Southern elegance, not to mention historical significance. As residents like to say, “It’s a Bluffton state of mind.”

New developments like Hampton Lake, Rose Dhu and Palmetto Bluff plus the existing communities of Belfair, Berkeley Hall and Oldfield have given rise to a number of new restaurants and shopping facilities. “It’s wonderful” said one resident. “We can go to the movies at Berkeley Place, go shopping, buy a car at the Auto Mall, enjoy first-class restaurants, take classes at the University of South Carolina, visit galleries and boutiques in historic Bluffton without ever having to cross the bridge (to Hilton Head). We’re only 25 minutes from some of the best beaches in the world and less than five hours from the North Carolina Mountains. It doesn’t get any better than this, not anywhere.”

So, come on down and take a look. Guaranteed, you just might want to stay.