South Carolina?

[abnihon]

My boyfriend and I are talking about someday escaping the high cost of living and cold winters of NY and moving down to South Carolina. We've recently become obsessed with the town of Aiken, SC in horse country. We figure for the price of our 2 bedroom apt in Manhattan we could afford a historic house with lots of land and live with kids, horses, dogs and more cats!
Does anyone live in Aiken or know much about it?
Any thoughts on the school system, particurlarly Aiken Prep?
I've been a New Yorker my whole life so worry I might not fit in down South (compared to my boyfriend who's Southern).
But Aiken appeals to me because of the sophistication the horses bring and it was traditionally a winter retreat for wealthy New Yorkers (Astors, Whitneys and Vanderbilts...)
Plus it looks so beautiful!

A nice fantasy to get us through New York winters.....

 

[krazy kat2]

My SO is from Aiken, and I grew up about 25 miles away in Augusta, Ga. It is a beautiful and very friendly place. The cost of living is not outragous, and there is still plenty of land to be gotten around it, and many homes still avaliable already built. Unlike most areas now, it still has a thriving town area with stores still open and everything has not spread to the outskirts to the malls and such, but they have those, too. Augusta, GA that is close by is a pretty good sized city, and it is just beautiful.
I don't know a lot about Aiken Prep, but it is a very well thought of school among the Southern colleges. The public schools are decent, too. There are several good private schools in the area. I think you would really like it there. I would go back in a minute if I had'nt settled so hard in NC.

 

[dragoro]

Dont know much about that particular town, but SC is booming. Now is definitely the time to get in. In a couple years, house prices are going to skyrocket.

 

[taurus77]

I really like South Carolina, too. It reminds me alot of Tennesse, living in the valley of mountains. The good thing about SC is the beach is always close by. It gets very hot in the summer, but mild in winter--usually ice storms more than snow.
But, that's about all I know of it.