South Carolina
Posted by WhiteAppleEater on Jan 14, 2010 · Member since Jul 2008 · 48 posts
I am wanting to go on a train trip somewhere really warm this summer, somewhere in the south. I think I would rather stay somewhere close by so the Southeast rather than the Southwest for this trip. South Carolina seems like a good state to go to with all the wilderness and history and what I've heard about it from my brother's fiance. I was wondering who out there lives in South Carolina and what the local produce scene is like especially fruit. I know they grow peaches and apricots in the interior and I have heard they have citrus on the coast. I want to just camp out, explore wilderness, go to the beach and live off tons of local fruit and veggies
So anyone live or know much about South Carolina to tell me a little about local food?
You are in luck. Really warm summer=South Carolina! I have lived here my whole life. It's really hot in the summer (especially August), but there's lots to do. Look into train stops in the Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston areas. Public transportation everywhere here sucks, so you would probably have to take cabs from the trainstation. This is especially true if you take a train into greenville (nw part of the state). I don't know they have even really have a city bus system..check it out. There are lots of peach stands all over the state. If you rented a car, you could go to Gaffney and see the "butt peach." It's a huge water tower in the shape of a peach, but it looks more like a butt. ha. Just a side note. I don't know a lot about farmers markets up there, but I do know there are lots of roadside stands. There's also a Whole Foods...although I've never been. If you're interested in hiking, there are a lot of nice trails in that area of the state...I've spent quite a bit of time hiking up there.
If you took a train into Columbia (middle of the state), you could go to the Congaree Swamp National Park. It's some of the oldest growth of cypress and other plants/species still left). It's pretty cool, (definitely "really warm" ha). You can camp there (go to www.nps.gov and search congaree national park) and it's hardly ever crowded. On the road out to the swamp there are lots of little roadside stands, a long with some strawberry farms. I'm ashamed to say I've never gone strawberry picking at any of them. The state farmer's market is also in columbia, as well as weekly independent farmer's markets at different locations around town. There is an awesome little healthfood store in town (where I used to work). It's pretty easy to get vegan food at almost any place in town.
You could also take a train into Charleston (coastal). I know the least about your options there. I don't know that there are really any places to camp. I'm sure they have farmer's markets, but I don't know. I don't think we have citrus..I may be wrong about that. Downtown Charleston is really cool though. LOTS of history.
Oh, speaking of roadside stands...tomatoes and watermelons. EVERYwhere.
I hope this has been helpful.
The Gaffney Peach
http://i45.tinypic.com/15mgqxl.jpg
lotus42,
thanks for the information. I have been looking at a map of South Carolina as my brother's fiance has talked about it recently with it being so cold and its snowing around here and she hates it so she wants to go back. My brother went with her to Charleston and he just fell in love with it.
I would like to go to the beach but also experience some outdoors and rough terrain.
I don't know if I can rent a car, I know some require you be like 21 and I am 18. I don't know how it would be its seems sort of awkward or imposing to ask but I might ask my brother's fiance if her family could take me from a train station to somewhere like a park. but I hate to impose on people I don't know. If taxis are as much as they are here I would hate to deal with them unless needed. I still have to see where the Amtrak stations are at and where everything is in town. I would like to make the vacation as green as possible, I have seen some fold-up bikes for around $150 so maybe?? I don't know?
I am really interested in the fruit that grows in the state since I eat a largely fruititarian diet and I would love to go somewhere I can get different fruit locally and for a good price. I have tried to research what fruit grows there but I can't find that good of a resource so could you help me by telling all the fruit that grows in South Carolina (I wanna know about figs!!!). And maybe suggest the best time to go in general and for fruit.
Oh, and where do you live in South Carolina out of curiosity?
My mother lives in Columbia. It is a much more vegan-friendly area that when I live. Public transportation is terrible though. I don't see how you could even get around much even on a bike, at least in the city. It's really spralled out and not built to be pedestrian friendly. At least the last time I was there, some group was putting on a big "South Carolina grown" advertising campaign, so things were typically marked that way. Besides farmer markets and farm stands, which are everywhere, flea markets are great for produce as well. In my opinion, July through September is the best time to go, fruit wise. There are also a lot of u-pick places.
Sorry, I forgot about this thread...
I am in Columbia. Ibarte is pretty accurate. We have a bus system, but it's not good. Biking is becoming more popular and businesses are becoming aware of that. The "SC Grown" is still labeled most of the time. The State Farmer's Market is here. There are also smaller weekly farmer's markets throughout town. It's always easy to find local greens. There's a strawberry farm just outside of town where you can go picking. SC peaches are probably the most popular. You can find them everywhere during spring and summer.