GARDEN & GUN | FEATURING SMALL-TOWN ESCAPES: BLUFFTON, SC
Garden & Gun that covers the best of the South, including the sporting culture, the food, the music, the art, the literature, the people and their ideas. In the latest issue Mike Grudowski featured Bluffton in his roundup of Small-Town Escapes.
IT’S THE SEASON OF FALL FESTIVALS IN BLUFFTON
Fall is just down the road in the South Carolina’s Lowcountry, which means festival season is here in Bluffton, the charming historic village nestled on the banks of the May River. For over two hundred years, life in Bluffton has reflected the rhythm of the river and the waterways, and its whimsical and eccentric nature has endeared it to artists, artisans, musicians and writers. One of the original homes of the coastal Gullah people, today Bluffton is an engaging mix of old and new, combining an appreciation of its heritage and culture with a vibrant arts scene.
LOVE EVERYDAY IN OLD TOWN BLUFFTON
Any day is a good day for a Valentine’s celebration- the thought on the minds of most couples when they settle in on Valentine’s Day for the celebration of love and romance. No matter your age or how long you have been together – new in your relationship enjoying that first rush of emotion, young parents with children, middle aged couple with an empty nest, long time partners with many years of love and commitment, or you may be enjoying “second or third time around” – the day devoted to the Patron Saint of Love is one for sweet indulgence. Among the many charms and pleasures of Bluffton are lovely places to cozy up and create a hot February night even on a chilly Lowcountry evening. Make a reservation at one of these favorite restaurants, buy a present for your love and spend the evening laughing and toasting and remembering why you are together.
PALMETTO BLUFF IDEA HOUSE
For many people a single day trip to Palmetto Bluff will inspire a lifetime of Lowcountry living. Every visit I make motivates me to slow down, take a look around and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us. While the view of the May River alone might be all you need – my advice this fall is to visit the Southern Living Idea House. Open to the public through December 14, 2014 – Southern Living has put together an exciting group of design partners.
REMEMBERING THE PAST; TAKING CARE OF THE FUTURE IN BLUFFTON.
Bluffton locals surely love to get together. They will, in fact, make most anything into a celebratory gathering given half a chance. The reasons run the gamut from celebrating the first frosty weather because that’s when the local oysters are in season and at their most flavorful, to commemorating events of historical significance, like The Burning of Bluffton.
SHOP-WORTHY BLUFFTON, SC!
Traveling throughout the South, it’s all too simple to lose your mooring amid the commercial thicket of the same old fast-food chains and big-box stores. But push on a few miles beyond the interstate exit, and you may discover a town that’s anchored by a distinctive “Main Street” — one with unique architecture, eclectic small businesses, and community-oriented features like a park, theater, marina or the like.
Often it thrives thanks to locals who have made diligent efforts to fight any general decline of their “Main Street” and hold on to what is distinctive and often times, irreplaceable. For the visitor reaping the rewards, this can lead to both the unexpected and the tempting. Nowhere is this more true than right here in Bluffton, SC.
