Reviews & Comments
Chapin, SC
Moved here from Tampa, FL -
3/30/2018Moved to Chapin, SC officially 7/2017 after the arduous process of having new home plans done - and redone, finalizing the purchase of our property, two moves, split because of renting while building which of course took longer than we ever envisioned, lost three beloved pets, etc. Many times we wondered if we did the right thing. We loved living near the Gulf and to us, there was nothing like the beach. But we had family in Columbia and were wearing a rut in the road. I have to say after everything we went through to finally get into our home, we pinch ourselves and know we did the right thing. First, people here are amazing. The courtesy, kindness openness, manners and willingness to be good neighbors and help is amazing. We did love Florida (moved there from the Midwest) but became somewhat hardened over time to the rude nature of living there. Compared to here, Tampa offers a LOT more in terms of shopping, dining, weather (although we get the change of seasons which we enjoy because it is short lived and enough to build nice fires in our fireplaces, etc). Lake Murray is beautiful. Life here IS the lake. You do not come here for busy and lots to do in terms of (as stated) going out to eat or nightlife. If being outdoors and boating, having fun with neighbors, hunting, golfing, friendly and casual things to do along with great healthcare because of being on the outskirts of major universities (USC in Columbia and Clemson not much farther away) appeals to you, you cannot beat it. Since it's basically a suburb distance wise of Columbia, SC you have within a fairly short drive all the amenities of a thriving downtown with some great restaurants, a wonderful zoo, and lots of events including culturally as a result of USC's presence. Having driven a lot in heavy traffic living in Tampa, as well as some other major cities we've lived in, half an hour to get anywhere is nothing. Also, Charleston, amazing town and the related beaches are 2 hours or less and in the opposite direction, Greenville and Asheville, the mountains, so much to do. Chapin Schools are probably the best in the state as well. We love it here and actually every day we are surprised and thrilled to say that.