The All-America City of Aiken has always had
a special place in its heart for the leisure life. A winter colony
for the wealthy for over a century and home to the Thoroughbred
Racing Hall of Fame, this city has been called "the Newport of the
South."
Long ago
folks discovered the mild climate and beautiful surroundings of this
idyllic Southern town located between Augusta, Georgia and South
Carolina's capital city of Columbia. Aiken's natural blessings have
continued to attract visitors and those looking to make a new home
among its horse paddocks and historic districts. Although no longer
exclusively a resort for the wealthy, Aiken still takes pride in its
historic homes and buildings, built long ago to satisfy expensive
tastes. The opulence of that earlier era has left a legacy of
enduring beauty for the present population.
This city
of 25,000 exudes small-town Southern charm and takes pride in its
efficient city services and supportive civic organizations-just a few
of the reasons behind its reputation as a prime retirement area.
Aiken continually receives glowing recognition from national
publications like Golf Magazine, which rated Aiken's Cedar Creek
Properties one of the top twenty golf course communities in which to
"semi-retire." Another often-praised resource is Hitchcock Woods, a
turn-of-the-century nature preserve that is ideal for sightseeing,
hiking and horseback riding. Surrounded by horse farms, Southern Pine
woods and the streams and glens of the Sumter National Forest, life
in Aiken brings with it endless possibilities for enjoying natural
beauty.
The presence of the University of South Carolina Aiken promotes a
rich and varied range of cultural and social activities here. One of
the few cities of its size to boast a concert band, choral society
and ballet, Aiken also hosts a free summer concert series at
Hopelands Gardens. With its long history as a thoroughbred town, its
nationally noted year-round golf courses and a magnificent climate in
which to enjoy it all, Aiken is no stranger to the finer pursuits and
pleasures.
Sources for this section
provided by the Aiken Chamber of Commerce
.
