Bluffton, SC — Almost a Homecoming
I grew up in Bluffton, Ohio. A burgeoning Midwestern metropolis of about 3000 people, Bluffton is the kind of place where something wild is always going on. Friday night football, the Blaze of Lights, cruising up and down Main Street in an endless loop, looking for something, anything to do… ah, the memories.
So visiting Bluffton, South Carolina, was amusing to me. It’s about ten times the size of my hometown, and a lot more interesting. Located on the May River, close to Hilton Head, it’s a funny little city filled with strange characters. We spent the day and on the way home, found ourselves in total agreement on one thing: Bluffton is bizarre.
Our unofficial guide for the day was a local, which definitely helped our appreciation. We met Nancy inside her store called Eggs N Tricities, which is packed from wall to wall with exactly the kinds of things you’d expect to find in a store called Eggs N Tricities. The most random stuff, all cool in its own way, from vintage clothes to old books, to paintings, knick-knacks, shells and other curiosities which defy description. Nancy visits flea markets and thrift shops to discover her treasures, cleans them up and sells them. We visited her house, which has a beautiful view of the river, and were unsurprised to discover that it looks exactly like her store. Appealing, random madness.
Nancy was a perfect guide to Bluffton — she knew a lot of stories about the locals, and we had a blast driving around the old houses. We had a delicious lunch at The Cottage, which even at 2pm was busy. Afterwards, we visited a few of the shops; it’s a very artsy town, packed with knick-knack stores and local painters. We went down to the Oyster Factory and checked out the Church of the Cross, an impressive wooden structure which dates from 1857.
There are actually two side to Bluffton, and the one most people know is the “new city”, built up and around the highway. We were told that some people who live in that part of Bluffton don’t even know about the old town. That’s shocking, because the old Bluffton is awesome — definitely worth a trip from Savannah.
Bed and Breakfast in Bluffton, SC
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January 14, 2011 at 5:49 pm
January 21, 2011 at 4:18 pmAngel Logue
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Did Nancy happen to tell you about the year the mayors of the “other Blufftons” (in addition to OH, I think they are in Indiana and Mississippi) were invited to be marshals of the Christmas parade? I believe one of them actually accepted and came down. Anyway, it’s too bad about this wretched weather….if things get back to normal before you leave the low country, you’ve gotta come back and take your dog out to the sandbar.
January 28, 2011 at 7:22 amElizabeth Anderson
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I am soooooo jealous of you. 91 days here and there. I live and work in metro DC but I have my “escape hatch” in Bluffton (second home). Bluffton is indeed arty.