South Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountain Foothills Boasts A Charming Downtown And Waterfall Hikes In This Lakefront City

Tucked along the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains is the charming lakefront city of Seneca, South Carolina, with an abundance of outdoor adventures and historic downtown area that makes for a perfect, laid-back getaway. Listed in the National Register, the city's downtown area is experiencing a resurgence so visitors can enjoy breweries, jazz music, and fabulous boutique shops and restaurants. To top it off, the town is practically surrounded by state parks, many offering pristine lakes, loads of camping opportunities, zip-lining, stunning scenic trails, and waterfall hikes.

Located about an hour's drive from Greenville, South Carolina, this under-the-radar city is at the doorstep of sparkling emerald-green waters of Lake Keowee, an 18,000-acre lake with almost 400 miles of shoreline. To top it off, a second, gorgeous lake, Lake Hartwell, is just 17 miles away and is known for some incredible bass fishing. For even more outdoor adventures, Devil's Fork, a lake state park with clear waters to swim, tube, and kayak, is located about 40 minutes' drive from the quaint, historic Seneca. 

Perched between two lakes (Lake Hartwell and Lake Keowee) and with a population of about 9,000, Seneca, South Carolina, has all the allure of an intimate summer vacation destination. The jewel of the downtown area is known as Ram Cat Alley, Seneca's version of main street that's loaded with delightful shops and restaurants. The town's roots date back to 1873 as a railroad junction, but the main downtown hub got its name from the stray cats that once collected around the meat market.

Lake Keowee has gorgeous turquoise waters that can be explored at the Keowee-Toxaway State Park, home to a thrilling zip line adventure. Visitors can experience 10 zip lines and a suspended bridge on canopy tours with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the lake. The state park is home to several natural trails as well as peaceful creeks along the lake. Don't miss a hike to Twin Falls, two beautiful 75-foot waterfalls that are just a quick hike with stunning vistas along the way.

On Thursday nights between April and October, the city hosts Jazz on the Alley, an evening street gathering with live bands and lots of dancing. Another popular ongoing event is Cruzin' on Main, a Saturday night showcase of vintage automobiles held the first weekend of every month that includes music and other events. For a chance to shop for fresh, local produce, a morning farmers market is held three times a week from May to October at Norton Thompson Park.

If you're flying in, the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is just over an hour's drive from Seneca and is the most convenient option. For more flights and airlines, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International is about 2.5 hours' drive. Alternatively, Greenville is a stop on Amtrak's Crescent route between New York and New Orleans, and rental cars are readily available for visitors to drive from Greenville to Seneca. While in Greenville, be sure to spend some time at Falls Park, considered the "heart of downtown" for beautiful flowers, a river, spectacular waterfalls, and trails to explore.

If you're interested in camping, there's a small campground at Keowee-Toxaway State Park with about 10 tent sites. Or, two other campgrounds are located on Lake Keowee: South Cove County Park and High Falls County Park. A little farther out (within an hour's drive), the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountain region has a number of amazing state parks with fantastic camping opportunities.

Devil's Fork State Park, home to the dazzling Lake Jocassee, has two different campgrounds for RV and tent camping. The city of Seneca is close to another fabulous state park, Caesar's Head, a hidden gem with an intriguing mysterious passage leading to stunning views, which has backcountry camping options. For a few more lodging comforts, Seneca has several chain hotels.